Drills Reviews

Overall I am very happy with this saw. I bought it to replace a $50 Skil that I purchased years ago. The Skil still worked fairly well and survived some good abuse, but wasn't a real powerhouse. I've used this Milwaukee several times already and here is what I've noticed:

Pros:
+ Nice power
+ Very nice and easy adjustments for depth and bevel: This uses levers vs. a butterfly nut on my old Skil.
+ Tilt lock is a nice feature. Though many people who have this saw never use it, I have actually used it a couple of times: different adjustments when cutting lumber vs. when trimming doors.
+ Guide visibility is excellent.
+ Base is about 1/8" thick solid aluminum, nice and flat, and solid feeling.

Cons:
- The base is flat all around. My old skill, for example, had a lip on the back and front side. If you're stuck using a somewhat flat, and inadequately clamped guide (like a straight thin piece of plywood that you trust), that may slightly lift in the middle, you run the risk of the base plate riding under your guide. As a result, at some point I may modify the base by screwing on an additional 1/8" lip on the inside top.
- Case: Very minor complaint: it would be nice if it included some blade storage. I have some extra blades, including a cheap plywood blade and an expensive finishing blade. I would love to be able to store them in the case with the saw.

Overall, I have no regrets and recommend this saw. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 in part because of the base plate, but also because I can't recommend it above all other circular saws. Both the Journal of Light Construction and Fine Homebuilding had circular saw reviews. This particular saw, a specific Bosch, and a specific Porter Cable, were in the top three for both reviews. Though in the top three of both, This Milwaukee made it into the top 2 favorites/recommended in one article but not the other. Before purchasing this saw, I would recommend finding and reading those articles to decide which of the three would better meet your needs or preferences.

OK the fact is I havnt even used the saw yet. I own 3 other Milwaukee tools and feel they are the best. One reason I buy one tool or product over another is where the tool is made. I have bought Milwaukee and Porter Cable and have been happy with both. My problem is the saw is not made in the U.S. per the technical data page. That doesnt mean its not the best saw on the market. The feel of the tool is of high quality, I plugged it in and ran it up and tested the brake which functioned perfectly. I am pleased with the service I recieved from Amazon. The tool arrived in only a few days in perfect condition. I was however, disapointed it was not made in the U.S.This causes me to wonder about long term quality. I have a milwaukee angle grinder (made in U.S.) which has been abused for years and works flawlessly. In another buisness fabricating in metal we had a Milwaukee Magnum Hole Shooter drill (made in U.S.) which was the best power tool I ever used. My ex partner still uses it to this day. and it will still break your wrist if you dont treat it with respect.I gladly pay more for products made in the U.S., and often do not shop other brands. If Milwaukee is going to manufacture tools outside the U.S I will be more open to shopping other brands. Americans without jobs dont buy tools. I will write another review after using the saw for a while. I must admit it looks like all I expected and I'm sure its a great saw.......OK I've used the saw for a few weeks now...I'm loving it so far...feels great in the hand,good sight to blade, not too much dust in the eyes...the only complaint I can think of so far is the plastic blade guard...I find myself placing the saw down gently for fear of breaking it. Probably irrational but I think about it every time I put the saw down. Time will tell but so far I'm thrilled. M.R.

This is the very best saw on the market today. Durable, powerfull, and very well balanced with incredible line of site with outstanding bevel adjustment mechanism !

I'm not the most handy person around, but I decided to build a playground border consisting of two stacked 4x4s. I needed a drill that could drill through two 4x4s to create holes for the spikes.

The big orange box store said to stay away from cordless drills. I was told they do not have the power of a corded drill. After reading the specs of the Makita 18-Volt Cordless drill and understanding the reputation of Makita tools, I ordered the drill.

After a few hours, I had my swing set border complete. I was able to drill through two stacked 4x4s without problem. The spare battery was great. When one battery was running low, I put it in the chrager and used the second battery.

The convenience of the cordless model will allow me to use the drill all aorund the house. When I need a screwdriver, I can pick the drill up and go right to work. No need to worry about an extension cord just change the bit.

The drill comes with two batteries, battery charger, a carrying case and a few bits. I'd recommend purchasing the Makita UltraLoc kit so you have screwdriver attachments. The total cost less the Amazon discount and Makita (...)rebate was (...). Comparable drills are selling for (...)or more. Overall a great value for a product that completes the job. Highly recommended.

