Good time to buy a drill driver

[The Medway Handyman]

FYI

[adrian]

I bought myself the Ryobi 'one+' drill/driver set for Christmas - and was so impressed with it that I've been collecting more tools from the range over the past months.

Up to now I've always used 'no-name' cordless tools - but the difference I've found with the Ryobi's has been amazing. I know that 'pros' would probably sniff at them - but I'm impressed...

So much so that I also shelled out for their reciproicating saw (lovely for 'pruning' our 9ft high fuschia hedge) and their impact driver (never had one before and looking forward to using it on a 'big job'.

Anyway - Screwfix are offering the one+ hedge trimmer and the one+ strimmer for nearly £100 each (and they don't deliver to Ireland!) However, good old CPC just delivered me both tools for 112.81 euro inc VAT (about £100 total) - including 4 batteries and two chargers...

It's easy to get taken in by the old 'loss leader' strategy - and assume that everything sold by the likes of Screwfix is a bargain - they have ways of 'getting their own back'!

Adrian

[Doctor Drivel]

I bought myself the Ryobi 'one+' drill/driver set for Christmas - and

I know many pros who use Ryobi. Medium duty, they are perfectly suitable. The ONE+ Impact Driver is good and cheap enough.

[John Rumm]

The best deal on that page is probably the rebadged Makita jigsaw at £75

- not far off mid range money for a seriously good bit of kit.

[Andy Dingley]

What is that red "Site" stuff like? I know it's made in the same factory as Makita, but what's the quality like? Chinese manufacturing has got to the sophistication where location is no longer a guarantee of comparable quality - now they can make each factory build to any quality / price level they like, according to what their marketing people think will turn the most profit.

[Mark]

Thanks for the link. I'm tempted by the Erbauer 14.4V Li-Ion Drill Driver but it seems amazingly cheap. Anyone know whether these are any good?

[Andy Dingley]

90 for Li-ion ? That's cheap! Cheap enough I'd be tempted just to try it. Erbauer seems middling, but two lions for that price ought to pay for itself.

The Makita "two for one while we can still sell cadmium" bargain pack is still a good deal.

?ts=3D20759

[John Rumm]

I am guessing (never having actually used any Site branded kit in anger) that it is exactly the same as last years model of Makita... From the look of it (I have handled one unpowered at a trade counter), it feels just like the real thing.

Oh indeed. It may be that the quality of windings or something is lower etc, although the solidity and weight are there, as is the cast baseplate etc. If I didn't already have the real thing, I think that is a case where I would be willing to take a punt at least once just to see.

[The Medway Handyman]

?ts=20759Only two batteries though & I suspect they are only 1.3a/hr.

[John Rumm]

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Still a reasonable deal, and the charger will handle a pair of better NiMh batts when it comes time to replace.