Drill & driver combo kit comparison

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jaybee9
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Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

I was shopping for a cordless drill and driver combo kit last weekend at Home Depot and was totally overwhelmed by all the different options. Things have changed a lot since I last did some serious power tool shopping. Researching online left me with the same feeling as the compare feature on Home Depot's website was fairly lacking in details.

So I decided to create my own comparison chart to help educate myself and narrow down the field. I narrowed the field somewhat by applying the following constraints:
- Combo kits with only cordless driver/drill and impact driver tools
- Lithium ion battery
- Slide battery design (tools can stand up)
- 12 V & 18 V (includes 20 V)

It turned out to be a lot of work because I often had to refer to multiple websites (HD, tool OEM, Amazon), read the Questions & Answers section, and read up on the kit and/or the bare tools (w/o battery) to find missing information. Kudos to Milwaukee and Makita for having above average documentation. I created a spreadsheet and figured out what features I wanted to track and which kits. I thought I would share the "final" spreadsheet in the hopes of it being useful to others:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

Did I miss anything significant? Any good brands/kits I should have included (e.g., from Lowes)?
barnaclebob
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by barnaclebob »

Your first mistake is believing that the voltage of dewalt is more than milwaukee and other 18v tools. Dont worry, I did too until someone else in the internet pointed out that dewalt "20v" is max voltage while its really 18v nominal. That was enough to make me change from yellow to red when I was deciding on new tools.

Ive got a milwaukee m18 surge 1/4" impact which isnt on your list and their m18 drill/hammerdrill and love them both. They are way better than my older dewalts. The surge impact driver is pretty quiet so i wont end up with tinnitus even without hearing protection.
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jaybee9
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

barnaclebob wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 1:43 am Your first mistake is believing that the voltage of dewalt is more than milwaukee amd other 18v tools. Dont worry, I did too until someone else in the internet pointed out that dewalt "20v" is max voltage while its really 18v nominal. That was enough to make me change from yellow to red when I was deciding on new tools.

Ive got a milwaukee m18 surge 1/4" impact and their m18 drill/hammerdrill and love them both.
I am aware the 20 V is a max voltage and is really 18 V, I just put it down as is. I will update so as to not confuse others.

Milwaukee seems to have good stuff but it's pricy!
Housedoc
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by Housedoc »

Milwaukee and Ryobi are owned by same parent company. I like Milwaukee and love their Torch brand recip saw blades. A demo delight!
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RickBoglehead
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by RickBoglehead »

Make sure you compare battery warranties also. I went with Milwaukee. Use a Citi card for 60 day price protection, Father's Day sales soon. I bought drill, driver, reciprocating saw and flashlight, 2 batteries, and got a free huge battery free - which I sold on Craigslist. Price dropped, got refund.

Saw is amazing, right blade cuts tree branches too.

I regret keeping my old Craftsman 12V so long, sold it for $20 on Craigslist with dead batteries...
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andypanda
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by andypanda »

Will the tools be used daily or just from time to time around the house?

When I began dating my wife 4 or 5 years ago there was an 18v yellow Dewalt reciprocating saw in the garage that had been purchased sometime prior to her husband's death in 2008. A saw and a battery, but no charger. I borrowed a friend's spare charger to remove some stubborn plumbing fixtures and then started cutting up dead branches to fit on the 5' x 8' trash trailer I renovated. Harbor Freight has decent blades. A Diablo carbide pruning blade is worth every penny.

One thing led to another and I bought a $99 drill kit at HD that included a charger and two smaller batteries. I like the drill so much I ordered a tool-only impact wrench for removing the 3 blades on the new zero turn and the boat trailer wheels, etc.

