Cheap Li-Ion Drill / Driver?

Screwfix have quite a good deal on the Makita 18v Li-ion combi and two batteries at the moment - I've just bought one. But although I think this is good value, it may not fit your definition of inexpensive :)

Pete
 
Cheap drills usually suffer from low torque - as does the one you are considering. You get what you pay for
PRV's suggestion gets you three times as much torque and two batteries (which are the expensive bit!) for less than twice what you are consonsidering paying.
Also, with LI=on drills, the battery goes from full power to zilch in an instant so a second battery is well worth having.
 
prv said:
Screwfix have quite a good deal on the Makita 18v Li-ion combi and two batteries at the moment - I've just bought one. But although I think this is good value, it may not fit your definition of inexpensive :)
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I'm happy to pay up to around £100, and two batteries would be nice. I assume that "Combi" means it has a hammer action, I don't really want this. I know you can switch it off, but I'd rather not pay for it.
 
nigelmercier said:
I'm happy to pay up to around £100, and two batteries would be nice. I assume that "Combi" means it has a hammer action, I don't really want this. I know you can switch it off, but I'd rather not pay for it.
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It's a bit more than that: http://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-dhp453sy-18v-1-5ah-li-ion-cordless-combi-drill/57626 and the battery offer mentioned there, for a total of £150. Original price for the pair would have been £230.

It does include a hammer action; this is what I wanted as this is to be my new general-purpose home / workshop drill. The old 12v Ni-Cd Makita that did fill that role has been redesignated as the boat drill, together with the purchase of a 12v charger.

Pete
 
stuey_two said:
Cheap drills usually suffer from low torque - as does the one you are considering.
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So what is a decent torque to aim for?

This is for the boat. I paid about £200 for my DeWalt at home, love it, but too much to pay for something that will end up being dropped overboard, splashed with salt water, or otherwise ruined.
 
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There is a £99 Makita in Screwfix at the moment. Only 1 battery but they charge in 20 mins. There's a Dewalt too, but that's Ni-Cd.
 
Combi doesn't mean a hammer action (not usually anyway) it means a combination drill (high speed) and driver (lower speed). I bought a little Bosch 10.8v Li-on mid last year, http://www.tooled-up.com/product/bosch-gsr-10.8-2-li-10.8v-cordless-2-speed-drill-driver-with-1-lithium-ion-battery-2ah/203967/?Referrer=googleproductlisting&gclid=CLy_xYeX1rwCFVDLtAodWDEAZg but it's available for less if you shop around. I don't think I've used my 14V Bosch (also one of the blue Pro tools) since. Brilliant and small enough to get into boaty spaces.
 
Highndry said:
Combi doesn't mean a hammer action (not usually anyway) it means a combination drill (high speed) and driver (lower speed). I bought a little Bosch 10.8v Li-on mid last year, http://www.tooled-up.com/product/bosch-gsr-10.8-2-li-10.8v-cordless-2-speed-drill-driver-with-1-lithium-ion-battery-2ah/203967/?Referrer=googleproductlisting&gclid=CLy_xYeX1rwCFVDLtAodWDEAZg but it's available for less if you shop around. I don't think I've used my 14V Bosch (also one of the blue Pro tools) since. Brilliant and small enough to get into boaty spaces.
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Combi does mean drill/driver/hammer. You get high and low speed on both combi and drill/drivers. (high medium and low on some like the Makita LXT)
 
My Aldi one 18 months on is still going strong, £30 IIRC, as to torque all I know is that if I stall it while drilling the shock transferred to my arm causes pain, drilling through wood with a 40mm wood auger, so I don't want any more torque it'll throw me across the shed!
 
Highndry said:
I bought a little Bosch 10.8v Li-on mid last year, http://www.tooled-up.com/product/bosch-gsr-10.8-2-li-10.8v-cordless-2-speed-drill-driver-with-1-lithium-ion-battery-2ah/203967/?Referrer=googleproductlisting&gclid=CLy_xYeX1rwCFVDLtAodWDEAZg but it's available for less if you shop around. I don't think I've used my 14V Bosch (also one of the blue Pro tools) since. Brilliant and small enough to get into boaty spaces.
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I have two of those that I use with the new 2ah batteries and use them daily, alternate to cool when the going gets tough, they are so nice in the hand and have more than enough grunt for most jobs without getting the 18v stuff out, they will get into places an 18v will not go near and are worth considering for a serious boat drill.
 
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