Best cordless drills

[Junkie4Ice]

Looking at upgrading to a cordless drill auger combo. Still debating between nils and kdrill but that is a different discussion in itself. Wondering what everyone's thoughts are on the different brands of drills. Milwaukee, dewalt and Rigid seem to be the top 3.
Milwaukee - the option of the 9amp battery is appealing. I believe I saw that Milwaukee has a limited lifetime warranty on the drill, but not on the batteries
Rigid - lifetime limited warranty on batteries and drill.
Dewalt - seems to be a good all around drill, not as good of a battery option compared to Milwaukee and warranty isn't as good as rigid

Thoughts?? It's a pricey upgrade either way so I'm not as worried about the cost as much as I am the quality.

[ran7ger]

milwaukee fuel, hand down - no questions asked.

[ActiveTrapChecker]

I invested in the Milwaukee M18 fuel (2702-20) last year and 2 5AH batteries. Best ice fishing investment i have ever made

[Gills-only]

milwaukee fuel, hand down - no questions asked.

.                I'll second that !!!!

[3300]

welcome and thanks for joining us!

milwaukee is 3 year battery and 5 year tool.
ridgid is what you said it is. best warranty on the market hands down.
dewalt is also limited warranties.

avoid compact tool kits and stay with 4 amp batteries at least.

[celtbass]

M18 fuel is great, 1200lbs torque...  turns my Nils 8 like a champion all day long.  I've had an old 10 in. Jiffy for almost 15 years, and I loved that thing... but I hope I never touch it again, going cordless makes life really easy.

[chilly-willy]

welcome and thanks for joining us!

milwaukee is 3 year battery and 5 year tool.
ridgid is what you said it is. best warranty on the market hands down.
dewalt is also limited warranties.

avoid compact tool kits and stay with 4 amp batteries at least.

I like the rigid warranty but was wondering how many ft lbs or in lbs this rotary hammer drill was ?? See link lol's might be able to push a 10 inch nils with it no problem??


http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-Cordless-18-Volt-7-8-in-SDS-Plus-Rotary-Hammer-R86710B/300225303?MERCH=REC-_-rv_mobileweb_rr-_-206349862-_-300225303-_-N

[Junkie4Ice]

I've been told you "absolutely" don't want to run anything but a brushless drill with an auger or it'll burn it out regardless of how much power you have behind it...I would imagine that drill has plenty of power to push a 10" auger though!

[3300]

i use brushed drills for all kinds of work such as making holes in cement and steel and old very hard floor joists cutting large holes for plumbing drain pipes and vents and ice fishing augers with zero problems for years.
so what you've been told is only a myth.

even if your tools/batteries did have problems, with ridgid it will be repaired or replaced for free for the rest of your life with zero costs for any of it including free batteries for life. you'll know when it's time for new batteries when the ones your using won't run as long as you know they should and won't hold their charge as well as they used to.

today's drills have protection circuitry to avoid those problems like what you mentioned.

[Northern_MN Outdoorsan]

Ran the 8" K Drill and Milwaukee Fuel setup with 2 5.0 batteries and 1 9.0 battery all season last winter. No complaints about any of it. Would never go back to gas or propane now.

[luv2fish2]

Ran the 8" K Drill and Milwaukee Fuel setup with 2 5.0 batteries and 1 9.0 battery all season last winter. No complaints about any of it. Would never go back to gas or propane now.

yep i run a 8" kdrill 1st gen clam plate and older 2602 (750") fuel brushless milwaukee it was love at first drill  also picked up the 9.0 ah battery this summer and their 7 1/4 saw love that too  none of them are bad ; ie rigid , dewalt , makita its all about the battery

[spoofhoundicefisher]

getting the lithium batteries too is a biggie.  i run the ridgid with 700 ft/pound brushless drill with a 7" lazer strike master auger on a clam plate.  clam plate is really not needed but kids love to drill holes too and with the clam plate it gives them a better hold on it.  if it was just me i wold not use the clam plate.  3300 helped me out when i got set up last winter and is a wealth of knowledge and is willing to share too.  i would be willing to bet that if you pm him he would help out with more questions.  thats one of the reasons this site is so awesome.

[Northern_MN Outdoorsan]

yep i run a 8" kdrill 1st gen clam plate and older 2602 (750") fuel brushless milwaukee it was love at first drill  also picked up the 9.0 ah battery this summer and their 7 1/4 saw love that too  none of them are bad ; ie rigid , dewalt , makita its all about the battery

That 9.0 battery and K Drill setup is going to be killer for run and gun fishing on early ice less than 12" this early winter. I didn't get a chance to test it out last winter on early ice because of a bad freeze up didn't allow us to get out until late and I didn't get the 9.0 battery until after Christmas. It cut like a dream even up to 3' of ice the rest of the winter though.

[Kopower]

I run a 6" Nils and Ridged Gen 5x setup with 4ah batteries. Cuts through the ice like butter. Love the piece of mind with the lifetime warranty on batteries and drill. The only downside was when paired with my brothers 8" Kdrill, it wouldn't cut a hole.

[chilly-willy]

@kopower.
Have you tried it with a k drill and clam gear box yet?? Out of curiosity for my self?? Or even the gear box and a 8 inch nils ??

[Shack man Shoney]

I sure like the Milwaukee fuel brushless, the 750 in/lb and 1200 in/lb are both awesome. I got the 9ah battery last year and it was nice to fish all day on 1 battery. I like the Mora Augers because the blades are able to be re-sharpened or replaced at a reasonable price. Its a good way to go and has basically retired my Eskimo gasser.

