Cordless Tools Reviews

I purchased this combo about three years ago when I started an addition project on our house. The drill is an excellent tool however the saw leaves much to be desired. There is not enough battery to power the saw. I have four batteries for this saw and it takes all of them to do a small project. I mainly have Porter Cable tools and have been very satisfied with them. If you want a cordless saw don't buy the 14.4 volt. I have used an 18 volt saw and they run circles around this one. My guess is the 19.2 would be a good choice. I did not buy the 19.2 because I already had two batteries and I thought four 14.4 batteries would work as well. My mistake.

I've used two other drill/saw combos: Porter-Cable's 19-volt, and deWalt's 14.4-volt. This combo (14.4 drill/saw) is far and away the best combination of power, weight, price, and convenience. Drill is well-balanced, has two molded bit storage slots. Sounds and feels tight and solid, w/ good trigger response. Motor is smooth and powerful, drives half-inch holes in 2xs without a pause. The 1/2" chuck is great, and it works: grabs and holds bits tight. The P-C 19v. drill is essentially the same tool, but w/ the bigger battery not as balanced and much heavier--more than I'd want to use all day. The re-designed deWalt XP drill is an improvement over earlier deWalts, but it has significant gear lash and I found it frustrating to use. The forward/reverse switch is too near the handgrip. When I picked up the tool my knuckles pushed the switch into neutral or reverse. (Also: only one bit slot-and I'm using both square and Phillips, so what to do with the one not in use?) The P-C 14.4v. saw is heavier than the deWalt saw, but it's got a slightly larger blade and it's still easy to use, even one-handed-on scaffolding (where the cordless is unmatched) or the shop, where I reach for it now in preference to the big corded saw. Saw cuts smoothly everything I've put to it--3/4" CDX to 2x12s. Great blade, too. I've found P-C stuff in general tough and durable. Drill has been used hard (and dropped off scaffolding) and still sounds and works like new. The P-C combo case is bulky and bigger than it has to be, but hey.

Although this saw runs and cuts ok for a cordless I would not purchase another. Two reasons, first, the safety button is mounted on the side of the handle making it very hard on your wrist. A very poor design, you have to lose your grip on the handle to get your thumb over there on the button to start the saw. Go with the makita instead. Although it's more expensive, the safety button is on top where it should be. Very comfortable to operate. Second, the ryobi battery chargers have a fuse inside that is continully going bad, a bummer when your on the jobsite.

This brand was recommended to me 3 years ago.

Great stuff. Nice to hold and a good tool.

If you have a Black & Decker rechargable tool that uses the VersaPak 105 battery, eventually you will need this. It is just what you expect: the same batteries that came with your tool. Buying this kit with the two-battery charger is only a couple of dollars more than the batteries alone, and gives you extra flexability.

I purchased these as a replacement for worn-out batteries, and a second charger. I have not as of yet used them, but former batteries and charger were very good. I was especially pleased to read that these batteries are not subject to "memory cycles"

Works fine, and it is nice to have the spare battery

Bought in June 2005. REcip saw died today (jan 06) very limited use. Hopefully the other tools will last a bit longer. After reading other reviews not even going to bother trying to get replacement.

I had purchased a similar set recently and have had similar issues with the quality of dewalt products. I have dead batteries and switches that stick or click due to misalignment and a reciprocating saw that has now mutated to a 2 piece unit after a bout with 14 guage sheetmetal(needless to say there is no way to fix a broken screw for a feasible repair, the plastic body actually fractured!!)I have around 10 dewalt pieces with 18v batts. and am considering a full retreat from my existing armory and a milwaukee conversion. You know cut my losses for the future. Wake up R&D for Dewalt!!

Odd how that 1 guy kept getting bad batteries with corrosion problems? Mine has been flawless for almost 2 years. I love the versatility and no-nonsense torque and power of the tools. I bought this set to replace an old Makita which still runs.

I bought it after a contractor came to my house using the same kit. I tried it out and loved it. I ordered the set the next day and haven't regretted it. I've cut pipes and 2x4's, built a deck and interior framing. It's a great set of tools.

I've bought the drill through a hardware store. The first one got a stuck speed gear as described by other reviewers. So I exchanged for a second one. The second drill has excessive sparks in the motor and I returned it without hesitation. I'm going to try the Milwaukee as suggested by others.

