Which 18V+ cordless drill does the forum like?

[wolfcry911]

I have multiple DeWalt 20v and Ridgid 18v tools. I find the Ridgid tools more powerful and you can't beat the lifetime warranty on everything - including batteries. Just make sure to register them. I've killed multiple DeWalt 20v tools including two drills and a sawzall.

[Fred_Also]

Ombligo wrote:
If it is for typical household use, Ryobi is a complete system and affordable.

I agree, Ryobi. I have a drill, impact driver, blower (also works on 120), weedeater, circular saw & hedge trimmer that all use the same 18 v. batteries.

I get batteries on ebay for about $35.

Fred

[NewtonMP2100]

....where do you like to....drill.....???

[modelamac]

Festool

[bazookaman]

I've bought into the Ridgid system.

[August West]

Electric installer friend recommended Ridgid to me, and I picked one up for general home use. I'm happy with it.

[kurtzie]

There might be some deals coming up with Father's Day right around the corner…

[anonymouse1]

I do hear lots of good feedback on Ridgid. Ryobi has improved, and specific good tools, so you'd need to research it to see if the specific drill you want has a good reputation....

Are you looking for a system, or is this a one-off?

[Markintosh]

I picked up a Ryobi One+ set of drill, circular saw, sawzall, flashlight and 4 batteries for $129. All work just fine for general household use.

I should say the drill is far better than my 25 year old 7.2v Makita.

I'm not sure the average home user needs anything more...unless you're that family that is driving your F350 to Costco to pick up a pack of toilet paper.

[Robert M]

Steve,

I like buying from CPO Outlet:



However, deals are always out there. It's just a matter of choosing which make and model of tool and finding the deal for it.

For smaller scale projects, I'm very happy with the Craftsmen Nextec 12v model. Great for nearly task I've used them for at this point. Not heavy-duty but rock solid. For heavier tasks, I borrow the Dewalt 20V Max tools from my office. Rock solid, Very sturdy. Good selection of tools that all use the same batteries and chargers.

Milwaukee seems to be the gold standard for power tools. Very pricey, though. Other brands that offer solid choices and are less expensive are Ryobi, Makita, and Bosch.

FWIW, I don't know which make and models I'd go with right now. Dewalt is always a good choice but there are other very good manufacturers out there. I'd have to check them out again before offering any specific recommendations. However, I'd definitely think about these items:
The first buy models that use Lithium Ion batteries. Only cheap crap uses ni-cad these days. Don't waste your money going _that_ cheap.

The second is buy the right size tools for your hands. This could prove difficult during the pandemic but it can make a difference. The last time I was shopping for more powerful cordless tools for my office, I checked out models from Dewalt and Craftsmen since there were super deals on them at the time. I immediately walked away from the Craftsmen models because I didn't like how they felt in my hand. That;s how we ended up with the Dewalt 20V Max tools.

The other things is don't buy _too much_ power tool. People can say by brand or that model for X and Y reason but they don't consider who is using the tool and the type of projects for which they need them. If you're like me and generally do basic at home tasks with the occasional bigger project, then you don't need to go overboard on the tools. Well regarded and designed models from one of the better manufacturers ought to be dandy for a very long time.



Some of the advice from this article by Clark Howard is pretty solid. Definitely the Tips and Final thoughts sections.

Robert