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

See All Cordless Drills

Hitachi DS12DVF3

*Est. $75

Reviewed August 2009

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

Where to Buy

for 67.44

See All Stores

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

(31 customer reviews)

for $67.44

Search Reviews

Page 1234567

newest | oldest | popular | helpful

great lightweight cordless drill, October 30, 2009

My brother does some construction work and recommended this when I asked for some recommendations on a good cordless drill that wasn't too expensive. It has great balance, is lightweight, easy to switch drill bits, and has power level settings. Basically, a great drill. The flashlight is pretty powerful as well.

Hitachi drill chuck, September 21, 2009

I agree with the person that has had chuck problems. This drill is a nice all around drill for average every day tasks but the chuck is extremely annoying. I am constantly trying to tighten the chuck and it still falls out on occasion. If it wasn't for this weak spot the drill would be a five star product.

Great combo, July 16, 2009

The drill has great torque and is much better at preserving screw heads than any B&D I've ever used. The flashlight is good too, although not as strong as a comparable sized led lamp. Overall the batteries charge fast, the cradle has an indicator, and it's always been there for me between charges when I've needed it. Good buy for home fixes.

Hitachi 12v drill with light & 2 batteries..., July 11, 2009

Great lightweight drill for hardware install's & buying a second package is cheaper then buying 2 extra "backup" batteries. Never thought I'd have much use for the flashlight but was wrong; for inside cabinets, closets & under sink work, the light is perfect.

Solid Backup Drill, June 29, 2009

I purchased the Hitachi 12Volt drill after my Dewalt 9.6V bit the dust. The latter was old, awkward and had a broken chuck collar so I was happy to see it go. The Hitachi is light and has reasonable toque.… It is well balanced and stable standing on its battery pack. I use it in tandem with my Panasonic 12V, probably the best rechargeable drill I've ever purchased. The Hitachi gets the basics done and I have no complaints after 1 month of use.

expand

collapse

Where To Buy

Hitachi DS12DVF3 12-Volt Ni-Cad 3/8-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit

(31 customer reviews)
Buy new: $155.64 $67.44 16 New from $67.44

In Stock. Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping

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

3. J.D. Power and Associates

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

5. HomeDepot.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

Bosch PS20-2A Pocket Driver *Est. $100

10 picks including: Amazon.com, American Woodworker…

Panasonic EY6432GQKW *Est. $200

7 picks including: Amazon.com, Popular Woodworking…

Bosch PS40-2A *Est. $150

7 picks by top review sites.

Ridgid R86006 *Est. $200

5 picks by top review sites.

Skil iXO3 *Est. $45

5 picks including: Amazon.com, Wood Magazine…

Ryobi P844 Kit *Est. $300

4 picks by top review sites.

Makita BDF451 LXT *Est. $300

3 picks including: Amazon.com, J.D. Power & Associates…

Festool C12 *Est. $375

3 picks by top review sites.

Milwaukee 2401-22 *Est. $100

3 picks by top review sites.

Sears Craftsman 11542 *Est. $100

2 picks including: ToolMonger.com, Sears.com…

Ryobi HJP001K *Est. $80

2 picks including: HomeDepot.com, The Power Tool Geek…

Ryobi P230 *Est. $70 w/o battery

2 picks by top review sites.


	Bosch PS20-2A 12-Volt Max Lithium-Ion Pocket Driver with 2 Batteries from Amazon.com New: $101.47 In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Panasonic EY6432GQKW 15.6-Volt NiMH 1/2-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit from Amazon.com New: $193.49 In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Bosch PS40-2A 12-Volt Max Lithium-Ion Impact Driver from Amazon.com New: $127.99 In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Bare-Tool Ridgid 18-Volt Compact Lithium-ion Drill R86006 (Tool Only, No Battery) from Amazon.com Average Customer Review:


	Skil iXO3 2346-05 3.6-Volt Li-Ion Cordless Driver from Amazon.com New: $47.23 In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Makita BDF451 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit from Amazon.com New: $288.88 In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Milwaukee 2401-22 12V 12-Volt Li-ion Sub-Compact Driver Kit from Amazon.com New: $99.00 In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	New Ryobi One+ P230 1/4" Impact Driver (Bare Tool, No Battery) from Amazon.com New: $55.80 In Stock. Average Customer Review:

Hitachi DS12DVF3 Review

Hitachi DS12DVF3

Budget cordless drill

Hitachi DS12DVF3 12-Volt Ni-Cad 3/8-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit