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Release date 10/05/2009
“For shoppers in the market for a cordless drill, it’s important to know that a high price doesn’t guarantee high performance for these tools,” said Peter Sawchuk, project leader at Consumer Reports. “Our testing demonstrated that some of the latest drills priced closer to $100 pack lots of speed and heavy duty performance for way less than a professional-grade drill.”
A Drill for Every Need
Testers drilled more than 1,300 holes and sawed more than 1,100 feet of wood during testing. Top drills for general use include the Consumer Reports Best Buys, Porter-Cable PC180DK-2, $100 and Craftsman 11588, $120. Both delivered drilling speed and power for driving and loosening screws that matched some of the heavier-duty drills. For lighter duty-jobs where top power and run time aren’t critical, the Hitachi DS12DVF3, $80 is among the lightest, lowest-priced drills you can buy, yet it’s still reasonably fast with quick recharging.
Drills for the serious do-it-yourselfer include the DeWalt DCD 940KX, $280 which were tops in speed, power, and run time. You’ll also find four $200 Consumer Reports Best Buy drills in that category: the Hitachi DS18DMR, Bosch 33618-2G, Makita 6347DWDE, and DeWalt DCD 920KX, all with comparable performance. The Recommended impact drivers include the Makita 6980FDWDE, $220, for its light weight, and the Ryobi P230C, $130, for its low price. Both add power and, like other impact drivers, enough noise to require hearing protection.
Consumers shopping for a multitool kit can check out the Consumer Report’s Best Buy Porter-Cable PCL418C-2, $300. This kit drove screws and sawed 2x12s nearly as well as the $450 Hitachi KC18DBL. A lower-priced pick: The Porter-Cable PC418C-2, $160, which includes the top, PC180DK-2 drill and two light-duty saws for just $60 more than the drill alone.
How to Choose the Best Cordless Drill
The full report on cordless drills is available in the November 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, available wherever magazines are sold. It’s also available online at www.ConsumerReports.org.
Consumer Reports is a nonprofit membership organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education, and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.
© 2009 Consumer Reports. The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for advertising or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports® is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. We accept no advertising and pay for all the products we test. We are not beholden to any commercial interest. Our income is derived from the sale of Consumer Reports® magazine, ConsumerReports.org® and our other publications and information products, services, fees, and noncommercial contributions and grants. Our Ratings and reports are intended solely for the use of our readers. Neither the Ratings nor the reports may be used in advertising or for any other commercial purpose without our prior written permission. Consumer Reports will take all steps open to it to prevent unauthorized commercial use of its content and trademarks.
Consumer Reports is a nonprofit membership organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education, and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.
© 2009 Consumer Reports. The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for advertising or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports® is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. We accept no advertising and pay for all the products we test. We are not beholden to any commercial interest. Our income is derived from the sale of Consumer Reports® magazine, ConsumerReports.org® and our other publications and information products, services, fees, and noncommercial contributions and grants. Our Ratings and reports are intended solely for the use of our readers. Neither the Ratings nor the reports may be used in advertising or for any other commercial purpose without our prior written permission. Consumer Reports will take all steps open to it to prevent unauthorized commercial use of its content and trademarks.