I don't know if the tools at this price point would stand up to daily commercial use - probably not - but for deck repairs and general home improvement they're more than enough. I haven't given away my 3 corded drills or her late husband's 2, but they don't get used unless I need one drill with a pilot bit and one with a countersink, along with the cordless with the drill bit. I hate switching bits back and forth all day.
ddurrett896
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by ddurrett896 »

Milwaukee

M12 are solid and relatively small. Great in tight spots or working overhead.
M18 are larger, more powerful but most won't need the difference. Larger batteries, but heavier.

I had M12 and sold everything for M18. My recommendation would be to look at the complete tool line and see what you might want down the road.

M18 has a wet vac, M12 doesn't.
M18 has like 20 light options, M12 has a few.
M18 has a full 7 1/4 circular saw that can make beveled cuts thru 2x, M12 is only 5 3/8 and requires 2 cuts.
nordsteve
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by nordsteve »

Agree that this is a system decision. I've been happy with the 18v Makita line, and have the brushless drill and driver. Both are great.
LifeIsGood
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by LifeIsGood »

After going through Dewalt and Porter Cable drills I made the switch to Ridgid and never looked back. In my hands, drills never "break" but the batteries eventually fail to hold a charge. A set of 2 replacement batteries is the same price as a new drill. Ridgid offers a lifetime warranty on many of their products. I'm on my third set of free replacement batteries for my drill. There's some hoops to jump through to take advantage of the lifetime warranty so read ALL the fine print and follow it to a T.
lazydavid
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by lazydavid »

I went with the Milwaukee M12 system several years ago and love it. As a homeowner (as opposed to a contractor), I rarely need the extra power afforded by the 18v tools, and you have to carry the extra weight whether you need it or not. Despite being a magazine-style battery, the 4.0 AH and up batteries have stable bottoms to stand the tools up on, so I usually leave those on the drill and impact driver. Others get the smaller batteries. And I have TONS of batteries, because I buy tools when there are free battery promotions.

My favorite place to get tools from is CPO Outlets. Despite the name, they sell both new and reconditioned (CPO) tools. All of my cordless stuff so far has been new--primarily due to the battery promotions--but I did get a reconditioned corded rotary hammer from there for less than double it would have cost me to rent one for 6 hours--which worked out dramatically to my favor since it started pouring as soon as I started using it, so I would have had to rent twice. It was completely indistinguishable from new, and made short work of drilling 1/4" holes in 35-year-old concrete that made my 1/2" hammer drill cry like a little baby.

Some unusual tools that I've gotten a ton of use out of are the 3/8" rachet, hackzall (small pistol-grip reciprocating saw), right-angle impact driver, and heated jacket.

If you're going DeWalt, stick with the 20v Max line (really 18v as previously noted, the 20v is marketing crap), as their 12v lineup is just sad.
Shallowpockets
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by Shallowpockets »

That was a lot of research you did. Spreadsheet? Wow.
Me, I would go to Harbor Freight and buy what I need. If it breaks, I buy a new one. Usually they don't break for use around the house. If I was a contractor or had an extensive repair that used such a tool I would still use a Harbor freight tool until it gave out. Then I might go your route.
tedgeorge
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by tedgeorge »

I agree that you should buy into a system. I’ve piece mealed mine together and regret some of the batteries are not interchangeable.

Ryobi is probably the most extensive entry level with a ton of deals all the time. Perfect for the weekend warrior. You can also use some of the batteries in outdoor tools as well which can be a bonus!
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jaybee9
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

andypanda wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:31 am Will the tools be used daily or just from time to time around the house?

...

I don't know if the tools at this price point would stand up to daily commercial use - probably not - but for deck repairs and general home improvement they're more than enough. I haven't given away my 3 corded drills or her late husband's 2, but they don't get used unless I need one drill with a pilot bit and one with a countersink, along with the cordless with the drill bit. I hate switching bits back and forth all day.
I would say in the past its been time to time but we are wanting to do some home improvement projects going forward.

