Dewalt, Makita or Hilti drill?

Discussion in 'Tool Talk' started by soabar, Oct 27, 2017.

  1. soabar

    soabar Member

    I suppose this has been asked a million times already, but;

    The batteries on my 19 year old Dewalt 14.4V cordless drill are rapidly giving up the ghost & despite sterling service the drill has now seen better days, so I'm looking for a replacement. I don't use any other cordless tools, so battery commonality isn't an issue, it will largley be used for metal & wood & hammer action while handy isn't a necessity.

    I've been looking at Dewalt (DCD791, DCD991) & Makita (DDF481, DHP481) 18v 5Ah (x2) brushless models with all metal gearboxes, pricing being similar, but after a bit of research I see that Hilti drills are more affordable than I thought, the 22V SF 6-A22 in particular.

    I see alot of ******** about the quality of the cheaper Dewalt's, not so much about Makita & Hilti seems to be very highly regarded.

    Any comments / experience much appreciated.
     
  2. CGN

    CGN Screwfix Select

    Happy Mojito user here :D
     
  3. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    I have the high end Dewalt Hammer drill, I can't fault it.

    However, depends on how heavy duty a user your are as to what to buy. For heavy duty users the biggest driver is the price and availability of batteries. However, for most people some of the kits which have one or more tools, two batteries and a charger normally suffice.

    I would also have a look at Milwaukee and Bosch whom have some good offers at the moment
     
  4. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    A very happy Bosch user here, & Bosch have a good range of brushless combi's
    My Bosch GSB 18V-EC brushless combi is superb, hard to fault it, quite a few offers on for that drill.

    https://www.priorityplumbing.co.uk/...MIhtPtoeqS1wIVA2wbCh2ttw2wEAQYBSABEgL6iPD_BwE

    http://www.uktoolcentre.co.uk/produ...MIhtPtoeqS1wIVA2wbCh2ttw2wEAQYCCABEgLPbfD_BwE

    https://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-gsb-18v-ec-18v-2-0ah-li-ion-brushless-cordless-combi-drill/3030j

    https://www.orbitalfasteners.co.uk/...MIhtPtoeqS1wIVA2wbCh2ttw2wEAQYBCABEgLB-_D_BwE

    Makita DHP481 is a nice brushless combi, can be found with two 5Ah batteries, but it's not cheap sadly.

     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2017
    Dr Bodgit likes this.
  5. Dr Bodgit

    Dr Bodgit Super Member

    Guess which drill I have.
     
  6. Sparkielev

    Sparkielev Screwfix Select

    going by your name is it a POWER DEVIL from Asda
     
  7. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select


    Depends how much use it'll get. If not too much more than the other competitors I would plump for Hilti, as I've no complaints of any of their tools I've ever owned or used. But there's so much variety out there now for really good value that you're spoilt for choice.
     
  8. soabar

    soabar Member

    Thanks for the replies.

    I've had a chance to see / handle the Makita & DeWalt & the DeWalt just seems to be more like what I'm used to, so I'm thinking of staying yellow. I haven't seen the Hilti, but didn't realise that it had a brushed motor, so it's down on both power & runtime in comparison to the others (Although the warranty is far better).

    One last question, hammer or not? I've generally found percussion hammer drills to be pretty poor & hard on drill bits in comparison to rotary hammers - a bit like wheel spinning, lots of noise but not much action. The 14.4 DeWalt that I have & an elderly but powerful Kress mains drill are both pretty useless at hammering & cumbersome as it is I take a Makita rotary hammer out for absolutely any hammer job as it just gets the job done, so I'm hemming & hawing between drill / combi. Are the current crop of percussion combis any better than those of old or are they still a once in a while / in a corner without the proper tool affairs?

    Thanks.
     
  9. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    My Bosch GSB 18V-EC puts a old Bosch combi to shame I have, using Bosch's Multi Construction bits.
    Also batteries play a part, the Li-Ion batteries outperform NiCad,got some 4Ah Li-ion they just keep going, takes ages to run them down, even when used with the circular saw.

    If you have sds plus drill, have a look at the Heller Tri Jet masonry bits, stocked by competitor, these bits are just superb.

    http://www.hellertools.com/en/produ...detail/hellerproduct/trijet-hammer-drill-bit/
     
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2017
  10. Dr Bodgit

    Dr Bodgit Super Member

    My Makita DHP481 will do any hammer job that a mains percussion drill will do, if it can't do it then I get out my mains SDS (a £99 Wickes affair). In practice I use a combination of three drills, these two and a Makita brushed impact driver for big screws, but the combi is the favourite for most jobs.

    I have 5Ah batteries.
     
    KIAB likes this.
  11. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Seldom use my big Bosch sds mains drill, like you can tackle most jobs with combi, & Bosch GDX 18 V-EC impact driver will tackle most fixing jobs.
     
    Dr Bodgit likes this.
  12. Dr Bodgit

    Dr Bodgit Super Member

    Yeh the bricks in my house are pretty soft anyway so the combi with a 'drill through anything' 6mm bit eats it. It did struggle when drilling into a concrete lintel above a garage window for securing the shack SWA, so got the SDS out and that sorted it.

    Like you, my SDS seldom gets used but it is essential for that odd difficult job. Of course an SDS is useful for other jobs too (like getting tiles off walls and breaking up concrete).
     
  13. BiancoTheGiraffe

    BiancoTheGiraffe Screwfix Select

    Never had a bad thing to say about my DeWalt combi.
     
  14. soabar

    soabar Member

    Thanks again for the replies.

    Looking through my drill bits I realised that I don't have a single regular masonry bit left, all SDS, so I've not done any masonry drilling with anything other than the Makita rotary for a long time, it's big, heavy, ugly & cumbersome but it never fails to work without drama, never gets deflected by "stuff" & the bits last.

    Ended up going for a DCD991P2 (drill only) - pretty happy with it, far shorter than the outgoing DW914 which will come in handy & surprised a how small the batteries are in comparison. Only minor negative comments are that it would be good to be able to switch the light off & the stepped adjustment of speed seems like a backward move in comparison to the continually variable trigger of the 914, although I doubt it will be an issue in use.

    I guess Christmas came early!
     
  15. Mgreen201

    Mgreen201 New Member

    hilti every time yip more expencive but well worth it .
     
  16. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    I've only ever had the pleasure of a Hilti breaker, which is fantastic.

    I have owned Makita and DeWalt cordless combi drills, but wasn't all that impressed. I'm now far more impressed with my Milwaukee. I've only had it for a year, so can't speak to its longevity, but so far so good.

    I gave up trying to use the cordless for hammer drilling into masonry. I always use my corded hammer drills for that.
     
  17. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    Strange never had a problem drilling into masonry with a cordless. Sometimes put an SDS bit a regular chuck if I don't have a good quality masonry bit (Bosch blue/DeWalt)
     
  18. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Heler are also worth a look, excellent bits & chisels,bull points,etc.
     
  19. malkie129

    malkie129 Screwfix Select

    I normally have Makita drills, but recently bought a a brushless Hitachi combi,on offer from a competitor. So far, I have been impressed with it, but I suppose that time will tell. o_O
     
  20. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Got a Bosch brushless combi,can't fault it,more grunt, & it last longer on the batteries than my brush combi.
     

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