Can anyone recommend a decent combi drill.

[Neil S]

Hi,
My old ryobi combi drill and angle drill have given up. Well the nicad batteries have anyway. So I thought I'd have a bit of a drill upgrade and perhaps switch to a more premium brand with a good range of other tools that the batteries can fit.

My problem is I want a decent quality drill. I have been put off by the reports of recent drill chuck wobbles.
Examples here:-

Dewalt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Huvxbn-xO04
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JuTIy_Z1OM

Milwauke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeNSlrWHaq8

Makita
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAimYd8hv8A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNZrGYA8Mv0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBU7VC51YwE Check 11min 30secs

Bosch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Z0Eah9n0o

I don't need anything massively high power around the 50Nm range would be fine. I also don't need anything hugely
over engineered as I am not going to be using it every day. But obviously a want it to last a good few years with weekend usage. However, I still demand that the bit runs true without appreciable wobble. Just because I don't use it every day for work doesn't mean that I am happy for the bit to be wobbling side to side when I try to drill a hole.

Can anyone please recommend an 18v drill combi model or brand that is consistently well made or is it just a lottery?

Thanks

-Neil

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I bought one of these, as I have blue elvan in my blockwork which is too hard for a a normal 18v hammer drill to handle (no doubt if I paid several £100 I'd find one that did) and I considered that as I have a good mains SDS for that the more compact size and price of a drill without the hammer was an advantage. The brushless motor is a mile better, as are the 2ah batteries as opposed to the usual budget 1.5ah - they seem to last forever. I tried it when new and the first battery gave up after twenty five holes ...1 1/4" holes in 5" softwood. :shock:
This was not where I bought said drill, just an example ( mine was £130 all in, although I found a link slightly cheaper afterwards) -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/DEWALT-DEWDCD7 ... alt+dcd790

 

[Beau]

I had this ones predecessor https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Drills/DeWal ... 8v+3+speed. Was a great drill and thought I no longer needed it's power combi option. Basically built a house with it and only gave up on it when changing to newer style batteries. Wish I had kept it going or bought the newer model.

 

[Neil S]

Wow that's both ends of the Dewalt cost range covered!
Phil.p / Beau have you noticed any runout problems or wobbly chucks?

cheers

Neil

 

[loftyhermes]

If you liked the Ryobi, why not buy into their one+ range, the batteries will fit the old 18v stuff.

 

[Beau]

No never had any problems with the chuck but I was not looking to do precision drilling. Would have thought a bit of play in a combi chuck is inevitable as it has to rattled back and forth. Yes my 3 speed Dewalt was a bit OTT for occasional use but drilling into walls is not always a job for a lightweight tool. As said why not another Ryobi? I had one as second drill and it was a good machine for the money just the batteries were it's downfall but this was pre lithium options.

 

[Neil S]

Thanks guys. I was considering just buying the new batteries but they are quite expensive on their own for a l-ion battery and charger.
I was also considering buying more battery tools at a later date and the ryobi seem a bit flimsy on things like the circular saw. Hence I was considering a step up and buying into a better system brand. It's just those quality issues putting me off.

-Neil

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Wow that's both ends of the Dewalt cost range covered!
Phil.p / Beau have you noticed any runout problems or wobbly chucks?

cheers

Neil

None. The only "problem" with the chuck is that the motor braking is such that once in a while the chuck will spin and drop the bit when the drill is stopped abruptly from high speed. You get used to it, though. I had an 18v Hitachi before and this a whole world apart. For my purposes the drill's being shorter is more of an advantage than the lack of hammer is a disadvantage.

 

[memzey]

I've had the Makita three speed combi for about 5 years or so now and it has been faultless. BHP451 or something. One of the very best new tools I've bought. I think the replacement is now a brushless version.

 

[MikeJhn]

I have the DeWalt 18volt combi's they are now over twenty years old, cost over £300.00 back then, I am only just having battery re-charge issues with the original batteries, they have been cycled extensively over the years and lasted beyond expectations.

Mike

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes, I saw an ad for a brushless range the other day. It's the way to go - they are miles better and miles easier on the batteries. I was astounded at the difference. You need to do your research especially if buying on line as often there is little apparent difference between brushed and brushless - make sure you're comparing like to like.

(^^ I had 18v DeWalt twenty years ago and sold them on ten years ago when the batteries failed and my job changed. I just couldn't justify the cost anymore, and if tools won't pay their way they don't get bought. )

 

[Neil S]

I've just noticed a new Makita DHP484 is going to be released soon. I might wait until that's out and compare it to the other brands in a shop where I can see them running.

