I've had the older model of this drill with the NiMH batteries for several years. It was my second Panasonic. Previous one was the 14.4 volt, and I used it so much the batteries wore out, but not the drill. I've had Bosch (chuck wobbles), Porter-Cable (poor quality), and Milwaukee (great, but trigger pinches your fingers), etc. Panasonic is the best by far.Pros: chuck holds even the smallest bit, excellent balance, really durable, light but powerful enough that if you need more get a drill with a cord or an impact driver. If I had to do it again, I'd go with this Ni-Cad model because it holds a charge longer than the NiMH and is cheaper, although the run time is less.Cons: None

This drill is awesome at any price range, let alone $120! Lightweight, powerful, small, and good looking. You can feel the quality just by holding it. The only thing I didn't like about this vs. the Milwaukee is that the trigger is not as rubberized in feel, but that's a minor gripe. On the contrary, it doesn't pinch your fingers like the Milwaukee is sometimes prone to do so I'll take that tradeoff. Also, I read many reviews that this drill ramps up in speed too quickly as the trigger is depressed; however, I have not found it to be a problem. The trigger provides plenty of control of the drill. I bought the one with the NI-CD batteries because they are cheaper and also much more versatile vs. the NIMH. NIMH are designed to work best at room temperature, they lose their charge without use after a few weeks, and they wear out quicker despite costing more. NI-CD work in a wider temperature range, hold their charge better, and don't wear out as fast. They can develop "memory" but so what, just use them as instructed: let them fully deplete charge and then fully charge each time and no problems.

I purchased this drill based good reviews and it's an excellent drill. I bought it to do the work on my basement and with 2 batteries coming with the package is a big plus. I never had to stop for charging (one is used and the other is fully charged). The drill has lots of power for my need.
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br /The Panasonic brand for drill was new to me. I always think of DeWalt, Makita, Craftsman, Stanley, etc. when it comes to tool because neither Home Depot nor Lowe's carry Panasonic's tool.
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br /Again, excellent drill. Highly recommended.
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After reviewing previous posts on this website, I ordered the Panasonic EY6405FQKW 12 volt drill/driver kit. I was everything that was promised: compact size/quick charge batteries/one handed chuck. This drill is perfect for light to medium household chores. Plus I didn't want to spend in the $200 range. Looking at "entry level" drill kits at Sears, HomeDepot, etc, the bottom price drills all eventually turn out to be deficent...either poor quality or poor design (chucks that don't tighen... By spending a little more at Amazon I got a great drill at a good price. Go for it.

I have a DeWalt, a Makita, and a 15.4v Panasonic. Both Panasonics are superb. I like the small size and power. There is a feeling of quality about them. I had ordered a reconditioned 14.4v Hitachi, which turned out to be a worthless piece of Chinese junk, and was soon (20 minutes) returned. The DeWalt and Makita are fine, but the Panasonics are in a class by themselves.

Panasonic has made a terrific drill. I bought this one based on the reviews and was suprised to find that it exceeded my expectations. The drill is quiet, powerfull and the battery life is excellent. It comes with a great charger with a full indicator and an extra battery. This is definately worth the money!

This drill is great. The battery charged quickly and when I depressed the trigger the drill twisted in my hand like it wanted to run away. The torque is great not to mention the small size which is great for the ever so demanding home repairs. I wasted my money two years ago on a popular Sears 18 volt model and this smaller unit beats it by far. Great sale price also made a difference. This one's a keeper!

