Are you trying to figure out which cordless drill to buy? You may have started reading cordless drill reviews and are already forming some opinions, but have you added evaluating the brands themselves in your drill comparisons? Choosing the right company is often as essential as choosing the proper drill features.
The top names in drills are Black & Decker, Bosch, Makita, Dewalt, and Hitachi. Have you stopped to wonder which of these companies is the best choice? You probably already know every one of these names and associate them with high quality power tools. They all deserve their reputation for producing great tools, but there are some glaring differences, too.
Cordless Saw
As a start let us take a quick look at warranty periods, one of the most important factors to consider when reading cordless drill reviews. The Black & Decker lineup traditionally comes with a 2 year warranty. Dewalt and Makita have a 3 year warranty. Bosch has a somewhat strange warranty with 1 year on the tool, an additional 2 years they will send you a repair kit, and 2 years on the battery. Hitachi leads the pack on warranty length with a full 5 year warranty. Note: Always check the warranty on the battery packs, too. Often they are much shorter.
Should the warranty length make a big difference to you during your cordless drill comparisons? Think of it this way, the harder you use your tools the more important the warranty is. The Hitachi warranty of 5 years means you have protection to keep you working for many years. If you only use the tool on rare occasions it probably does not matter. Compare prices of different brands and then weigh the advantage of the warranty.
Another important factor to consider are the battery packs. What is the price of additional battery packs. The prices vary greatly between manufacturers, and even between models within their own lines. Your cordless drill comparison should include how long a charge will last under normal usage. Once again, for a light user this is probably not a big concern. For someone who is doing a remodeling project in their home, or works in construction, it is a major concern. Paying an extra hundred dollars to have a drill which keeps working for an added hour or two before needing to swap batteries and charge will keep you working and pay for itself.
For a light user the best bargain in drills may come from Black & Decker. The prices are low, the warranty and battery prices are reasonable. For someone who is going to pound their cordless drill day after day for years it would be very wise to consider the Hitachi lineup of drills. They are often at the top of the list in cordless drill reviews, and with their 5 year warranty are a drill which lasts.
You are not going to go wrong with any of these brands, but by being aware of their differences in warranties, battery life, and cost your cordless drill comparisons will be more complete.