EmailBest Reviewed
Cordless Drills
- Best cordless drill for homeowners Makita DF030DW *Est. $150
- Cordless drill for construction projects Makita BDF452HW *Est. $200
- Budget cordless drill Hitachi DS12DVF3 *Est. $75
- Best cordless screwdriver Hitachi DB3DL *Est. $65
- Best cordless impact driver Panasonic EY7540LN2L *Est. $315
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Budget cordless drill
- Five-year warranty
- Good price
- Lightweight
- 30-minute charger
- Nickel-cadmium batteries
- No LED light
- 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 3.5-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 find one, consider the Li-ion Ryobi HJP001K (*Est. $80), or spend more for the faster two-speed Makita DF030DW (*Est. $150).
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 2008 J.D. Power and Associates customer survey, and we found detailed owner-written reviews of this specific Hitachi drill at Amazon.com and at HomeDepot.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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Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
This review compares the Hitachi DS12DVF3 cordless drill with 42 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.
Review: Cordless Drills, Impact Drivers, Cordless Combo Kits, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, June 2009
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
Hitachi ranks third in this large J.D. Power and Associates customer-satisfaction survey of 10 cordless drill brands, well above the industry average. 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 -- last of all -- warranty.
Review: Cordless Drill Owners Particularly Pleased with Lithium Ion Battery Technology, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates, June 5, 2008
4. Amazon.com
More than two 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
More than two dozen owners give this Hitachi drill reasonably high average ratings at HomeDepot.com, especially for value, design and ease of use, but one owner reports getting one that started smoking as he drilled the first hole.
Review: Hitachi 12-Volt Variable Speed Cordless Drill Model DS12DVF3, Contributors to HomeDepot.com
6. 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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