I want to buy a cordless drill kit ( approx $100 – $200) to give for a Christmas gift to a diy person. There are dozens of choices, but I am confused by the battery varieties, NI-Cad, Lithium-Ion, Ni-Mh. I’m looking at 14 volt.
Opinions, especially on the battery-type question. Thanks very much.
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Replies
I just saw an ad for a Craftsman 19.2V for $39.95 last night. Might be worthwhile.
Lithium-Ion is priced pretty dear, Ni-Cad is yesterday's news. Probably NiMH is the way to go, unless you get a real deal on an LI unit.
I have the Panasonic 1/2" 15V NiMH unit and I'm real happy with it, but it's probably a hair over $200 unless you can get a deal. But you shouldn't have much trouble finding something in that range that's good.
Does DIY mean DIY grade or pro grade? You can get interesting Ryobi things for 1-200.
Might see if anyone has a Two-Fer deal going. Last summer I got a Rigid 3/8 cordless plus a cordless right angle drill for the price of one.
Another thought - the Bosch LiIon pocket driver is $129. Mine is getting a lot of use.
I do drilling and most everthing else with my Bosch Impactor. Naughty, but it works. The impact drivers are very useful for my work.
The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
Lowes has good deal on Hitachi 14.4 right now.
In your case I think I would look at the drills in the Ridgid line sold by Home Depot.
Not that Ridgid is any better than the others, but it is decent AND -- they will give your friend a lifetime warranty, which includes the batteries. A lot of these batteries will not last beyond aout 2-3 years, and are expensive to replace.
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I can hardly believe some of these reponces from a pro forum. I think they focused on your DIY statement. Of course, Ryobi and Sears aree made primarily for the DIY crowd who only use them occasionally aand do not need to depend on them regularly, so they are easier on the pocketbook.
But if you are shopping for dependable tool, look at the Panasonic or Makita. The 14.4V Nimh ( nickle metal hydride) are the current passsing generation of battery type so they aare priced better than LI ( lithium ion) but still very serviceable. I get several years out of mine, using almost daily in all kinds of weather.
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Piffen almost had it.. half anyways..
he's right that the Panasonic is an outstanding tool.. so aren't Bosches..
perhaps reconditioned would appeal to your wallet more...
consider a 12v Bosch in reconditioned, they are not slouches.....
http://bosch.cpotools.com/reconditioned_tools/drills/all_cordless_drills/
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
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Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Of course, Ryobi and Sears aree made primarily for the DIY crowd who only use them occasionally aand do not need to depend on them regularly, so they are easier on the pocketbook.
Not so much these days. Bosch is Skil, no matter who sells it - and both Bosch and Skil are owned by Emerson Electric, the company that made the crappy Sears tools in the 1980's.
DeWalt is Black and Decker - probably why they don't last. I'll take Ryobi pro line over B&D/DeWalt any day.
FWIW, I have Ryobi handtools that have outlasted DeWalt, Milwaukee, and Bosch. I really like the RE600 router.
I agree, used to be you could buy on brand name, but not anymore. IN each brand, there are good tools and bad tools - the trick is figuring out which is which.
OK, I accidentally ended up with the same router, I'll admit it. Not too bad a tool, except that the collet started sliping.but half your other info is not right or incomplete. For instance with Bosch and skil - I wouldn't have a skill if you paid me, other than maybe an old 77, but the reason they partnered with Bosch is to add some quality to their line, and the advantage to Bosch was to create a north american presencce rather thnan to dumb down the line of tools. Everyone looks for American made and Bosch is now made here with the traditional German design and engineering. Emerson is the company behind the Rigid line of tools which is gaining a lot of fans.Dewalt has always been a relative of B&D, I have never been proud of them, and there are several other tool lines co-joined in the ownership family tree - PC and Delta too, I believe. Related to this particular discussion, DW is one of the last I would buy. My lumberyard recently took all the DW cordless off the shelf becuase of too many recalls on their bateries and chargers because of fire danger. So I agree that a Ryobii would be a better cordless choice than a DW - considering cost and the fact that a DIY tool is likely to have the battery sitting in the charger plugged in indefinitely.But as a rule the Ryobiis I have kjnown have been poor quality, weak, and short lived - which is why I ofeten say that friends don't let friends buy RyobiiBut I would be interested in hearing more about which of your Ryobiis have out lasted any Milwaukees or Bosches, and in what kind of use.