Yeah I hate switching too, that's why I was looking at the drill & driver set.
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FrugalInvestor
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by FrugalInvestor »

Shallowpockets wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:01 am Me, I would go to Harbor Freight and buy what I need. If it breaks, I buy a new one. Usually they don't break for use around the house. If I was a contractor or had an extensive repair that used such a tool I would still use a Harbor freight tool until it gave out. Then I might go your route.
I have a similar philosophy but with Ryobi tools. Nearly fifteen years ago I bought (actually put on my Christmas list) a Ryobi starter tool/battery kit. They worked very well and so when I had a need for an additional tool I bought another Ryobi so I could use the same batteries.

A tool purchased with a battery is very cheap, the real expense is in the batteries, so whenever I buy a new tool I buy it with a battery. The batteries last for about 4 years and go on sale for about 1/2 price at Christmas and father's day so those are the only two times that I buy batteries alone.

Over the years I've built a large collection of different types of tools (carpentry, lawn and garden and mechanic) all using the same batteries/charger. I always have two batteries along with a multi-charger so I never run out of power.

If I were a heavy use professional I may choose better tools but for my purposes the less expensive tools/batteries that I can buy cheap work extremely well are are so affordable that I can justify having all the tools I might use even if I don't use them often.

As others have said, using a single 'system' of appropriate quality for the intended use is key to affordability as well as practicality.

P.S. I still haven't broken or worn out a second tool after all these years and I use them regularly.
Last edited by FrugalInvestor on Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:39 am, edited 5 times in total.
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lazydavid
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by lazydavid »

jaybee9 wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:27 am Yeah I hate switching too, that's why I was looking at the drill & driver set.
Even moreso than the switching, the reason to have both a drill and a driver is that a drill is a pretty horrible tool for driving screws, compared to an impact driver. That is, unless you really like stripping screws. :D We just dealt with it for decades because lightweight impact drivers weren't available until 10 or so years ago.
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jaybee9
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

ddurrett896 wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:33 am Milwaukee

M12 are solid and relatively small. Great in tight spots or working overhead.
M18 are larger, more powerful but most won't need the difference. Larger batteries, but heavier.

I had M12 and sold everything for M18. My recommendation would be to look at the complete tool line and see what you might want down the road.

M18 has a wet vac, M12 doesn't.
M18 has like 20 light options, M12 has a few.
M18 has a full 7 1/4 circular saw that can make beveled cuts thru 2x, M12 is only 5 3/8 and requires 2 cuts.
I think for most of what I would do a 12V system would be fine but would come up short on occasion which would make me wish I had the 18V. Could go for the Milwaukee 12V fuel but its so expensive I can get a nice Makita 18V kit or an entire Ryobi tool kit for that price.
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jaybee9
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

LifeIsGood wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:45 am After going through Dewalt and Porter Cable drills I made the switch to Ridgid and never looked back. In my hands, drills never "break" but the batteries eventually fail to hold a charge. A set of 2 replacement batteries is the same price as a new drill. Ridgid offers a lifetime warranty on many of their products. I'm on my third set of free replacement batteries for my drill. There's some hoops to jump through to take advantage of the lifetime warranty so read ALL the fine print and follow it to a T.
Sounds like you've have pretty good experience with taking advantage of the warranty. I've read enough complaints about frequency of repair needed (which your post also suggests) and issues taking advantage of the warranty that I've kind of steered clear of RIDGID. Just personal preference.
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jaybee9
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

Shallowpockets wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:01 am That was a lot of research you did. Spreadsheet? Wow.
Me, I would go to Harbor Freight and buy what I need. If it breaks, I buy a new one. Usually they don't break for use around the house. If I was a contractor or had an extensive repair that used such a tool I would still use a Harbor freight tool until it gave out. Then I might go your route.
It was a lot admittedly (this was not expected beforehand!) So I know Harbor Freight is supposed to be pretty cheap but when I look at what it would take to get a combo kit essentially (because they sell individually), it looks almost as expensive as the name brand kits:

https://www.harborfreight.com/power-too ... rills.html

To get the Hercules 18V (20V) drill and driver is about $190. I think they have a 90 day warranty? Why go that route when I could get a nice Makita kit for $200? The Bauer set would be $145 but again there are other better name brand sets in that price range. Am I looking at the same stuff as you? I guess that's why I started comparing because it seems we all start with initial biases that maybe don't stand up to closer scrutiny.
BobStrauss
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by BobStrauss »

