Tradesmen...18v Cordless drill recommendations please.

[Graham Orm]

Having given the Makita 18v a great review on another thread a couple of months ago, mine has burned out in it's 11th month of use. It replaced a previous Makita 18v that had lasted 3 years or more. Needless to say I've contacted the suppliers, who have responded straight away with an offer to send it back to Makita if I first send it to them. I intend to contact Makita direct first and see if I can short cut the process.

I use this tool more than any other, pretty much constantly for drilling & screwing. I intend to buy another regardless of the outcome of the Makita trail. My next one will have to last more than 11 months, so I need some hands on feedback on any tool that has outlived it's expectations.

Thanks in advance, Graham.

 

[mailee]

Sorry to say I have had Makitas for years now but am now looking at changing to another make. The drill drivers are great but the batteries are total rubbish. I had a 12v set for just over 1 year and all of the Ni Cad batteries failed. I then converted to Li Ion from a recommendation and the batteries gave up just over 1 year of use! I am now down to 1 battery and have just bought a De Walt driver to see if this is any better.

 

[Graham Orm]

Sorry to say I have had Makitas for years now but am now looking at changing to another make. The drill drivers are great but the batteries are total rubbish. I had a 12v set for just over 1 year and all of the Ni Cad batteries failed. I then converted to Li Ion from a recommendation and the batteries gave up just over 1 year of use! I am now down to 1 battery and have just bought a De Walt driver to see if this is any better.

Thanks for the input. I've been up the Dewalt route already, not impressed. Just spotted these, they look good value but not had any experience with them. However 2 for the price of 1.5 Makitas might make them last longer?http://www.screwfix.com/p/hitachi-k...-ion-twin-pack-combi-drill-drill-driver/58234

I bought some 3 amp hour batteries when the standard ones expired, they last less time than the original 1.5 ah ones. Supposedly genuine Makita. Time for a change me thinks.

 

[dm65]

I've had (and abused) my 18v Dewalt for 8 years so far and counting

Had to replace both batteries in that time @ £50 each for 2.6A NiMh

 

[Graham Orm]

Then there's this http://www.screwfix.com/p/hitachi-dv18dcl2-18v-1-5ah-li-ion-cordless-combi-drill/64945which seems to be the trade version with lots of good reviews, sadly only on first impressions not longevity. The twin drills are probably an inferior DIY version.....but 2 to go at??!

Just found a review on this that said it died after 14 months. Maybe I should be looking at warranty periods rather than drill reviews?

 

[Graham Orm]

I think a clear distinction should be shown on the ads re DIY and trade....other than the difference in price.

 

[ColeyS1]

I'd get another 18 v makita drill and a makita impact driver for smashing the screws in

Sent from my GT-I9300

 

[Graham Orm]

Wow, found more reviews, the Hitachi's get a real slating.

 

[paulm]

I've got a couple of metabos that are really solidly made, the nimh batteries are beginning to fade but I think I will take a serious look at the same lith' ion updated versions when I eventually replace.

Panasonic have a good rep for their gear and batteries especially I seem to recall also ?

Shame that Makita seem to be losing their way as I have a fair bit of their gear (older) and would naturally have gone with them but for recent bad news stories.

Cheers, Paul

 

[Graham Orm]

I've got a couple of metabos that are really solidly made, the nimh batteries are beginning to fade but I think I will take a serious look at the same lith' ion updated versions when I eventually replace.

Panasonic have a good rep for their gear and batteries especially I seem to recall also ?

Shame that Makita seem to be losing their way as I have a fair bit of their gear (older) and would naturally have gone with them but for recent bad news stories.

Cheers, Paul

Thanks paul, what other negatives have you heard about Makita's?

 

[paulm]

A number of similar comments to Mailee's on similar threads on this and other forums, users with no apparent axe to grind whose views I respect, gives the impression that there a few problems, not with all of the kit I'm sure, but enough stories emerging to make you think twice.....

Having said that, I'm not sure there is any clear, much better alternative that gets the concensus vote ?

Cheers, Paul

 

[kostello]

Panasonic


......

 

[No skills]

The drills at that sort of price range are much of a muchness, I don't think it will matter what brand you buy.

Makita certainly cant make a jigsaw or grinder to save their ******* lives, not had much luck with their other bits either :evil:

Grayorm, do you drill particularly large holes (big hole saws maybe?) with your drill drivers? might be worth trying a model with a larger drilling spec than the regular stuff.

 

[mailee]

I agree that it seems Makita have lost the plot. I still have one of the old 9.6V Ni Cad Makita drill drivers which came with two batteries and one of them is still working fine.........over 15 years later! The new Makita kit seems fine it is just their batteries that are pants! I also bought
a couple of cheapo Li Ion batteries for the Makita and these lasted all of three months! :roll: it wouldn't be so bad if the batteries were cheap enough to replace but it is almost cheaper to buy a new driver than replace a Makita battery! :evil: Sorry guys, rant over.

 

[Lons]

I have 4 DeWalts, 3 of which are 14v and aged 5 to 18 nyears and all going strong though the batteries have suffered somewhat. All have been abvused on site by several people.
My latest, an 18v 4amp is absolutely superb.

Bob

 

[Graham Orm]

Having said that, I'm not sure there is any clear, much better alternative that gets the concensus vote ?

Cheers, Paul

Thanks Paul..........that's the problem.

Grayorm, do you drill particularly large holes (big hole saws maybe?) with your drill drivers? might be worth trying a model with a larger drilling spec than the regular stuff.

No not at all, but I use it constantly. I have used it it for mixing occasionally, small plaster mixes and tile adhesive, but only small amounts. I have a mains paddle mixer for anything of any significance.

Panasonic keep popping up.....

 

[No skills]

As with Bob my old Dewalts are built like tanks but my ni-cad batt's are shagged.

I might go dewalt 18v combi (50mm in wood model) for my next drill - I think the dewalt 18v range is the best value for money atm - OR I will take a kick in the nuts and go festool.

FWIW I use cheapo Ryobi stuff as well in my day job, the impact drivers are nearly un-killable (used day in day out). The drills seem to average 18 month to 2 years of use for me. My current 3 speed is around 18 month old now and is starting to fail, the drill doesn't get used as much as yours (prolly half a dozen jobs a week) but I do a lot of metal drilling with it (6mm through 19mm) and hole saws through wood and steel (17mm though 60mm).

FWIW

 

[Graham Orm]

This looks like a cracking deal. Read down the page, factory refurb with full Dewalt guarantee for half price http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DeWALT-DC...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item19dae372c1

The same kit at Screwfix for over £100 more. http://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-xr-dcd ... rill/22732 Decision made I think Thanks for the input guys.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I wonder if the Fein drill drivers are any good http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.php/sn/FEIASCM18QX

Their other tools tend to last well so maybe they are good (albeit a bit expensive).

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[No skills]

You ok with the 1.5ah batteries?