Choose the right cordless drill

[Trying]

Asking for advice here please. Looking to buy a new cordless drill for general household use.

Too many choices have left me totally confused.

Booked on Saturday to Bunnings workshop for advice before purchase, but interested in what Workshoppers can tell me. 

Thanks in advance for your input. Cheers.

[grog_polymer]

Well two things - modern brushless kit is amazing for torque and battery life. It costs. I bought a makita 8 piece set of brushless tools for about 2K with dual concurrent charger and 3 batteries (2x5AH and 1x4AH). That is a lot but a drill, impact driver a single charger and battery can be around $600. So that makes a grinder, circular saw, light, radio, SDS Rotary Hammer, reciprocating saw and a Canvas bag all cheap compared to buying skins. That price tag isn't for everyone. BUT Unless you actually try a brushless tool you will not know how amazing they are. The side handle that screws onto the the front of the drill is about 14 inches longs so you can imagine how much torque these things have.

In fact, you need to really consider how to correctly hold the handles on these devices because if you don't use the handle, or don't use it correctly you could break your wrist. Charge time for the 5AH battery is about 1:15 from flat from memory so no more charging a battery the day before for no run time. Lion batteries are great that way. With the dual charger, I could stick two batteries on the charger for 15 minutes and one will have enough to run for ages and I could have 2 more on the charger while using whatever tool.

Being able to pick up a saw or grinder and just take it to the work is absolutely amazing. I have since purchased a reciprocating saw and a planer skin.

If you doubt there could be that much difference, look at youtube. Some poor saps tried different makes of brushless drivers to see how many screws they could drive. I don't remember but I am sure it was at least 300 if not 600 for some drivers on a single charge. As for correct safety handling people really should look at this from Bosch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psvLw1TdAlU

[Jason]

Many thanks for joining in the discussion @grog_polymer. Your input is really valued. It sounds like you have a lot of experience and knowledge to share. We look forward to reading more of your posts soon, and hope that you also get plenty of helpful information and inspiration for your own projects from our members. 

Please let me know if you ever have any suggestions about how we can make Workshop more useful to you. 

Welcome to the community,

Jason

[Big-Paul]

Here Here for the Ozito..

I have used the 18v model forever and a day, DIY Home Maint stuff only,

But it never misses a beat.

i even lashed out and grabbed the hammer version 18v also

Love em

[Jason]

Many thanks for joining in the discussion and sharing your experience @Big-Paul. Looking forward to seeing more of your posts soon!

Feel free to post anytime you need a hand or have something to share. We have clever and creative members sharing helpful advice and project inspiration on the site every day, so we're sure you'll fit right in.

Welcome to Workshop,

Jason

[Pineapple]

Been shopping in Bunnings for years, “ they don’t lie, they don’t lie, they don’t lie.
When I suffer from BSF....ie  “Big Shed Fatigue,” their meat pies and coffee give me the strength to “push on.”

Just sayin.

Ronnie Bell

[Adam_W]

Okay... thought it might be worth an update from me on this one for what it's worth...
We've been doing an enormous amount of construction & renovation work around our home as owner-builders. This means I've been seriously endurance-testing my gear & adding to my kit.
Here's what I've found...
- Ryobi One+ - exceeded all expectations. I would call this gear 'pro-sumer'. It's above basic DIY and wee bit below trade. I pushed a range of drills to their absolute max & not one has blown. Some do smell kinda' funky when they are under stress these days as they've been pushed beyond their intended uses. I did find that for the hardest jobs they just didn't have the grunt and they are a little inclined to get warm and chew through batteries fast when under stress. But by hardest jobs I'm talking about multiple 13mm holes through 100mm seasoned hardwood or same through steel posts and frames.
All-in-all I would say that for the vast majority of home & heavy DIY, or even light trade, use the One+ is an excellent choice that's great value for money. Our builder was very impressed with how well they managed the work & survived.
I should just add that within the One+ range their are tiers of quality & the drills in my kit are the upper level ones.
- AEG - Just awesome. True trade-grade gear. I have yet to encounter any job that these drills couldn't handle. The level of torque on my biggest drill is just crazy. Without exaggeration it could easily snap your wrist if you used it without the handle... just sayin'...
Santa was good enough to top-up my kit with their compact 12V kit too
Their extended warranty is excellent when you register on-line and they often have very good bonus redemption offers too.

So hope this helps

[Jason]

Many thanks for joining in the discussion Ronnie (@Pineapple). 

We are looking forward to reading all about your projects and plans for around the house and garden. And feel free to post if you ever need a hand with anything.

Jason

[Jason]

Visitors to this extremely popular discussion should find this resource helpful - How to choose the right drill for the job.

Please let us know if you need a hand with product recommendations for your project. We're here to help.

Jason