Power Tools Reviews

Unlike DeWalt, Milwaukee used the same design of their electric saw to build a cordless. The early model had less than spectacular quick-change clamp but that was remedied quite nicely.

Just want to say that it's great Milwaukee offers the "tool only" so we don't have to keep purchasing batteries and chargers. I've purchased 2 milwaukee cordless tools with 2 batteries and a charger each, and then was able to purchase this saw and a work light without those items. So now I have a bettery for each tool and a backup charger, and they all fit in one case....beautiful!!!

P.S....I've had the 18 volt drill, circle saw, sawzall and light for well over a year now and use them heavily , no problems, excellent tools.

I'm a concrete and masonry contractor and my guys use this tool for everything from cutting forms to cutting roots in their way. Exceptional performance, we usually use up two batteries in a day, but the fast charge can usually keep up. Almost indistructable, have seen it droped from over 8 ft. from scaffolding and just bounce. The keyless chuck is fantastic. I have had too many tools with keys or allen wrenches sit in the truck unused for the want of a key. Have had the tool for over two years and am still using the original batteries but, this morning the battery charger gave up the ghost. I guess thats what you get for leaving it out in the rain a half of douzen times, more or less. I do not buy cheap tools, I feel that my employees deserve the best to make them the best. If I only had enough money to buy one tool this would be it.

For more than ten years this tool has never failed to function perfectly. I like the forward and reverse rocker switch. When used by a "lefty" the switch is easily operated by the index finger. For right hand operation the thumb is used. Another great feature is the lock switch which prevents the tool from accidentially being turned on. For example, if you want to snug up a screw by hand you can lock the switch off. Locking the tool before placing it in your tool box prevents accidential turn on while in storage. The battery removes easily and seems to always run longer than I expect it would. Of course, in ten years I have replaced them from time to time. The adjustable torque is a great feature too. It's a great tool for electrical work, electronic equipment repair, and working on door locks, etc. I have not missed variable speed since a quick on/off works well. I often underestimate its power. The two speed model might be worth checking on if you want to drill with it. My two single speed units give me good control. These tools have seen a lot of service and I have never regretted the purchases!

Fantastic tool for the truck or auto tech,this is definetly a case were less is better, reffering to the voltage of the unit.It is very compact yet has a nice balance between power and it's ability to get into very tight spaces.The driver is very well constructed, so is the charger ,all of which are produced in Japan,which means you are getting quality.The package also includes a jabobs chuck and chuck key, 2 batteries, a high impact carrying case and some assortyed bits.Add a good bit selection for some real versatility
.From the use I have had so far I can tell you the batteries are long lasting and the unit has been trouble free.I would recommend the offset as an assesory,it comes in very handy.Don't let the lower voltage fool you,this is a very effective tool.If your looking for a more powerful unit look to the Dewalt driver, but is is not as nearly as compact ,the price paid for more power.I personally have both of the drivers and each has it's place.This is a killer package from Milwaukee, and a must have addition to your tool chest,you will not be sorry with your choice.

This is the best screw driver I have ever used for working on computers. With the clutch set at 1 I can drive screws in any computer component with out fear of over tightening. I have been using this screw driver for 7 years now on all things computer related and have absolutely no complaints. I have even driven screws into plastic with out stripping them.

The two speed setting is great most of the time I leave it in high with the clutch on one and don't think about it. There are the times with the occasional sticky screw where you might need to turn the clutch up and set the speed to low but the screw driver has the ability to do that with in easy reach of your thumb.

The rocker switch between forward and reverse makes it easy to take the screw back out that you just mistakenly put in.

I can't think of a more essential tool for working on computers that this screw driver

I have used one these for years as a residential electrican installing hundreds of switches and outlets a year. I would never have lasted 30 years without one, great time saver too.

I have used this drill driver for over 2 years and never had a problem. The battery will last all day and then some. I do commercial Electrical work and I am very hard on the drill. I use it constant all day long 6 days a week. I have dropped it from some 6-10 feet and it still keeps on ticking, I don't recommend dropping any tool of course but accidents happen. I have charged the batteries no less than 300 times a piece and they still perform like new. This is without a doubt the best tool I have ever purchased in 25 years. I have always been happy with Panasonic products. I feel so positive about this drill driver this is the first review I have ever taken time to write.

i am a mechanic at a mercedes dealer, i've used and tried many-many drill drivers, & this panasonic is the best. it is the fastest at 600 rpm. very light. easy to use. the electronic clutch is very adjustable and precise for torque settings,i use it everyday with only one battery; the fifteen minute charger is a must. this is a pro tool and well worth the money. the only other driver comparable is the milwakee but slower at 450rpm. the panasonic driver is the tool for interior work. i recomend it highly.