-Neil

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

I would avoid the low-end dewalts, actually I would avoid any dewalt... really for combi drills it's Makita or nothing. Bosch has slipped really bad quality wise as well-however for the price they are still good as you can pick up sets really cheap.


You haven't mentioned your budget?
I have the DHP458z and it's a monster,probably one of the best drills the makita has ever produced...I use mine for insanely heavy-duty tasks and it's my go-to tool when I need to mix up plaster/cement/whatever, you really don't even need a dedicated mixer if you got it.. If I had to choose today I would get dhp481 ( it's a direct replacement but with even more power and its brushless,Once they drop in price I'm getting one myself as well)

The dhp484 you have ''just noticed'' has been around for already some time and it's a total failure of a drill, it's heavy, its made to look tough but the specs on it are just pathetic and it's not that cheap either.

the only negative about the dhp458 / 481 is weight , its built like a tank and if all you are doing is making small things you will wish you had a smaller drill.

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

however... first you should look what other tools does the particular brand offers, and which do you like the most, their pricing,specs etc.

I had all kind of tools which I had all picked up 2nd hand, but they were scattered across 4 brands! and for each I had batteries&chargers which I had to keep track of and always carry along with me, my ''tool'' bag was just so massive.

So what I did was ,spent few days researching about all the tools I want/ want to upgrade ,than I listed all my old tools for sale, and slowly sold them , took the money I got from selling my old tools and bought all-new ,my choice was Makita just because of overall quality/features/ and that generally their tools are just better than others and last a lot longer.

The funny thing is, Once I sold my old tools , waited for the blackfriday season , than bought all-new top of the range stuff I was totally even The used tool market is just so weird, you can sell a 3-4years used cordless good brand tools for like 20% less than what they cost new.. - that is if you wait for a season such as near blackfriday.

I went from about 3 large systainers worth of stuff, to just 1! and from about 10 different batteries to just 3!
Life is so much easier now...

 

[Norfolk75]

I recently purchased the Makita DHP 481 Combi Drill and must say this thing is an absolute beast of a drill.

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

I recently purchased the Makita DHP 481 Combi Drill and must say this thing is an absolute beast of a drill.

125nm+ Brushless = YUP!

 

[Neil S]

I would avoid the low-end dewalts, actually I would avoid any dewalt... really for combi drills it's Makita or nothing. Bosch has slipped really bad quality wise as well-however for the price they are still good as you can pick up sets really cheap.

You haven't mentioned your budget?

I was looking for around the £250 mark

The dhp484 you have ''just noticed'' has been around for already some time and it's a total failure of a drill, it's heavy, its made to look tough but the specs on it are just pathetic and it's not that cheap either.

That's a problem. If you can't go by looks or price, how are you supposed to tell the quality drills from the rubbish ones?

I discounted the DHP481 as being a bit too heavy but may have to reconsider


-Neil

 

[MikeJhn]

Weight become an issue as you get older, even holding my 18v DeWalts is a chore now days, hence I bought the Westelia I posted on Tool Reviews, impressed so far, charge last for a considerable long time, I suppose that's down to the gearing as its a screwdriver only.

Mike

EDIT to add link: westfalia-7-2-driver-t103015.html

 

[Norfolk75]

I would avoid the low-end dewalts, actually I would avoid any dewalt... really for combi drills it's Makita or nothing. Bosch has slipped really bad quality wise as well-however for the price they are still good as you can pick up sets really cheap.

You haven't mentioned your budget?

I was looking for around the £250 mark

The dhp484 you have ''just noticed'' has been around for already some time and it's a total failure of a drill, it's heavy, its made to look tough but the specs on it are just pathetic and it's not that cheap either.

That's a problem. If you can't go by looks or price, how are you supposed to tell the quality drills from the rubbish ones?

I discounted the DHP481 as being a bit too heavy but may have to reconsider


-Neil

Someone I believe on here said the DHP 481 was too heavy when I was asking about it, so needed to see for myself and went to Anglia tools and when I picked it up it feels no heavier then the any other drills I've been using through the yrs.
It came with a really nice impact driver to which is around 175nm of torque and that's really nice too.. The set together including macpac was £419.00

 

[woodpig]

I've had a Makita white series combi for four years and it's been faultless. Only takes about 20 minutes to charge as well. I've had Ryobi and Bosch in the past but I won't be buying them again as the batteries packed up pretty quickly.