Cordless Tools Reviews

I have a Dewalt corded drill and plate jointer, and like them. This cordless I am sorry I bought. One battery will not keep a charge, and the clutch went out after only minor use. I also have a Makita and a Panasonic cordless drill. They have not broken, and I have had them twice as long as the DeWalt. The Makita was made in the U.S. The DeWalt and the Panasonic are made in Mexico.

I have been using this drill for about two months and the drill works fine (even though its Reconditioned). The batteries dont hold a charge compared to the ones I got with my Impact driver (brand new, not reconditioned).I think its got to do with them being reconditioned.

Disclaimer - I have no brand preference when I choose tools - it's based on quality, durability and merits of the tool. Not necessarily the best or most expensive. The only exception to this is, without bias or hesitation, the Milwaukee Super Sawzall, the 6521-21, 11.8 amp reciprocating saw - it's a beast, very powerful and smooth!

I have always been a little apprehensive about the runtime for the batteries of cordless tools. I had the search narrowed down to Milwaukee's 14.4 volt or Hitachi's 14.4 volt versions. I personally don't see the need to go beyond this level of drill unless you're driving screws in a deck all day. (My older DeWalt 5 amp VSR drill is fine for drilling holes and light duty screw driving, and the Makita 9.6v just doesn't do anything well but drill holes.)

That said, I wanted to see how it compared in terms of power/torque against my new corded Milwaukee 0302-20, which is a very serious drill (scary - it comes with a side handle for a reason!).

So far, I have no complaints. Here's the upside from a demolition job we did on a neighbour's sunroom - it's being replaced with a more energy efficient sunroom. It was painted metal panel sections with a styrofoam core, held together by aluminum trim and nut head screws.
1) I like the racheting mechanism in the keyless chuck - it is very good. (so is the Milwaukee's keyless chuck)
2) It's nice to have speed and torque settings too...
3) Cordless - nice battery runtimes, and you don't have to manage the extension cords on the roof (removing the screws with a nutdriver). We removed a lot of screws...
4) Quality of the tool - solid heft, but not super heavy (although I didn't have to raise it above my head often)
5) Nice balance with the pistol grip.
6) Very good price - plus a $25 off coupon makes this reconditioned tool very nice on the pocketbook, and a versatile drill/driver in your arsenal.
7) Efficient use of the carry case - dedicated sections for the batteries and the charger.
8) Quick charge times - faster than the 1 hour or so for the older Makita.
9) It may be a "reconditioned tool", but the only thing that showed this was the carry case. Everything else looked new.
10) Full DeWalt warranty.

The cons?
1) I agree about the comment by jhvincent for the reverse switch location. I belive the corded DeWalt 5 amp has a better idea - it's a lever, not a button, above the trigger. However, I soon was able to pay attention and not hit it after a few minutes. So it did become a negligible issue after a while.

Maybe I will find issues later on, but not much right now. It's got a spot in my tool box, that's for sure. I would not hesitate to recommend this great buy to anyone. Buy this kit at this price - it's very good!

I am buying a Bosch router kit soon, and either a Bosch or Makita sliding compound miter saw in the new future. But both Milwaukee and DeWalt have shown their quality, no question...

PS - the Sawzall "more than payed for itself today", was the comment from another worker. We easily sectioned up the walls and roof with it. I would estimate it saved at least 2 hours of grunt work (the caulking was very tough and sticky around the windows, but the Sawzall cut through it and the aluminum siding with ease).

I previously owned a Panasonic battery drill with the ni-cad batteries, which I truly loved. When the time came to replace the batteries (They lasted about 7 years) I decided to upgrade to a new drill ( also a Panasonic) with the new ni-mh batteries, what a mistake! The newer ni-mh batteries boasted a 50% longer run time which they did not deliver, and also a life-cycle of approximately 1200 charge-dicharge cycles. After less than 50 charges following the manfacturers instructions, these batteries no longer will hold a charge. I have owned this drill for about 2.5 years and use it only around the house, but that is the same way my old drill was used. Of course Panasonic won't do anything about it because it's beyond warranty, but at around $... a crack these batteries should last more than 25-50 charges. Maybe these batteries last longer when used heavily in construction , but for a homeowners use these are TRASH! My advice, save your money, buy the ni-cads.

It would seem that the NiMh batteries don't like being stored. A friend has four of these 'N' batteries. He uses them every day at work and the older pair are now nearly four years old. He's had no problems, and they still hold their charge well.