This is the first Panasonic drill I've purchased and I really love it. Much better than any of the Porter Cable drills I've owned. As others have said, this Panasonic is light, compact and very powerful. It's actually smaller than a 9.6v Porter Cable drill I had and the balance and ergonomics are far better. The Porter Cables' keyless Jacobs chucks required two hands to tighten while the Panasonic's chuck requires just one. It also seems to be more precise with no visible runout. I have yet to have a bit come loose in over a year of operation.
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br /The Panasonic's trigger won't pinch a finger like some on the market and the reverse button can be easily pushed with either a finger or a thumb. I also like the battery configuration. The battery is the post style (like DeWalt's) and slides up into the handle, with a positive click to lock. The battery release buttons on each side of the case are large and easily squeezed one handed to remove the battery. The battery can be inserted into the charger just as simply. Porter Cable switched to a horizontal slide lock for their batteries several years ago, which I found very inconvenient. Another nifty feature is this Panasonic drill can stand on the battery pack for quick retrieval without tipping over. I've never owned or used a Porter Cable drill that could do that.
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br /Panasonic cordless tools are generally not available in the big boxes, but are certainly worth looking for at an alternative source. I highly recommend this tool, you won't be disappointed.
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I did my homework and looked at the price/power/weight/recommendations for a drill to have around the house and this was it. It replaced a corded Black Decker so it's an incredible step up. For a home owner (not professional construction) more than 12 volts would be over kill. Panasonic is also newer model than most of the competition from what I researched. If you are one who thinks that technology only evolves for the better as time goes on this is something to consider.

I've been installing cabinets professionally for more than twenty years. My company has used these Panasonics exclusively for the past 15 years. Over the years I've borrowed and used practically every other cordless in existence. Here's the bottom line ... in my experience this Panasonic is the best performing and most reliable drill on the planet. These things feel good in your hand and have plenty of torque. Battery life on the newer models is exceptional. This 12v model will be more than powerful enough for 99% of all potential users ... and at $99 (Oct. 2007) this drill is an unbelievable bargain.

If Panasonic only had a marketing department! I bought a drill years ago at Lowes, but they stopped carrying it and I couldn't find replacement batteries (a customer rep at Panasonic dedn't even know they made the drill), so I gutted the old battery and put a 12V plug on it and relegated it to my boat. It has always been my favorite drill. Now that I find batteries on Amazon I bought this drill to replace the Porter Cable that I can't seem to keep chargers for. This drill cost less than a replacement charger and one battery for the PC, so it is history. This drill is perfectly balanced, it actually stands up without falling on its face and breaking a drill bit, the constant torque is wonderful, and it has a positive brake that actually locks it when it is off. None of which I can say about the Porter Cable.

Over the past 8 years, I have worn out four different manufacturers' 12 volt drills. This panasonic is hands down better than any of the competition. The balance and performance of the drill is pure QUALITY. The chuck says it all. I truly enjoy using this drill. All of my team mates at Habitat-for-Humanity beg to use it.

this has to be the best cordless driver i have owned in the past 20 years , from construction, to at home use. weight ,balance size,12v....great----- because of the 12v power pak- you don't get as much run time as the big boys, but power,speed and tork it's there. highly recomend this driver to the woodworker/builder...great tool

I've only had Makita cordless drills before buying this Panasonic. I based my buy decision strictly off of Amazon users reviews. This drill is well balanced and conveniently stands upright on its battery. The bits are extremely easy and fast to change by holding the chuck firmly and running the drill. (Probably not the method recommended by Panasonic.) The chuck holds the bits tight (they don't slip). Battery life is very long plus it comes with a second batttery so you can always have one in the charger. Battery recharge time seems very short. Battery charger tells you the status so you know if your battery is charging, charged, or bad. This drill has just the right amount of torque for my taste. I have used it for hole saw cutting and with spade bits which can be dangerous with a drill with more torque (the hole saw or spade bit gets stuck when it breaks thru and rotation is transferred to the drill itself). And the price was right at $99.

We use this unit in my cabinet shop on a daily basis, for 6-8 months now, along side of bosch 12v and I prefer this one. A very precise machine with a great chuck and great battery life, conmpairable power, better balance and feel.

I have been using my 12 volt Panasonic drill now for that past few months and love it! This drill has a very comfortable feel to it and is surprising powerful for a small, compact sized drill. Holds your bits very well with no slippage and is wonderful to use. This is by far the best 12 volt cordless drill on the market!

