educate me on drills.....

[Scrutinize]

I'm looking at this as a starter set - Any thoughts for a beginner?

Just moved in to our first home and have nothing so starting from scratch, will be used for general DIY for now, curtain rails and the like, but want to have enough power and quality that it'll last for years when I eventually use it for bigger jobs. Saw some packs with an impact driver as well but not sure what they're used for really?

Also what about good quality bits? Every pack I look at, whether good name brand or not, everyone says they break too quick? Any recommendations?

Not a bad drill, good for home or commercial use.

However it only comes with the non RC charger. The Makita fast charger (DC18RC) takes 30mins on the 3.0Ah. Although probably a moot point since you are unlikely run out of charge if just doing general DIY.

Limited makita deals at the moment, looks like stock and pricing refresh happening so this is one of the better value options if buying this week.

many thanks for the input.

i have to say i've ended up with a lot more to think about than i had planned! i just assumed, or maybe hoped, there was a stand out 'winner' in the budget diy category.....how wrong was i

i'm torn now between waiting for the dewalt 2 x 5ah drill pack linked above coming back into stock or a slightly cheaper ryobi offering with weaker batteries but a possibly cheaper eco system in general (e.g. i can see myself buying the one+ strimmer at some point given it's about 70 quid, whereas the dewalt equivalent seems to be about twice that)

No point in going Ryobi when you have budget for the trade brands.

 

[bainbridge]

When I moved over to cordless I researched battery size to death and ended up getting a DeWalt xr combi drill with X2 4mah batteries. Up until recently I thought that was overkill, but now I'm happy with my choice. When I was strengthening some fencing I ran in over 1000 40mm screws before the battery needed changing, but my new DeWalt xr disc cutter goes through a battery in a matter of minutes. Granted, a 240v (which I do have) or petrol cutter would be better for tough jobs, but cordless is just so handy. I'm finishing a stone patio and it takes me an hour or so to measure up a few cuts, cut them and bed them in, by which time the battery is flat but the other has charged, then I swap over.

I suppose a selection of different sizes would be ideal, if the cost warranted it.

 

[koooowweeee]

Op buy a 2ah battery and when you do your decking charge it 2 times before you finish the job.

Great advice chaps

 

[dlockers]

Op buy a 2ah battery and when you do your decking charge it 2 times before you finish the job.

Great advice chaps

Op buy a 2ah battery when it runs out stick it on charge for 30 mins and grab a brew...oh wait...it comes with 2x2ah... So best have a brew whilst screwing as you'll have zero down time.

 

[LiamJ]

Not a bad drill, good for home or commercial use.

However it only comes with the non RC charger. The Makita fast charger (DC18RC) takes 30mins on the 3.0Ah. Although probably a moot point since you are unlikely run out of charge if just doing general DIY.

Limited makita deals at the moment, looks like stock and pricing refresh happening so this is one of the better value options if buying this week.

Yep, not gonna burn through a whole battery in an hour with my usage hopefully, slow charger should be fine!

Just ordered the drill, not bothered about waiting for a refresh or whatever, I've got tv mounts and paintings and curtains to go up!

 

[Thekwango]

Op buy a 2ah battery and when you do your decking charge it 2 times before you finish the job.

Great advice chaps

i maybe wasn't clear in the op but i'm not talking about replacing or fitting an entire decking, maybe half a dozen planks at best. i also plan to bang together a raised veggie patch and replace about 15 or fence panels. im a genuine 'noob' at the diying so not going to be taking on huge projects. so most likely going to be ok with the 2.0ah batteries.

 

[Thekwango]

At that price for the drills I'd be tempted to go DeWalt/Milwaukee (whatever is on offer around 200quid mark) and then buy into the Ryobi for the garden stuff. Have been in a similar position and feel both ecosystems may be the right answer given Ryobi seem to do decent mowers, strimmers, leaf blowers etc.

while that is perfectly sensible advice.....something in my gut tells me if i go for the dewalt then if, or rather when, i decide i want a cordless strimmer/circular saw/insert any other cordless kit i'm going to be wanting to keep to the one eco system and i'll be tempted to spend far too much on strimmer i'll likley never use

 

[dlockers]

while that is perfectly sensible advice.....something in my gut tells me if i go for the dewalt then if, or rather when, i decide i want a cordless strimmer/circular saw/insert any other cordless kit i'm going to be wanting to keep to the one eco system and i'll be tempted to spend far too much on strimmer i'll likley never use

I absolutely know that feeling

 

[Hotwired]

Just surrender to the marketing and choose a side

 

[Thekwango]

Just surrender to the marketing and choose a side

there in lies the crux of the problem....i can't choose! i came here in the vain expectation that someone would say - this, this is absolutely the only thing you should buy for your budget/usage. hell, even a general consenus that brand 'x' is the one to go for.
instead it would appear that they are all much of a muchness and i should just buy whichever i fancy.....well i ******* fancy all of them!! **** me there isn't even any agreement on what batteries are best......5.0ah 2.0ah....think i've ended up with more answers than questions.....thanks home and garden, thanks a sodding bunch

i jest of course, i'm actually hugely grateful to everyone who has taken time to reply.

 

[koooowweeee]

Op buy a 2ah battery when it runs out stick it on charge for 30 mins and grab a brew...oh wait...it comes with 2x2ah... So best have a brew whilst screwing as you'll have zero down time.

But they take longer than that, I've got one. Also as everyone know, them more you charge it the weaker it goes. So what's the point ? Again great advice.

 

[200sols]

But they take longer than that, I've got one. Also as everyone know, them more you charge it the weaker it goes. So what's the point ? Again great advice.

You must have crap chargers.

 

[robj20]

But they take longer than that, I've got one. Also as everyone know, them more you charge it the weaker it goes. So what's the point ? Again great advice.

They don't. I can't run a 2ah out faster than they charge.
DeWalt say a 1000 full charge cycles, for a DIY setting that's a long time.

 

[rodders]

Has been times when my 4ah battery gets in the way and a smaller 2ah battery would help squeeze in those smaller places.
I think I've charged my 4ah once/twice since buying the drill, it just keeps going and going lol. Though I've not done any hard tasks with it.

 

[Akagi]

Op buy a 2ah battery and when you do your decking charge it 2 times before you finish the job.

Great advice chaps

Stay calm, its only a drill...

 

[koooowweeee]

Stay calm, its only a drill...

I'm always calm. It's even funny how there's so many DIY experts on this forum.

 

[Akagi]

I'm always calm. It's even funny how there's so many DIY experts on this forum.

Whoosh.

I only popped in here to make a joke.

 

[EssexBoy]

I recently got these for a great price if you can snag them when they pop up.

Makita DHP482Z 18 V 62Nm Combi Drill Body Only = £40.00

Makita DTD152Z Impact Driver 18V Cordless LXT Li-ion (Body Only) = £49.99

Makita DC18RC 14.4 - 18 V Li-ion Fast Battery Charger = £27.98

Makita BL1840B 18 V 4 Ah Li-ion Battery-Black = £52.48

Would have got 2 x 3Ah but finding cheap makita batteries at the moment is just as bad as gpu's.

 

[robj20]

I'm always calm. It's even funny how there's so many DIY experts on this forum.

What does it take to become a DIY expert?

 

[200sols]

What does it take to become a DIY expert?

You use 5ah batteries to hang a picture obviously.....