After having quite a few other brands, two years ago I bought a dewalt drill for $200. The batteries cost $50 each which last me about a year with only moderate use. These are by far the best I’ve had so far. I’m now on my third set which I always buy in pairs so that I have one charged when the other dies.
Now I realize that I’ve used $300 worth of batteries for a $200 tool. Despite the benefits of cordless, I’m now doubting that it’s worth it. Sure, it’s nice not to have to mess with cords and particularly extension cords, but $300 worth? I was going to buy another one. Most of my work is in the shop. What do you think?
Replies
I love the convenience of cordless tools. Like you I have discovered that the batteries are consumables, not true tools. The batteries for my 12V Dewalt drill lasted about 4 years each. One battery from my second pair is dead and the other is dying. I've replaced the drill with the cordless drill/saw kit from Ryobi for $200. Incredibly useful. If it lasts 4 years, I'll be satisfied. Key in this satisfaction is the realization that cordless tools are consumable and will by no means last a lifetime.
Your batteries should have lasted longer than a year though.
- les
I used Makita for years until the chuck wore out. I shopped quiet a while until the manager at the Home Depot gave me the specs on all the cordless they had. I ended up buying a 12 volt Porter Cable four years ago, and it's done everything I wanted. I, primarily, use oak in my furniture, and it drives as good as any I've used.
The main thing I've learned over the years is to make sure you discharge the battery completely before you re-charge. When the battery is almost drained, it hook up a car light bulb to it. When the light goes out, I know it's completely discharged.
The 12 volt is easier to use than the higher voltage ones because of the weight. Some will disagree, but it feels better in my hand.
Hope this helps, Len (Len's Custom Woodworking)
I bought the DeWALT 14.4 Kit about a year ago and it is serving well. I also have a 9.6 Makita that is wll over 10 years old and looks it. I've only recently replaced the battery in it so I would consider it to have been a good investment.
The DeWALT claim to have a smart charger and batteries without a memory problem. I've never run them completely down but I did practice that with the Makita.
If there was one complaint about the DeWALT it would be the speed switch on top. If you get into a tight space the switch can be pushed into a neutral condition which is frustrating.
The bottom line though it that the old 15 year old 3/8 B&D with a tail is always nearby and often used for drilling and screwing. When I do replace it, it will be with a 3/8" corded impact drill.
Steve - in Northern California
I only brought the issue up because I'm short of funds at the moment and I keep thinking of all the other things I could have done with that money!! It was basically a rhetorical question but I was reallly interested by all your answers.
I've bought the 9.6V models, have an old Panasonic T-handle and a Dewalt. I try to discharge completely by holding the chuck until there is no more movement. I was amazed that someone said battery lasted FOUR YEARS! I never get close to that, but maybe 9.6's won't last as long as 14V. I use mine mainly to drill and countersink, then use the cord drill to sink screws. I never drive screws without pilot holes. Still, only one year.
I had a discharge/charger once for a cell phone. That easily doubled battery life and may well be worth the extra bucks. But with so many of these things you got to worry about them discontinuing them shortly after you buy them as they did with my phone batteries and phone. Just a few hundred bucks out the window, no big deal . . . .
I think a year out of a battery is appalling. I'd have a DeWalt rep on the horn so fast my keypad would smoke.
I have a buddy that bought a stock of DeWalts for his shop, like eight drill sets. I saw them all in a box and asked, he echoed the same line, a year to a battery. He's going to dump them in the DeWalt reps lap just as he boots him out the door.
I'm not familair with the new ni-cads out there but I do know the metal-hydrides have more power and shorter lives. I'm road testing one now, it's a Makita, about two years old and still performing well. I have some Makita ni-cads that are at least 5 years old and still quite good.
If you're loyal to DeWalt you'll endure all sorts of abuse and one year to a battery is abuse.
Clem
With proper care and feeding a year is ridiculous. A good portion of the cost of a cordless tool battery is the package. If you can solder, you can crack that sucker open and buy replacement cells from an industrial ni-cad house or a good electronics store for less than half the cost. I've done this with phones, razors, cam-corders, lots of stuff that didn't have user replaceable batteries or overly expensive ones.
FWIW I have 3 cordless drills - all old school Makita 9.6's, one's right angle, one's 2 speed and one's variable speed. I have 4 batteries the oldest is 3 or 4 years old. I think anything bigger defeats the original purpose - portability.
I got a big DW cordless contractor pack 2 years ago for a Christmas gift - 1/2" drill, circ. saw, recip and 1 other thing. Took it to HD, got the cash, and went and bought a 4x24 Bosch belt sander and an Accuset micro pinner.
Maybe it's just a DeWalt thing with power in general, whether cordless or corded. Some of my corded DeWalt tool cords die very young compared to all my other tools. They get brittle, crack and just fall apart. I've never had a replacement (e.g. Wood's Wire from HD) cord fail yet. Bosch seems to have semi-crappy cords too. The molded plug on my RO didn't have enough strain relief and broke the jacket at the plug right away. I've got about a half a roll of '33' on it by now, better get around to replacing it one of these days. At least the cords don't cost $50. :). Too bad somebody doesn't make a cord that I'll stand-up to being run over by a belt sander. Done that more times than I care to admit.
John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
We've got four 9.6 Makitas at work with the removable battery. Five with the built-in. In four years we replaced batteries in one of the built-ins. The bearings in one drill have given out and another is getting noisy.
Maybe somebody hit on my problem; is heat harmful to nicads? I live in Florida and am a yacht surveyor, working in hot, closed up boats. I use my DW for removing panel screws, plus it is often sitting in my vehicle where temps reach 150F or so. I have the same problem with cell phone and camera batteries. Come to think of it, even my graphite batteries seem to die too fast.
Absofreakinlutely heat will kill a battery quicker than anything else. Extreme cold under charge/discharge conditions isn't real good for them either. Batteries are most comfortable when you are as most industrial (lead-acid) batteries are rated at 78 degrees F. It's all about the chemestry. Note the RC racer above lets his batteries cool down before he charges them.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
You guys are cracking me! ~You can use a 20$ B&D when electricity is easily available. I have had one now for 5 years and have abused it as a throw away...point is.... Don't burn up your drills/battery equipment if possible, you know better! .. .pike..
there is something wrong with your dewalt my makita batteries last for years and the cheaper no name ones i buy from battery warehouse last at least 2or 3 yrs.
I am a self employed electrician. I own a 15.6 volt Panasonic,with 3A.H. batteries.This drill has been dropped from 28'( up a pole),falls fron the step ladder,thrown in the dirt and gotten wet repeatedly. This drill just keeps on "tickin". The batteries just last and last.It seems like a long time between recharging due to 3A.H. rating. The one thing that has failed is the brake(which is a pain in the butt),but it still performs well enough that I have not replaced it. I bought this drill 2 to 3 years ago and if I were to replace it, I would get the same again,(hands down).Having owned most of the previously mentioned drills,(rest their souls) the panasonic is about two laps ahead of the pack. If you want the most bang for your buck,this is it. Oh yeah, I paid about$200.00 (which is about what tey are going for now).
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