I bought a 9.6 volt Panasonic drill approximately 15 years ago. I have replaced the batteries twice and continue to use it. This drill appears to be of the same excellent quality. It has a nice small form and can get into tight spaces. It has excellent power and speed ranges. The chuck locks in place when stopped, which allows it to be used as manual screwdriver and also allows one-handed operations of the chuck.

I bought my fist 12V Panasonic drill about 10 or 15 years ago (seems like a lifetime ago) and was impressed with the fast, one-handed chuck. The power for the small size was also impressive. Ultimately this drill died from benign abuse (yes, the flat spot on the back of the drill is a great emergency hammer) and drywall dust. The batteries were also at the end of life.
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br /I recently bought another 12V Panasonic because Amazon was offering it for a great price but I failed to read the chuck was a two-hander deal. Luckily my wife's Makita was ill and she needed another drill (we own a picture frame shop in DC). She didn't give a hoot about the chuck because her primary use is drilling holes the same size - rarely does the bit leave the chuck. She appreciates the compact size and that it can stand upright on its own.
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br /So back to Amazon to find which Panasonic had the chuck I wanted. I didn't need a drill with massive torque (I own a Milwaukee corded drill for the beefy jobs) just a small high quality drill. My only complaint is the placement of the forward/reverse button. I'm left-handed and the button digs into my hand when the drill is in the "forward" position (99% of the time). It's not a huge issue...more of an irritant (I also own a 12V Bosch which has a much better switch location). All in all, I would highly recommend this drill if you're looking for something in this class - lots of power for 12V, compact size great chuck. I also don't have any issues with Ni-Cad batteries...they work fine for me.

This drill is quite nice, and has a lot of power for drill this size, the charger has nice informative LEDs, the drill is a little smaller than you expect for its power. It is definitely different from other drills, but I have read many reviews that exaggerate it's talents. It will stop while drilling at slower speeds, but not as early as cheaper drills, and it is smaller than most drills, but not much smaller than other 12v drills. All in all, I am very satisfied, it is a huge step up from my old Black and Decker. The chuck is very solid, with a type of ratcheting action. The motor seems very strong, though it makes funny noises. The batteries seem to hold a good charge, so hopefully that will last a while. There is storage for a screwdriver bit inside the battery compartment, which is weird, but it doesn't come with a bit.

So far I like this drill a lot. Good torque and it feels comfortable in my small hands.

The Panasonic 12 volt cordless drill.
br / The reason I purchased this drill is that I have 4 more just like it and needed batteries to keep them going. When the batteries wear out, it costs about $65 bucks a battery for replacements (that price is a ripoff). It is less expensive to buy a new drill with 2 batteries than to buy just 2 batteries. Why can't Panasonic sell batteries for a reasonable price?

The only thing I dont like about mine is that the drill is VERY noisy, and feels like the gears have sand in them. It works great though (I'm an industrial electrical apprentice) and I just dont have any other complaints, other than desiring longer battery life. The chuck should have been made of a different composition, because it was oxidized when new in the box.
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br /I have this as part of the metal saw kit. VERY good for cutting 1/2" to 1" EMT. Hacksaws are for suckers.

GREAT PRODUCT. BEATS MY SONS RIDGID HANDS DOWN. BATTERY LASTS TWICE AS LONG AS ANY I'VE EVER HADPanasonic EY6405FQKW 12-Volt Ni-Cad 3/8-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit

This is my second 3/8 inch 12 Volt Ni-Cad Panasonic cordless drill. The first one is 10 years old and still working fine but the replacement battries cost more than the new drill with two new battries so I bought the new one. This is the best weight/size combination cordless drill/driver I have seen. It is very comfortable in the hand and has plenty of power for drilling and driving screws. This is a professional grade tool and I have used it on many major projects. I never leave to work on a project without this tool. I also have the 1/2 inch 15.6 Volt NiMH drill/driver but the increased size and weight makes the 3/8 inch 12 Volt my first choice. You can't go wrong with this product at the $99.00 price I paid at Amazon. It comes with a keyless chuck, an automatic charger and a rugged case. Great buy!

