I had a 18V Dewalt XRP Nicad drill and it was getting a bit old. I had been using it less and less since I sold my house (thank you housing crash!) and move into a rental. Each time I took it out to do the mostly minor projects that I do now, it seemed to be just getting bigger and heavier each time. So I finally pulled the trigger and went with the Lithium battery style and opted for this one as it has a smaller body then my last Dewalt. I'm happy with the change. This one gets it done just was well and it is lighter and easier to hold!!! The clutch seems easier to change then my old one and it is nice to see that it still has a metal chuck! The little LED light comes in handy, even more so then I originally thought. When I first started to see these little lights show up on drills as I would look at drills as I would walk through the tools sections at the box stores, I just thought they were gimmicks added to the drills so it would look like something "new." But, as it turns out, it actually does serve a purpose. The other nice improvement is the lithium battery, if you have not charged it in a while and you pick up the drill, it is ready to go. It does not lose a charge when it sits idle like my old Dewalt Nicad did! Nice!!
I was lucky enough to pick up this gem while it was on Amazon's Deal of the Day... for an awesome $134 ($159 - $25 promotion for spending $100on Dewalt tools); That price is unheard of for an 18V hammer drill, complete w/ 2 batteries, charger and a carrying case. I didn't think twice when I saw the deal and I have no regrets on my purchase.
Now, on to the drill itself. The weight of this compact drill & battery weighs about the same, if not less, than my full size Dewalt DCD970 hammer drill WITH NO BATTERY! The compact size makes it great to get into tighter spaces without compromising the angle of approach.
Changing/selecting the gear for the 2-speed "transmission" is very easy/smooth. My DCD970 has a 3-speed transmission and the highest gear is noticeable faster, but, the gear switch to change speeds tend to catch and it takes a lot of play and force to try and change speeds. The DCD775's gear selector is a huge improvement, soooo much easier to select a different gear. And no, the DCD970's gear selector didn't get this bad over time, it behaved the same way when it was new.
The LED drill light is also an added plus to illuminate areas that aren't well lit. By no means is it a replacement for a normal flashlight/shoplight, but, it does come in handy.
The lithium batteries are awesome! No lag or drag, power to drill is kept at 100% until the battery is almost completely drained... unlike NiCad batteries that show signs of a weak battery by gradually losing power. Not the case with this battery, it goes full throttle until it has reached its complete usable band and then shuts off to protect the battery for being fully drained (bad for long term battery life).
30-min charger! Awesome!!! With my old cordless 18V B&D drill, if my battery dies, I have to wait hours on end (6hrs easily) for a full charge and even with that, it doesn't last more than 1-2 hours of steady use. The dewalt lithium batteries last easily twice as long and lives up to the claims of a 30-minute charge. I AM A BELIEVER!!!
Potential Improvements:
- It would have been great if the drill came with a bit holder
- Retaining clip for bit holder (front of drill by the battery) popped off every other time I took a bit out. I had to bend the locking flanges and use a screwdriver to push it all the way in to secure it. So far so good...
Overall, I love this drill and am super glad I bought this. I'm a fan of DeWalt, but if you aren't, but is in the market for a new cordless drill, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS DRILL, or, any reputable brand drill with a LITHIUM battery.
