Drills - brands and features

[Mo]

Hi

Went to B and Q today and decided I needed a new drill - I had 3 options.

1) Black and Decker CD70SML - This was a 'value pack' and had a drill with 710w (I think) power, a tool to see if pipes are in the walls before you drill and a funky tape emasure with laser (that I quite wanted) - apparently it was old Christmas stock and they wanted rid. - £30

2) Black and Decker - KR55CREK - This was a 500w drill on its own - it looked a bit more modern than the value pack one and it also had a carry case which the cheaper one didn't. - £35

3) A Ryobi drill. 500w - This came with 17 drill bits and a 128mb MP3 player (LOL, shame as well as I would have loved it if it was 1GB as a need one, but 128mb is less than what I got on my mobile phone) - the guy said this was £60 but they wanted rid of them - they had stacks - apparently it is used by pros and uses metal bits inside where cheaper oens use plastic - it felt noticeably heavier than the other 2 and he said it was miles better quality. This was also £30

Can you tell me what you think is the best drill?

What major differences will I notice with different power available (710w /

500w) in actual use (I use the drill every few weeks but not hardcore and always for stuff around the home)

Finally, I think the drill bits that come with the Ryobi were for metal,masonary and wood (not concrete) - they are titanium (gold colour) ones - do they sound OK? Its a massive bonus point as I need these bits and a set costs a lot on its own.

Thanks

[A.Lee]

Where are you? If near Leicester, then I have a B+D hammer drill available for beer money. No idea what wattage etc it is, but I've used it for various jobs over the years, and it has done just fine. I've gone completely cordless now, so no longer need it. I've also got a battery Bosch 7v hammer drill for £25ish - this is a bloody good drill for the price, and ideal for occasional use around the home. Alan.

[The Medway Handyman]

If it's really 'old Xmas stock' (in July?) and they are desperate to get rid then this seems like a good deal to ,e for DIY.

Looking more modern doesn't mean much. You can buy cases & bags cheaply if you need one, of just bung ecerything in a £1:99 plastic bin.

I suppose Ryobi is percieved as a better quality than B&D, but its not up there with Makita/Bosch. 'Used by pros'?

Afraid not!

For DIY use not much IMO.

Sets of bits are expensive and not always that much use. For example I rarely use anything but 6mm & 8mm masonry bits for general purpose hanging things on the wall jobs.

IMO the best bet are the Bosch Multi-Construction Drill Bits

all the DIY sheds sell them. A 6mm & 8mm would cost less than £5 and will drill most materials. They really do work as claimed, I now don't use much else.

Deal 1 seems OK to me for £30, spend the £5 for bits & Robert is your Fathers brother.

[John Rumm]

Can you tell us what applications you have in mind for it? Also how often do you expect to use it? What sorts of materials do you need to drill?

I would not let bundled bits etc influence your choice - they are consumable items that will soon be gone, you need to live with the drill.

Much depends on the quality of the set - often bundled bits are fairly feeble.

[George]

The Bosch PSB 650 RE Hammer Drill.is £39.95 in Argos

[Andy Dingley]

Option #4, go to a better shop and find a range that's better than just B&D or Ryobi !

If you want better, there are any number of better makers, not even too expensive.

If you want cheaper, go for Lucky Golden Hedgehog and at least it's cheaper than B&D.

Of what you listed though, go for Ryobi. They're competently done and "no better than they ought to be". B&D OTOH are just unreliable crap that's beyond a joke (web search on "Firestorm drill").

[Stuart Noble]

In that order? That's impulse buying.

[Rick]

Best for what ? Get the one with the best guarnetee, you'll need it.

Rick

[Owain]

Get the one that's sold nearest home so you have least far to take it back.

Owain