 Comparison shopping: DeWalt has power, speed, yet light, quiet |
| Review Date: June 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Russ, Virginia |
I have only started using this drill, but so far no problems, and the keyless chuck has worked great.
I'm writing this review because I purchased and returned four drills before settling on this one, and I thought others might benefit from my recent comparison shopping. The Craftsman 5 amp basic level T-handle 3/8" drill is loud, like an F-16 taking off, and only goes to 1500 rpm. (Craftsman makes a red professional model with more power and higher speed, but I did not even try it because it seemed heavy and awkward.) The Ryobi D41 T-handle felt great in my hand but has less power (4.5 amps) and only 1600 rpm, and it is still noisier than the DeWalt, with a higher-pitched scream. Hitachi makes a nice 6 amp drill with speeds to 2500, the D 10VH, and it has a number of nice features, but it has the same high-pitched scream only maybe worse. It also lacks the bubble levels that I have come to appreciate. The Rigid Professional 3/8" VSR has similar features to the DeWalt and uses the same Jacobs keyless chuck, but it felt a little more off-balance in my hand and had that same jet-airplane whine. The DeWalt is considerably quieter, even though the Rigid is only 6.5 amps compared to 7 amps for the DeWalt. The sound of the DeWalt is more like a table saw or cutoff starting up than it is like the high-pitched grinding noise of a hand-held circular saw.
All this emphasis on noise level is because my dad is already hard of hearing, but it affects my comfort and enjoyment of the drill, too. Despite the range of power levels and max speeds, the drills all weighed between 3.2 and 3.6 pounds on my scale, with the Ryobi and Hitachi at the lower end and the Rigid and DeWalt at the upper end.
For reviewers complaining about the DWD110k or its predecessor not having the finesse to stop driving drywall screws just below the surface like their cordless drill/driver does: if you want a corded drill to do that, get one with a clutch, specifically made for driving screws as well as drilling. In my experience, corded drills, especially those with top speeds over 1500 rpm (which you want for various drill applications) make poor drivers and especially poor drywall screw installers. So far the DeWalt DWD110K seems to have as good a control at low speeds as the best of the rest, and maybe better control than the Craftsman and the Rigid.
And if the case matters to you: The DeWalt case, while roomy enough for the drill and cord and bits, is a little more compact than most drill cases. It also has a metal latch that won't fatigue and break off like plastic latches on other cases often do, and a piano hinge all along one side (albeit plastic molded as part of the case with a steel rod all the way through). So the DeWalt got the nod for best case among those I tried. (The Rigid only comes with a nylon bag.) |
Great drill that takes a lot of abuse
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| Review Date: April 24, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Ross Capdeville, San Francsico, CA |
I've had this drill for 3 years now and it gets heavy use. I've built many projects with it, including a shed. It handles home tasks like assembling furniture easily. It drills through metal - I've drilled 1-1/8" holes in vehicle panels with this drill. You can't even get a 1-1/8" step bit in this chuck size, so I got an adapter. I operated the drill for about 10-15 seconds using a lot of oil on the bit. Then I let it rest a minute or two and kept at it. It didn't burn out. I also cut plenty smaller holes in metal in the 3/8" size. It will cut through some fairly thick metal without complaining.
I am very impressed because I have abused this thing and it just keeps going. Great investment.
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Great drill when a cordless doesn't cut it.
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| Review Date: June 12, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Peter J, |
| I got annoyed with trying to always keep my cordless drill charged. The VSR isn't very sensitive, in fact my father and father inlaw didn't think it was a VSR. I knew this going into it, along with the heavier weight, as I was mainly looking for more power. I was tired of stripping out the heads of screws with my cordless because it didn't have enough power. The keyless chuck is nice and made out of metal. I've had it for about 6 months and it has seen quite a bit of use, and I can see it lasting for many many years as it feels very solid. When I bought it, it didn't come with a case, =(. |
Great drill for the price!
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| Review Date: September 29, 2008 |
| Reviewer: J. Bruemmer, Ohio USA |
I bought this drill at the big box, it came in a black plastic case but nothing is said about that here. Also has a belt hook and bubble level and a eight-foot cord. Mainly I use this with my Kreg pocket hole jig drilling holes. It's high rpm is good for this and doesn't weigh that much is a plus. You can use a lower speed drill to but I prefer high. The guarantee on this is first rate if you're not completely satisfied no questions asked return it in the 90 day's. Only time will tell but I think it's perfect for what I'm using it for.
Thanks |
Great drill!
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| Review Date: January 24, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Willard Mast, |
| This Dewalt drill is very comfortable and balanced in the hand. I love the variable speed function. The drill is responsive and able to accomplish all that I have tried to do with it. I would recommend this to all contractors and homeowners. Willard Mast |
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