But if you want a battery for a handyman drill (for weekend use) stick with NiCads.

Can't find anything bad to think of when discribing panasonic's ey6407 12volt drill driver or the ey6431 15.6 drill driver. I've been using these two drills for work for 2-3 years now, and being an electrical contractor which has its times of abuse towards tools, I'd have to say they are rugged enough to keep up with me. My 12 volt drill has been in my tool collection for the better of 3.5 yrs. and this is the first time I'm buying a new pair of batteries (dropped one tapped it up and it still works!). Still it's time to replace them, but it's worth the money. Oh, by the way I've also aquired the 15.6volt eyc133 drill driver/ skill saw combo (also well worth the money).

Sincerely,
Douglas Tjong

I bought the driver and saw kit and the hammer drill kit. In the first year I replaced the drill/drivers three times...while under warranty. The saw worked well and the flashlight was the best part of this kit. Now it is a couple years old and all four batteries are dead and at $90 each I am not replacing them. One of the chargers died too. I bought Hitachi this time with a five year warranty. I wasted $600 on the Porter Cable junk. I noticed that most stores are not carrying this line anymore, doubtless due to massive warranty returns.

By the title alone, you should be able to tell that I like the drill most of all in this package. It is indeed VERY powerful and the hammer-drill function really powers through concrete block (common wall material here in Florida).

The flashlight is also nicely designed in that it has a movable head and takes advantage of the flat base of the battery.

I will also say that the "Tiger Saw" recip. saw has proven it can cut through any nail I have thrown it at, but if you have more than a few to cut , put it away and lay out the exten. cable and pull out the 120V recip. saw, as both batteries will go dead trying to cut out more than one door frame or a couple fence posts.

The circular saw is the weakest part of the package, as I expected it would be. It sucks batteries dry even faster than the Tiger Saw and is in my humble opinion underpowered even at 19.2 volts. However, I have spoiled myself by using the best quality corded circular saws over the years, so that should be of little surprise.

Now, I am lead to the real weakness with this package... the batteries and their charger... Only thr flashlight and the drill (when using in wood) hold up long enough to get one or two jobs done. The batteries also wear out and go "bad" far too quickly and at their insanely high replacement price, are hardly worth it. They also have a rather annoying design, which while better than some competitors designs, still leave somthing to be desired. The worst part is the recharger, which only can charge on battery at a time and takes about an hour to fully charge (when the battery is completely discharged).

I have had this tool set for going on three years now, and it has taught me to appreciate corded tools for their true worth as inexpensive, more powerful and longer lasting! I only use tools from this package when I only need to use them for a VERY brief period or when a corded tool is simply more trouble than taking an hour long break to wait for the battery to recharge.

My personal reconnemdation would be to forego this particular kit and go with one that doesn't include the circ. and recip. saws. Or, if a cordles saws are a requirement, carefully consider other brands and/or a 24V system. Also, while I am VERY pleased with the drill overall, if I had it to do over, I would have chosen a brand with less expensive replacement batteries and a 15-30 minute charger that can charge 2 batteries at once.

Great power, improved chuck. Only drawback, no storage room in case for drill bits and saw blades.

THE BATTERIES I BOUGHT SEEM TO BE OLD OR NOT OF GOOD QUALITY AS THE ORIGANALS THEY DON'T HOLD A CHARGE VERY LONG AND THEY DIE FAST!!!! I WILL NOT BUY ANY MORE OF THESE FROM AMAZON. COM. AND DON'T KNOW IF I CAN TRUST ANY OF THE OTHER PRODUCTS.

Quick and easy order and you all had the best price going on an item not readily in stock.

This battery outlasts everything else I've run into. Battery capacity is excellent. I've used all the other, so take it from me this one is the BEST!! I highly recommend!!

My Personal Thoughts:

- Charger has automatic shutoff which is nice, but battery chargers can't tell if the acid is bubbling over or if the battery is too hot.

- The unit also has a cooling fan for itself, which you can point at the battery if you're worried about gas buildup during charging. Obviously doesn't help if your garage is really small and sealed up.

- Car starting feature is nice. But it's not a booster unit (no builtin battery), so it's not portable if you want peace of mind.

- Threshold for its "float charging" feature should be adjustable. As should the threshold for regular charging.