I purchased this to attatch wire fencing to a wood frame and to fix up some field fencing as well. It works great, has never jammed and hasn't misfired once. Being cordless allows me to repair the field fence without electricity and without pounding fencing staples all day.

We use this stapler to install wire on post and rail fence.It makes it so easy and quick.This stapler has lots of power.Very reliable,used all most daily with no problems besides the occasional jam.

This gun is one of the best items to come along.I have been doing siding for over 10 years ( by hand ) and in the winter time it is very hard to hold nails with gloves on or freeze with none on, one person can hang alot more siding for more profit in one day compared to by hand nailing plus no nail pouch required so less weight to carry around I love it. Nailing into tight places is a little more easy also.No breaking siding when hit with a hammer.

After sending back 2 faulty Hitachi coil nailers, I purchased this Porter-Cable siding gun and have run thousands of nails through it with near perfect results (only one jam at the very end of a coil). This is the third Porter-Cable nail gun I now own along with a finish and a framing gun. All of the guns perform well.

It came with a great case like my other PC guns (the Hitachi gun only came in a carboard box). Porter Cable also sent me a restrictive trigger replacement for free. Note: I do not use these guns on a daily basis, so I might believe that they are not as robust as some of the guns costing hundreds of dollars more, but they work well for me. I do not baby them.

The only negative of the COIL250 I have experienced is that the final two nails of the coil do not feed properly and must be removed by hand. I believe this is not uncommon among coil nailers and it sure beats refilling a straight nail gun every few minutes. And yes you do have to spend about 30 seconds each morning putting a few drops of oil in the PC guns if you do not have an inline oiler. This has never seemed like a liability to me. But hey, if you spend $500 on an oil-less nail gun, like some carpenters I know, then you gotta brag about something.

The worst part about this nailer is procuring fasteners for it. As siding nailers are not used universally by carpenters like other types of nail guns, you may not be able to find various (or any) coil nails locally. Not really a big deal if you can plan ahead and order from the Tool Crib or Amazon.

I have shot hot dipped galvanized nails through the COIL250 with the ease of normal nails. The depth adjustment works well to set fasteners flush.

Porter-Cable, along with Dewalt, was bought early in 2005 by Black & Decker (whose tools I look on as junk). So time will tell if the quality will remain. As for now I recommend this gun over the Hitachi NV65AH, and suspect it would hold its own over others in its price range.

This is a great all purpose nailer. I have used it for installing wood shingles and strapping and it has worked flawlessly. For strapping it is lighter and has greater nail capacity than a stick framing gun for working overhead. It is lightweight, although not as light as the Hitachi siding gun, but is more versatile. All adjustments are easy, I especially like the depth of drive adjustment wheel (no tools needed) nail size selector and air deflector. My neighbor used it to install strapping in her basement and after a 5 minute demonstration she was all set to go and loved using it. I own many other Porter Cable tools and use them on a daily basis in my contracting business, they all work great. I personally think they make the best sanders around. Part of my decision to own them is that if they ever need service I am less than an hour away from a Porter Cable (Company) store.

The PC Coil250 is a great tool. I purchased it to replace the siding on my house. It did the job without a single jam, and has plenty of power to drive 2.5" nails through Hardi (cement-fiber) siding boards and Hardi trim (5/8"+3/4"). The depth of drive adjustment is a very handy feature.

This is a great product, and you can get it, along with any other products on Amazon up to $500 Free! Participate in a special promotion and get a free $500 Amazon Gift Card at this web site: nocost4u.info/amazon

Love it, love it, love it! I've had this hand vac for about 6 weeks, and I've used it for everything from getting up cat hair from my sofa, cleaning out pantry shelves, picking up dirt that the cats pulled out of potted plants and this vac hasn't disappointed! Long charge life is also a plus. Haven't found a down-side yet.

This is the second Shark I have purchased and I love it! It is a great hand held vac! It is a must have for moms with small children. It cleans up quickly!

very strong great features and is made by major manufacturer under skil name a real good buy. I use it at work and home and beats the yellow brand which I use to swear by ...

I have been using this for about six months and have almost retired my 110v drill. With two batteries, I never get a break between jobs and this drill has power to spare. I have been putting up a wooden fence on top of a concrete block wall and this thing outperforms my expensive 110v B&D. After only three 3/8" x 2 1/4" deep holes in the concrete, the AC drill was getting hot. The Skil worked right through without a complaint. The Bosch masonry bit isn't bad either. Additionally, I was drilling 1/2" holes in redwood plate and 1/4" holes in eighth inch metal strap as part of the masonry drilling. When drilling the metal and the bit first pokes through, the drill almost torques out of your hand. I did three battery changes for a day's work. The batteries charge quickly but, as a hint, fully drain the battery before recharging and let it cool off before putting in the charger. This applies to all DC tool batteries. The on-board bit carrier isn't much of a feature but its there if you need it. The drill is lighter than most DC tools costing much more, is well balanced and, at the highest torque setting will drive 3 1/2" screws into studs without maxing the clutch.