[luv2fish2]

yeah i like the mora setup also ,(lazer is a little to stressful on my drill in an 8") but k drills blades are lifetime i bought an extra set for exchanging when their dull . i use a 7" mora sometimes . trying to find a reason to upgrade my 2600 (750") to a 2700 (1200")

[Buttonbuckslayer!]

I have the 1200"# fuel as my Personel drill and the Dewalt XR max on my work truck.  One doesn't outperform the other, they're both great drills.  I run the Fuel on a 8" K-drill/clam plate and it has exceeded my expectations time and time again.  It's a great light weight setup.  Everone who try's it is amazed at how great it performs.  I also have Nils that I run on the Fuel occasionally and as I'm sure you've seen, it shreds ice!  I just prefer the slight weight advantage and the clean holes that the K-drill offers as my main auger.

[Junkie4Ice]

I have the 1200"# fuel as my Personel drill and the Dewalt XR max on my work truck.  One doesn't outperform the other, they're both great drills.  I run the Fuel on a 8" K-drill/clam plate and it has exceeded my expectations time and time again.  It's a great light weight setup.  Everone who try's it is amazed at how great it performs.  I also have Nils that I run on the Fuel occasionally and as I'm sure you've seen, it shreds ice!  I just prefer the slight weight advantage and the clean holes that the K-drill offers as my main auger.

Do you happen to know how much of a difference in weight the k-drill and nils are, either in the 6" or 8"?

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Do you happen to know how much of a difference in weight the k-drill and nils are, either in the 6" or 8"?

I couldn't find the weight on either.

The K drill is going to be a few lbs lighter.

The nils is the longest hand auger bit on the market. Which tends to contribute the weight. When you have a hand auger or k drill an extension would be needed to make the auger the same length has the nils. The nils also tends to have more flighting vs the other augers which adds a little weight.

Both are going to be pretty light weight. If 2-3lbs is a big deal, then the K-Drill would be what you want.

[lefty2053]

Old post but here is a video everyone should watch. By the way I bought the Dewalt 996.

[sunniewally]

Re: Best cordless drills
« Reply #8 on: Aug 16, 2017, 08:24 AM »
Quote
i use brushed drills for all kinds of work such as making holes in cement and steel and old very hard floor joists cutting large holes for plumbing drain pipes and vents and ice fishing augers with zero problems for years.
so what you've been told is only a myth.

even if your tools/batteries did have problems, with ridgid it will be repaired or replaced for free for the rest of your life with zero costs for any of it including free batteries for life. you'll know when it's time for new batteries when the ones your using won't run as long as you know they should and won't hold their charge as well as they used to.

today's drills have protection circuitry to avoid those problems like what you mentioned.



What kind of hoops do they make you jump thru to get the warranty work done? What and where  do you have to get the warranty   work done?

[nhm6408]

I actually have the Kobalt 24v drill on my Clam plate with a 6" Mora. It drills holes like nothing. Put about 60ish holes in the ice one day just seeing what it could do and it was at half battery on a 4amp battery. They are cheaper than all the other brands you mentioned and the batteries are CHEAP! Hard deal to beat.

[Ice Scratcher]

What kind of hoops do they make you jump thru to get the warranty work done? What and where  do you have to get the warranty   work done?

First... within 90 days of purchase, from home depot, register the tool with Ridgid by giving receipt code, serial number, name, address, and email...

Second.. If repair is needed, take it to home depot.

<°)))>{

[lefty2053]

Well the Bright idea of ordering a Drill that was refurbished didn't work out. Got it today and the chuck doesn't work. Turned it forever and it wont allow me to put a drill bit on it. Bummer. Called the people I got it from through Amazon and they tried to offer me a $100 Walmart Gift card. I told them I would contact Amazon and they hung up on me. Contacted Amazon and they got it straighten out and I am sending it back with full refund. This was a Drill with 2 5.  ah batteries and charger and Case for $226.

[theangling1]

Well the Bright idea of ordering a Drill that was refurbished didn't work out. Got it today and the chuck doesn't work. Turned it forever and it wont allow me to put a drill bit on it. Bummer. Called the people I got it from through Amazon and they tried to offer me a $100 Walmart Gift card. I told them I would contact Amazon and they hung up on me. Contacted Amazon and they got it straighten out and I am sending it back with full refund. This was a Drill with 2 5.  ah batteries and charger and Case for $226.

Bought an 18v Ridgid gen5 brushless drill/drive combo with 2 4.0aH batteries and charger at HD for $279. Warrantied for life and free battery replacement.

[tbern]

Glad that Amazon took care of you! Make sure to leave a detailed review of the seller to alert future buyers.

[hardwater diehard]

Well the Bright idea of ordering a Drill that was refurbished didn't work out. Got it today and the chuck doesn't work. Turned it forever and it wont allow me to put a drill bit on it. Bummer. Called the people I got it from through Amazon and they tried to offer me a $100 Walmart Gift card. I told them I would contact Amazon and they hung up on me. Contacted Amazon and they got it straighten out and I am sending it back with full refund. This was a Drill with 2 5.  ah batteries and charger and Case for $226.

better option

https://www.cpomilwaukee.com/factory-reconditioned-milwaukee-2704-82-fuel-m18-18v-5-0-ah-cordless-lithium-ion-1-2-in--hammer-drill-driver-kit/milr2704-82,default,pd.html

[fishercat]

Another option if you do not need a ”drill” is a.  M18 FUEL™ Mud Mixer with 180° Handle.
Two things I like it has a chuck with a key and it has a 180 deg. adjustable handle.

[Banoe]

Rigid 18v with Clam Plate 6" auger.  Cuts ice like butter easily will do 30-40 holes on one 4.0ah battery.  Think you can get one on sale with a impact at Home Depot right now with bonus battery or tool.