I'm a contractor. I lift heavy things all day long, so I'm no 90lb weakling. But, I have to admit, I sold this tool after three months because I found it too heavy and cumbersome for all day use. The torque was adequate, but I find my 12v Porter Cable drill equally up to the task at a fraction of the weight. (Unfortunately, the chuck on the P/C drills are a total piece of crap, which is a whole other story!) Oh, this drill is fine for driving a few screws here and there, or the occasional heavy duty drilling tasks. But due to their weight and size, I now believe 18v drills in general are not versatile enough for professionals to use on a full day-to-day basis. In fact, many other contractors and builders I know have also dumped their 18v+ drills for lighter, smaller 12v and even 9.6v models. Plus, whenever I need a little extra power, I just pull out my 1/2" Milwaukee Hammer Drill, plug it in, and bombs away!!

Earlier I wrote that this drill broke after the warranty expired... Well, it didn't! Turns out I moved the clutch when drilling and it appeared that the gears gave out. All I had to do was turn the clutch back to one of the presets and all was good! I have used the heck out of this drill for drilling many holes and putting in many screws (drywall, shelving, etc.) and used it to build a playset for the kids. Battery life is very good and I love the fact that there is another battery. I am pleased with this drill & would buy it again. Now that I educated myself to the clutching mechanism, all is good!

I agree with other reviewers - this drill is worthless because the chuck won't hold a bit. I like the concept and I got a great deal on it ($62) but in the end I took it back because A DRILL THAT WON'T HOLD A BIT IS WORTHLESS. I ended up getting a 12 volt Bosch and I am much happier now - more expensive, but I find the single-handed locking chuck just as easy to swap bits as with the Firestorm setup and I know I have a much better quality product. I have yet to find a Black and Decker product that is worthwhile and probably never will, since I am done ever purchasing their stuff. Also, this is coming from a weekend hobbyist doing home improvment projects and not from a professional contractor.

First of all I went through 4 different B&D drills before I swore off the whole line.

If you need a cordless screwdriver and that is absolutly it, then these are ok drills, but they are useless as a drill. The chuck can't be hand tightened enough to make it usefull for standard drill bits. As soon as there is any resistance the bit just free spins in the chuck. The only way around this is to get all hex end bits so that the chuck teeth have multiple edges to grab to.

Battery life was another problem I had with the B&D drills. It would put in a bunch of screws but when I tried to drill a hole in a pine 2x4 it would die out after just 2-3 holes. Not exactly usefull when I'm trying to drill pilot holes.

The last straw when when I bought a 14.4 model and it would only spin in reverse (the direction pin was broken)...

I now own a 18v Skil and couldn't be happier.. for only 10$ more I got a more powerful drill (when I set it to high torque it allmost dislocated my arm) with 2 batteries and a chuck that will actually hold a standard bit.

I've been using this drill for almost a year and it is my FAVORITE power drill. I can't say enough great things about this drill ... but I knew it had limits when I bought it.

I have yet to see a drill with a tooless chuck that grips strandard (round end) drill bits without the bits spinning when they hit resistance. If you desire a hand-tightened chuck for ease of use, then you need to understand the tradeoff.

I'm surprised so many previous reviewers complained of things like, "The chuck can't be hand tightened enough to make it usefull for standard drill bits. As soon as there is any resistance the bit just free spins in the chuck. The only way around this is to get all hex end bits so that the chuck teeth have multiple edges to grab to." I always thought that hex-end bits were DESIGNED for hand-tightened chucks. So, if you have a drill with a hand-tightened chuck you need hex-end bits.

What's the surprise?

Anyway, this is a GREAT drill.

This multi-tool set is really pretty, but it is all show and no go. The tools are so heavy and clunky that they are difficult to use. The jig saw has an extra button on the power head that makes it very difficult to use. You actually have to push a button with both hands to get it to work. All of the tools are very noisy and require ear protection to use. The batteries have a very short life and a very long charging time. If you accidentally leave them on the charger it will distroy them. I bought this set for my son for Christmas, but the little elves that built it were obviously not tool makers. I'm sending the whole mess back. No more Black and Decker for me!

As you can see, the other reviews date all the way back to 2000, which tells you that this product was designed a long time ago compared to other cordless tools and batteries available today. This set was, in it's prime, pretty good. I bought it for my mom for Xmas 2001 (which has only been used a couple of times,) and bought one for myself (to replace my Ryobi 12v) a year later

One of my (2) batteries became very aenemic after a year, and the other one's pretty much shot now. For light household use, the driver's pretty much average for a 12v, but the saw and sander eat up the poor capacity NiCD's pretty quick. Forget about replacing the batteries, too, since they are the same capacity as the originals, and about $50 a pop! I may share in some of the blame for the relatively short life of the batteries, because the charger has no trickle or shut-off feature, and who can remmber to remove them from the charger in a timely fashion every time?