Like several others mention, I don’t think you can go wrong with Ryobi’s 18v tools. For a weekend warrior I use mine a lot, probably abuse them somewhat with some larger projects, but I’ve never had any issues.
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F150HD
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by F150HD »

LifeIsGood wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:45 am After going through Dewalt and Porter Cable drills I made the switch to Ridgid and never looked back. In my hands, drills never "break" but the batteries eventually fail to hold a charge. A set of 2 replacement batteries is the same price as a new drill. Ridgid offers a lifetime warranty on many of their products. I'm on my third set of free replacement batteries for my drill. There's some hoops to jump through to take advantage of the lifetime warranty so read ALL the fine print and follow it to a T.
to me, that would be reason enough to not buy that line of product (?), sounds like frequent failures. (Echo)
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Winston19
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by Winston19 »

I have had good luck with Milwaukee.
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jaybee9
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

FrugalInvestor wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:34 am
Shallowpockets wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:01 am Me, I would go to Harbor Freight and buy what I need. If it breaks, I buy a new one. Usually they don't break for use around the house. If I was a contractor or had an extensive repair that used such a tool I would still use a Harbor freight tool until it gave out. Then I might go your route.
I have a similar philosophy but with Ryobi tools. Nearly fifteen years ago I bought (actually put on my Christmas list) a Ryobi starter tool/battery kit. They worked very well and so when I had a need for an additional tool I bought another Ryobi so I could use the same batteries.

A tool purchased with a battery is very cheap, the real expense is in the batteries, so whenever I buy a new tool I buy it with a battery. The batteries last for about 4 years and go on sale for about 1/2 price at Christmas and father's day so those are the only two times that I buy batteries alone.

Over the years I've built a large collection of different types of tools (carpentry, lawn and garden and mechanic) all using the same batteries/charger. I always have two batteries along with a multi-charger so I never run out of power.

If I were a heavy use professional I may choose better tools but for my purposes the less expensive tools/batteries that I can buy cheap work extremely well are are so affordable that I can justify having all the tools I might use even if I don't use them often.

As others have said, using a single 'system' of appropriate quality for the intended use is key to affordability as well as practicality.

P.S. I still haven't broken or worn out a second tool after all these years and I use them regularly.
Thanks for your thoughts. In full disclosure I have a couple Ryobi tools but I've been weighing whether to start fresh as I really don't like the drill I have. I agree its a system decision, I picked the drill & driver combo kits because a lot of the system kits build on these same basic two tools. So it gives me an opportunity to compare a lot of different brands apples to apples to get a feel for what brands I like.

Someone else mentioned sales, I may wait a little to see if I can get a better deal.

Do you find your Ryobi's are good enough for automotive work (you mentioned mechanic)?
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by lazydavid »

jaybee9 wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 9:57 am Do you find your Ryobi's are good enough for automotive work (you mentioned mechanic)?
The majority of cordless power tools (regardless of brand) are not well-suited to automotive work. The two exceptions being the cordless ratchets (which I love so much I'm thinking about getting another in a different size) and the VERY expensive ($300-600) impact wrenches,. Well, and a sawzall for certain "delicate" tasks. :P If you have a classic car that still has zerk fittings, I suppose the grease guns could be useful too, but I've never owned such a car.
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jaybee9
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