When I first saw the 18-volt powerhouse Makita 6347DWDE drill at this price (only $125 after a $50 manufacturer's rebate and another $25 off promotion from Amazon) I thought it was too good to be true and quite possibly a mistake. I had to read the description and the fine print a few times before making my order.

After owning this drill for six weeks and using it on a couple of projects, I couldn't be happier. The battery pack has proved more than adequate in delivering plenty of power over an extended time period and and it's great to have the backup available just in case. Charging is fast and easy, too.

Despite the size of this drill, it is surprisingly light and well-balanced, comfortable to use even at odd angles and at arms length. You absolutely can't go wrong here.

The benefits of owning quality power tools go without saying. And Makita is a name you can trust. This is not a toy ... it is the real deal. Don't settle for good when you can have the very best. It's definitely worth a few extra $$$.

Note: Take a look at the Makita 784874-A 15-Piece UltraLoc Set as a great accessory for this drill.

I dont know about this drill/driver in particular but just wanted to add my views here for those of you who arent real familiar with this brand. I used to be in apartment maintenance using it to fasten down underlayment... door, window, trim and moulding work, masonary and metal drilling as well as doing numerous household and hobby projects. I have been using my Makita cordless for over 17 years and it still is working like a champ! Have kept it in an unheated garage or truck/van in sometimes near zero degree weather here in Michigan and even this didnt kill the batteries.The original batteries and charger still work although the batteries dont hold a charge like they used to. The quality of the batteries themselves are amazing to me. I just purchased an 18 volt drill simply because I couldnt pass up the deal and wanted to jump on the big high voltage bandwagon. (For me 18 volt is big!). The battery life and power didnt impress me on my new purchase. (I wont mention the name because I havent had it long enough for a fair review). I also have a small cordless Makita reciprocating saw I also am a big fan of. My Dad has a cordless trim saw and we love it as well. I have Dewalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, Craftsman Stanley and other corded and cordless tools and I am not saying which is best or better because it all depends. Its hard to say what the quality of Makitas tools are today as compared to when I made my purchases but I would definately buy another Makita anything if the price was right. I have used my drill more in the last 17 years than most will in a lifetime. Driving screws until it would stall year in and year out and it never wore out, never needed brushes. Now... if you are a professional drywaller or window/door installer and are constantly driving screws untill the clutch slips then you will probably wear out the clutch/torque adjust in a year to a few years but that is my speculation. I have seen contractors using them for just such work. My point is... dont be afraid to try Makita. If mine was dead and I was shopping for a new cordless, it would be a Makita. If I didnt buy Makita it wouldnt be because I was worried about the power or quality but only the deal I was getting. Some of the other manufacturers I mentioned have decent tools as well but Makita can hold its own against all of them and then some against some of them. Bearing all this in mind.... if I saw that they were being made in China then I would have some serious reservations... otherwise.... go for it.

This kit looked nice, Milwaukee had a good reputation and the specs on each unit looked much better than the competition. How I was decieved. After three-four months of everyday contractor use, two batteries failed. Luckily when I purchased the kit there was a extra battery rebate (should have raised flags). While the two batteries were sent back to Milwaukee for free replacements (One Year Warantee) I barely survived on one battery and my 10 year old (still running great) Porter-Cable 12v drill/driver. Got back my two new batteries and two months later the gears on the cordless saw failed. Sent the saw out for free repair (Five Year Warantee) survived on my 8 year old (still running great too) 14.4v Dewalt cordless saw. Three months later the bearings on the drill burned up. Sent it out for free repair survived once again on my PC 12v drill now 12 years old. I now have all tools operating and batteries holding their own. The only tool which has not needed repair is the light (go figure). After two years of this kit, I've had it and currently shopping for a new Kit. Bought out by Roybi Int'l and manufacturing facilities moved from USA to China & Taiwan and stiff price competition by Dewalt, P-C, and Bosch has led me to the poor quality of these tools. I was going to give this review zero stars however the replacement/repair system is great. Milwaukee corded tools by my experience are top notch and would never trade my hole-hawg, sawzall and hammer drill, but the cordless kits need to go back to the drawing board.