- Charger maintainins constant current well. But, on a unit that is listed as having a 2 amp mode, will maintain 2.7 amps instead. If you want the amps listed on the sticker the charger should give just that and no more. Factory manuals encourage low amps, so the amps should stay low, unless you set it into the tens of amps.

- Cost of charger can be anywhere around 20-40% the cost of a new battery. If you want to only keep your car for around the normal life of the battery then this charger is economical. Otherwise, you will buy another battery eventually and already will have spent money on this charger too.

- Nice, high-quality aligator clamps. Good construction. Nice cable pocket in the back of the unit.

- If the charger is smart enough to know how much charge the battery has, why can't you ask the unit? Well, that must be the more expensive shop version.

- If you set the battery type to wet, then activate the desulfate mode, the unit will desulfate and then automatically switch back to automatic charge mode, but then forget the battery is wet, and set itself back to gel. Maybe it's safer that way?

- Alternator test mode is nice if your car only has a battery light on the dash and no voltage gauge.

- Open/Shorted battery cell check is nice. Other than using a hydrometer, it's hard to know if you have a bad cell and the charge on the battery is low.

- Overcharged batteries are supposed to give off a bad egg smell. It'd be really nice if, based on what's in those vapors, a charger could smell that and shut off, instead of just watching voltage all the time. (I know this one is a little off)

This is a great smart charger that has many functional features. The only thing that makes this charger a challenge is that it is too smart! It will not charge a battery that is completely dead - and there is no way to override it. However, in fairness to the product, if the battery is that dead it likely will need to be replaced soon anyway!

Great charger - fair price, and great warranty! You cannot go wrong!

I have purchased two of the VEC1088A chargers, the first about a year ago. With its high frequency switch-mode power supply technology it is very compact and light for a 12 Amp charger. The desulfation mode appears to work well. I had a 5 year old car battery with a green 'eye' state-of-charge indicator. No matter how much I charged this old battery, it would never indicate "green" for "full charge". Using the Vector charger, I ran the desulfation mode twice (two days) and then charged the battery. The charge indicator window on the battery returned to green, indicating that the specific gravity of the acid in the battery was back up to 'full charge' state. One caveat ... the charger has circuitry that prohibits reverse connection and also avoids sparking during hookup. This circuitry requires that the battery have some residual charge so the charger can sense a "real battery" is connected. This charger will not initiate charge on a completely dead battery. To charge a completely dead battery you must initially charge the battery for a few minutes with a 'dumb' charger, then hook up the Vector. With the 12A charge rate, this charger will charge a battery enough to crank a car in only a few minutes. I was impressed enough with my first charger to buy one for my brother. He's been equally impressed. I recommend it.

This drill was clearly advertised online as having been manufactured in Switzerland.
When received, the drill was clearly marked "Made in China."
This is not something Amazon should be proud of.
Needless to say, I returned the drill.
The mistake was clearly Amazon's, but they still kept
$9.99 of my money.
This, too, is something Amazon should not be proud of.
Amazon may lose this customer.
P.S. I would not give this product even one star, but this review would not be accepted with no stars. Is there a message here?

This drill replaces my old BOSCH 9.6 volt drill. The batteries were $49, so I bought this instead. This one has considerably more torque and speed than the old one, yet it is light and much smaller.I've had it for three months now, and like the old bosch, it's taken everything that's been thrown at it. It will drive large deck screws in tight spots and is light enough to use all day. A solid tool,the drill is made in Switzerland and the battery and charger are made in China.

Overall this tool works as well as a drill should. Its easy to use and comfortable in the hand. I have no complaints for this item. I would recommend it to anyone who needs a medium duty drill.

this is an excellent product. with a crew of five, ( all own the dewalt 18 volt combo kits) everyone is using the 36 volt tools. they're just as light (or Heavy) as the 18 volt but with way more power, which is most noticeable in the drill and sidewinder saw. the 7-1/4" blade in the sidewinder is good.

I have long-anticipated the introduction of lithium-ion battery technology to cordless power tools. I am a motorhead, homeowner, and avid DIYer. I am currently in the process of renovating my house and landscaping. I generally use cordless tools for light-duty applications but I have been relying on corded tools for heavy-duty applications.

The DCX6401 kit comes with DeWalt 36V Lithium-Ion Cordless Power Tools including: Circular Saw (DC300K), Reciprocating Saw (DC305K), Hammerdrill/Driver (DC900KL), Floodlight (DC509), batteries, chargers, etc. After brief use, I can confidently report that these tools can well and truly replace their corded counterparts - in fact, you can't tell the difference. I plan to enjoy these for a long time.