I saw a MUCH newer B

I've owned the Multi-tool for four years, and recently had to replace one of the original batteries. A single battery will last most of the day drilling dry wall srews or wood screws. The Saw will cut 1/2 inche ply-wood and the batteries lasted about an hour each doing so. Recently we've added a room to the back of the house 19'X10' and again the driver did a fine job. Now we are gutting out a closet a bathroom and laundry area and combing them into one large bathroom and again one fully charged battery will last most of the day driving screws. I can't say much about the sander, but the noise level is not an issue. The B&D 12volt Multi-Tool is no louder than any other 12 or 14.4 cordless drill.

I've had to replace my charger, and purchase two new batteries (8823 Model) (which lasted only 1 year of minor use). I am very disappointed in this product and Porter Cable will no longer receive my business. The batteries should at least be cheaper if they won't last long. Never again...
Porter Cable should be ashamed.

I went to the store to buy a DEWALT 18v cordless drill/driver. When I arrived I foolishly let a Porter-Cable Sales Rep. talk me into buying a Porter-Cable 19.2v Drill/Driver. BIG MISTAKE the drill works fine, the battery life is terribly short. The main selling point the Porter-Cable Sales Rep. had was that he insisted the new Porter-Cable 19.2v Batteries were a new technology in the way they charge and would outlast the DEWALT batteries-WRONG. I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT THE DEWALT which is exactly what I am doing now.

My last driver/drill was still running strong on the 2 original batteries supplied with the tool. Not bad for 30 months. But in Feb. of 2005 someone stole this tool from my shop. I hope the thief does NOT have the same good luck that I had. The previous reviews indicated to me that the more you use these tools, the better the performance. All of the contractors (including myself) seem to have much better luck than the weekend warriors and the hobbiest crowd. This also seems to fall in line with the typical way that most rechargeable batteries work. I have a "just for fun" Jeep that sits for long periods of time. I've had it for 5 years and am currently on the third battery. My old Makita and old Porter Cable Magnaquench drills also died as I replaced them and used them less. Overall, I don't see a problem for the professional who is looking for a daily use tool. By the way, to ALL of the tools that were stolen from me ,,, I miss you guys. ALSO,, be careful when buying replacement batteries. Porter Cable offers other batteries in 19.2v configurations. I currently have a set with Porter Cable 8923 2.4 a/h batteries. the higher the a/h(ampre/hour)rating, the better the performance should be.They also offer a 1.3 a/h battery that I wouldn't recommend to anyone.

I bought this drill a few years back and was never happy with it. The chuck on this drill is poor quality as are the gears inside the drill. The batteries are okay. And Porter Cable just doesn't make that good a product anymore.
I switched back to Milwaukee and wondered why I ever changed in the first place.
Buyers beware of this drill.

I bought my drill in Nov. 2003, and the performance it puts out is outstanding. It's expensive, but it's worth every penny I spent for it. 2 years ago I paid with tax, $230.00 for one, because I was building a patio room and a deck. The power it possess!!! This drill is so powerful, it will drive 6" to 8" bolts in the wall like childs play. I promise you that you will not be sorry if you purchase this one, it's a keeper. WARNING: Be careful if you're driving bolts, this drill will sprang or break your wrist if you're not careful, and I do mean careful, and that's the only down fall. Battery charging, in 1 hour the battery is fully charged, and it last for, (depending on use) heavy 1 to 2hrs, light use 3 - 5hrs, it comes with 2 Batteries. Plus you can have it repaired if it breaks or if you need a part you can order it and replace it yourself, the info is in the case. So all I can tell you now is go and get one.

It was cheeper to buy this hammer drill with two batteries than to buy just two new batteries. The hammer drill is a nice add to my collection of tools for all my projects.

I recently replaced my old dustbuster (which would no longer hold a charge), with this new one. I bought this unit because it uses the old style (and much cheaper) filters (which I had a few left over). What can I say, it works.

For the price and size of this black and decker, I think that you get exactly what you pay for. I use it instead of a dustpan, for spilled odds and ends, lint on rugs and various other tasks. [It]has more than payed for itself. I think that we have to be reasonable and know that if you are planning on doing some major cleaning, skip this and get out your kirby!

I'm on my third DUSTBUSTER in about 15 years. In the past, I received two washable filters with my purchase. with the latest one, about four months old, there was only one. Big mistake. I inadvertantly threw it away with the dust and now I'm having a heck of a time finding a replacement. Meanwhile, I cut a piece of non woven paper towel and placed it over the motor. Not bad. Necessity is the mother of invention.