For anyone looking for a complete set of tools the Combo-Kit gets my vote. The Milwaukee brand got good reviews in Fine Homebuilding Magazine, for the cordless tools. I am an advanced woodworker, and am involved in a big remodeling project, and have used the tools. I also own Mikita, Bosch, and Hitachi. They all make great tools, but the cordless Circular Saw, and the Hatchet, are the first ones I purchased after using corded tools. I spent months investigating the competition, and these stand out!

Really. I've only used corded tools for 20 some years of work and I laughed at the elelectrican who brought one of these drill drivers to the worksite recently. I was sceptical of the ability of these things to do extended work. No problem, after working with this drill a couple of days I bought this combo set with the radio, sawsall, saw and drill and flashlight for myself. Now I have to really think about taking the corded handtools out to do the job. I do take all 3 batteries with me to work with the charger and can burn through all of them in a day of heavy use. I've used the drill most, but all the tools in the set are first rate and all my corded milwaukee tools I've had for at least 7 - 10 years so If their name is on them I'm hoping for the best.

Porter Cable's 19.2 Volt line has major flaws. 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 the batteries are dead and at $90 each I am not replacing them. I bought Hitachi this time with a five year warranty. I wasted $600 on the Porter Cable junk.

General contractor from california, I have had the PC 19.2 kit for 3 years, the tools have fallen from ladders and been beaten badly and they still work great when the batteries want to work , i ve been through three chargers ... Yeah I am thinking that my next kit will be a BOSCH. PC makes a good tool but youd think they would get the battery and charger thing together. All I can say is thank GOD uncle sam allows tools for a business expense,

More often than not, a 110VAC outlet will be unavailable where the work is on a ranch. I have owned AEG and Makita battery powered tools. When this Porter Cable set went on sale, I figured it was time to give it a go.

For serious work, I'll grab the Milwaukee walking saw, hammer drill, etc. and toil on a project within reach of an extension cord. Repairing a feed bin or setting H's and fence corners, this Porter-Cable kit fits the bill perfectly.

Two years have passed since that day of purchase and I am still a satisfied customer. Considering the hours of useage, one of the batteries does take quite some time to recharge.

Shopping for powercells may induce stickershock. It appears all are seemingly over costly; but for the convenience, I'm still hooked. Milwaukee and Porter-Cable remain my first choices in powertools with Makita in third place.

I am a contractor who uses a rotary hammer a few hours per week. I bought the Bosch 1 1/8 inch sdsplus rotohammer about 3 weeks ago, after a reconditioned and used milwaukee unit stopped hammering (after about three weeks). I was pretty happy, at first.
A few days ago, I checked out some of the reviews on here, and grew concerned about the chuck loosening up. Sure enough, when I checked it out, it moved about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch with a 12 inch bit. I took it back.
B.T.W., I contacted Bosch, and they basically said that SDS-Plus hammers aren't designed for much chipping. I do chip alot, so I am probably going to take thier suggestion and get an SDS-Max hammer. I may still get a Bosch.
If you are planning on buying this hammer for drilling, it is probably a great tool (and the case is very well organized). If you plan on doing any chipping besides some very light chipping, I suggest getting an SDS-Max or spline drive. You may be disappointed in any SDS-Plus hammer.

This drill has seen 100's of holes, & keeps going strong. Would highly recomend.

I just completed stripping approximately 5,000 brick off my house (we're rebricking). I looked into renting a tool for this job and I realized I could justify the purchase of my own tool for the amount of work I needed to do. As I wanted a tool that could be used for more than chipping/stripping brick, I began to lean toward the "combination" rotary hammers. I had a tough time finding any reference to their use for stripping brick. After much research, I settled on the Bosch 112326VS mainly because the SDS+ tools are in the middle of the size range (SDS MAX are larger) plus the price was acceptable. I chose the 11236VS over the 11224VSR (7/8" SDS+) simply because I hoped that the slightly bigger tool would be a benefit in chipping. So I'm here to state that I had very good success with the Bosch 11236VS for this purpose. Incidently, I used the 1-1/2" chisel (also by Bosch) which still has plenty of life left.

