Cordless Tools Reviews

I have owned a Porter-Cable "Bammer" for over 5 years now and I remain well pleased with its performance. I am a do-it-yourselfer primarily using the nailer for basic home remodeling and woodworking in my garage shop. I have used mine to hang all types of moldings and casings throughout my house and friends' houses, as well as to attach moldings to furniture projects in the shop. The worst "problem" I have ever had with this nail gun is a feed/jam, which was easily cleared (it has only happened once or twice).

As for the fuel cells: They are a great value for the benefit they afford - portable power nailing without a compressor. The only drawback I have found to these fuel cells is that you must remove them if you will not be using your Bammer for an extended period of days/weeks. If you do not, all of the fuel will slowly seep out and your fuel cell will be empty when you next need it!

Bottom Line: If you read and follow the instructions, and take your time with this tool, I see no reason why you cannot have as much success with it as I have.

Of the low cost, this is the best. Beats the B&D Firestorm by far, and the Hitachi be some. Better batteries and charge, good range of products. Top of the low cost line. Can be used in daily work, but not all day - for that go to Dewalt or Milwaukee and PAY$$. Beware tho some erratic quality control, if you get one with a motor that sparks just exchange it right away!

We used to have a hand-held vac that picked up NOTHING. In disgust, we threw it away and went without one for years. Any time there was a mess downstairs, we lugged the heavy-duty vaccuum cleaner downstairs--even for minor debris.

My 7 year old son is having a love affair with popcorn, so it tends to get *everywhere* these days. "That's it!", I said. "We're buying a hand-held vac."

So we went to Target and the Shark Cordless Vac seemed the most promising. It was heavy and boasted a higher voltage than the rest: 15.6. We decided to buy it, and it works WONDERFULLY!

The Shark Cordless Hand Vac includes a charging stand, one crevice tool, and one cleaning brush. It also features an easily detachable HEPA filter that you can dump into the trash. The brush attachment works great for picking up animal hairs (we have two cats) but the regular vac has such powerful suction, you'll likely pick up hairs just from that! The narrow crevice tool comes in handy when vaccuuming around furniture edges or in hard-to-reach areas.

This Vac is VERY powerful and does the job quite admirably! I'm thrilled with the purchase.

My son loves to help clean, but this Vac is so heavy, that he often has trouble after awhile. So if you have back trouble, you may want to consider the weight before making the purchase.

We received this vac as a housewarming gift, and I thought that it was great the first 3 times I used it. Then the attachments would not stay on during use, it lost suction, and it died the 4th time I used it. This product was seriously disappointing. My dyson vaccume has such great attachments that I will never use a handheld like this one again.

I used this vacuum at work and it worked well for sweeping up dust and it was great for getting into tight spaces. I also liked how it was easy to clean--dump and start over. I used to even pick up some crazy stuff (on accident) like glass shredds and so forth...but it worked well afterwards; it also sucked up everything that I was trying to clean. It was powerful! I really enjoyed this vacuum and worked well for general cleaning.

...but after a stuggle with ants, the exterminator came to visit - my land lord let them into my apartment. I could not believe what I saw when I got home - dead ants everywhere! You mean to tell me they don't clean up the dead ants? So much for service. But Mini Turbo Shark came to the rescue. This thing was powerful enough to pick up all of the ants - and fast. I had the whole gross thing over with in less then 7 minutes for my whole apartment. The Shark is also great for the car, for picking up a pile of swept crumbs (I don't like using the dust pan) and a lot of other quick clean ups.

I had gotten the last blister from trying to start the gas weedeater and sent it to the garbage. This Yardstick Trimmer is quieter and with easy stop and start, makes getting around the yard easier and safer. I have 2 acres of lawn and can do most of it in one charge. The gas weedeater had more power, but this Yardstick isn't a wimp. No more mixing fuel, no more blisters. Less polution and noise. I think it's just what I was looking for.

I've had this trimmer/edger for just over a month. It's the first cordless trimmer that I have owned. Previous experience had been with gas power units. This is the BEST. I like the ease with which you can shift from trimmer to edger. The dual on switches are a great design feature. I have a LOT of trimming to do in my yard. I am still using the same spool after about six uses. The only negative I have found is that the guide lip on the wheel in the edger mode could be wider which would make it easier to guide along sidewalks,etc. But, overall OUTSTANDING product...

