I install cabinets for a living. I use cordless drills all day long, every day. After trying several brands, i have found that most are similar. The best attribute to the hitachi is the price. When the batteries are worn out, it is cheaper to buy a new drill(with 2 batteries and a charger) than to replace other brands batteries. I own three 14.4 volt drills, and one 12 volt impact driver. The impact driver lacks power.

If you do any sort of construction at all stay away from this drill. I do aluminum work and this drill is definitely not up to snuff. It overheats and burns out after light screw running and the battery charge doesn't last more than 20 min. It is nice and small though and would be an ok drill for around the house light duty work.

I have used Makita and Hitachi in the 14.4V power range. The Makita is by far a better drill, but the Hitachi is lighter and easier to use. The Hitachi is an ok drill for the money, but it doesn't like rough handling. If you drop it, even from short heights you can expect major damage. I have already thrown one drill away due to internal damage from dropping it from my tool belt, but I kept the batteries for the other drills. I also purchased a "reconditioned" 14.4V Hitachi from Amazon, but found the drill to be of very poor quality out of the box, the reversing switch didn't fully engage without forcing it. It also wasn't the same drill or the same quality as the ones I purchased "new" from Amazon, but they had the same part number. "Reconditioned" must mean "product rejected by quality control at factory" in Japanese!

I've had this drill for over a year and I've purchased a second so I'll have two drills for big jobs. It has great battery life and exceptional torque for a 14.4V battery. The charger also charges a battery in about 20 minutes.
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br /It's not an industrial drill for framing a house but it can build a fence and re-drywall an entire room without any problems (two jobs I've done with this drill).
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br /It's unreasonable to complain about it not working if you drop it from 8 feet.
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br /Oh, consumer reports also rates this a best buy.

the only fault i've found so far, (and this our 6th hitachi driver in the shop, we use them each and every day) is that it is so ugly..... and i can't blame my partners for making fun of it, come on hitachi, you can do better than this. we own multiple hitachi compound miter saws, belt sanders, drill motors, planer/jointers, etc., the green was always......well, hitachi green.......but now throwing on all of that black. back to the design team please. g. cheadle

This drill has plenty of power for any job. I used it to go through 2 2x4's as I needed to run some electrical wire for a transfer switch. It went through the studs easily and the compact design made it lighter and easier to handle. I wasn't using a paddle bit but a hole saw so the drill has the power. I have a Craftsman cordless drill that is larger and heavier that wasn't able to handle the job. This drill comes with 2 gear settings low and high which also made the job easier. I really like the flashlight as it has a flat base and the adjustable head allowed me to point the light where I needed it. While I didn't have to charge the batteries after this use having a 30 minute charger means I will never be without power.

I had a cordless Black Decker drill that finally died after about 12 years. I used it for odd jobs around the house. I shopped around for a replacement, and love this package so far. The cost is great, and everything in the kit has worked great. I love that I have two batteries, multiple drill bits, quick charger, a portable STRONG flashlight, and a case to carry it all. Plus, it has a slow and fast switch, so it doubles as an electric screwdriver. Plus, the clutch. What more could you ask for?
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br /It seems that all of the bad reviews were contractors that used a drill all day and dropped them off of ladders. STOP DROPPING YOUR DRILLS! :) For the average or above average homeowner with jobs around the house, this is a great deal.

I expected more from hitachi! Coming from a carperter of 18 years, this tool will not make it in the field with me. I use it in the shop and around the house. I do like the drill itself and the flash-light is great. If you put charge on the battery for your next use, it will be dead less that 2 days in a nice warm shop. I can leave my makita in the truck for weeks in 20 degree weather an it will be ready to go when you need it.

I own a lot of Hitachi power tools and like them all - until this drill came along. The battery doesn't last and is only powerful enough to place long screws in wood for 3 or 4 screws. My twelve year old Dewalt 12V is stronger and lasts longer (i bought the Hitachi because the price of it was about that of a new DeWalt battery - should have clued me in).
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br /I do love the way it handles. If you need a drill for around the home that is not used extensively this may be a great buy. If you are a heavy user don't do this to yourself.

I just got this drill and light package. I appreciate the quick-release-bit option and the 2-speed capability of the drill. The 14-volt size is a good compromise between power and size. The only thing that I'm not quite sure of is the value of the belt clip attachment. I don't think I would ever use it.
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br /I'll come back and re-assess after I've had more opportunities to use it.