I'm a home woodworker and needed a little more power than the 9.6v and 12v cordless drills I've owned for years. But I didn't need overkill, either. This DeWalt 14.4v has done an admirable job. True, some other brands may have more torque, but they weigh a ton. This drill won't break your arm if you're installing overhead panels or braces at arm's length at the top of a ladder. All in all, I can't find much wrong with it. the only reason I didn't give it five stars is that DeWalt will probably go to its XRP design in the near future and this one may not be available for long. But an XRP will run you at least $50 more. If you need reasonable power at reasonable weight, this drill will do the job.

The wife told me to build a dog house, and of course, I needed more tools (!) for the job :). I worshiped the ground she let me grovel on. So, I got down on my knobby knees and asked her if I could buy a new drill. She decreed that it should be so. Yes!!! And she didn't ask how much it would cost!

Went into Lowes in Manassas, bravely approached the tool man and he asked me what I was looking for. "I want the best cordelss drill that money can buy." With eyes misty from a combination of tool lust and jealously, he brought me over to the DeWalt 14.4 and described a sales training video they'd shown of a guy making Swiss cheese of a 2x4 with a 1" hole saw -- in the Sahara Desert -- for hours. There might have been some pre-erotic fumbling on his part as he stroked the fresh plastic and the metal case.

But I walked out of there that day with that drill and an extra battery. This was in 1994 or 95, I think. Two days ago one of those first two batteries finally became unchargable 10 or 11 years down the road. I've used it to build airplane fuselages, work benches, cut holes in wood, steel, aluminum and masonry; for grinding various parts with barbed bits -- allways confident that it would work on any material I needed to modify.

This drill has great clutch sensativity, and excellent torque on demand. It's wonderfully balanced in my hand. While it's massive, it's not awkward. This may sound sad and a bit silly, but that drill has become a part of me, my identity, and the way I look at problems it might help me solve. I'm proud I own it, can't see getting rid of it, will probably keep it in a place of honor when it can drill no more. Ergonomics: 9.5. Durability: 10 Eye candy score: 6-7 (this love comes from familiarity more than initial lust). It looks better now spattered in epoxy resins and paint, and banged up a bit, than when it was new. Mine only has 1-6 and "drill" on the torque setting so it might be an older version of this model.

I bought this drill 3 years ago, and have been using it fairly regularly since. I've never found myself wanting more power, the balance is great, and it just keeps going. My batteries only last a little less than when new! Great drill.

No kidding!! The shipping charge on these batteries was over $6.00. Amazon doesn't itemize the shipping charges on your order, so if you order multiple items, you won't know that you're being raped by Crutchfield until it is too late!!

So these were really irritatting to me I bought a 12 pack of these and went threw the whole intire pack in 4 days, I only used them in my walkman, they just didn't last that long, not even a whole work shift which sucks. oh well wanted to write a review for it so everyone could know that these are probably just good for remote controls or something that hardly uses any power. Definatley not for electronics at all!

I used to buy Energizers and Duracells at $3-4 a pop for four batteries. Now I buy generic Alkalines at Costco. Cost: $8 for 10 four packs. It's like having a battery store in the kitchen drawer. According to a recent coprehensive story in Consumer Reports, there is only a little difference between name brand and generic alkaline batteries.

Being a home remodler I own both Millwaukee and Dewalt cordless drills and saws. I have experianced the problem of removing the battery packs from my Millwaukee tools that other people have refered to, but I was able to overcome the problem with some silicone spray. My biggest problem is that I spent the money for the Milwaukee 18 volt combo pack thinking I was buying a "HEAVY DUTY" product, only to find out that the battery life of my 14.4 volt Dewalt set runs circles around BIG RED.

Bought this kit for building my own house. I'm not dissatisfied with product performance, but a bit disappointed by the lack of ovewrall quality based on other Milwaukee tools I've owned and worked with.

My guess is that Milwauke will implement some improvements in each of component over the next year or so based on customer feedback.

I strongly agree with another buyers frustration with removing the battery packs from the tools. After the first few uses, the batteries can become virtually impossible to remove without beating them against something. Really poor design.

As others have mentioned, the quality of saw cuts from the circular saw are just "ok", but can't hold a candle to my corded Skil saw.

Sawzall has been great, very powerful. Hachet design is smart idea. (I love it, with the exception of the battery removal problem).

Drill/screwgun is built well. However, while screwing down my floor deck I found too much variability in the screw torque setting. I buried some screws while others had a raised head. It got a little frustrating, but not to the point of giving up, it just required that I back off a little on the trigger while finishing each screw.

