dewalt tools : Our tester compares 10 cordless drill (3)

Drilling Capacity: High and Low Speed

For drilling shallow holes, I use spade bits and set my drills at high speed for fast cutting. For deeper holes in double and triple studs or joists, the tool needs more low-end torque to power through the material and evacuate chips from the hole. For these holes, I switch to an auger bit and set the tool to low speed.

To determine each tool's drilling capacity in both speeds, I put a new bit on each tool and drilled until the battery's power delivery trailed off. In high speed I drilled holes in a single 2x4 stud with a 1-inch spade bit. For the low-speed test, I drilled through a double 2x4 with a 15/16-inch auger bit. Each time I looked for the tool that drilled the most holes on a single charge.

High Speed, Single 2x4. The 18-volt tools rule the roost for number of holes drilled. The Bosch drilled so many holes—79—I couldn't believe it, so I recounted them. The Milwaukee tore through 89 holes and I wondered if its battery was nuclear instead of Nicad. Porter-Cable's 19.2-volt drill, at 74 holes, did great too. Each of these tools cut quickly and smoothly, and they didn't feel like they were jumping out of my hand when the going got rough.

The DeWalt drilled 68 holes but was the fastest of the group. Makita came in close behind at 64. The Craftsman made it through 56, and Metabo's bottomed out at 50. The Panasonic tool, at 15.6 volts, drilled 45 holes, but heated up noticeably. Hilti's 15.6-volt tool drilled 43 holes, and Hitachi's 18 volter knocked out 39 holes.

During this portion of the test, it became clear that the DeWalt model is geared not just for high speed, but for really high speed. No drill got close to this tool's 2,000 rpms, which makes a world of difference on site. The rest of the tools' top ends range between 1,400 and 1,700 rpms; the Bosch is the slowest at 1,300 top-end rpms.

Low Speed, Double 2x4. When you need less speed and more torque for deeper holes in doubled- or tripled-up framing, these drills still deliver. This time, the Bosch sunk 40 holes while the Porter-Cable, Milwaukee, Makita, and Metabo sunk 36, showing great low-end torque. DeWalt muscled 34 and Craftsman 32. The 15.6-volt Panasonic and Hilti models delivered 29. Hitachi's tool drilled 20 holes.

Extras

The Makita, Bosch, and DeWalt tools come with battery end caps to protect the battery terminals when not in use. I wish all the tools shipped with these; they help your battery terminals last longer, especially if you carry bits together with the batteries.

Bosch's unit comes with a neat metal D-ring, like a carabiner, so you can hang the tool from belt hooks like the Monster Hook or Bigg Lugg. You also can hook right to your belt. DeWalt has the only three-speed tool in the bunch, which enables you to customize your speed and torque to match your work.

And a few of the tool companies actually provide good tool boxes with their drills. My ideal storage box is made of heavy-duty blow-molded plastic, opens easily, and has obvious compartments for a booklet, extra bits, drill, batteries, and charger. I also want it big enough (but not too big) to hold the drill with a driver or short drill bit attached. Unfortunately, I haven't seen my ideal box yet. Milwaukee and Bosch provide tough boxes with stout clasps and include good bit carry-alls inside. Makita and Metabo thought ahead, allowing room to store the drill with a short auger or spade bit attached. And while Craftsman includes a bit storage container in its box, it could use some improvement.

Winners

Choosing a winner from this bunch is tough. My final four include the Bosch 33618, DeWalt DW987K-2, Milwaukee 0622-24, and Porter-Cable 9984. The Milwaukee's great power, all-metal chuck, outstanding handle, and slick battery exchange give it the edge in my book. Next comes Porter-Cable's 19.2-volt drill. It's got top-notch power and, again, an all-metal chuck. The Bosch and DeWalt models tie for third in my mind. The Bosch tool drilled more holes than the DeWalt and has the best low-end torque, but that's countered by DeWalt's super fast cutting speed. Each of these tools performed so well, however, that these distinctions are small. You can't go wrong with any of these four tools. Following these are the Hilti 15.6-volt tool, Metabo's 18-volt model, and Panasonic's 15.6 volter, and then the Hitachi, Craftsman, and Makita tools.

By Rex Cauldwell