Recommendation for a Good Drill for Home Projects

Just wondering if anyone has recommendation for a solid home drill. Ideally ozito as have few changers and spare battery from other products already. However, open to switching brand as I've never had a great drill.

I was thinking this one:

https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-pxc-18v-hammer-drill-skin-…

(I expected it to be more expensive)

Just curious which ones do professionals handyman or tradue use?

All the drills I've had in past struggle to drill holes in masonry or bricks even with heavy duty drill bits.

Comments

  • +2

    If you have to drill hard stuff then corded is perhaps still the cheapest to get the job done.
    Else youtube is your friend.

  • +4

    Pay extra for the brushless version.

    When drilling into masonry you need the hammer function and decent quality masonry drill bits.

    • +1

      treated myself to a new 10mm bit yesterday when I bought some more masonry bolts, only drilling 50mm deep but was very quick for 6 holes (240V hammer drill)
      .

      • +1

        I've treated myself to a new bar and chain for my chainsaw this season. I'm actually excited to use it in about an hours time. Simple pleasures.

        • +1

          On the pesky teenagers from the city who are stopping by in the quiet country town?

  • Most standard drills won’t do a great job of drilling into masonry or stone - tradies almost always have a separate drill for those tasks. They’re called a “Rotary hammer drill”

    Don’t get me wrong, std drills can do the job - but even good ones take their time.

    • I was making some 8, 6mm holes in a old building, the bricks were hard as stone the hammer function really struggled and almost depleted a fully charged 4AH battery. I was prepared and had to be patient but still got caught off guard how much slower compared to a rotary hammer. Too cheap to buy a full set of sds drill bits.

  • -1

    professionals use makita, dewalt, milwaukee, festool, etc…

    i started with ozito and now use makita, its the best. what you have to look at is the range of stuff they have so you stick to one battery platform eco system. i use to have like 1 of every brand and it was so annoying waiting to charge a bunch of different batteries and waiting because i only have 1 battery in that brand. having one eco system is you have 1 brand battery that works with all your tools. i love makita because they have great tools and lifestyle stuff too. i don't use my drills and saws as much, but i use the makita radio, fans, lights, kettle, cooler, heated jacket, vacuum, inflator, etc… all the time. when a battery dies i just switch it with another battery that is ready to go and put the dead one on the charger and its ready to use for the next time.

    its going to cost more then a cheapo ozito, but in the long run its awesome.

  • You'll need a couple drills

    1. Brushless Rotary Hammer Drill (for masonry) https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/624658
    2. Brushless Hammer Drill (for general) https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/749224
  • I have 2 drills. A makita cordless for most stuff. And a corded XU-9 (? The cheapo bunnings brand ~$20) for heavy duty stuff.

  • Even my milwaukee struggles in bricks/concrete etc
    For that stuff you really want a small sds drill

    Makita, Milwaukee, Dewalt etc all good options

    Ozito will do most stuff but be slower when drilling into say harder things like steel

  • +4

    If you are going to get the Ozito drill, at least spend a few $$’s more and get the “brushless” version. Much better drill with way more power for doing home jobs.

    Ignore all the “Ozito are shit, get a Milwaukee/Bosch/DeWalt/Makita instead…” because that is just elitist circle jerking. I use Ozito tools at work and I am still yet to kill one, much to the ire of all the elitist Milwaukee w@nk fest that goes on there.

    Now, if you are putting up whole 6x12m double garages and you are doing that a few days a week, sure, get the expensive stuff, but if you are only plugging the odd hole into a wall, just get the best of the Ozito range.

    • For the money yeah ozito is great, tempted to pick up some of the current specials for home (especially the chainsaw) even though I’m drowning in Ryobi 18v gear

      • +1

        Having used my father's and neigbour's Ozito tools, you can't beat the extra power and relaibility of Ryobi cordless. The Ozito chainsaw is okay for lighweight work.

    • +1

      As an owner of DeWalt products I resemble that remark!

      But yeah agreed. I have said drill and it’s way more than I ever need for stuff around the house. Brushless ozito will be more than enough for you. What I would say though is to get good drill bits (or more exactly get good quality versions of the bits that you use regularly eg Phillips head No 2, hex bit size 5)

      • +1

        I am in the Ozito eco-system.

        My advice is to look at what you are wanting to do, and that will help with your selection of drill type.

        For example, I helped build a timber deck, 3.5m x 10m.
        I used an Ozito brushless drill driver to drill holes for mounting hangers and to pilot the holes for deck screws, using a deck specific drill bit that countersunk as well.
        I used the Ozito brushless impact driver for the 1000 deck screws we had to screw in.
        Neither of the drills are of any use drilling into masonry. For that I have an old corded hammer drill, still going strong after many years, only used occasionally, so haven't updated.
        In any case, as others have already said, brushless beats brushed hands down.

    • +1

      Thanks a lot. This is really helpfull.
      Looks like this is the winner: https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-pxc-18v-13mm-cordless-brus…
      I'll wait for then they have next sale. Looks like you can get them for around $100 when on sale

  • For masonry get a rotary hammer drill. I bought this corded Ozito for $100 and it’s awesome. Drills through concrete and brick like butter.

    https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-1500w-5j-rotary-hammer-dri…

    Looks like Ozito have just released a cordless PXC version. I haven’t used it but I’ve found Ozito PXC stuff fine for home use.

    https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-pxc-18v-1-8j-rotary-hammer…

    • https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-pxc-18v-cordless-brushless…

      That's the one you want - I've had it for about 3 years now. It's been smashed. Probably upwards of 100 holes into concrete using the SDS masonry bits and used the chisels for knocking out concrete and rock, and chiselling around drain pipes etc.. Also used it for for digging tight places in clay soils under foundations - still going!! Such a beast.

      Oh, I should have added, I got it for half price at that time through OzBargain - $99 - https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/624658

  • If you don't do big projects consider Bosch GDX 18V-200C Professional, brushless with both 1/4" internal hex and 1/2" square drive. Add a hex shank drill chuck and you have three tools in one. For masonry, get a cheap corded hammer drill.

  • +1

    Even my Milwaukee M18 Fuel hammer drill struggles with drilling into brick using good quality masonry bits. I purchased the Ozito corded Rotary drill and it goes through brick like butter. Holes that would take 5 minutes with my Milwaukee drill, take only 5 seconds with the Ozito rotary.

  • +2

    All the drills I've had in past struggle to drill holes in masonry or bricks even with heavy duty drill bits.

    As others have said, get the right drill for bricks/cermet. You'll never look back.

    The 'hammer' drill setting on your normal drill is useless.

    I got a rotary hammer drill that takes SDS bits and oh my god, its amazing for brickwork. Should have done it a decade ago.

  • +3

    Yeah, same as half the people here are saying- a proper rotary hammer drill with SDS bits.

    The hammer function on a 'normal' drill + masonary bits is a total joke. A good 2 handed rotary hammer drill will go through concrete or bricks like a blowtorch through butter. It's so easy it's scary.

  • Nothing less than Ryobi.
    However, the Ozito CORDED Rotary hammer is good for masonary jobs.

  • Solid plus ozito havent really gone togetehr in the past. Buy a brushless one and see how it goes. If its not up to scratch for masonry get a corded one.

  • One thing I've heard for any DIY non-professional tools is to just buy the cheap version. If you hardly use it, you've saved money. If you use it a lot and it breaks, you know to replace it with a better tool - one that costs more.

    Of course, if you know you are going to use it a lot from the get-go, get something better quality.

    I have Makita brushless stuff. But then, I also bought a driver, thinking I would use it. It is still in it's box. I should probably sell it.

  • I've got both brushless and basic ozito drills - the brushless is significantly stronger / more consistent in use.
    Even more so with a 4AH battery, they both work better with big battery fully charged than the 2AH battery fully charged.

    I've got the basic ozito hammer drill, used for a couple of jobs drilling into brick. Even with good bits (including some SDS ones via a SDS to hex adaptor) it was slow work, a corded, ideally rotary, hammer drill will likely always be needed if you want to do a fair bit of brick / concrete drilling but for a couple of holes this got me by.

    For everything else around the house I've been very happy with the brushless ozito. FWIW it's also Very helpful to have a couple of drivers, I very regularly have two drills and a impact driver on the go - drill bit in the brushless, countersink in the basic drill, screwdriver bit in the impact driver. Lets you get through a larger assembly job with less tool changes!

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