I've been using supercheap 18-Volt drills (Power-Craft, Aerotec, etc.) that you can get on other sites for $30. After going through 3 of them, I finally decided to go with a name-brand. The difference in quality is unbelievable, and the price difference isn't that significant when you factor in the extra battery. I'm sure that Skil doen't even compare in quality to Dewalt, Milwalkie, and the other big "professional" names, but those names are twice as much, and for my purposes, this thing is perfect.

I recently saw this product recommended on "Ask This Old House." I've been very impressed! I've used it on everything from the rollers on my garage door to the drawers on my antique dressers. It has a number of benefits, it stays where you put it, it's non-toxic, and made in the US. On the downside I had trouble finding it in the retail stores.

I recently saw this product recommended on "Ask This Old House." I ordered a sampler pack from the company's webite, slipit.com. I've been very impressed! I've used it on everything from the rollers on my garage door to the drawers on my antique dressers. It has a number of benefits, it stays where you put it, it's non-toxic, and made in the US. On the downside I had trouble finding it in the retail stores.

I tried Slip it for a release agent on a paper mache project and it worked great! Left no greasy film like other products I have tried.
I am sure I will find more uses for this product.
I like that Slip It is non toxic and I can feel comfortble using it.
THANKS!

This system is truely the best auxillary power tool I have ever owned. It has literly made my blades, chisels, gouges and scrapers razor sharp and absolutely consistent. Hand sharpening is for the birds or masochists. Now I can touch up a dull gouge in less han a minute and have a perfectly contoured, razor sharp tool and get right back to work. Although it's great for chisels the Tormek system really shines for Lathe tools and planer/jointer blades. Best investment I ever made.

As an amateur woodworker, chef, and handyman around the house, the value I place on sharp tools can not be understated. That being said, there are few comprehensive options out there for sharpening all of your tools with one system. The Tormek SuperGrind is the solution. After unpacking the system, I proceded to sharpen all of my kitchen knives to a razor's edge, with ease. Previously I had to bring all of my knives to the sharpening center and pay $ dollars for the service. Those days are gone! I can now sharpen my wive's turning tools, my chisels and plane irons, even my jointer blades with one easy to use system. It makes experts out of novices, I can't praise this system enough. Buy the Tormek, expensive but worth it.

My tool sharpening career began 20 years ago when I bought a few Norton oilstones. Never could master them so I upgraded to Japaneese waterstones with fair results, but a messy chore I detested. Bought Diamond stones to flatten the backs, a lapping stone with dust, and next a bench grinder. I could sharpen a blade already ground to the correct angle but forget about re-edging an angle on the grinder, blue edges every time! Bought different wheels for the grinder, same results. Next went to the Makita flat circular grinding wheel but the wheel was so soft, hard to keep it flat. Next read about a jig for the grinder and another new softer stone that would not burn edges as well as an angle devise to hold the blades at correct angles on the handstones. Bought a few new handstones, synthetic, ant tried all of these with fair results. Over the past 20 yeats I figure I must have about $1000 invested in all of this equipment (let me know if you want to buy it) and I still detested the sharpening thing. Could do plane blades and chisels so-so.
I heard about the Tormek system and read the amazon reviews (which sold me)and decided to give it a try. I bought mine through Sharp Tools USA, a business that only sells this system. I splurged and got the deluxe package since buying the individual jigs I needed would have cost the same and I would be missing some jigs. Everything they say is true. [anyone] can become a professional sharpener. I beg friends to bring their tools and knives and scissors to me. Instead of detesting the job, I now love sharpening. The only bad thing about the system is that a few scratches on the bevel remain that I guess you could lap out on the leather wheel, but these do not make a difference to me. All of my blades are now razor sharp, and in fact I don't have any hair left on my left arm from test shaving after each sharpening.
I sure wish I knew about the Tormek system 20 years ago. Instead of spending over $1000 I would have spent several hundreds less and not had to go through the hours of frustration trying to sharpen my tools. Yes, the most expensive item is often the cheapest in the long run!

the HM0810B is the best, lightweight hammer on the market. 2900 blows per minute, with a weight of only 11.7lbs. This is the hammer that should be used for chiseling, chipping and scaling, NOT the HK1810, which should only really be used for removing tile and plaster.

apparently the hammer I reviewed is a genuine Makita. I regret my error.