Best Reviewed
Cordless Drills
- Best cordless drill for homeowners Milwaukee 2410-22 *Est. $130
- Budget cordless drill Hitachi DS12DVF3 *Est. $80
- Professional cordless drill Makita BDF452HW *Est. $185
- Best cordless impact driver Makita BTD144 *Est. $335
- Budget impact driver Makita TD090DW *Est. $120
- Budget cordless combo kit Craftsman 11445 *Est. $250
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Budget cordless drill
- Five-year warranty
- Good price
- 30-minute charger
- Nickel-cadmium batteries
- No LED light built into drill
- Slow maximum speed
- Not for big construction projects
Reviews recommend the 12-volt Hitachi DS12DVF3 drill as a good budget pick for most homeowner drilling and driving tasks. This model lacks a built-in LED light, but comes in a kit with a separate work light. Its 3.4-pound weight is light for a nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) drill, and the five-year warranty is another plus. Most owners also say this drill/driver is a good value. The main drawbacks are the low maximum speed (1,050 rpm), and the Ni-Cd batteries -- which are tricky to maintain and which don't hold their charge well between uses. If you can afford to spend more, reviewers prefer the 2.6-pound Milwaukee 2410-22 (*Est. $130), which uses Li-ion batteries -- batteries which last longer and hold their charge better between uses.
We found the most objective review of the Hitachi DS12DVF3 at ConsumerReports.org, based on tests performed in 2007. Wood Magazine provides a much more recent review, but doesn't document the testing process as well. Hitachi as a cordless-drill brand is also covered by the annual J.D. Power and Associates customer survey as well as in a 2007 survey of builders, and we found detailed owner-written reviews of this specific Hitachi drill at Amazon.com and at Lowes.com. A YouTube.com video review of the drill shows its capabilities with both lumber and steel, as well as the degree of effort it requires.
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| Hitachi DS12DVF3 12-Volt Ni-Cad 3/8-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit | |
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Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
This review compares the Hitachi DS12DVF3 cordless drill with 54 other cordless drills, based on earlier tests published in December 2007. Each drill gets separate ratings for speed, power, runtime, battery-charging time, noise and ease of handling. A handful of owners also rate the Hitachi drill here.
Review: Cordless Drill Ratings, May 2010
2. Wood MagazineDetails/Subscribe
The Hitachi DS12DVF3 is recommended by this tester as the best value in cordless drills, with praise for its excellent runtime and 30-minute charger. The five-year warranty, work light and eight-piece bit set are also pluses.
Review: Top Buys in 6 Basic Power Tools, Doug Hicks, May 2009
Though Hitachi ranked third in the 2009 survey of cordless drill buyers, it has lost ground and ranks eighth in the 2010 survey -- though still above the industry average and rated "better than most." The rankings are based on six factors, with drill performance most important, followed by ease of use, battery performance, price, versatility of battery system and warranty.
Review: 2010 Cordless Drill/Driver Satisfaction Study, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates, June 2, 2010
Hitachi ranks in the middle of the pack in this 2007 survey of 3,428 builders and contractors -- ranked eighth out of 15 brands that make cordless drills.
Review: 2008 Builder Brand Study, Hanley Wood, 2008
5. Amazon.com
About four dozen owners review the Hitachi DS12DVF3 drill/driver here, giving it a high average rating and judging it a good value for ordinary household tasks. One notes that it's not powerful enough for big construction jobs, another that the maximum drilling speed is relatively slow.
Review: Hitachi DS12DVF3 12-Volt Ni-Cad 3/8-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit, Contributors to Amazon.com
6. Lowes.com
The Hitachi DS12DVF3 earns above-average ratings here, especially for tasks that don't require too much power -- based on reports from about three dozen users.
Review: Hitachi 12-Volt 3/8" Cordless Drill with Case, Contributors to Lowes.com
7. YouTube.com
This video review of the Hitachi DS12DVF3 is silent but gives a good demonstration of it in action as it drills through both lumber and steel. You can see that the drill is reasonably capable, but you can also see the effort required.
Review: DS12DVF3, "Eddykrok", April 12, 2009
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Milwaukee 2602-22 M18 18-Volt Cordless 1/2-Inch Hammer Drill/Driver Kit
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Panasonic EY7540LN2L 14.4 Volt Li-ion Impact Driver Kit with Light
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