Power Drill - Any Recommendations ?

[alanrichey]

I've been using a cordless B&D drill for years, but am getting sick of the battery going flat at a crucial moment, the drill slipping in the keyless chuck when drilling holes in stainless steel and the lack of speed control. So time to upgrade !!

 

Tried to do some comparisons on Amazon but there are just too many and a lack of specific detail. What I am after is:

 

Multi-Speed

Corded

Keyed Chuck (Can you retrofit a keyed chuck to a keyless chuck drill?)

Hammer ?

Small as possible to get into awkward places.

 

Anyone any recommendations ?

 

Cheers

 

Al

[Guest whiz]

best thing to do is go into your local trade tool shop and compare then look for the best price on the model you choose and you get what you pay for. I use metabo and dewalt

[Guest Ian & Carole]

B&Q have a great selection on display, so you cold get a hands on comparison, then hunt down the best price else where.

 

I have a 24v Dewalt, what a great bit of kit although large in size, came with 2 batteries so going flat isn't a problem.

 

The B & Decker one I have is next to useless, it was bought to wind up and down the caravan legs but it won't even do that more than 3 times.

[Dean Roberts]

^{+1 Dewalt....}

 

^{Look out for daily deals on http://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/power-tools/cat830692}

^{Also if you register with them and subscribe to there emails, you sometimes get vouchers and extra deals.}

^{I was offered £10 of any purchase over £75 recently.}

 

^{Worth looking out for weekly or daily deals on toolstation and screwfix if your not in a hurry.}

^{OR look here and check out the comments: http://www.hotukdeals.com/search?action=search&keywords=drill}

[fry61]

Sold Dewalt for over a quarter of a century & my "retirement presents" of 2 cordless are now beginning to die on batteries, but that's 10 years of hard work. Go for these if in budget -- machines usually come with drill, torque control, speed control, 3 gears ,forward/reverse & impact. Proper hammer drills ( which use the special SDS bits) are a lot bigger & need an adaptor with chuck to enable rotary drilling. Thinks that's enough of a sales pitch, just to finish will definitely replace with Dewalt when necessary.

 

If you are using cobalt drills on stainless the drill chuck will struggle to grip as cobalt is very hard/slippy.

Edited February 20, 2015 by florin metal works

[philshelton]

18 volt Dewalt XR with 4Ah batterys is a great bit of kit. I have impact driver and drill set and can do a kitchen fit and then some on one charge. At the end of the day you get what you pay for.

[Guest 2b cruising]

Whatever you decide on, you can usually get two batteries in the kit. This is always the way to go.

Also li I batteries will last longer as long as not abused and over flattened as we tend to do. Getting that last little bit out of them.

They are designed to cut out at optimum charge time, that's the time to do it as working on with them will defo knacker them.

[Guest Gargoil]

Have changed a chuck on a drill before and it was easy to do. Have a look down the throat of the Chuck and if you see a screw/bolt head central to the chuck, thats the way it mounts. However, not all drills are the same, so check first. As with other members, Dewalt are good drills, get a drill with metal gears and cogs, plastic won't stand up to a lot of abuse.

[Guest mower man]

Machine Mart clark contractor 24 volt ,2 batteries, multiple torque setting, 2 speed ,impact,reverse ,carrying box wait for a vat freeday what more do you want or require , it's only minor fault is it's a bit bulky .Had mine about 3 years its done everything asked of it which wasnot always fair mick

[alanrichey]

OK, thanks everyone, that's given me plenty to go on.

[stevedohc2b]

Some of the Aldi stuff is very good value and 3 year warenty,

[maccavvy]

ive had dewalt before til it got stolen.. then went to a green bosch one.. bit average tbh . Now got a Makita 14.4 with 2 batteries.. great drill.

 

id have a Makita again or a dewalt

[richyb66]

Have changed a chuck on a drill before and it was easy to do. Have a look down the throat of the Chuck and if you see a screw/bolt head central to the chuck, thats the way it mounts.

 

Note that the screws are somtimes left hand thread.

[chris n]

Makita 18V drill for me. I must have spent a small fortune on cheap cordless drills over the years.

[fry61]

Note that the screws are somtimes left hand thread.

 

The central locking screw is always left hand thread ( for the 26 years I repaired them any-ways )