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- Light and compact for small jobs
- Easy to use
- Batteries hold their charge for up to 18 months
- Just a screwdriver -- can't drill
- Only powerful enough for 2-inch screws or smaller
- No clutch to prevent stripping
- One complaint that chuck holds bits loosely
At 3.6 volts, the Skil iXO2 doesn't have much power, but as a cordless screwdriver that weighs only about 10 ounces, it's just right for simple jobs needing 2-inch screws or smaller. Reviewers say it's comfortable to use and gets into small spaces. The lithium-ion battery takes three hours or more to charge, but then holds its charge for up to 18 months between uses.
The two comparison reviews that test the Skil palm-size cordless driver cover the first-generation model, but the overall power and capability of the 3.6-volt battery is the same. Wood Magazine provides more details about the testing and models than Consumer Reports, but both reviews compare the Skil iXO with two other cordless screwdrivers. The second-generation Skil iXO2 gets the most detailed review at Toolmonger.com, where it's compared with the earlier version. We also found useful owner-written reviews and ratings at Amazon.com, and two woodworking magazines recommend it for light use.
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Our Sources
1. Wood MagazineDetails/Subscribe
Three different editors at Wood Magazine test lithium-powered palm-size cordless drivers -- including an earlier version of the Skil iXO2 -- by driving 2-inch drywall screws into a pine 2x4 without pilot holes. The Skil is judged most comfortable to use.
Review: Wise Buys: Our Editors Test Palm Drivers, Editors of Wood Magazine, Nov. 2006
2. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Consumer Reports tests three cordless screwdrivers, including an earlier version of the Skil iXO with the same 3.6-voltage power. The review includes a video of the screwdrivers at work.
Review: Thumbs-down for palm-sized cordless screwdrivers, Editors of Consumer Reports, Mar. 2006
This detailed, well-illustrated review of the Skil iXO2 is valuable because it compares this model with its predecessor, the Skil iXO. The review notes some improvements: an LED light, an improved trigger design and a more comfortable grip.
Review: Hands-On: Skil iXO2 Lithium-Ion Driver, Sean O'Hara, Jan. 2007
4. Amazon.com
At the time of our report, 12 owners reviewing cordless screwdrivers here give the earlier Skil iXO a high average rating. One owner ran into a quality-control problem; another notes that despite the tiny driver's lack of power, it can strip a screw because there's no clutch.
Review: Skil 2336-02 iXO Lithium-Ion Cordless Screwdriver, Contributors to Amazon.com
5. Toolbarn.com
The sole owner-written review here gives the Skil iXO screwdriver high ratings for features and reliability, but the lowest possible rating for performance -- complaining that the hex chuck holds bits so loosely that they wander.
Review: Skil 2336-01 iXo Cordless Palm Size Screwdriver, Contributors to Toolbarn.com
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