Looking for a good drill to replace my awful Ni-Cad drill and came across this from ALDI. It's at least half the price of similar drills on Ebay. Cheap enough to give it a go. Can't wait for Saturday when it's on sale, hopefully there will still be a few left when I get there.
[MOD EDIT] Edited title to include start date.
As mentioned below, if you miss out, an alternative is an Ozito for $99 at Bunnings:
http://www.bunnings.com.au/products_product_18v-liion-ozito-…
2 batteries is very nice.
I dunno much about power tools but know that I need a drill, based on the known specs, would those in the know consider this a good buy?
Good for frequent users. But keep in mind that Li-ion batteries have a limited shelf life of a few years.
NiMH should last many more years for occasional users.
I want to add the reason why a battery drill is not good for infrequent users: All rechargeable batteries will slowly go flat over time, and so you will need to charge the battery before using the drill (up to 3 hours with this drill). Contrast this to a mains-powered drill: plug it in and it works, and no battery to replace every few years. (It will probably be more economical to buy a new drill set than to replace the batteries.)
For $79, you can buy a superior quality Bosch hammer drill from Bunnings, versus this unknown "Taurus" brand. (http://www.bunnings.com.au/products_product_bosch-drill-cord…) Bunnings also has a $35 Ozito and a $49 Ryobi hammer drill. Use the change to buy a long extension cord. (A hammer drill with masonary bits is needed to drill into masonary, concrete, bricks, etc.)
One big disadvantage of mains-powered drill is their lower torque (twisting power) and lack of control in low speed. They can screw screws, but not very well.
That is the number one reason why battery drills are bad for pleb use. When you need to use it for something once in a while it is guaranteed to be flat so you have to sit around and wait for it to charge. So frustrating and such a waste of time.
The specs:
Battery: 18V; 1,300 mAh
Charging time: approx. 3 hours
The battery is about half capacity of my panasonic.
and with a 3 hour charging time you could drive to bunnings and buy a mains drill and finish the job before it had charged.
fast chargers are just the way to go. If the battery is flat, it usually charged before you finished your coffee
That said "it is only $79"
it is guaranteed to be flat so you have to sit around and wait
Actually no, not with Li-ion generally. In fact if Li-ion cells ever did self-discharge too far, they would be ruined.
Manic is correct. One of the main reasons they are/have moved to Li-Ion is because they barely lose charge over time like NiCad etc do.
They have a limited shelf life ONLY if you constantly charge/drain them, as all batteries do.
Unless times have changed there is an in-herrent oxidization in lithium cells that tends to wipe about 20% of their capacity each year, even if they aren't heavily used…
However people are correct in saying they have a fairly low self-discharge rate, I have a Hitachi Li-ion and its batteries are still good a couple months down the track when I next go to use it…
This deal is about a cordless drill not the pros and cons of cordless over corded.
For what it is it's a good deal and with a three yr warranty would suit a basic handyman. Keep in mind though a warranty from Aldi would be a refund if it failed down the track which sounds good until your halfway through a job and it dies. You would need to return it and head over to bunnings and buy somthing different and it would most likely be an adhoc decision to get the job done ASAP.
Yes, this deal is about a cordless drill but the conversation is about the the pros and cons of cordless over corded. Meaning, a good or bad buy depending what what you want it for.
If you're only going to use this once or twice a year, it's not a good buy due to the battery which are usually never covered by warranty. In other words, we're discussing if this is a good deal for certain people or not.
That comment is BS. Nimh doesn't have the high discharge rate required fir power tools. So its nicd vs liion. In which case liion holds its charge infinitely longer cor occasional use.
Stumo,
thanks for the correction. NiCd is quite correct, it just slipped my mind. So used to having NiMH replace it in most other applications.
BTW, standard li-ion cells are no good either. You need special high-discharge ones.
Yes, proper liion cells are awesome. I have ryobi one+ tools, that used to only have nicd packs available. Even though I had 3 packs, they eventually got to the point where they wouldn't hold a charge for more than a day.
And you can't just keep them permanently charging, cause that really kills them.
Lucky for me ryobi released liion batteries for the one+ range, and the difference is night and day, it really is. And the only thing that's changed is liion vs nicd.
I've just converted my Makita drill from Ni-CD to Ni-MH - the Metal Hydride CERTAINLY does have the discharge rate that is needed.
The Ni-MH is SO SO SO much better, because the Ni-MH has much better total capacity in the same size pack. Plus there is not need to worry about flattening it before recharging.
The Makita drill that I have is not viable to convert to Lithium, as the cost of packs and charger will cost more than the drill is worth.
