question on cordless/battery drill

[rnln]

I am looking at some of the Dewalt cordless drills and sometimes I can't tell how much is the differences I am getting over the difference of price.
I am looking at the 2 below. Prices are $100 different. How much different in performace and reliability am I getting? I can't find the Max torque on the higher end one. Is 400 In/Lbs ok? Is it worth the $100 different, of course $$ is always considered.
Thanks in advance.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100647076&N=10000003+90401

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=240310-70-DC920KA&lpage=none

[Rot 911]

I believe the higher price drill uses Dewalts XRP lithium ion battery and the cheaper one uses a ni-cad.

[lendaddy]

I was a Dewalt guy until I got the new Makita 18V lithium. It is tiny by comparison and I LOVE it. Charges in 15 minutes and is crazy powerful (450 inlbs). I have never been so pleased with a tool.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100588408

[anotherblack944]

Without actually checking the model numbers.. the HD one looks like an older model that I used to build a CO about 10 years ago. I see the two range high/low swith on it. LOVED it, solid as a rock! I still remember the bruises it gave me when the bit bound up on the steel. Sucker really torqued!

The Lowes one looks like a newer model impact we bought a few years ago. It has the three speed high/med/low switch just behind the chuck/clutch like that one (and the brace). Not nearly as impressed with it. Transmission binds easily when switching speeds. Grinds gears sometimes when you try to switch. We thought it was defective and exchanged it. New one is exactly the same. We just decided to live with it. YMMV but, I wouldn't buy that one myself.

[rnln]

Sorry for being ignorance about battery, can you explain the different?

Originally Posted by Kurt V

I believe the higher price drill uses Dewalts XRP lithium ion battery and the cheaper one uses a ni-cad.

[rnln]

How about power and battery last? Is it better?
Now you got me thinking. The reason why I have to have Dewalt because my brother got 3 of them and they are good. I can drill a long screw (2" or 3") into a big hard wood, with some pressure by hands. Also the battery last for months. My friend gave me a (whatever name it is) one with high voltage, I couldn't even finish two 1" long screws into a think wood pieces.
If there is/are other good one as Dewalt out there, such as Makita, does anyone know about those Panasonic/Hitachi one at Costco?

Originally Posted by lendaddy

I was a Dewalt guy until I got the new Makita 18V lithium. It is tiny by comparison and I LOVE it. Charges in 15 minutes and is crazy powerful (450 inlbs). I have never been so pleased with a tool.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100588408

[anotherblack944]

XRP is Dewalts TM for "extended run time battery". Supposedly 40% longer duty over typical batteries but they come in both NiCd and Lithium versions. Same power and run-time but the Li is lighter.

http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=15104

[rnln]

So $100 you get a better and lighter battery, but with the disadvantage you stated above. I am kind of leaning toward the Makita as lendaddy stated.

How about 1/2" or 3/8" chuck? I know that the bigger chuck, the bigger the drill bit I can use. But will 1/2" chuck take the smallest drill bit the 3/8" chuck can take?
Thanks.

[anotherblack944]

Yup, go with a 1/2".

[anotherblack944]

Originally Posted by lendaddy

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100588408

LD, how long have you had it? Just wondering after seeing the comments on short pack lifetime and $125 replacement cost!

[Brian 162]

I have one that is similar to the one on the Lowe's web site. Except mine is a hammer drill as well. The XRP drill is a commercial drill. I've used mine every day for 5 years. It's been dropped numerous times. It takes a beating. Hope this helps.

[TerryH]

Buy a cordless drill based on your needs. Bigger chuck and extra handles add weight and aren't necessarily for everyone. I use a cordless drill daily for removing interior car trim pieces and drilling smaller holes. I don't want added weight. On the other hand, if you're drilling big holes in steel or screwing lag bolts into wood you want all the torque and leverage you can get.

I use powered tools for the big home projects.

[porsche4life]

The 18v makita stuff is super tuff. In our shop we have makita, dewalt, rigid, and ryobi. Makita is by the best and rigid is the definite second. The 18v makita platform has tons of tools available and the ones we have are rock solid. The 24v rigid stuff is way way tuff and the hammerdrill will rip your arm off. the dewalt suffers from major battery issues and well i think we have killed the ryobis by dropping. they lacked in power anyways. Dont scrimp on powertools.

[aigel]

I used to work construction and all we'd have was Makita cordless drills. We'd use them for screws mainly. I have had a cordless for almost 10 years and it has held up great through all my home projects, many of them pretty extensive. It was an anniversary edition, much like this one.



George

[rnln]

Brian,
What is the hammer drill? What does it do?

I got so much info for so quick.
Thanks guys.

[masraum]

I second the Makita recommendation. I've got/have had some Dewalt stuff, it's OK, but not as good as Makita in my experience. I've got a Makita 14V that kicks butt.

[masraum]

A good place to get Makita stuff.

http://cpomakita.com/

You can get factory refurbished and guaranteed.

[ruf-porsche]

Originally Posted by rnln

Brian,
What is the hammer drill? What does it do?

I got so much info for so quick.
Thanks guys.

Hammer drill in addition to drilling also hammer the bit as it drill. It is used mainly for drilling masonry and concrete material.

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by anotherblack944

LD, how long have you had it? Just wondering after seeing the comments on short pack lifetime and $125 replacement cost!

Just a few months, but I gotta say the drill is so good it's worth the risk. I imagine makita would honor early dead batteries as well.

[Rot 911]

Another vote for the Makita. I am still on the same set of batteries after 6 years. Just keep swapping them back and forth. They are just in the last year not holding their charge as long as they used to. Have a DeWalt cordless circular saw and after 2 years those batteries won't hold a charge more than a week.