Please note that the hammerdrill is a heavy-duty unit, too heavy for frequent use as a cordless driver, but great for heavy work such as drilling masonry or building fences. For instance, I built a replacement backyard fence, starting with my cordless Makita but it couldn't handle the 3-inch deck screws - the 36V driver included in this kit would have been ideal for this work. Otherwise, I'll stick with my 4-pound cordless Makita for light-duty drilling and driving.

Finally, DeWalt uses new battery technology from 123systems. This technology suggests that the DeWalt batteries will provide higher output and longer service that other designs. As an engineer, I was impressed with the battery technology and I am confident that their claims have merit. This battery technology was a key factor in my choice of these tools.

In summary, these tools are heavy if well-balanced, but no more so than their corded counterparts. The real advantage is the convenience that results from eliminating the cord(s). The emphasis of this factor is up to the user. In my opinion, you don't need this equipment if you can use corded tools where extra power is required. That said, professionals and heavy-duty users will definitely like the added convenience. Lastly, I spoke at length with the hardware guy at my local Home Depot and he mentioned that good, expensive cordless tools like these are often stolen are worksites (the warranty doesn't cover theft).

This paragraph is background info, you may skip it to get right to my review. To put my review into perspective: I am a student, not a pro. I have built a couple of decks, completed a room renovation, and numerous smaller tasks. That said, I first got interested in do-it-yourself work four years ago while working in a bar my junior year. I was advised by the bar manager (and handyman) to invest in good tools if I want to learn how to build/fix basic things. On his recommendation I bought the Dewalt 18v 4-tool cordless combo kit. This kit is great but there are a couple of negatives: It is hard to use larger diameter hole saws to drill into wood; The circular saw is underpowered and the 6.5 inch blade preventes the use of the variety of blades available in the standard 7 and 7.25 size; NiCad batteries have relatively short lifespan, charge capacity, and have trailing performance as the charge decreases. In other words, you need a corded circular saw and possibly a corded drill depending on the job. When I saw the new 36v kit, I asked myself if I really needed it. I decided that I could get rid of some of my corded tools (and my 18v kit) if this 36 volt kit lived up to it's potential.

Circular Saw:
My favorite part of this combo kit. Weighs a bit more than the 18v, but it's still pretty light. In any case, I like a circular saw to have some weight since it makes it easier to guide. Powerful enough to cut a brick (I used a thin kerf Dewalt diamond blade), it cuts through lumber with ease. Best of all, the saw accepts standard 7.25 inch blades. This gives the user access to the blades not available to users of standard cordless 6.5 inch circular saws. Also, the base plate is pretty good and some users may like the blade positioned on the left. The circular saw is the reason I upgraded to the 36v kit and I'm not disappointed. I'll probably sell my corded before I move to my new apartment.

Reciprocating saw:
Amazing. Feels like I am cutting with a corded Milwaukee 11 amp saw (probably sell that too now). Weighs only .2 lb more than the 18v! The reciprocating saw has always been my favorite tool (it's fun to be destructive) and this one lives up to all of my expectations. I was happy with the 18v, but the 36v brings the game to a new level. The saw never bogs down, the shoe has three positions (good for blade life and setting depth), and there is a horizontal blade clamp for flush cutting (sooooo useful). The only feature lacking is an orbital option (not a huge deal). This saw can do anything a corded can.

Hammerdrill/Drill/Driver:
Powerful enough to do anything a corded can do. While a drill/driver is probably the most used tool, I rarely use the 36v version because it's heavy for extended work. It will benefit anyone purchasing this kit to have a basic 12v drill/driver for extended use. I would like to emphasize this point for homeowners and DIYers because it is frequently the case that one goes into a home store, handles a 6.5 lb. drill/driver and thinks, "hey, this isn't bad." Unfortunately, having that weight in your hands for more than a few moments may bring about fatigue which not only makes working difficult, but dangerous. Start with a lighter, cordless drill/driver and consider buying a corded drill for power unless you're gonna need it enough to justify the additional cost of cordless.

Flashlight:
It's a light, flex neck is nice, great 8 hour runtime.