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friends don't let friends buy Ryobi
*chuckle*
So many Ryobi power tools have made it to the job site only to burn up in the first day or week that we call the foul smell of a burnt up motor "Ryobi smoke."
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
LOL, that gives a new meaning to the Q, "What have you been smoking today?"
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I don't know about that. They seem to be the drill of choice on commercial jobs I'm on.
Pardon my fat fingers.
http://www.hay98.com/
Thanks to all of you. My own drill has a long, black thing on one end. I think it's called a "cord." It's a Craftsman Professional drill/driver with a clutch. I have little use for batteries, so I'm very grateful for all the time you spent on your answers.
I want to get a nice gift for this guy because he loves my daughter.
The real issue here is batteries. Because this will be used in DIY fashion. That means that the drill will see mostly intermittant use and that type of use usually means that the batteries will not be charged often and could even be allowed to go dead if not used for a long time. A regular charging regimine can fix this issue but few people will do that.This leaves you with the best options being, getting a drill with Lithium Ion batteries as they hold their charge a long time, or as stated previously, get a Rigid with the lifetime warranty including batteries. I haven't seen the Rigid fine print on the warranty regards batteries but that would be hard to beat.I like your approach....now lets see your departure
Here's another vote for makita. The batteries are top notch, and the drill/impact driver kit is great. These things take an amazing amount of abuse, too.
14.4 v kit is the workhorse at my jobsites. The MXT drill is better than the standard drill that comes with the kits, sometimes you can get a set with MXT for about the same price. I got mine for just under 200 this summer, prices are always coming down. Especially with the emphasis on Lithium ion batteries.zak
"When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John Ruskin
"so it goes"
Makita has always had strong motors and they are one of the leading pioneers in battery science in practical applications
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
They may be a good value for lightly used tools, but they aren't in the same class as those produced by the main professional tool manufacturers.
Ryobi packs features into their tools so they sure look good in catalogs, and their marketing crew talks them up like they are competing against Makita, Bosch, etc., but the fact remains that under the hard use and long durations that tools get used, they just don't hold up.
When cutting the contemporary western trim for one big house it took a finish carp about 4 days of nearly constant saw operation to cut all the pieces. The contractor had a Ryobi table saw that lasted one day, another replacement saw lasted 3 hours and the job was finished up with the old reliable Makita.
Another contractor had one of the newer Ryobi saws that came out a year or two ago and it lasted less than an hour before making ryobi smoke. The Makita finished up. The same guy had a Ryobi cordless that also couldn't handle putting in a large number of deck screws to eliminate some interior floor squeeks. My little 12v Makita finished up.
When screwing down a deck a laborer's Ryobi drill lasted about two hours. For our Makita and Dewalt drills it was just another week at the office.
When mixing thinset for a tile job the guy who just purchased a 1/2" Ryobi burned it up after the 5th or 6th bag. My current Dewalt has mixed 500 and even more drywall mud and is probably good for 6 times that.
Another Ryobi drill went south after a few hours of putting in heavy 4" torx deck screws. The two Dewalt drills of the same size each put in close to 100 lbs. of the same screws and are still going strong.
An electrican's Ryobi cordless wasn't working and we yelled across the room that we could smell the Ryobi smoke from here.
A carp brought his new Ryobi chop to work for some heavy cutting of 3"x8" window bucks, he put it away shortly after beginning because a little Ryobi smoke leaked out and he didn't want to burn it up. The 6 year old Dewalt miter saw finished up and is still going strong today after many similar projects.
A craftsman (Ryobi) metal chop saw barely had 500 rebar cuts when the motor crapped out. The Milwakee that replaced it is barely getting broke in after 500 cuts.
Ryobi has a place in the market, I just couldn't afford the replacement costs.
:-)
I'm just telling you what I see. And nobody here is grumbling about them.
Personaly I don't own one. My main work drill (company provided) is a 14.4 Milwaukee. Damn fine drill. My personal drills vary in makes and sizes.
Pardon my fat fingers.
http://www.hay98.com/
My next drill purchase will be either the Makita LIon 1/2'' hammer or the Lion Impact Drill.
I have a 1-yr old Milwaukee hammer NiCa that I'm thinking of buying the new L-Ion batteries for, but the Makita's look and feel so sweet. Also have an 18V Ridgid that's done well over a year now, seems to be a real good drill.
I just bought the Bosch pocket driver for my wife, yeah. I'll sneak it out in the mornings and replace it when I get home. But she's getting me one for Christmas so we'll each have one then. Not heavy-duty, but really nice and powerful, small and light, and fun to use.How do we dance while our world keeps turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
"My next drill purchase will be either the Makita LIon 1/2'' hammer or the Lion Impact Drill."Why choose? They offer both in a kit available online for $375 or less.