jaybee9 wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 9:19 am
Shallowpockets wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:01 am That was a lot of research you did. Spreadsheet? Wow.
Me, I would go to Harbor Freight and buy what I need. If it breaks, I buy a new one. Usually they don't break for use around the house. If I was a contractor or had an extensive repair that used such a tool I would still use a Harbor freight tool until it gave out. Then I might go your route.
It was a lot admittedly (this was not expected beforehand!) So I know Harbor Freight is supposed to be pretty cheap but when I look at what it would take to get a combo kit essentially (because they sell individually), it looks almost as expensive as the name brand kits:

https://www.harborfreight.com/power-too ... rills.html

To get the Hercules 18V (20V) drill and driver is about $190. I think they have a 90 day warranty? Why go that route when I could get a nice Makita kit for $200? The Bauer set would be $145 but again there are other better name brand sets in that price range. Am I looking at the same stuff as you? I guess that's why I started comparing because it seems we all start with initial biases that maybe don't stand up to closer scrutiny.
For grins I put the HF tools [edit Hercules brand] in (actually can't get as a combo kit which may explain why it's so expensive). The drill looks awesome on paper. The driver is okay. But I confirmed the warranty is only 90 days. That's way too short IMO. But also they lack additional tools to add onto the "system".
Last edited by jaybee9 on Sat Apr 06, 2019 10:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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jaybee9
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

lazydavid wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 10:18 am
jaybee9 wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 9:57 am Do you find your Ryobi's are good enough for automotive work (you mentioned mechanic)?
The majority of cordless power tools (regardless of brand) are not well-suited to automotive work. The two exceptions being the cordless ratchets (which I love so much I'm thinking about getting another in a different size) and the VERY expensive ($300-600) impact wrenches,. Well, and a sawzall for certain "delicate" tasks. :P If you have a classic car that still has zerk fittings, I suppose the grease guns could be useful too, but I've never owned such a car.
That was my thinking but I have seen people mention they use their tools for automotive stuff.
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jaybee9
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

nordsteve wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:39 am Agree that this is a system decision. I've been happy with the 18v Makita line, and have the brushless drill and driver. Both are great.
I like Makita line too. How do the circular saw and reciprocating saw do when cordless for DIY stuff? Do you have enough power?
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lthenderson
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by lthenderson »

I've used Milwaukee, Makita, Bosch, Porter Cable and a few other brands over the years and all have been good. My cordless tools are DeWalt which have also been good. The only reason I stick with DeWalt is that I have a dealer here in town and at this point, I have a drawer full of them that all use the same batteries and chargers which makes it really handy when doing intensive carpentry and going through batteries at a good clip. If I were to start from scratch, I would pick any one of those brands that had a dealer nearby and be just as happy. I like the dealers because they carry the full line versus just part like many big box stores and they will work with you on price if buying several tools at once.
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FrugalInvestor
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by FrugalInvestor »

jaybee9 wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 9:57 amThanks for your thoughts. In full disclosure I have a couple Ryobi tools but I've been weighing whether to start fresh as I really don't like the drill I have. I agree its a system decision, I picked the drill & driver combo kits because a lot of the system kits build on these same basic two tools. So it gives me an opportunity to compare a lot of different brands apples to apples to get a feel for what brands I like.

Someone else mentioned sales, I may wait a little to see if I can get a better deal.

Do you find your Ryobi's are good enough for automotive work (you mentioned mechanic)?
The only problem I've had was with a hedge trimmer and that was due to my abusing it. The majority of my tools are non-automotive though so I can't be as confident about them as carpentry and L&G.