I bought my 24-volt trimmer 2 1/2 years ago. It recently stopped working and I'm now ordering a new one. I still believe this is the best trimmer for me! I have no trouble with the weight and the balance is fine. It is so convenient to just lift it off the charging unit and go! North Florida has a long growing season so my trimmer gets hard use trimming a large lot bordered by woods. I once ordered a new blade-cutting unit after breaking mine. It was inexpensive and shipping super fast. The string used in this trimmer far outlasts any of the smaller guage lines I've used in other trimmers. Considering the comparatively low purchase price and ease of use, I feel I got my money's worth. No expensive gas to buy, no rope to pull, no electric line strung across the yard are some of the conveniences.

I use my drill on a daily basis. Having a higher 3rd speed is a real plus when drilling in metal. The only problem I've had is it's difficult to get into speed 2, I hope that it gets easier with more use. This drill is powerful, fast and balanced. The ratcheting keyless chuck holds good and strong. American buying American made.

And there I was in a Home Depot in Laplace, Louisiana and what did I see?
The very same Dewalt 14.4V xrp 1/2 cordless, drill/driver on the clearance rack for $149.99 plus 10% sales tax.
"Say it ain't so!" - I thought to myself. Why would this be a clearance item? Perhaps the batteries are not used in enough of the other tools - 18 volt units seem to be the new benchmark. Yet what a lovely price -so I bought one.
I've owned a Dewalt 12v xrp for 4 plus years and it's still going strong. When the 12v unit came out the xrp batteries were not available. I ultimately purchased 2 replacement 12v xrp batteries and have been enormously satisfied.
So recently I have been doing a lot of pre-drilling and screwing and have thought about purchasing another 12v xrp drill/driver; they are still holding their price at $169.00
And then I saw the 14.4 on the clearance rack. Half inch chuck, xrp batteries and case for the same price. Oh yeah!
The 14.4 is a bit heavier than my venerable 12v - not the lead weight of the xrp 18v, but all the features are the same:
3 speed, ratcheting steel chuck and great tough if not precision construction.
Some where between 12v and 18v - the torque of the drill becomes unmanageable with one hand. (when tightening wood screws or when a spade bit stops dead in a hole.) That is what the clutch is designed to alleviate. I have never used a cordless drill in the screw/clutch mode. I achieve my desired results by careful modulation of the trigger. The 14.4 works just about perfectly without wrenching your wrist.
There is the same slight bit wobble present in the 12v xrp but it is more of an irritation than a liability.
All Dewalt cordless drills are not created equal.
My 12v xrp has more torque and longer battery life than a friend's 18v dewalt heavy duty cordless drill/driver (non xrp model.)
Complaints: I am ready to see a nickel metal hydride battery made available for cordless hand tools. Knowing that the battery would have a longer run time - yet a much longer charge time would not deter me because the batteries would not be subject to failure in 2 years. ( the Nickel Cadmium short coming.)
My advice buy a 14.4v xrp cordless drill/driver at your home depot clearance rack or take advantage of the Amazon frequent tool discounts to make the DEWALT DC983KA 14.4-Volt XRP 1/2" Drill/Driver Kit your next best friend.

caslo

I have been very pleased with this heavy duty tool. I've used it for inserting long lag screws, as well as inserting small screws and drilling. It's heavy, but rugged.

My well-intentioned wife bought me the DeWalt radio/charger for Christmas (thinking all my tools were DeWalt). Little does she know I am a Milwaukee loyalist since picking up my first Milwaukee tool. :)

I really liked the DeWalt radio, but when my wife found out almost all my cordless tools were Milwaukee (only DeWalt I have it the 9.6V drill), she said I could exchange the DeWalt radio for the Milwaukee if I wanted. Since I am fairly sentimental, I really wanted to keep the DeWalt. However, I just couldn't resist a "listening competition" between my radio and my neighbor's Milwaukee. Unfortunately for my wife's gift, my sentimental side isn't quite as strong as my audio side. Given the side-by-side comparison, the choice was clear - Milwaukee.