I have owned several cordless drills over the years and this one is the best of the bunch. It is powerful, well balanced and smaller than others on the market.
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br /My choice of the Panasonic 12-Volt Ni-Cad drill was made after a search to find a `gutsy' tool that was not all that heavy to use. I have trouble grappling with those higher voltage drills having large batteries, but wanted the power somehow. The Panasonic 12-Volt fills the bill.
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br /I have used the Panasonic with small Phillips screws, three inch deck screws and drilling in metal. The tool performed well in all of those applications. I don't know how they did it, but this 12 Volt drill seems to be as powerful as a 14.4 Volt drill and a lot less cumbersome.
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br /The Panasonic EY6405FQKW has an effective clutch, variable speed trigger, two speed settings, and ergonomic design and a keyless chuck. The chuck is sort of strange, but it works fine after using it awhile.
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br /Complaints seen in a number of reviews about battery life for the Panasonic are probably due to improper charging or an unrealistic expectation for how long these rechargeables normally last. I have not used my drill long enough to judge battery performance, but expect Panasonic (mainly an electronics company) would most likely have high standards for batteries with their name on them.
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br /With the price of cordless drill batteries these days it is often cheaper to buy a whole new drill outfit, complete with two batteries, than it is to replace the old ones. This Panasonic EY6405FQKW 12-Volt Ni-Cad drill set is a good example of that. I bought this drill with the two batteries and a charger for less than what two new replacement batteries for my 12-Volt DeWalt would have cost and I think I have a better tool in the bargain.
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this drill is light wight and easy to handle all day I use it like a framer used a hammer all day long frist charge lasted most all day like the next did the same if it keeps this up I will never buy any other type of cordless again we will have to see with time most drills that I have had in the past last about two years the battery that is

I have had this product for 3 years, I just flat-out like this product. You will not be disappointed with this drill motor. It is every thing the reviews say it is and then some. I have other brands, the Panasonic has better balance, unexpected power and it's a great bargain. Battery life is excellent; same batts for three years. (Don't charge battery until it's near dead. If you can stop the motor with your hand, its time to recharge. Letting them "idle" in the charger after a short use is the worst practice for battery life.) I bore holes, countersinks, pocket holes and drive screws, #4 thru #12, all day long. It has a comfortable weight and fit. In the future I will buy another Panasonic.

I have used many cordless driver / drills over the years - this one is the best.
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br /Perfectly balanced, very lightweight, and extremely powerful - it rivals my Bosch 18V.
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br /The drill / driver really impressed me most with it's ability to drive a 3" deck screw, whilst I barely squeezed the trigger - the torque is phenomenal!
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br /This is the second one I have purchased - the one I bought for work 3 years ago is still going strong, and was recommended to me by our supplier (who deals in all the top names).
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br /You won't be disappointed and at $130 it's a bargain!

I was looking for a replacement drill and stumbled across this little jewel. What an awesome drill! It feels very solid when you pick it up and hasn't strained with any task i have thrown at it. I has some sort of ratchet for the bit holder, my old drill came loose a few times and i don't think i will have that problem anymore. The package comes with a rather large case, battery charger and TWO batteries. I have only had this drill for a couple weeks, but i love it. If you are looking at a $40 or $50 drill, do yourself a favor and pony up the extra cash for this drill, you will not be disappointed.