I got this for my 19 year old son for Christmas and he RAVED about it!!!!!
br /He says that it is the best drill he has ever owned.

Bought these last Christmas. Used the drill to install our kitchen cabinets and also during our bathroom remodel. With two batteries, its always available to use. Definitely 10 times better than the old BD drill it replaced.
br /I love that it comes in a black storage case, so it's easy to keep it all organized and in one place.

I have only had my Hitachi Drill for a few weeks and it has performed great. I mainly use it around the house for odd home maintenance jobs. I love the fast charge time for the batteries and the light is very useful as well. Overall I am very pleased with this product. Hitachi DS14DVF3 14.4-Volt Ni-Cad 3/8-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit

A cordless drill that has the torque to get the job done, no matter what the job, is a tool with many talents. The flashlight is very bright and has come in handy on many occasions. The charger is fast and compact. I love the set...

I love how this drill fits in my hands - it is so well balanced and comfortable. The bit holders are useful for holding screwdriving bits and the hook lets the drill rest nicely from my belt. The batteries last a nice long time. Also I really like the flashlight - I use it all the time now when I bbq at night. The powerful wide beam is great. Overall I think this drill is a great value for the money.
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br /Edit: One more thing I forget to mention: the set comes with a full 5 year warranty, something you don't find often, yet quite neccessary for power tools.

This drill is not a contractor grade tool. I've worked construction and this is not the cordless drill that I'd want to rely on at a job site. But then it's half to a third the cost of a contractor grade drill. You get what you pay for.
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br /What I got was a great home owner drill. I got this in late spring and have built 230 ft of fence, 3 gates, 2 with arbors, a pergola and I'm half way through building a double Adirondack chair. That's in addition to various household and assembly tasks. The tool has worked fine throughout. Yes, the case is pretty cheap. It works.
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br /This drill replaces a 15 year old Makita that finally died after several battery replacements. I then bought a Craftsman 14.4 volt drill that I returned two days later. It was gutless. Being cheap I tried this drill, thinking that I could spring for another Makita or DeWalt. Thankfully, this does the job. It has enough torque to drive screws into treated fence posts. The batteries last longer than it takes to replace the backup. I've actually used the light in the attic. For what this is it's a good buy.

This drill is perfect for regular use around the house. It has great balance and alot of power for such a compact drill. I don't understand why someone would drop it and then gripe about it not working or compare it to a drill that costs twice as much. The only thing I dont like about it is the crazy color design. I paid about 20 more at a retail store than what I could have bought it on Amazon for but still worth the money.

Great drill for the money. Every home owner should have. Not for commerecal use would buy a heavy duty.

I really liked this drill, it was light and cheap and the flashlight that it came with was surprisingly handy.
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br /Unfortunately, I dropped this drill a few months ago - about four feet - and the skirt the battery clicks into on the handle snapped off. A postmortem inspection reveals that the place the plastic broke was thinner than a dime in many places along the fracture cross-section.
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br /Add to that the drill's tendency to overheat and spew acrid fumes and it has little over other cheap brands like black and decker. These are just too fragile.
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i like the compact size and balance, but it's not tough enough for everyday use. I have only had it a month or so and i dropped it from an attic onto a subfloor(accidentally) and the case broke and also the trigger. My Dewalt has fallen further than that onto concrete without breaking.

The battery life is very poor. The charger does not keep the battery charged. Battery goes dead just standing in the drill after 1 day.
br /I would not recommend this drill to anyone. It's the biggest piece of junk I have bought. I will be buying Dewalt from now on.

ToolBarn lists this model as having two 1.4 amp*hour NiCd batteries (Amazon doesn't mention the rating) and a ONE year manufacturer's warranty, not five years as stated by Amazon's product reviewer. Amazon's review was probaly right at the time it was written. Hitachi apparently also reduced the warranty on their reciprocating saw from 5 to 1 year some months ago, and that recip saw's quality was such a disappointment it's the last Hitachi electric tool I am willing to try.

I've had this drill for only 2 months.So far no problems.
br /Everything seems to function okay. Its got great balance and the grip is good.When the weather gets nicer and I start working on my deck and other projects I'll submit another review.
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We were very pleased with the drill we received. It is very easy to handle and does a super job. It is well balanced and fits my hand as well as my husbands.

The drill is smaller and lighter than most 14.4 volt drills. I like that. The coloring of the drill looks like a pair of tenis shoes, which I don't like. It has enough power, so now all it has to do is hold up and not break and I'll be happy.
br / Richard Curry, Ca,