Hitachi Reviews

I have had this gun for about a month and have had only a few issues with it. First off, it takes a bit of effort to engage all the safety mechanisms to get the nailer to drive. The nailer is what I would call two phased. Several times I have worried about bending the tip of the gun due to the pressure I was applying, and once in a while I curse the thing because the pressure has moved my material. This is less noticeable when you aren't toe nailing in a tight space.
You must remove the battery from this unit once you are done with it at the end of the day. The first day I came back to the nailer it had drained the battery, and I had to wait 30 minutes for it to recharge. The battery drains because a constant green light flashes beneath the trigger alerting you that the gun is charged and ready to go. This light will turn red if there is not enough charge left to fire. This may be a defect with my gun, originally I understood that the gun would power down if not used, mine does not.
I am not a big fan of the depth guage, it requires a tool to change. It does come with a nice case.
One time the gun would not fire, everything checked out, battery was fully charged, emptied out and reloaded the nailer, nothing happened. I then thought I might of somehow drained the fuel cell, although I had only driven a couple hundred nails. I checked the fuel cell, had plenty of fuel, reset the cell, and the gun then fired without problems. This has only happened once during the month that I have had the gun.
On the plus side, this gun shoots HARD! I am firing 3 1/2 nails and it is sinking them below the surface with the depth set at 25% below maximum. One other thing, in the manual I don't see where there is any maintenance required with this gun.
I have had some people tell me that cordless nail guns are better than pneumatic, (check the reviews for some of the Pasloade guns), they are not. Pneumatic guns work smoother and engage easier. Pneumatic stick nailers hold almost 3x as many nails as cordless. These work great if you don't want to get out your compressor or have no power where you work.
However, as far as Pasloade versus Hitachi, Hitachi is the number one for now.

This tool is very convenient. It spins much slower than a typical drill and has clutch that is surprisingly consistent. Why only four stars ? Because the chassis is assembled in 3 pieces ( most are two ), the nose/ clutch diaphragm, motor housing another, and the pistol grip is the third. The resaon I took away a star is because although you can't see the separate pieces flex, it feels like it, but only when drilling 4" deck srews which torque the housing just enough. If you typically use screws that are 3" or less, you'll never notice it. Kind of a minor quibble but one that takes away from the overall feel of quality. Aside from that, the gun is lightweight, the grip is comfortable, the motor has plenty of guts and sings like a sewing machine. The unit has triple dust protection and the green body is easy to locate on the job. Great tool, I just think they should have molded the grip and motor housing in one piece, not two. Does the job without fault, would have given 4 1/2 5 stars, but that was not an option!

The 14.4 impact driver has performed well on everything from hex head bolts to drywall screws. I am a superintendent on a large constrion project and it has certainly impressed several of the tradesman. The sheer compact size and power has proven invaluable for many tight areas throughout the site. The battery has been holding up well too. I highly recommend this product for construction work.

I HAVE TO SAY THAT I BOUGHT 2 OF THE HANGARS FOR MY GUNS, AND THEY WORK WELL. BUT THE FITTINGS THAT IT TAKES TO SET THEM UP WILL ALMOST DOUBLE THE COST OF THE HANGAR. SO OVERALL I LIKE THE TOOL BUT IT WILL TAKE A WHILE TO JUSTIFY THE COST. THANKS I HOPE THIS HELPS BUNKY.

I am in the home remodelling business and purchased this combi set primarily for the circular and recip saws. I figured for small, quick cuts the saws would come in handy. The tools are of decent quality and have a nice feel to them when in use. The problem are the batteries not being able to keep a charge. I followed the instructions regarding initial charging procedures and I am lucky if I get a few minutes use out of each charge. (This also includes the cordless drill). I own two other Hitachi saws that I love (corded of course). Despite the fact that this product is made in China, the batteries should be of much better quality. Most of Craftsman's professional line is made in China and Porter Cable is made in Taiwan. This set is basically a waste of money for the professional or DIY'er for that matter.

First the Hitachi kit is awesome and is just as god as the higher priced kits but many people seem to complain about the battery life. Here is the deal directly from a Hitachi dealer - Hitachi is able to offer this extremely high quality kit because of the lower priced batteries and that is how they are able to get into the market.