I'm intrigued llama - I've got a Ni-CD Makita also. What conversion options are available for the bargain savvy?
My 2 x NiCD batteries wouldn't jhold a charge, and they cannot be (easily) opened due to sonic welding of the case. So I bought a NiMH pack from this eBay Seller http://tinyurl.com/3jew73y
Back in March I paid $48 for a 2.1Ah - but he now has 3.0Ah for a similar price.
They charge with the standard charger (mine is a DC1414 charger) - Makita sells many drills with NiMH cells, and the charger auto-detects the Ni-MH cells in the replacement battery pack.
Ikea has a cheap Li-Ion screw-driver/drill. It's probably not as heavy duty as this, but might be enough for basic household stuff. I've never used one though.
http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/70203264/
I saw that before in Ikea, could you give some review ?
Totally different beast. It is a screwdriver that can drill a little, and the Aldi one is a drill that can screw.
But that plus a corded hammer drill might be an alternative.
And why is the ikea one only on the eastern states version of their website?
I have the Bosch one of that. It's tough as all hell, amazing torque and a really long lasting battery that you can fully run down without damaging. Handles light drilling quite nicely.
I was so happy with it I got my Dad one, he loves it too.
5yrs later and it's still going strong.
bought an aldi drill just over a year ago and it was crap… the drill head was not centered well and the drill bit would therefore move around… took it back for a refund same week…
best thing about this offer is the refund policy…
I also have the same drill in lighter 9.6v variant and it is amazing.. Do not compare these with crappy $29 drills from Aldi. Mine also has two batteries and they stay charged for very very long time which is extremly important 4 me…. My previous drill stayed charged for 30days max and being non frequent user it was useless for me being discharged every time I need it.. this one is much better…
I hope this is relevant…
Just in case anyone was wondering, the "149pc Drill Bit Set" they are also selling for $24.99 is quite good quality.
I bought it last time around and for general home renovating, I've been very happy with them. I've been slowly fixing up other parts of the house as well, at least something every weekend, not once have I regretted buying this or needed to add anything regarding bits.
The quality is good and there are a lot of different bits. A good buy for any home handy person IMO.
Could someone explain to me why a mains powered drill is so much weaker and slower than a cordless battery powered one?
I'd like a drill but only for maybe 5 or 6 times a year, so a mains powered one seems like the more logical option.
It is not. But welcome to the Home Renovation forum. Please describe your problem in more detail.
In general, a mains powered drill is MORE powerful than a battery drill, and will usually rotate a LOT faster too. Especially when you compare at the same price point.
However the battery drills have better torque at low speeds, due to the way that the DC motor and controllers work - and that makes them heaps better for screwing. For drilling, a mains drill (at a certain price) will usually be better overall.
Damn straight and very well written too, easier to understand.
Thanks, that makes sense.
BIG thanks to all above for your ideas and advice. For my occasional use I think I should perhaps stick to a corded one. I would have liked to use it for screwing too but understand they have control issues at low speeds. I'll give it a go though and see how I fair. Hopefully the bunnings gift cards arrive soon :)
Edit: one thing though, I noticed a common issue pointed out with these above were batteries not being ready when you needed them. With my rare use I should know in advance when I'll need them so can always recharge beforehand? Ccrap, just confusin maself!
The problem is with Li-ion batteries is you have to make sure there is always at least a small charge in them or they die. If you fully discharge a Li-ion a few times, chances are it won't ever hold a usable charge again.
Try and find a NiMH if you want to do that.
The Bosch IXO is a nice electric screwdriver/low speed drill IME. I made a comment about it earlier in this thread.
It has a Li-ion battery but it is specifically designed to drain so no risk there and has no battery memory either. Also it holds a charge for almost 12 months if not longer.
I've had one for the last 5/6 years if you want to ask any questions.
Thanks WH, yeah i read your comment above and was trying to work out which one you had as it certainly sounded good. How light would the drilling need to be though? Just soft materials like wood? Or would light metal/concrete work be ok too? Eg drill hole in concrete wall to attach fastener and hang large artwork - nothing full blown.
Edit: concrete question is probably a stupid one. Sorry.
Metal and tiles are the only materials I've come across so far that this thing can't drill.
Wood and plastics drill well. It's to slow for metal to be honest. If you can find a concrete bit with a hex bock like I did at Bunnings, you will be fine. It's slow going but that's how you drill concrete with something like this anyway. Concrete house walls will be no drama, bigger concrete jobs would be better with a proper power drill though.