The times to buy Ryobi are definitely Father's Day and Christmas, especially kits and batteries.
Have a plan, stay the course and simplify. Then ignore the noise!
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jaybee9
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

lthenderson wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 2:48 pm I've used Milwaukee, Makita, Bosch, Porter Cable and a few other brands over the years and all have been good. My cordless tools are DeWalt which have also been good. The only reason I stick with DeWalt is that I have a dealer here in town and at this point, I have a drawer full of them that all use the same batteries and chargers which makes it really handy when doing intensive carpentry and going through batteries at a good clip. If I were to start from scratch, I would pick any one of those brands that had a dealer nearby and be just as happy. I like the dealers because they carry the full line versus just part like many big box stores and they will work with you on price if buying several tools at once.
I never thought about looking at dealers, thanks!
stumpy
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by stumpy »

I purchased a Rigid drill and driver. Great tools with a great warranty. Homedepot carries them. My oldest son perfers my Rigid to his DeWalt driver and drill. When I help him with projects at his house he requests I bring my Rigid tools.
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CaliJim
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by CaliJim »

The guy who built my house uses his makita tools the most
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jabberwockOG »

For my little house projects I have a set of Ryobi’s 18v tools that work fantastic. Plenty rugged for average diy projects.

At the charity where I volunteer, we build houses, and for cordless, we use Dewalt cordless tools/batteries. All the Dewalt stuff works extremely well and have never seen a Dewalt tool fail despite heavy duty almost continuous use.
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by suemarkp »

I went with Ryobi because they had the best selection of tools at the time (probably 4 years ago). Now Milwaukee and others have quite a large selection. The batteries in the Ryobi combo kits are crap and sometimes the chargers. Typically, one battery dies very soon. The ones on the shelf are great, and as others have said, they go on sale at Christmas for half price so that's when I stock up.

Ryobi warranty isn't good. You must save the receipt. Then, I was told the only service center was a place about 20 miles from me. They no longer did the cordless tools, only the Ryobi gas tools. So could not get it replaced. Maybe if I pushed for a place to send it to, but then you're paying shipping. Home depot does warranty returns, but you'll be returning the whole kit and seems a bit unethical if you've used it for a while. And one battery charge lasts a while, so you don't find the bad battery for a while. I think Home Depot does do the warranty service on the RIGID line, so you can do warranty issues at the store.

One other thing to consider. Many of the impact drivers don't have clutches, but some do. It is easy to snap the head off a screw with a powerful impact driver if the screw hits a knot and no clutch.Also nice if you need to torque bolts to some specific level once you determine what torque value each wheel setting corresponds to. You can decide do you want an impact driver w/clutch or without, or maybe a hammer drill with clutch (hammer function can be turned off), or a drywall screw gun.
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CurlyDave
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by CurlyDave »

I have had cordless tools for 30+ years.

After going through a mish-mash of various brands, I decided to really think it through. Every time I saw a house under construction with a crew working I stopped for a minute and looked at what brand they were using.

20 years ago, in my area, this was DeWalt, and I just settled on DeWalt for everything. As has been noted, the batteries are interchangeable, which helps a lot. There is a second advantage. Over the years I have hired a few people to work on various jobs. On several occasions they will show up and then tell me: "I can't start for an hour, I need to charge the battery in my flux capacitor." Since I have the most common brand of tools, and my batteries are charged, I can tell him: "Here is a battery, now get to work."

This has saved me dozens of man-hours that I would have been charged for but not worked over the years. The cost of the tools pales in comparison to the man-hours of contractor charges I have saved.

These days Milwaukee may be more popular in your area. Both are good brands and will hold up for a long time. See which is more popular and get that one.
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by MTF »

I initially bought a Ryobi 18v drill driver but after my brother in law (a builder) said it was a fine choice for a home handyman I ended up switching to Makita. I initially bought a drill driver and impact combo, and now have a large range of Makita 18v tools. I’ve done extensive renovation work and found them all to be excellent, but the Ryobi is also surprisingly good. Much better than the old blue and orange ones. I don’t think the home handyman can go wrong with the Ryobi, for the price, even if doing major work.
-ryan-
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Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2019 6:14 am

Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by -ryan- »

FrugalInvestor wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:34 am
Shallowpockets wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:01 am Me, I would go to Harbor Freight and buy what I need. If it breaks, I buy a new one. Usually they don't break for use around the house. If I was a contractor or had an extensive repair that used such a tool I would still use a Harbor freight tool until it gave out. Then I might go your route.
I have a similar philosophy but with Ryobi tools. Nearly fifteen years ago I bought (actually put on my Christmas list) a Ryobi starter tool/battery kit. They worked very well and so when I had a need for an additional tool I bought another Ryobi so I could use the same batteries.