If you really need the DeWalt charging function, then the Milwaukee isn't a choice for you. However, if you are looking primarily for a job-site radio, then go with the Milwaukee instead. Plus the Milwaukee has other nice features like easier to use digital tuning, a stereo/mono switch, longer cord, a 12V outlet, a pass-through plug, and a nice bag to hold various items.

Neither of these radios are going to provide high fidelity sound, but the Milwaukee will come much closer.

My husband bought this DW911 Job Site Radio & Battery Charger four years ago. About a month ago, the radio died without warning. We were tempted to throw away the radio but we decided that since this radio had never been abused in any way, perhaps it could be repaired. I found the website Dewalt.com after which I found a Dewalt Service Center only 18 miles from our home. It turned out that it was a FUSE that had gone bad as well as the 14.4 battery pack. Having the fuse replaced cost about $23 and replacing the 14.4 battery cost $66 plus tax. It would have been a shame NOT to keep this radio. So don't despair! If your radio goes out for no good reason, find the DeWalt Svc Ctr closest to you for a diagnosis. You'll save $ by having it repaired. As far as reception goes, we live within 25 miles of several radio stations so the reception tends to be good if not very good. This radio is used primarily outside on our property while we are working outdoors and we have NO COMPLAINTS!

OK, the audio is pretty scratchy, and the little antenna will not pull in weak, distant stations. But let's remember what this radio/charger was designed to do: provide audible music above the noise level of saws, drills, compressors, etc. For this mission, you will find it more than adequate. The high- treble audio, while perhaps irritating in the living room, is a plus to cut through loud jobsite noise.. and let's remember that this unit, with a built-in charger and drop-proof construction, basically costs little more that a charger itself. No, it will never win any audio awards, and if you need high-fidelity bass response (despite the jobsite noise), then the Milwaukee is your choice (without a charger). But if you have DeWalt cordless tools at the jobsite anyway, and if your priority is getting the work done (as opposed to listening to the finest music), this unit not disappoint you. Just be sure you are within 50 miles of a strong station!

The B & D 18v drill w/2batteries was a great buy. And, for over a year, it looked like a wise choice. But then came the problem with the charger -- or one of the batteries. Apparently, a bad battery will kill a charger. So, 2 ruined chargers and one dead (defective?) battery later, I am left with a drill, maybe 1 good battery, but no charger. I'm not taking a chance on another charger. It will likely die as the others -- and that's an answer way too expensive to a problem that probably won't go away. Now I'm doing what I should have done -- pony up a few more $'s for a quality product. And what remains of my B & D drill 'kit' goes to Ebay.

I have used this drill for over 6 months now and I can say that I hate it. Its clutch slips even when screwing into the softest of woods. I have seen a 12v cheap drill run circles around it in the most simple of jobs. I would tell anyone who would listen to go get a Dewalt. My Dewalt 18v can beat anything except for Dewalt's nicer models.

I bought the 18 volt Firestorm drill kit with two batteries and was initially pleased with the price and performance.

After approximately 14 months one of the batteries and the charger both failed. Now I am stuck with a drill, one battery and no way to charge it unless I buy a new charger. Even then, I still would have only one battery. I have learned that the gears in the drill are plastic and the stalling out I read about in other reviews is a common affliction.

Overall, it has not been a purchase that I am happy with, but when you shop price Vs quality you are at risk. My Dewalt 12 volt runs circles around the B&D 18 volt, so draw your own conclusions.

which is true, I think - I'm on my 3rd set of replacements now, works out at about every 2 years for as long as I've had my tools - they get a lot of useage.

One tip of advice, keep these batteries warm - I mistakenly left my last set out in the garage over winter (in NJ, so it's not too bad) and they both died a death - I put them away charged, came back a couple of months later, they were flat, and I was unable to recharge either of them. Now I keep them in the basement, they last whilst not in constant use.

I've had to replace the trigger on my hammer drill / driver and the brushes once. At least the dewalt website allows you to buy any spares to replace yourself...