Batteries/Charger:
The best part of this kit are the Li-Ion batteries. Compared to NiCad, these batteries deliver consistent power to the very end of the charge, have two to three times the runtime, self discharge at a much slower rate, stay cool under heavy usage, and the 36v Li-Ion WEIGHS THE SAME as the 18v NiCad. It is VERY IMPORTANT to stop using the battery as soon as you see a drop in usable power (happens at the very end of the charge), otherwise the battery may be permanently damaged. I wish Dewalt had built a charge indicator into the batteries for this reason, but they do provide a 2 year warranty on them. The charger functions well and has indicators for charge level.

Final note:
The first two reviewers have written their reviews without having used or even handled these tools; that much is clear from reading what they have written. Whatever their motives, it would be wise to take their opinions with a grain of salt. Also, the review by MDT seems heavily biased toward Makita tools. His point is valid regarding the weight of the drill/driver (I address this in my review also), but he is wrong when he claims that all of the tools are too "bulky and heavy." The tools actually have excellent balance and reasonable weight for the intended application. Go to your local homestore and hold them for yourself. If I am wrong about MDT's bias, he may be appeased by purchasing a Makita Li-Ion 18v drill/driver and this combo kit. This way, the 18v Li-Ion, weighing the same as a 12v Dewalt, can be his light weight drill/driver and he has the 36v for more demanding applications.

Well, I too have waited 3 weeks now to get shipment of my order. They keep telling me it is delayed and it is now delayed another week out. I wish that they could at least update their website with an estimated shipping date when you purchase the product. Instead, shipment was estimated at 2-3 days when I purchased the product. They don't want to scare you away from that initial purchase - noooo. But in the end, that business practice will make your customers MUCH more irate than just telling them up front that they'll have to wait for the order. It's made me mad!! Still waiting....

I bought this kit to complete a project for my grand-daughter. I really just needed the saw, but the combo price was too good to miss, besides, who doesn't need another cordless drill? The only negative comment I have is that when I cut just a couple of 4x8' sheets of plywood (ripping 8') the battery on the saw needs a boost. Otherwise the saw is light to handle, durable for the job and the blade holds up a very long time. I prefer carbide for all my cutting tools. This combo kit is a great value.

I'm a carpenter - visited many job sites and worked with lots of other guy's tools too. This size seems to be the best for hauling up and down ladders - in/out basements,crawlspaces, attics....some of the bigger ones get too big!

Solar trickle charger works fine. However, ICP DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PRODUCT SUPPORT on its website. Therefore, if you buy this item, you're on your own!

This little solar charger works great (if you read instructions first, you'll probably need to use battery connections instead of the lighter-plug connection). Hopefully people don't expect this product to cure electrical-short problems or bad-battery problems. I also used another one to keep my rider mower fully charged, even after sitting all winter. The panel is fastened to the side of my building, and extended leads go to whatever I want in my shop.

I just saw some of the reviews. Some people have nothing better to do than be nasty so I decidid to write my own. I bought this item from Amazon a few months ago and its first winter that my car doesn't go dead.

VERY disappointed in this drill. After a few months, the forward - reverse switch stuck! I took it apart and was able to fix after removing a busted piece of plastic.

Then a few months later -- out of warranty the CHARGER -- that's right -- the CHARGER died!

I gave this garbage away. pathetic.

I have had a 12 volt porter cable cordless drill for 5 years now. I need another because the batteries have finally died and they want as much for a new set of batteries as they do for the whole drill. I will be purchasing another Porter Cable. I've used this drill for many large projects including a 2000 square ft shop that was screwed together entirely with this drill. I also do a lot of steel working and have used and abused this drill without any problems. It has been dropped from several roofs without any issues also. I have also used 18v cordless drills and in my opinion the extra weight is not worth the extra power. this 12v drill will do anything you will probably be doing with a cordless drill.

I have had this drill for several years. Bought it as a kit with a super flashlight and two batteries. I was looking at this site because my handyman said he was thinking of getting a PC because he liked mine so much. I was surprised to see just a 3 star overall rating and a couple of negative reviews. No doubt those people got lemons. Mine gets used at least several times a month, has taken through many remodeling projects, and has performed flawlessly. I've used it to drill holes in all kinds of wood, drive screws in pressure treated 1 x 10 pressure treated lumber to build a 400 sq foot deck, many hundreds of dry wall screws, etc, etc. It charges quickly (about an hour?)and runs for a long time. Get the flashlight too - it's great. I thought I had made a somewhat frivolous purchase when I got the light but there have been dozens of times when I was very glad I did. Both have performed flawlessly and I'm 100% satisfied.