A tool purchased with a battery is very cheap, the real expense is in the batteries, so whenever I buy a new tool I buy it with a battery. The batteries last for about 4 years and go on sale for about 1/2 price at Christmas and father's day so those are the only two times that I buy batteries alone.

Over the years I've built a large collection of different types of tools (carpentry, lawn and garden and mechanic) all using the same batteries/charger. I always have two batteries along with a multi-charger so I never run out of power.

If I were a heavy use professional I may choose better tools but for my purposes the less expensive tools/batteries that I can buy cheap work extremely well are are so affordable that I can justify having all the tools I might use even if I don't use them often.

As others have said, using a single 'system' of appropriate quality for the intended use is key to affordability as well as practicality.

P.S. I still haven't broken or worn out a second tool after all these years and I use them regularly.
I've had a Ryobi starter kit for a long period of time too. I think I got mine when they first started doing the lithium ion batteries (and the green color scheme) and I only just now had a battery go defective and need to get a replacement, but for the cost of the kit and everything it came with, I have used it to build two large decks and countless smaller projects. I almost went with a Dewalt kit for double the money on the recommendation of a family member, and I have a hard time believing it would have outlasted the Ryobi stuff I ended up with, even if it's not considered 'professional'.

For what it's worth, I also have some Makita and Milwaukee tools and like both of those companies, but I'm not afraid to go with cheaper counterparts. I have found it easier to stick primarily with Ryobi for battery powered tools so that I don't have to charge more than one type of battery. Their miter saw (picked up years ago for $89) is not bad, but I would spend the money on a nicer one next time around because there is quite a bit of play in this one that makes it difficult to get truly accurate cuts.
dalbright
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by dalbright »

Do you have a menards and homedepot near you? If so today starts the menards 11% off sale, and home depot honors that sale and will send a 11% gift card by mail. The website is not up to date for the sale that just started this morning but should be soon. I have used the program numerous times for large and small purchases. Home depot generally carries a better line of tools by me than menards.

https://www.homedepotrebates11percent.com/#/home
lazydavid
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by lazydavid »

CurlyDave wrote: Sun Apr 07, 2019 1:16 am These days Milwaukee may be more popular in your area. Both are good brands and will hold up for a long time. See which is more popular and get that one.
I think it varies by trade. I still a lot of trades with DeWalt, but plumbers and especially electricians seem to use Milwaukee exclusively.
LifeIsGood
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Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by LifeIsGood »

I've never had any issues with Ridgid tools needing repair - just batteries wearing out as they all eventually do. I'm a pretty avid DIY'er and woodworker and use my drills/drivers alot. My impression with warranty claims being denied revolves around people not following the procedures that Ridgid mandates for warranty service.
jaybee9 wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 9:11 am
LifeIsGood wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:45 am After going through Dewalt and Porter Cable drills I made the switch to Ridgid and never looked back. In my hands, drills never "break" but the batteries eventually fail to hold a charge. A set of 2 replacement batteries is the same price as a new drill. Ridgid offers a lifetime warranty on many of their products. I'm on my third set of free replacement batteries for my drill. There's some hoops to jump through to take advantage of the lifetime warranty so read ALL the fine print and follow it to a T.
Sounds like you've have pretty good experience with taking advantage of the warranty. I've read enough complaints about frequency of repair needed (which your post also suggests) and issues taking advantage of the warranty that I've kind of steered clear of RIDGID. Just personal preference.
jwtietz
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Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:00 pm

Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jwtietz »

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-V ... /205883898
$299 with lifetime warranty- I have used the set regularly and never had an issue except one switch on the light, they repaired it NP. Batteries are lifetime as well. Great power and torque. The hand saw is great.
unstartable
Posts: 235
Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2017 12:19 pm

Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by unstartable »

I have Milwaukee cordless tools. I think anything in that general price range is a great value for money. Look at the other tools in the line and make your decision based on the ones you like more. If you ever work on cars, Milwaukee has cordless impacts that are pretty nice.
iamlucky13
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Location: Western Washington

Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by iamlucky13 »

Thanks to the OP for sharing the results of your research.

A general note about Ryobi that many potential buyers may not notice:

Ryobi cordless tools typically exist in 2 or 3 tiers.

What I mean is for the most common tools in their lineup (eg - drills, trim saws, reciprocating saws, etc), there are 2 or 3 versions of differing capabilities and quality levels. The bottom end is for very basic, light duty use. There's frequently a mid-grade product suitable for most DIY projects, and in some cases, especially now that they have added a Ryobi-branded family of tools with brushless motors, there is often a higher-quality line that is close in quality (and price) to the Ridgid line.

Also, Ryobi tools tend to go on really good sales from time to time - usually a handful of kits or combos spread throughout the year, and then numerous kits and combos before Christmas.
dsmclone
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Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 8:50 am

Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by dsmclone »

I bought Rigid from HD for the lifetime warranty on batteries. I've had it for about a year now and they work great. The only downside with any of these kits is that if you buy the massive batteries the drills become massively heavy. This is the case with all the brands.
Luke Duke
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Location: Texas

Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by Luke Duke »

For light home use I typically recommend Ryobi. For heavy use get Dewalt, Makita or Milwaukee.
supalong52
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Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by supalong52 »

I just bought a combo kit in the Makita sub-compact line (XFD11ZB, XDT15ZB). I'm pretty new to drills, but these are far better than anything I've ever used and they are darn compact to boot.

Image
Topic Author
jaybee9
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Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:36 pm

Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

dalbright wrote: Sun Apr 07, 2019 6:29 am Do you have a menards and homedepot near you? If so today starts the menards 11% off sale, and home depot honors that sale and will send a 11% gift card by mail. The website is not up to date for the sale that just started this morning but should be soon. I have used the program numerous times for large and small purchases. Home depot generally carries a better line of tools by me than menards.

https://www.homedepotrebates11percent.com/#/home
I had not heard of that, thanks for the link
Topic Author
jaybee9
Posts: 198
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:36 pm

Re: Drill & driver combo kit comparison

Post by jaybee9 »

iamlucky13 wrote: Mon Apr 08, 2019 2:46 am Thanks to the OP for sharing the results of your research.
You are welcome! Actually I updated it some more because I wanted to look at Hitachi and Bosch lines. Here's the link again:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0

iamlucky13 wrote: Mon Apr 08, 2019 2:46 am A general note about Ryobi that many potential buyers may not notice:

Ryobi cordless tools typically exist in 2 or 3 tiers.

What I mean is for the most common tools in their lineup (eg - drills, trim saws, reciprocating saws, etc), there are 2 or 3 versions of differing capabilities and quality levels. The bottom end is for very basic, light duty use. There's frequently a mid-grade product suitable for most DIY projects, and in some cases, especially now that they have added a Ryobi-branded family of tools with brushless motors, there is often a higher-quality line that is close in quality (and price) to the Ridgid line.

Also, Ryobi tools tend to go on really good sales from time to time - usually a handful of kits or combos spread throughout the year, and then numerous kits and combos before Christmas.
It has been a couple weeks since I last looked at this (got really busy) and I was surprised at how much some of the prices changed even though it isn't Father's Day or Christmas. It has made me reconsider my purchase. The Makita XT279S just went down in price, only $10 more than the Ryobi P1834 set.
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