Recommended battery operated drills

[paultap]

Hi guys, I've always used electric corded drills for diy around the house and garden, I now want to get a decent battery operated drill and I especially like the driver function. I appreciate that for occasional heavy drilling work, like drilling into concrete etc, that a corded drill might still be the better choice but I will retain my corded drills anyway.

Looking at Screwfix and toolstation adverts, the obvious makes seem to be Dewalt, Milwaukee and Makita. Though Dewalt in particular, seem to bring out different model numbered drills here in the U.K. on almost a monthly basis. Checking around B&Q etc it seems that every retailer offers similar drills but with different model numbers!

I don't mind paying £100 to £200 for a decent drill driver with batteries but would rather buy on recommendations from people who actually use them, especially regarding model numbers. I also see a lot of drill driver and impact drivers available as sets but am not really sure what to buy.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[mealiejimmy]

DeWalt, Makita and Milwaukee are the obvious choices for good reasons - quality, reliability and back up - don't bother with anything else.

Cheers

Bruce

 

[Pete1774]

I bought the Erbauer 12V cordless from B&Q about 3 years ago. Use it a lot for for DIY. 2 speeds and good variable speed control. Comes with 2 batteries and a charger. No hammer drill function but I use a mains powered for that.

 

[J.kerslake]

I use makita…but out of the 3 they’ll all be as good as each other for what you want. I would just buy what’s on offer to be honest, but get a drill with a metal chuck not plastic, I rarely use my impact driver and I’d say unless you need to be pushing big/long timber bolts or concrete screws you don’t really need one for diy purposes.

 

[ejg]

Had Lidl, Argos, Aldi, Makita and De Walt. Most Lidl & Aldi still working, both our Makita fell apart after two years, Argos died after ten years, De Walt started giving problems after 1 year. Lovely strong machine just didn't hold. We will have a close look at Fein next.
Our machines work every day
edi

 

[Overlay]

Plus 1 on Makita, been using them for years, only ever ripped one up and that was due to very very bad misuse on my part, good reliable bits of kit, I've got bits from a hoover to a rubble breaker and all in between and never had a problem with anything

 

[Alantoo]

Most of my corded Angle grinders in the forge are Makita, with a few Bosch hammer drills and grinders. I have been using Makita cordless tools for 30 years...so my latest Li-ion cordless tools, angle grinder and impact drivers have also been Makita. Absolutely no qualms about quality and longevity

I have to say that the recent impact drivers do not suit my hands as much a the 18V NmH drill drivers I have. So depending on the size of your hands it will be well worth going to a shop where you can heft them to check. I find their "new handle" design is too short for my hands, with the reversing switch too close to thumb or knuckles that occasionally you put the thing in to neutral or reverse when you didn't intend to...even after a few months of familiarisation it still happens occasionally.

It might be an idea to buy second hand. Ignore the batteries bundled with it they are likely to be useless.

You can buy after market batteries for the 18V NmH series and one of the best deals may be to buy a second hand 8443D. I did this a last year and paid £50 on eBay (for one which had a shiny unworn label so I reckoned little used)....back in 2003 I paid around £300 for my first one (which is still going strong) with case two (or three?) batteries and charger.


I bought a 3/4" square drive Li-ion cordless impact driver for tractor wheel nuts which is brilliant. But also a little 1/4 hex drive one as a nut runner and screwdriver, but I far prefer the grip, speed control and torque settings of the 8443D and always use it in preference for screw driving.

The impact function is very handy for Rawlplug size holes, but obviously a proper hammer drill is better for any masonry drilling over Ø6mm.

Alan

 

[GWP]

B&Q only lasted 15yrs now using my late fathers DeWalt changed the batteries last year clones of ebay good drill two speed and controlable trigger

 

[malmick]

My cordless stuff is Milwaukee M18 and the main place I buy from is here, and it a buying guide for drill/drivers. I now buy body only due to having half a dozen 4 or 5Ah batteries but you should find what you want within budget with a single battery. Once you know which drill you want it's always worthwhile doing a final search for offers.