Upon recommendation I did buy one of the larger 3 Amp Batteries at Lowes and it goes like a raped ape. The Hitachi rep's position makes since - market a high quality tool at a low price and for contractors it's well worth the cost of higher capacity batteries because now you have 4 batteries and your still paying less than a DeWalt.

We also have a Bosch kit - I love the power but you think Hitachi eats the battery try a Bosch. No matter what your doing Hitachi gives you the best bang for your buck!

These are very good quality tools, like all Hitachi that I own (more than 20) they are built to last. The light on the circular saw is a great extra, even when cutting something in poor light the light on the saw is perfectly located. The drill is only a 3/8" chuck, but has lots of power. The only problem I find with this combo is that the batteries that came with it are 1.2 AH. I got lucky and found a couple of 18 volt Hitachi 3.0 AH batteries at Lowes on clearance for 40 bucks each. With these batteries the tools have more power and run much longer on a charge. Even with the added expense of upgrading the batteries, these tools are worth it to me as they don't have to go back to the service center all the time like some of my DeWalt and Porter Cable tools do.

I purchased this Hitachi saw 2 years ago while building my house. When I first started with the saw I wasn't happy. It has no problem with light material but easily bogs down on hardwood and pressure treated. My biggest complaint with it is the use of plastic on the blade height adjustment. The crank has stripped and I see no easy way to repair it. It is also very difficult to set the fence square. The saw will only accept a 3/8" dado. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone that had any serious work to do. I learned that you get what you pay for.

First off, don't believe Amazon's "list price." This saw would NEVER go for more than $300. And justifiably so, because it's not worth even that.
At first it seemed like a well-built saw for the money, but as is usually the case with power tools, you get what you pay for. The 10RA2 has a decent, but not great motor, and it's very loud. You also play hell getting an accurate cut on it because of arbor flex and difficulties fine tuning blade alignment. It can be done, but you have to be careful. But my biggest complaint is the miter slots are non-standard. They require a weird inverted T design that no other saws use, anywhere. That means that if you want to upgrade from the cheap stock miter gauge or, as happened to me, you misplace it, you're screwed. NO aftermarket miter gauges will fit the slots and Hitachi doesn't sell their design as an accessory. So you're forced to go through the parts diagram and order each screw, washer, handle, and everything piece-meal to rebuild a substandard tool to begin with.
Either that, or make your own. Pain in the arse.
But other than that, the dust collection is great. And the on/off switch works flawlessly.
Overall, with the benefit of hindsight, I'd have gone with a different saw. Even for the money, this saw has given me more frustration than satisfaction.

I'm a professional trim carpenter, and I've been very happy with my Hitachi saw. Some of the reviews I've read have been negative on the Hitachi because they're comparing the Hitachi with $1000 and up table saws. The Hitachi is good for those who have a larger table saw and want something to use on-site, and it's fine for the average homeowner. The saw is great because it's portable, light, no-frills... It also has a nice motor as well. It's the best $300 tabel saw you can buy, and I like it more than the Bosch, which I also own and is much heavier.

I have had my Hitachi bandsaw for about 4 years and have used it extensively to make bookmatched panels in addition to ripping boards in the rough. When properly set up and adjusted, it has performed well but I have found it to be frustratingly slow in its cut rate when resawing 8" to 10" wide walnut or hard maple boards. It does provide adequate tension for the 3 inch blade, being approximately 16000 psi when the adjustment is against the stop (blade manufacturers recommend a minimum of 15000 psi). Note, many bandsaws cannot attain proper tension with a resaw blade of even 1.0 inch width.

The pluses of the saw is that it is well made and easy to setup and adjust (provided that you know what you're doing). The minuses are its price and the fact that it is underpowered (the motor should be a 240 volt unit of at least 3 hp).

I obtained this saw from one of my Doctors hobby shop. I got it for $610.00. At this pice it is worth the money. I am a one man shop building custom furniture. It is great for matching pannels. It is underpowered for production. I was a tool and die maker with General Motors in the 60's. I took the saw apart and rebuilt it. There is no vibration and it cuts streight as an arrow. If you find a used one and need a dedicated resaw this one is great for the small shop. It shoud come with a 3hp motor and the price shoud be under $2,000 with all the guide attachments. The quality is top notch, no complaints in that department. I use a 3" carbide skip tooth blade on the saw. I never take it off. Happy Sawing.

