1/2" cordless drill/drivers

Advances improve the performance and comfort of these power tool workhorses

by Clair D. Urbain

Few tool categories see as many innovations and new models as cordless drill/drivers. Hands-down, they are the most popular cordless tool because no matter what your trade, it’s a must-have tool in your tool box.

“All manufacturers are producing cordless drill/drivers that can do the job. Finding the one that fits your needs best requires you to think about the jobs you do,” says Doug Bock, the national sales manager for Panasonic. “The power available with today’s units may be more than what you need.”

Industry experts concur that power, runtime and overall battery life are the most important attributes users look for in cordless drill/drivers. But many cordless tools have power approaching corded models and, in some cases, the wallop of 18-volt or higher-voltage tools is much more than what’s needed day in and day out on the job.

“Think about the jobs you do and then match the tool to the jobs,” suggests Brian Hendricks, DeWalt’s product manager for cordless tools.

Generally, voltage is your best indicator of the tool’s overall power. The higher the voltage, the more work it can do. Similarly, higher amp-hour ratings on batteries also indicate longer run times.

Battery life claims vary
Bock says users now understand the relationship of voltage with power and amp-hours with runtime, but he says they have yet to make the connection between amp-hours and overall battery life.

“If you compare a 2.4 amp-hour battery with a 3.5 amp-hour battery, the 3.5 amp-hour battery has 45 percent more power available before it needs to be recharged,” he says. “So if you experience a four-year life with a 2.4 amp-hour battery, you can expect a six-year life from a 3.5 amp-hour battery.”

Some argue that nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries used in the higher amp-hour tools have fewer recharge cycles, which in turn reduces overall battery life, but Bock assures that is not the case. When Ni-MH and nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries are used and charged correctly, there is little difference in overall battery life.

The charging process also creates heat, and today’s chargers sense heat buildup during the charging process and manage it to preserve battery life.

Attention to less power
As new drill/driver models come to market, users will find higher torque ratings. Torque is the measure of the tool’s ability to turn against resistance, which is what drilling and fastener-driving is all about.

“Some of the new 12-volt tools are strong enough to handle some demanding drilling and fastening tasks,” says Jeff Grant, DeWalt’s cordless tool engineer. “They also are smaller and lighter than an 18-volt tool. They may be a better choice for someone who doesn’t need to make large, deep holes or drive big fasteners.”

With higher-torque units, speed may be a trade-off.

“To get high torque, the unit must be geared for torque. Therefore, it will run slower,” says Grant.

However, some users have a selection of tools that operate at a certain voltage from one tool manufacturer. They feel, at best, loyal and, at worst, locked into that voltage.

“Nearly all of the chargers offered by manufacturers can charge any voltage battery of that brand,” says Bock.

That means your 18-volt charger will likely also charge the 12-volt battery of that tool brand.

If many of your jobs involve fastening, a cordless impact wrench may be a better choice, says Bock.

“We have interviewed many users before they tried our 12-volt impact driver, and they said they didn’t believe the 12-volt tool could do what they needed,” he says. “But after they used the tool for a month, they were convinced that a lower-voltage cordless drill impact wrench could do the job expected of an 18-volt tool.”

Power and feel
Once users consider the power of the cordless drill/driver, its runtime and its battery life, ergonomics — the feel of the tool for the job at hand — plays an important role in selection.

“It’s hard to really go wrong with cordless drills,” says Vince Caito, the marketing communications manager for Makita. “The only mistake users can make is buying a bigger or heavier drill than they need.”

Drill/driver specs

Clair D. Urbain is the editor of Contractor Tools & Supplies magazine, a sister publication of MRO Today magazine. To learn more about power tools, visit the CTS Web site at  www.contractortoolsandsupplies.com or e-mail curbain@milomediapub.com. 

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