 

[paultap]

Most of my corded Angle grinders in the forge are Makita, with a few Bosch hammer drills and grinders. I have been using Makita cordless tools for 30 years...so my latest Li-ion cordless tools, angle grinder and impact drivers have also been Makita. Absolutely no qualms about quality and longevity

I have to say that the recent impact drivers do not suit my hands as much a the 18V NmH drill drivers I have. So depending on the size of your hands it will be well worth going to a shop where you can heft them to check. I find their "new handle" design is too short for my hands, with the reversing switch too close to thumb or knuckles that occasionally you put the thing in to neutral or reverse when you didn't intend to...even after a few months of familiarisation it still happens occasionally.

It might be an idea to buy second hand. Ignore the batteries bundled with it they are likely to be useless.

You can buy after market batteries for the 18V NmH series and one of the best deals may be to buy a second hand 8443D. I did this a last year and paid £50 on eBay (for one which had a shiny unworn label so I reckoned little used)....back in 2003 I paid around £300 for my first one (which is still going strong) with case two (or three?) batteries and charger.
View attachment 250482

I bought a 3/4" square drive cordless impact driver for tractor wheel nuts which is brilliant. But also a little 1/4 hex drive one as a nut runner and screwdriver, but I far prefer the grip, speed control and torque settings of the 8443D and always use it in preference for screw driving.

The impact function is very handy for Rawlplug size holes, but obviously a proper hammer drill is better for any masonry drilling over Ø6mm.

Alan

Thanks for the detailed input.

 

[Hornet 6]

In my workshop I use 18V Dewalt, drill, driver and ⅜" impact gun.
At home for diy I have used 12 volt Bosch for many years now, never let me down, and whenI let the workshop go this year I will only be keeping the 12 volt stuff.

Neil.

 

[markyw]

My dad swears by the Milwaukee kit, but he works his tools a lot harder than I do. I had a lot of DIY to do during the first lockdown, so bought myself the Erbauer kit from Screwfix. Everything worked a treat and cost about the same as a couple of tools from the major named brands. I have had 1 battery (of the 3 in the kit) pack up, but with the Screwfix warranty they replaced the while kit without question. This was a bit over the top for just a battery, but means all the tools are new. If anything goes within the next 2 years, I’ll just get it replaced again.

Edit: remembered I bought the Erbauer hedge trimmer and lawn mower too, as they all take the same batteries and the mower comes with 2 x 5amp hour batteries.

Regards

Mark

 

[TundB]

Do you want something really good? This one in the photo but expensive.
I can also suggest Dewalt 996 which is cheaper alternative.

Good luck.

 

[B&W FOX]

Milwaukee m12 or m18. All metal gearboxes for professional use.

 

[Hayden 93]

DeWalt by a long shot for me. I use mine daily for anything from mixing latex compounds to drilling into powerfloat, had my current set for over six years and still going strong. They take a good bit of stick in many environments, be it dusty, damp or hot. There may be better machines out there but for your needs the Dewalt will be more than up to the task and a sensible price.

 

[Bo Diddley]

Bosch & Makita, I use them daily, they all do a variety of models to suit DIY or "professional" use. I've never had much of an issue with either of these brands!

 

[bullet chucker]

MAKITA BRUSHLESS is my choice, batteries seem to last for ever, in my house anyway.

BC.

 

[User00035]

Do you want something really good? This one in the photo but expensive.
I can also suggest Dewalt 996 which is cheaper alternative.

Good luck.

Festool are not made with any Asian parts of labour. They are entirely engineered and manufactured in Europe (Germany and Czech Republic) and now for the American market, at a plant in the US. Reassuringly expensive. One of the very rare products which you can buy with confidence knowing it contains no Chinese parts.

 

[nick.308]

Ive had Milwaukee tools for 3 years and they have been indestructible so far. On the cheaper side Ryobi and Erbauer seem ok.

 

[shakey jake]

i use milwaukee 18v. just spent several days dilling for red plugs, 6 to the meter, 350m. other than getting through a few batteries the sds drill worked a treat. i dont think there is much in the big three, i only got milwaukee because screw fix had a good deal on