For that matter, the 18v LIon hybrid impact/hammer/drill/driver combines both in one tool.I bought a Milwaukee V18 kit - 2 batts and charger - for under $200 recently. Makes my Hatchet Sawzall and 6 1/2" circ saw run much longer and much lighter. Battery charge level indicator is a great feature too.Charger had some surprises for me though. It uses 2 1/2 times the input power as the old one, so I had to upgrade the power inverter in my van to meet the 300W minimum required. I also found out that it will charge my old 18v batts and new v18 and v28 lithium only. You still need the old charger for 14.4v and 12v batteries.
BruceT
Dunno if this is heresy or not but it is true...Bought a Quantum Pro few years ago (a Black & Decker product midway between diy and Dewalt - so I was told). I'm a typical diy'er and don't use day in-day out as a pro would. Came with pair of batteries, charger & case. Still going strong. Was in B&D clearance centre (or whatever it is called) near Flint, MI & here it is again for $60 bucks (same accessories). Given my results to date, bought a spare.Originally I was no fan of the battery jobs but I find that the slow speed setting (on 2 speed models) + clutch action makes it a lot easier to drive screws. Corded variable speed I have the trigger is just too sensitive to "crawl start" it and keep the revs down. Will be going for an impact drive soon, tho.
First time poster here:We bought a 14.4 Ryobi Jobsite cordless drill from HD about 5 years ago. The battery is just now showing signs of not holding a charge for an extended period of time. This drill has been used fairly hard.We got the Dewalt that was on sale on Black Friday at HD for $99. It's an 18v DW929K model. Lemme say...I wish we would've bought 2 Ryobis 5 years ago and squirreled one away.Now truth be told, a friend got us a Ryobi combo set of a drill, saw and flashlight. That stuff stunk!! That was clearly for the DIYer. As Simon Cowell would say, "Horrible...absolutely horrible"Ryobi Jobsite...that was some good stuff...my 2 cents
My Ryobi AP-12 planer is a workhorse. My brother in law had a Ryobi 12V cordless drill that was a tough number, but the batteries finally failed and the whole kit and kaboodle was replaced with Dewalt, which did not last as long.
Lioke I said earlier, DW is one of the last I would buy for cordless.I have used half a dozen portable planers, ands while the Ryobi is adequate for smaller work, when it comes to daily regular heavy feeding, it is the weakest of the bunch.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
But I would be interested in hearing more about which of your Ryobiis have out lasted any Milwaukees or Bosches, and in what kind of use.
The RE600 router and RA2500 RAS are what I had in mind when I posted that comment. I bought the router in the 1980's, has been a daily user in the shop since then. We have gone through multiples of most other brands of routers, but the Ryobi keeps going and remains a favorite.
Edited 11/27/2006 8:25 am ET by woodturner9
I have an RE-600 router from the 80's, too. Great tool except for the plunge lock is a pain to tighten. It has been in the wing of my Unisaw for over a decade, modified for dust collection, and it will not die.I consider that router a fluke from a previous era. Nowadays, "Friends don't let friends buy Ryobi." 'Nuff said.Bill
Actually, the better Sears cordless drills sold in the late 80s were Ryobi.It's true, though, that any more you can't rely on brand. A given model may be made in Mexico one month and China the next. And company A may buy units from company B to relabel as their own, even though they also make their own stuff.It would be nice if there were one or two standout brands that emphasized quality control, regardless of where the units were actually made, but that doesn't seem to be happening -- in tools or in appliances.
People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
These days, Ryobi doesn't make a "Pro" line. Their entire lineup is generally DIY made in China crap.Back in the day they made some good stuff, but if you are buying Ryobi from Home Depot then it may last but I wouldn't bet on it for any type of hard daily use.As for Skil Bosch - The skil stuff is the same type of crap as the Ryobi or Firestorm stuff but the Bosch line is mainly pretty high quality stuff.I have the Brute 18 volt hammer drill and it's designed to withstand a 50' fall to concrete and still work - can you imagine a Ryobi surviving a 10' fall to concrete? 6' even?The little t-driver Bosch 10.8 Litheon tool everybody here loves is made in Germany - that has to put it in a class above any of the other crap brands mentioned here.Call me a tool snob, but I can't stand cheap #### tools.As stated in many magazine reviews - some of the Ryobi tools are great values, but when I'm using my Fein multi-master all day long until it's super hot to the touch - I know it'll keep working tomorrow and next year, same with my Makita 14 impact - when using that all day long every week - these are tools that will not let you down. B&D, Skil and Ryobi are tools that will let you down with that kind of use. And as for Ridgid - who's had a good story to tell about their warranty service yet? All I've heard are long wait times and parts on order.Folks are loving the lifetime service agreement now, but what kind of compaints will we start hearing when they start denying claims or making it a huge hassle.JT
These days, Ryobi doesn't make a "Pro" line. Their entire lineup is generally DIY made in China crap.