I never heard of Panasonic drill until I shopped at Amazon. Dewalt was the only brand I knew and thought it was going to be the drill if I ever decided to purchase one. However After reading and speking to few friends, I realized that Panasonic is actually a real nice brand when it comes to Drills. Well...I'm glad I made this purcase. Especially at $99 shipped was a no brainer. Below are couple of the things I have done with thid drill.
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br /My first project was to build a work bench 2' x 6' using studs(like 80feet worth) and several plywoods. The wood screws I used were 8,10,12 and varied in length up to 3 inchs. All in all I used over 150 screw to build my bench and I only had to charge this drill 3 times. yes 3 times might just seem so-so. However I had to predrill 150 some odd holes before installing the screws so you get the idea on how much I used it. Here is the kicker, the charge time felt like it only tool 30 mintues altough it might have been close to an hour. So yes, this thing charges real fast and never left me hanging or waiting for a charge.
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br /I did some minor work around the house such as re-installing a cabinet door my 14 month broke. It was more than powerful enough. I honestly feel that if I can build a heavy duty work bench with this drill, most house work should be a breeze.
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br /I have been shopping at Amazon for many years and bought many nice item. However I never reviewed a product before. With this drill, I had to write a review. Get one!!!
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.Panasonic EY6405FQKW 12-Volt Ni-Cad 3/8-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit
br /I purchased this item as an addition to the Panasonic drill/driver that I have been using for over 10 years. Through use I have found that the weight, power and ergonomics of the Panasonic line is suited to my use: not too heavy, powerful enough to do most woodworking tasks and comforatable to hold. The fact that the charger was backward comaptible to the rechargable batteries of my old unit was an important feature as my old charger had failed. Now have 2 usable drills and 6 batteries to work with.

Have been using it for small jobs around the house and some medium jobs and clients and this screwdriver is great. Has enough power and holds charge. What more can you ask for?

Great drill! Had Panasonics for well over 10 years. Hurricane Gustav "got" the one we had just like this. Ordered new one the next day.

my second panasonic cordless drill. After buying several other brands, Makita, Porter Cable, Bosch. I found a drill that the battery did not fail within two years. The replacement cost of batteries for drills makes it impractical to not just replace the drill. Panasonic is one of the biggest name in batteries and in my opinion, the batteries are the first item to fail on the other drills I have owned.

I've owned many cordless drills over the years...This is top dog quailty!!!You get what u pay for when it come's to cordless drills!100.00 dollars is the best deal on cordless drill you will find!Oh also for the people who said there's no bit holder...if thay would have read the owners manual they would have read too pull out the battery and the nicely hidden bit holder is right there where the manual say's it is!!!I find myself grabbing the panasonic 12 volt before all my other drill\driver's. WOW I'm very impressed and you will be too!!!!!

This is a nice drill. I replaced a Skil Top-Gun that I had used for 16 years. I like the small size, it is easy to get into small spaces. The Ni-cad batteries work just fine. Has plenty of power to drive screws.

This is a great drill. Especially like the compact size - not too heavy and easy to get into confind spaces. The power is great as well.

This is my third 12 volt Panasonic drill. I love it. I am a licensed electrician and use the drill for work. The first two gave me great service before wearing out. I also have the Panasonic 12 volt metal cutting saw. It is light weight and easy to carry on my tool belt.

Powerful and extremely light weight. Battery is strong and long lasting. Kit includes case with extra battery and charger. Price just under $100 is outstanding. This drill is a "feel good" purchase.

An impressive drill-driver for light- to medium-duty work. The main rival is the Bosch PS20-2 Litheon 10.8-Volt Lithium Ion Pocket Driver With 2 Batteries. The Panasonic is cheaper and has a genuine chuck (the Bosch uses 1/4" shank bits, fine for screws but very limiting for drilling), making the Panasonic more versatile; but it's also heavier and the NiCad batteries on this model don't have the durability of the Lithium-Ion batteries on the Bosch. If you need one drill for all-around-the-house duties, this is the one to get. If you already have a higher-voltage cordless, or a corded drill, go with the Bosch. Both are great tools, compact and capable.

