Hitachi Reviews

I've owned this drill for a few years and continued to use it (until a few days ago) because I couldn't bring myself to just chuck this thing and start over. Notice, if you will, the trigger used to operate the drill. It's big and sits out in space just waiting to be bumped at the least convenient time, it's also in exactly the spot you want to grab the drill when you change bits. The second danger, and also the reason this drill is now in my garbage can is because there is no clutch. You here that clicking noise? That's not the clutch - it's the gears grinding over what used to be teeth. This weekend was the second time they've stripped out and I'm not going to replace them again. All it takes is a bit to catch wrong (as they often do) and either your wrist or the bit is going to get damaged. WooHoo! Go Milwaukee! ...back to mechanical engineering school that is.

I'm a part time builder and find this tool indispensible for installing cabinets (screwing them together especially in narrow cabinets). It just fits where other drills can't or won't go! My buddy has a right angle Makita(cordless) and it just doesn't have enough power to handle maple and hickory.
A couple of things: hand is close to the head so your able to put extra pressure on the screw head and the switch is pulled with your last two fingers (it takes a little to adjust to but when you do it works like a charm); the reverse and forward switch are a little awkward because you have to pull the drill out to switch directions(different from the typical cordless); it has good power; it comes with an all metal good quality chuck, and it just gets where other tools can't!
Obviously, this isn't the first drill I reach for (we usually set up 5 or 6 cordless when installing for..speed) but when used for the purpose it's intended it works very well! (Finally we're starting to see a few cordless right angle drills with 250 - 350 foot pounds of torque - enough to handle the job but this drill competes well and in my case is paid for!)
For what it's worth, Craftsman has an interesting looking corded right angle drill that has the reverse switch similar to the typical cordless drills, but it's head is much larger and it won't fit where the Milwaukee will plus it's difficult to put the same pressure on the head as with the Milwaukee (Bosch and Makita also produce right angle corded drills that might be O.K.). All provide an interesting trade off to the Milwaukee.
Do I like the drill? Yes! Would I buy it again? Absolutely! Of course I've had mine a few years and it should last a number of years!

Buy a new Milwaukee, you'll be happy. I bought this piece of junk, I'm not.

Drill was broken at handle and light would not work. If not for the charger in good condition and both batteries in good shape, this could have been a 0.

I purchased a smaller pack of these for my Hitachi nail gun, and in typically idiot fashion I then realized that my gun doesn't fire 1 3/4 screws, the smallest size fastener I can fire with any Hitachi gun is 2 inches. I contacted Hitachi to make sure that this was correct, turns out it is. I was very disappointed. What gun are they making these screws for? Of course I haven't tried loading the screws, maybe the person at Hitachi doesn't know what they are talking about. Anyone knows otherwise please post.

I own the Hitachi C10FS sliding compound miter saw. I love the saw but hate the fence. It is too low for easy and uncomplicated cutting of crown molding. You have to have a good knowledge of the angles you need to cut inside or outside crown molding corners. With a taller fence you can set the molding in an installed position and then just cut a 45 degree angle. Once again, the saw itself is great.

The crown molding vice and stoppers from Hitachi are a "Don't Bother". They are flimsy and small only about 2 inches of support to hold the crown molding in place. It's extemly hard to make 2 cuts the same. If you want to cut your crown molding standing up there are better options.

I purchased this combo kit in June 2005. It arrived in July. I used it 3 times and found it incapable of maintaining sufficient air pressure to drive the nails properly. I needed to use a hammer to drive the nail in all the way. In September, I took it to the nearest Hitachi authorized service center (Amazon doesn't take returns) and they told me the nail gun was fine BUT the compressor had a defective regulator. The regulators were on back order. In December I called Hitachi USA in Norcross, Georgia and spoke with customer service. They told me they get those regulators from Fiat and they 'would be arriving soon'. I called again in January 2006. Customer service told me that over 1000 regulators are in the 'distribution channels'; all service centers should receive the regulators 'real soon'. I called in February 2006, seems Fiat 'used the wrong fitting' and all of the regulators were being recalled and new ones were being made. I called again in March 2006. They told me again, 'it should be real soon'. Hitachi should be able to provide better service than this.

I bought this compressor about 2 months ago and have had nothing but trouble with it. The Hitachi compressor I got first was broken in shipping and did not work so I sent it back. The next compressor arrived and it to was broken in shipping, but I decided to keep it since it was still working. Now that I have used it for over a month I've decided that my Ten Year old Compressor from Montgomery Ward believe it or not works much better. The Hitachi compressor takes forever to get up to pressure and if you are sheating a roof or a floor it will not keep up with even one nail gun. Even framing walls with only one nail gun the compressor can not keep up I have to go back with a hammer and finish driving 50% of all the nails. Do not buy this compressor unless the only thing you plan on doing is making bird houses with it!