Haven't bought Ryobi in a while, didn't realize they dropped the pro line and were now selling only through HD.
Most tools ARE made in the far east now - I think Milwaukee may have been the last to outsource manufacturing. Still seems weird to see "made in China" on Milwaukee tools.
"Not so much these days. Bosch is Skil, no matter who sells it - and both Bosch and Skil are owned by Emerson Electric, the company that made the crappy Sears tools in the 1980's."Bosch/Skill has never been owned by Emerson."Bosch Power Tools and Accessories is one of the divisions within the $1 billion, 4,000 employee strong Robert Bosch Tool Corporation, which is the North American brand of the largest power tool and accessory manufacturer in the world, Robert Bosch GmbH. Bosch provides a complete line of corded and cordless power tools and accessories engineered to survive any jobsite and allow professionals to take control of their work.""Skil has been an international supplier of power tools since 1960 and has achieved ISO 9002 certification at all manufacturing facilities. In 1992, Skil entered into a joint venture with Robert Bosch, forming the S-B Power Tool Company, a subsidiary of the Bosch group and an international leader in the portable and benchtop power tool market. The Robert Bosch Tool Corporation is headquartered in Mt. Prospect, IL.""About Robert Bosch Tool Corporation
Robert Bosch Tool Corporation is the leading tool manufacturer in North America with more than 4,000 associates and approximately $1 billion in sales. Robert Bosch Tool Corporation is a division of Robert Bosch GmbH, based in Stuttgart, Germany. The company manufacturers power tools and accessories for professionals and do-it-yourselfers under the Bosch, Skil, Dremel and Vermont American brands, as well as manufacturing lawn and garden tools under the Gilmour brand."http://www.bosch.com/content/language2/html/3283.htm
Bosch/Skill has never been owned by Emerson.
Emerson bought Skil in the 1970's, Bosch somewhat later. My SO got employee discounts on Bosch and Skil as a result, but they were off list - cheaper to buy discount retail.
A search of the web will give reports and press releases about the acquisitions.
Here is a quote from Emerson's annual report:
"Since that time, all major joint ventures have been consolidated except Skil-Bosch"
http://www.gotoemerson.com/investor_relations/98annual/letter.html
Edited 11/27/2006 2:43 pm ET by woodturner9
I have used a Craftsman for the past 10 years, and recently had to get new because the batteries went dead. I purchased a Hitachi 14.4 1/2" drive and am very pleased. The one I chose has the higher amp-hour battery, thus cost a little more. I think for a DIY type, the standard battery would do fine, and they are both under $200.
On a recent cabinet install I broke down and purchased the new Bosch LiIon right angle drill. Works great and now I wonder why I didn't get one sooner.
http://bosch.cpotools.com/about_bosch_certified_factory-reconditioned_tools.html
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
A friend of mine just bought the Bosch Compact 14.4 kit. Drill, charger, case, and two batteries for under $200. I have used it and it is a great cordless drill, not heavy and the drill can really pump screws in.
We were screwing off deck planks with 2-1/2" screws. And the drill didn't hesitate to keep up with my 18v Dewalt.
Be sure that whatever you get the charger is a 'smart' cahrger and not just something that applies voltage and kills batteries.
Yeah, in the under-$100 kits you're likely to get a "dumb" slow trickle charger, or even if it's supposedly a "fast" charger it's apt to be slower and more likely to damage batteries than the chargers with the better kits. A good, "smart" charger is more important with NiMH than NiCad, and is absolutely critical with LiIon.
People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
ryobi offers a lot of bang for the buck they have a kit with a 18 volt half inch drill and 5 1/2 in circular saw with a battery and charger on sale now for 49.00 I bought two yesterday one for me one for my son.
I have a 5 pc ryobi set thats going into its 4th year , drill died the other day so I was looking for a replacment
while most here look down their noses at ryobi I would say from observation it is the most used on job sites around here .
