I replacd a Ryobi and a DeWalt cordless drill/driver with the 6217DEX - both were old and underpowered. The Makita may cost more than the competition, but look carefully at what you are getting: top notch build quality and features that others don't offer, especially the NiMH batteries! My two older drills were had NiCad's and I have been largely disappointed with the performance of those batteries. The ability to hold a charge and tool run time gets worse with age. I bought the Makita 18V cordless combo about 3 years ago and they came with NiMH batteries - what a world of difference! Excellent run times and no battery problems. I needed a lighter drill/driver for general around the house use and the new Makita was an easy choice, especially after seeing how they have improved the overall design and added features like a rubber grip, selector mode switch for screws or drilling. Add to that a 2-speed gear box and you have a tool that will keep on working for years to come. I look at buying the Makita as a LONG TERM INVESTMENT, not some "use and throw away junk" like you'd find offered from other manufacturers (my DeWalt falls into this category as far as I'm concerned)