Aldi Pillar Drill and a few other bits and pieces

[whatknot]

Just for info

Just had an email for a few bits and pieces at Aldi coming up

The most significant being a 500w pillar drill at £60 with free delivery

I know some will scoff at Aldi stuff but I have found them okay and with a three year warranty to boot

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Some Aldi and Lidl tools are good, but a barge pole is the first thing that springs to mind when pillar drills are mentioned.

 

[whatknot]

Perhaps beggars can't be to choosy ;-)

We can't all afford what we would like to buy so have to make do

A cheap pillar drill is better than no pillar drill if you need one

Some Aldi and Lidl tools are good, but a barge pole is the first thing that springs to mind when pillar drills are mentioned.

 

[fezman]

Perhaps beggars can't be to choosy ;-)

We can't all afford what we would like to buy so have to make do

A cheap pillar drill is better than no pillar drill if you need one

Some Aldi and Lidl tools are good, but a barge pole is the first thing that springs to mind when pillar drills are mentioned.

That depends on whether the pillar drill is usable. As mentioned in the Parkside drill thread, the one i bought from Lidl was total junk. The drill wobbled at all speeds - rendering it unusable. i believe the quill was bent. To be fair Lidl took it back without any issue and i was refunded.

I spent an extra £25 on a clarke drill and it has performed well. I will replace it when funds permit, but only because i want a rack and pinion table lift. it is a lot of faff without one.

I did buy the £30 workshop heater from there. It looks like it takes a while to heat up, but for the money has a reasonable flow of hot air for those upcoming cold winter nights in the garage.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A cheap pillar drill is better than no pillar drill if you need one? Sometimes - but the main reason for using a pillar drill is accuracy, and these are known not to be accurate.

 

[whatknot]

Seems a tad trite to blanket dismiss all pillar drills from two suppliers, just because the one you bought was a dud, particularly as the one you bought was from Lidl

They may not be as good as something three times the price, but who in their right mind would expect them to be



That depends on whether the pillar drill is usable. As mentioned in the Parkside drill thread, the one i bought from Lidl was total junk. The drill wobbled at all speeds - rendering it unusable. i believe the quill was bent. To be fair Lidl took it back without any issue and i was refunded.

I spent an extra £25 on a clarke drill and it has performed well. I will replace it when funds permit, but only because i want a rack and pinion table lift. it is a lot of faff without one.

I did buy the £30 workshop heater from there. It looks like it takes a while to heat up, but for the money has a reasonable flow of hot air for those upcoming cold winter nights in the garage.[/quote]

 

[whatknot]

I find one very useful for repetition which is my main use

And will at least drill at or very close to 90 degrees, much better than drilling by hand

A cheap pillar drill is better than no pillar drill if you need one? Sometimes - but the main reason for using a pillar drill is accuracy, and these are known not to be accurate.

 

[marcros]

so is the aldi one any good, or is this another thread promoting stuff for sale that may or may not be junk?

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Quote - "A cheap pillar drill is better than no pillar drill if you need one "

That is HIGHLY debateable. Having used both cheap pillar drills and good ones (and industrial drilling machines), I regard cheap pillar drills as little more than scrap waiting to happen. If you don't mind holes that aren't round, aren't straight, and don't quite happen where you meant them to, by all means buy a cheap pillar drill. If you want something approaching accuracy, save your money for something better. Like a decent hand drill.

There's always a tendency to reduce the price of things to the point of effective uselessness. This happens a lot with tools and 'hobby' machines, and when it reaches the point that the materials to make a decent one cost significantly more than the cheap item, you do have to ask yourself what corners have been cut. In the case of some cheap hobby machines, the answer is virtually all of them.

New pillar drill for sixty quid? Forget it - whatever the branding.

 

[whatknot]

As I said originally, I knew some would scoff

But I mention it for those who may find it useful

No ones forced to buy one after all ;-)

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I wasn't scoffing. I was speaking from bitter experience.

Anybody is, of course, entitled to spend their own money exactly as they see fit. However, advice offered on the basis of experience comes absolutely free of charge, and may save somebody's hard-earned for better acquisitions!

 

[whatknot]

I was speaking from experience ;-)

Those items I have had from Aldi have been fine and exactly as I would expect from an item of the price

I only have one Parkside (Lidl) item, a second hand belt sander, that also works well

I wasn't scoffing. I was speaking from bitter experience.

Anybody is, of course, entitled to spend their own money exactly as they see fit. However, advice offered on the basis of experience comes absolutely free of charge, and may save somebody's hard-earned for better acquisitions!

 

[Rob B]

I see this coming when Aldi do a deal. What is so great about £60. Argos do one, Guild, 2 yr guarantee and available all year round, normally £65 but often drops to £60.
I think I'd rather Argos than Aldi/Lidl unless someone can enlighten me as to whether it's the same drill.
Rob

 

[whatknot]

So would I if it comes to that (use Argos over Aldi)

The Argos one looks remarkably similar to mine, whose make evades me as I bought it 2nd hand for £20

The Aldi one is 500w, where the Argos one is 350w

I haven't checked all the specs of both, the only thing I noticed is the Argos one has a depth stop, the Aldi one doesn't, I rarely use a depth stop anyway

And the Aldi comes with a small hand vice

Last I looked for a Guild item on Argos it was no longer supplied (Bandsaw I think?) so hadn't thought to check Argos for a pillar drill, again Guild is a cheap and cheerful brand (or rebrand) but does a job for not a lot

I see this coming when Aldi do a deal. What is so great about £60. Argos do one, Guild, 2 yr guarantee and available all year round, normally £65 but often drops to £60.
I think I'd rather Argos than Aldi/Lidl unless someone can enlighten me as to whether it's the same drill.
Rob

 

[MrTeroo]

Does anyone own the aldi pillar drill and can chip in?
The lidl one being poor doesn't mean that the aldi one is also poor.

Is 500w powerful enough?

 

[whatknot]

Your question had me wondering what wattage mine was so went to find out ;-)

I found its a Titan 350w

And I find its powerful enough for my needs but I guess it depends upon your needs

Looking at Screwfix who do Titan they have an Energer very similar to my Titan version (possibly the same one) at £63

So there are options

Does anyone own the aldi pillar drill and can chip in?
The lidl one being poor doesn't mean that the aldi one is also poor.

Is 500w powerful enough?

 

[MrTeroo]

I've just ordered one. Free delivery as usual.

For what I do it may well be perfect for me, we'll see

If it is as good as their compressor and band saw I will be very happy.

 

[MrTeroo]

Aldi have kindly sent me a £10 off on items over £45 referral link. For first time buyers.

If you haven't ordered online with them before this would get you this pillar drill for £50

PM me if you would like the link?

 

[MrTeroo]

Mine just arrived, weighs a ton. Glad it was free delivery.

The Yodel man didn't look happy at having to carry it

(No, it wasn't Frank Ifield)

I'll have to wait until the weekend to try it out, too much on today & tomorrow.

 

[fezman]

HI Mr Teroo - how did you get on with the Aldi pillar drill? I would be intrigued to know the build quality and compare it to the lidl disaster i tried.