Hammer drill is an excelent feature if you are only dragging one drill around.
I would go with the Craftsman 19.2 kit, they are under $200. I've used them for years in a professional capacity without any problems. Lots of luck.
"If all else fails, read the directions"
I would go with a better quality tool, say Makita or Dewalt. Not only will it last longer, the chargers are smart chargers as others have said, and if a battery dies, there are other tools in the line that will use the same battery.
Craftsman quality is not that great. Plus, they change vendors and battery styles too quickly. Ridgid is a good choice too, but the battery amp hour ratings are low. Makita has the Nickel Metal Hydrides at 2.6 amp hours. I would go with Makita for longeviety.
Check Toolseeker.com for toolpricing. You might find lower prices than Amazon, Plus links to tool reviews.
Amazon has the Panasonic EY6405FQKW 12-Volt Ni-Cad 3/8-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit for $100 right now. No tax and free shipping. Yes, the NiCad batteries are kind of old technology at this point, but it is hard to beat getting the Panasonic quality at this price.
Amazon has the Panasonic EY6405FQKW 12-Volt Ni-Cad 3/8-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit for $100 right now.
I bought one of these a while back when the deal was advertised here. Very nice little drill but the charger is crap and the batteries are rather low capacity. The charger has a problem with overcharging and I find the batteries are hot if I leave them in the charger overnight (which I know i should do, but stuff happens). The heat probably killed the batteries, and the decent Panasonic charger (which doesn't overcharge) costs $90.
I advise skipping this model and getting the beefier Panasonics with NiMH batterires and the decent charger.
Billy
I have a 15.6 Panasonic with NIMH which is a great tool, so I thought this would be a good choice. I only need it for occasional use at a weekend cabin I am building so I limited my budget to $100. But maybe I need to look around a bit more and find something with NIMH. Thanks for your response.
One option is to get this drill, and after the NiCads wear out, buy 12v NiMH batteries that will charge in your other Panasonic charger. I looked into getting NiMH batteries for mine, and that's when Ifound out the cheapo charger wouldn't charge them.
Also, you may be able to charge your 12V NiCads in your existing Panasonic charger which probably doesn't have the overcharging problem of the cheapo.
It's nice light little drill.
Billy
The new Panasonic was already delivered and is under the Christmas tree, so perhaps I will keep it after all. Thnaks for the suggestion on using the other charger.
You'll like the drill. If you keep the drill and charger at your cabin, another suggestion is to put a kitchen timer by the charger and set it for 45 minutes every time you pop in a battery, or use an electronic timer that switches off the charger after 45 minutes or so. It's criminal that they would sell a charger that overcharges and kills the batteries. Otherwise it's a good drill for its size. Enjoy your Christmas present.
Billy
Thanks a lot. Merry Christmas!
I wish someone would make a timer specifically for cheapie chargers. You could set it once for the charge time, then press a button to charge. After the charge time it would go off, but come on once a week for a shorter time.
People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
Dan,
That's an interesting idea. You could set it up using X10 timer modules. This is what you could use as a controller:http://www.smarthome.com/1100X.html
Then you would plug the charger into one of these, which is plugged into an outlet:http://www.smarthome.com/2000.html
You can also program the contollers from a PC. It would be a little bit of a hassle to set up but once it's programmed you're good to go.
You couldn't take it to a job but you could set it up at the shop or at home.
Billy
All of what you describe is possible, yes. Buying the better charger is possible, too, and so much simpler.The Panasonic nicads only take 20-30 minutes in the chargers I have, maybe it's 45 in the cheap charger? The Ni-MH take 45 minutes in my charger.Bill
I agree. But the problem as far as the Panasonic is that their better charger costs $90 and his drill set costs $100 for the drill, 2 batteries, and the cheapo charger. Also, he wants to keep the drill at his cabin, and he may not want to move the good charger back and forth.
20-30 minutes may be right.
But you're right -- the timer is a band-aid to fix the real problem, which is the cheapo charger.
Billy
If anyone's interested - I have one of the high-quality multi-voltage Nicd/Nmh Panasonic chargers that I have absolutely no use for - $45 shipped if anyone wanted it?Thanks,Julian
Julian,
I'm interested. Send me a PM and we can work out how to pay etc. Thanks!
Billy
Billy - I can't reply to emails right now - if you send me your # via email, I can call you tomorrow.Thanks,Julian
Hi Julian,
I received the charger today. Much thanks!!!! I appreciate it. It's much better than my other Panasonic charger.