I needed to replace a cordless screwdriver that the battery no longer holds a charge, as well as a corded drill that has seen better days. The low speed on this Panasonic cordless drill does so much better than the old cordless screwdriver and the high speed nearly matches the old corded drill. Nice feel, good balance. I hope this one lasts. So far, I'm pleased with my purchase.

I have this drill and an older version of this drill. The drills themselves are rather nice, though they seem to have cheapened the newer version a bit. I like the keyless chuck on the old drill better because the drill would lock when tightening it and the clutch had a lot more settings. I've also had an occasional problem with the newer drill popping out of the high/low torque setting into "neutral". They're compact and powerful enough for most things.
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br / My big gripes with both of the drills is with the battery packs. I bought the newer drill mostly because the older drill's battery packs had gotten very weak and the packs on this drill were compatible with the old one. I got the new drill with two battery packs for only slightly over what a new battery pack would cost for the old one.
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br / The battery packs on the old drill started going downhill within a couple months of buying it. The charger on that drill was junk and did not do a trickle after a fast charge. That, along with a what seemed to be a fairly quick self-discharge rate, meant a pack sitting in the charger would be dead within a week of putting it in. That was really annoying. The newer charger does seem to trickle the batteries, so at least that part's gotten better.
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br / The newer drill's battery packs aren't as bad as the old one (yet), but will still self-discharge within a couple of weeks, which is way to fast IMHO. I have a Makita and a couple of BD products that manage to hold a charge much, much, longer.
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br / It really surprised me the Panasonic battery packs would have such problems since Panasonic is a major manufacturer of rechargeable batteries.
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br / So the newer drill is OK, the older one is a bit better, IMHO. Not a super powerhouse, but I wouldn't expect a 12V drill to be. I'm giving it 2 stars because the batteries are so important for a cordless product. I will not be buying another Panasonic cordless product because of the problems I've now had with four of their battery packs.
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br / Update: The "new" battery packs are now pretty much dead as well. They'll self-discharge within a couple of days of being out of the charger. Definitely the worst experience I've had with cordless power tools batteries.

Great tool, didn't give it a 5 because I'm not used to the one hand only open/tighten mandrel; you got to learn that, and remember it in the event of using 2 or 3 drills in the same project, which is not unusual.
br /Something else that I took advantage, of course, is the extremely low selling price from Amazon, which shows that the distributor of it in the US is overcharging ridiculously more that what they shoud, so then, 4 stars.
br /Dario

I absolutely love this driver. It has the best balance of all the drivers I've owned and tried and am very impressed with the quality of workmanship.

Bought this for my dada for Christmas. A good drill with ample power for home user. A little toy-like in appearance, but that is just styling.
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br /Panasonic gives you no screw-driver bits or storage on the drill body which I thought was pretty cheap of them and thoughtless. My dada got a big spark jump when plugging in the charger, too, which was a little scary. Not the world's best charger design. If I had it to do over again, I think I might have bought a DeWalt instead, but the Panasonic reviews were so good that sold me.

This is by far the most comfortable, best performing 12-volt drill/driver I've ever owned. You'll be pleased from the first time that you use it.

i have had this panasonic drill now for about 2 years. in 6 months one battery would no longer take a charge. replacement bateries are quite expensive.
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br /the drill will only work ofr me on lighter materials, it does not have the power to go thru 2 inches of oak, or 1/8 inch steel without stalling out.
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br /the chuck does not grab the bits well, they spin inside the chuck under moderate loading.
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br /i have seen this same drill at orchard under the craftsman name for a little less money.
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br /i would have sent the drill back to amazon but you do not find many of these things out until too late.
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br /the second battery would not take a charge after 8 months.
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br /i would estimate that each battery went thru 60 charge cycles before biting the dust.
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br /my feeling is that they should like a computer printer nearly give these away on the assumption that they will make their money back on selling the replacement batteries.
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br /the drill is small and lightweight and that alone should tell the story that the drill is meant for the very casual small-time user.