I have owned the resaw for six months now. I have used the saw to resaw maple and birch. The saw cuts the 8" plus wood nicely. I knew the motor was underpowered when I bought the saw. My shop is a one man shop, with not many time restraints, so not to big a problem for me. The motor never stalls and the resaw runs smoothly

It's a well-designed drill that fits well in your hand and feels very balanced. It's weight is just right, and the quality is very high. However, it needs more power when drilling into stud. I'd recommend that you go for the 18v instead. As for the flashlight, it's a piece of junk and the lightbulb burnt out after two months. Instead of buying the exorbitant replacement bulbs, ditch the flashlight and buy a 4-LED model that needs no replacement of bulbs.

People are amazing.This drill is not made for hard core pro use!Its a good home and small shop drill.What do you expect for 90 bucks.Go spend pro money for a pro drill,and thats what you'll get.This drill will do anything a home owner needs or a weekend wood worker.I've never driven a #12 3 inch deck screw into a bookcase and don't know why I would. Its a good tool for the money.

Folks, this is not a professional user drill it is a high end consumer drill. As such, it is top notch. For my professional work I use Dewalt, Milwaukee or Bosch.

I've used the Hitachi to drive #12 three inch woodscrews with no problem. I also drilled pilot holes which takes a lot of the workload off the drill.

Last week, I used this drill to drive over 300 woodscrews and drill 200+ pilot holes with no problems. The run time on the battery is mid-range, but again, it's not designed to be run all day.

For home and shop use, it's great.

THe crew loved the idea of this light-weight, easy operating cool looking "bad boy". That's is, until we put it to test in the field; then the only thing that held up was it still looked cool and it was light weight, but it couldnt fire a nail to save its life. It jammed; it mis-fired; it wouldnt fire at all; at times it could'nt even sink a nail all the way. The last straw was when it decided that it would fire on the bump without a finger on the trigger. It went back to Lowes last night after a 14 day test. We now have a new Porter-Cable FC350A. Yes 1 lb. heavier but with the good-old standard design - not so cool looking but beefy and wellput together. SOrry Hitachi but it's back to the drawing board for you.
Hank from THM

I do a lot of deckbuilding, some light framing, dont shoot this into LVL, but if you get the gun the air, it will put the nail home. I used my first for about a year and recently, while shooting nails thru joist supports, the piston tip shattered. his is the first time i experienced a tip shattering, I was not lining up the holes, just shooting thru the steel. I bought my second from EBAY for 119.00, and am using it as a backup until toolbarn ships me a new plunger. The used gun I got has a LOT more wear on it, but after doing a couple of decks with it (2500 3 1/2 ring shank nails) there is no diffrence, and yes, I am still shooting the nails thru the joist brackets. I would buy this gun again, and an very happy. It has made me a LOT of money.

It's the best money I've ever spent!!! Cuts framing time in 1/2. The gun weighs nothing but yet is totally powerful... I love it!
Anthony-Chicago,IL

I have used Makita and Hitachi in the 14.4V power range. The Makita is by far a better drill, but the Hitachi is lighter and easier to use. The Hitachi is an ok drill for the money, but it doesn't like rough handling. If you drop it, even from short heights you can expect major damage. I have already thrown one drill away due to internal damage from dropping it from my tool belt, but I kept the batteries for the other drills. I also purchased a "reconditioned" 14.4V Hitachi from Amazon, but found the drill to be of very poor quality out of the box, the reversing switch didn't fully engage without forcing it. It also wasn't the same drill or the same quality as the ones I purchased "new" from Amazon, but they had the same part number. "Reconditioned" must mean "product rejected by quality control at factory" in Japanese!

I install cabinets for a living. I use cordless drills all day long, every day. After trying several brands, i have found that most are similar. The best attribute to the hitachi is the price. When the batteries are worn out, it is cheaper to buy a new drill(with 2 batteries and a charger) than to replace other brands batteries. I own three 14.4 volt drills, and one 12 volt impact driver. The impact driver lacks power.

I've had this drill for only 2 months.So far no problems.
Everything seems to function okay. Its got great balance and the grip is good.When the weather gets nicer and I start working on my deck and other projects I'll submit another review.