Billy
Great!Good to see it being used again, can't stand to see good tools sitting around unused.JT
I gues they have upgraded the charger, because the one I received is very similar to the one for my 15.6v model in that it shuts off when the battery is fully charged. So I think this is a pretty good deal as long as folks are willing to go with NiCads. Thanks for your responses.
Makita Lith- ion for 200.00 in Home Cheapo. It's a less ah battery but it works pretty good. It's 18v but very light.
Headstrong, I'll take on anyone!
If you are looking for a good quality tool that is going to be used on some around the home projects - but not for replacing a deck - then consider the Bosch Li-Ion 10.5v screwdriver. It is small but powerful, and holds a charge forever off the charger. Light and powerful enough for most projects around the house. $129 last I checked. Got a good review in the last issue of FHB or JLC.
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
I think your best deals are on "factory refurbished", which usually means returned in first 30 days - often unused. You get one year factory warranty as well.
Consider the battery type and especially amp-hour ratings. I found that Bosch batteries are mostly NiCads rated under 2AH whereas Dewalt tend to 2.4AH or better. I think Makita uses NiMH type instead of NiCad. Both are available online.
I got my daughter a Dewalt 12v refurb drill/driver kit with batteries and charger for something like $90 - slimmer handle than Bosch or Milwaukee, thus more comfortable for smaller hands.
I have purchased three panasonic 12 volt cordless drills and two 12 volt impact drivers with no regrets. The charger is good, the amp hour rating as good or better than anyother make and the tool has a good weight to power ratio. (I haven't yet used a Lithium Ion powered tool). Also the chuck works great.
I think you would be hard pressed to find someone who regretted purchasing a panasonic.
You could get this one
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-EY6409NQKW-12-Volt-2-Inch-Cordless/dp/B00006IIO7/sr=1-16/qid=1164604754/ref=sr_1_16/102-2686645-2548956?ie=UTF8&s=hi
for $150 after the amazon discount of $25. Or you could get the 15.6 volt one for 15 dollars more. I don't use the drill much since getting an impact driver but I think it is a great tool with fantastic batteries.
The only possible criticism I have is that it is generally cheaper to buy a whole new drill kit than to replace worn out batteries. The other problem might be the lack of panasonic specific service centers. If this was an issue I would go with makita.
Karl
For a DIY, or a tradesman? I still use NiCads, and they work finr. I don't have any Nimh's, but the Lit ones are lighter, and last longer. However, you will be hard pressed to find a lit bat tool under $200.
OTOH.....Have seen both Milwaukee, and Makita deals at Home Despot recetly (both NiCad), but they don't last long.
Basically 14.4v kits with 3/8" drill, impact driver, flashlicht, two batteries, one charger, and a carry bag/kit.
Mil was $199
Mak was $189
Actually picked up the Mil kit for $149 a few weeks ago for SIL.
The main advantage of NiMH batteries is that they have about twice the amp-hour capacity of NiCads for the same weight/volume. Whereas NiCads have less capacity than standard alkalines, NiMH batteries have more. Another advantage of the NiMH is that they don't contain cadmium and are therefore less toxic.On the down side, NiMH batteries are a bit more sensitive to charge/discharge technique and less forgiving of being run flat. But offsetting this is their ability to handle rapid charging well.Li-Ion batteries have more capacity still, but are even more sensitive to how they're charged/discharged. Whereas it's good to have a "smart" charger for NiMH, it's manditory with Li-Ion, and they also need "smart" logic to prevent them from being over-discharged. But this sort of logic is now imbedded in the battery pack, so the main problem with Li-Ion is simple availability and cost. (Well, that and their tendency to catch fire.)
People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
I have a combo-pack from Ridgid which I purchased about 1 year ago now (1/2 hammer drill, impact driver, recip saw, circ saw), and I have been very pleased with it. I am a DIY'er, so I can't comment on how it would hold up in a professional setting, but I have been very pleased. I purchased some Craftsmen tools in the past, and I like the Ridgid much more. Plus with the warranty it makes it really worth while. I also have a corded 1/2 hammer drill from Ridgid and it's outstanding.
For his next year's gift I would recommend an impact driver. I've had it for a year and I use it on every project. It's great.
The only comment I have on the Ridgid tools is that they are slightly heavier than my previous cordless tools, and the batteries do run down quickly in a big job (i.e. drilling through thick concrete), but with the 20 min (30 min if you have 19.2 v) smart charger make it not that big of a problem.