Surprisingly, the flashlight has gotten ton of use. I thought it would set in the bag, but with some long work days late in the autumn, it has been used virtually every day. It is bright and has a nice wide beam. The adjustable head and ability to stand up the unit and point it at the job is really nice. This light helps me find my way from the work site to the truck each night.

Like I said, overall, I'm satisfited, but I'd expect Milwaukee to fix the flaws in this first generation product. I'd wait for improvements if you can.

Update to my review (3/03) - Well, a few months more use and a couple more problems. My battery charger died. The LED light still came on indicating that the unit was powered, but the batteries wouldn't charge. Unfortunately I had go out a buy a replacement charger since I couldn't wait for a repair. The new charger is still working and now I have a spare.

Then the flashlight that I said I was so pleased with died! Again I really didn't want to wait for a warrenty repair so I took it apart (not much can go wrong with a flashlight, right?). I found a burned off copper trace on a printed circuit board inside the unit. I jumpered the trace with a wire and the unit is again working fine.

I've worked these tools pretty hard so I'll be generous and maintain my three star rating, but if any more goes wrong, I'll have to reconsider.

Being a remodeling contractor I usually give my tools quite a workout. As usual Milwaukee comes through again with a collection of fine tools at an affordable price. I've tried the "Big Yellow Ones" but they don't hold up like a "Milwaukee". I guess the only bad comment I can think of about the whole package is the sawzall seems to use up batteries pretty fast. I would recommend having at least 3 total if you plan to use the sawzall for extended periods. By the time one charges up the other is completely dead. The hand saw, drill and work light seem to operate forever on a battery. I would highly recommend this product if you do a lot of quick in and out jobs where you don't want to drag extension cords and tools around. The contractor bag works great keeping track of your tools and ease of transportation. I plan to buy a couple more of these packages for my crew.

Is good on the wood floors. Not good on scatter rugs. Noise is outrageous. High pitched scream. Not good on human or cat ears.

+ve
Small size
Lite wait
slim shape can be stored any where.
beg less.
-ve
more noise (this will be issue with all small size vacums because they can not implement noise reduction)
not good for stairs
need to empty after every use.
filters are very expensive (most expensive in all eureks filters.)

I must say, all of us fight over who gets to use the vacuum. I know this sounds weird, but oh, the joy of seeing how much dust and dirt was collected! This has to be one of the best little vacs out there! We use this as our primary since we only have 5 rooms on both levels with carpeting. I DON'T like it for hardwoods. It just blows too much around. For hardwoods, I prefer Bono Swedish mops. For this price, I'll probably buy another for the lower level of our house! I don't mind the noise..it's not that bad. If you want to hear a screamer, buy the Hoover Bagless Quickbroom!
Also, this product could be amazing if it carried onboard tools!

I do not recommend this drill. The battery failed within a year and the new 18 volt NiCad is failing again after about another year. I use it only occasionally so the comment regarding battery failure in this tool for DIY resonates.

Also, I don't think the tool lives up to its torque claims. Finally, the battery from day one has been difficult to remove. The side squeeze mechanism never worked properly.

I don't own this drill, but I do know why so many folks have had battery problems. The 18V batteries that Milwaukee includes with this drill are nickel cadmium. Nicads are known for having "memory" problems caused by recharging batteries before they are fully discharged. And here is a gem of a quote from the wikipedia - "NiCd batteries, when not used regularly, tend to develop dendrites (thin, conductive crystals), causing internal short circuits and premature battery failure, long before the 800-1000 charge/discharge cycles claimed by most vendors." Bam!

This means that if you are an occasional user (weekend warrior), you'd be better off with a different brand that uses Nickel metal-hydride batteries. They are less prone to the problems described above. The 18V drills made by Makita, Panasonic, and Bosch all use NiMh batteries. Dewalt 18V drills come with NiCd.

This Tool is incredible, I upgraded from the Makita 18 volt. It was like moving from a Model T to a Mercedes. The balance is correct and I am sure to find a situation that will utilize the reversing battery mount.
The chuck really locks the bit in place. The clutch seems to be calibrated the same as the Makita and I have yet to break a screw.
It seems slightly heavier than the Makita but the comfortable grip makes up for it
I can recommend this product to any serious wood worker or to anyone that uses a Battery powered drill frequently