Interesting how the single battery costs $85, yet you can buy this two pack for $98... does this mean that Dewalt can really sell a battery pack for $13....? think about it.

Simply put, they just work! I bought one of those drill/circular saw combo kit when the 18V line was first introduced. Forgot how long it has been but the old (original) batteries are finally showing their age - each charge can only do three 8' cut on a 5/8" plywood sheet. I have the new batteries for several weeks now and I'm still only using one of them on its first charge (ok, I don't cut very often). I am also happy that the "catch" mechanism where the battery hook onto the tool has been much improved.
Important: I just found out that the newer charger (DW9116) has an Automatic (or Manual) "Tune-up" mode that brings old batteries back to live. I got one and it seems to work. So try it before trashing your old 18V's.

I'm hearing a lot of complaints about the batteries. Face it, the batteries are based on NiCad technology. NiCad are not known for infinite shelf-life, has a memory, and absolutely hates to be placed on a charger for extended periods of time.

Now knowing all the good and bad things about NiCads, these batteries are absolutely no different than you will find in any other system using NiCads. If you don't understand the why your batteries are dying off so quickly, it most likely can be explained by researching the things to do and not do to NiCads.

I've beat the hell out of the tools and the batteries and still manage to get an excess of 2yrs of service out of these batteries. If you open one of these up, all you find is a series of sub-C NiCad batteries in them. Count them up and just go price sub-C NiCad batteries with the same Amp-Hr rating. You will soon fine that even if you tried to replace the batteries into the existing battery case, it is still cheaper and easier to buy replacements.

Rechargable batteries of any technology do NOT have infinite life. With absolutely following standard practice care of the battery type, you can extend this life to the theoritical max. That is hard to do on the job site when you need to get the job done quick. I use the 15min. charger, which is great but at a significant cost in service life of the batteries. You are never supposed to charge the batteries while they are hot. This means if you run it down at the job site, you shouldn't be placing them into a rapid charger. You should have enough spare batteries to get you busy while letting a natural battery rotation occur that insures they are cool when you charge. Slow charging extends the life of the batteries as well by getting internal temperatures lower. You should never leave a NiCad on a charger. You should run down the NiCad battery before charging to help avoid memory.

You can mention any battery technology and there are do's and don'ts. I've had Lithium Ion batteries in a cell phone last less than 1yr.

It all depends on your battery usage habits. Once you understand what you are supposed to do to extend the batteries life, you can usually figure out pretty quickly why you are not getting the life you expected.

Good solid product. I'd buy them again without hesitation. And I have yet to see any group of cordless tool manufacture's use a standard battery interface so that you can use the same battery in different brands of cordless tools. So being locked-in to a particular cordless tool manufacturer is a given.

This is all the price you pay for being cordless. The only way around all this is to pull out the ole 50' extension cord.

IMHO

As stated in other reviews, this battery connection is horrible. The first time I dropped it, it landed on the battery end. I had to use very long tools to fix the bent terminals. The last time I dropped it, it died for good.

BTW, no torque or speed adjustments.

I'm now in them market for another one.

RIP-OFF! $35 + 3rd party shipping charges over $12 = $47 and a very bad deal -- especially considering that I'm going to have to go find a hardware store any way (not convenient for me). You see, the Black and Decker cordless screwdriver doesn't include any bits at all. Guess I should have read the product description a little more carefully to see what was NOT included in this rip-off deal. Silly me, but the very old battery operated screwdriver that I was replacing did come with bits. (And no, they don't fit this purchase fiasco.) So if you want it, go elsewhere folks, - don't buy it here.

B&D's Cordless screwdriver is handy anywhere you need to do minor repair work but don't need the power of a 110-v drill or screwdriver and don't want the bother of running a power cord (or cords) to the work location.

We use ours around the house and for odd jobs in the yard, but its convenience and usefulness are most obvious when we go camping. We carry 2 batteries, both fully charged, when we leave home, and this tool makes many of the little repair and mantenance jobs on a small trailer much easier.

We have several screwdrivers, both slotted and Phillips, and a small set of drills. Our next purchase for it will be the nutdriver set.