"…concrete question is probably a stupid one…" Not at all, I put some wall lights up on a concrete wall at my Mum's place a year or so back. A power drill probably would have been slightly easier to use but the quality of work was just the same.
Yeah you think that. What actually happens is you go "hmmm… i have this little job to do, and my puny weak office boy hands can't cope with a manual screwdriver, so I'll go get my power drill and do it in 2 minutes flat". Then you go to the shed to get the power drill and then you realise battery is flat. So you plug it in the charge for 45 minutes, and grab a cold one from the fridge while you wait. 30 minutes later you're sitting on the sofa watching the football scratching your hairy arse, and your wife comes home and screams "what the hell are you doing sitting there drinking and watching football when that new door latch still isn't attached? i ask you to do one thing, and you're too lazy to do that!" and you reply feebly "but my drill… battery flat…" and end in a line of mumbling realizing there's no sex for the next couple of weeks. Then you wish you'd gone with the corded drill after all, because the reality is that you never remember to charge the drill before you use it.
…or is that just me?
(for the record I have a 12v Bosch green Ni-MH drill, and an 18v AEG Li-Ion hammer drill. The bosch is always flat when I go to use it, the AEG is always ready but too heavy for smaller jobs. I'm waiting until I can find a good excuse to hand off the Bosch to my dad, and get a 10.8v bosch GDR instead).
Simply brilliant sir! :)
For the record, I hate corded power tools and wouldn't buy a corded power drill (see the contradiction in my witty response above?!?). Cables are annoying, and with 2 batteries, it's unlikely they'll both be flat - when one goes flat, charge it, swap it with the other. I can't vouch for the quality of an Aldi drill never having used one… but based on my experience with the Bosch 12v which I got on clearance at bunnings for about $60… I would rather have spent the extra money and got a better one at the time and saved the frustration.
"…it's unlikely they'll both be flat…" so long as you use the drill frequently enough to always have one ready…
What if you only use it once or twice a year? Most power tool batteries don't hold charge for that long and what if you need more power or speed than a decently price cordless can provide? It's all very circumstantial how you pick your drill.
I'm not saying you're wrong, IMO you're not. It all depends on personal situation.
You should have got the 3.6V Bosch LI-ION and a good corded power drill with hammer option then.
The Bosch 12v Ni-MH cordless have always had shit batteries.
The 10.8v bosch GDR looks nice. Out of curiosity, what are you expecting it to hold up to versatility wise? After 5/6 years my 3.6V might need replacing soon, it's starting to develop quirks. I'm so happy with it I will probably just buy the same thing again but it never hurts to have a look around first.
Oops, type on my part. Should have been Bosch 10.8v GSR. Looking for it to do most of the smaller stuff around home (as much as I can throw at it), and anything it can't do, will go to the AEG. I know it's about twice the price of the 3.6V, but I figure I'll get more than double the use out of it.
The AEG has all the power I need (easily drills into solid brick walls around my home) and two batteries so when one runs dry, the other is ready. For my needs (and usage, as rightly pointed out) I find it way better than a corded drill. I borrowed a corded drill from a friend before I got the AEG. Sure it was powerful, but I hated having to drag an extension cord everywhere, and avoid tripping on it.
Lol, the typo didn't seem to matter, not to Google anyway.
Damn you, now I'm thinking about them both… I might have to go have a play in Bunnings or somewhere on the weekend and pick one.
Yeah, stepping on the extension cord I can understand. I think the difference is most of what I do with my power drill is pretty localised so dragging the cord around isn't that much of an issue for me.
Probably not a great drill for people who need to use it all the time but for me it seems just right. Thanks!
What's the deal with Aldi warranty? I've never purchased an Aldi product before.
This isn't half the price of similar models, I bought an 18v Li-Ion Ozito from Bunnings for $99. From memory the Ozito has a 3 year replacement warranty, this Aldi one is 3 years too but not sure if it's replacement or repair…. The Ozito is no Hitachi but I'm very happy with it for the price. As for the cordless vs corded debate I have a much more powerful corded model but the cordless is great when you're doing anything other than masonry work, so much easier and so light (lighter than my corded).
Just got mine including the accessories, nice deal and it looks good :)
Luckly an older gentlemen returned one unopened - I snapped it up before it hit the shelves. Otherwise all sold out at 10.30 am. A big plus is that both batteries came fully charged out of the box, ready to use. Sounds powerful and quite weighty which usually means larger magnets. Pleased with purchase especially with 3 years warranty.
I have the 9.6V, from a while ago, and I would Highly recommend if that was anything to go by, and I pretty much paid the same price anyways.