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Superior goods as Makita usually are, plus quick delivery from the Vendor. The light has proven to be much handier than I would have anticipated. - Stagehand Jim
I'll review each component separately:Case:The case fits all components well. The NiMh batteries have been excellent and long lasting. I discovered that one day in a very dark attic. It lasts a long time on a full charge. (sorry, drill) It has NEVER let me down.
The only drawback to the fluorescent light is that it dies all at once instead of fading. It has never sprung open, cracked, or broken, despite years of dropping, stepping on, tripping over, and general abuse. Yes, it would be nice to have a directable beam, as with a flashlight, but after using this I actually prefer the fluorescent tube. I have enjoyed this drill so much that I found myself using it more often than not when I should have been using the impact driver. I have been using the drill and driver in this kit since 2005 and have considered them among my most reliable and useful tools.
The drill is very well-balanced and has a good feel; the forward/reverse slide button is very easy to actuate while holding the drill. My 18 volt-using friends have always been impressed and surprised at its capability and battery life. I have used this daily for years, dropping it from ladders, using as a hammer when I shouldn't have, used it with ridiculously large wood augurs, and overloaded it and abused it at every opportunity. It has a nice wire hanger that is very useful and I haven't managed to break the light cover, which is impressive.
Bummer. Not bad, though, after five years of continuous use and occasional abuse. I wish I could give this kit six stars. I have found it to be sturdy, quiet, powerful, and very well-made. In a word, impressive. The dual speed is a good feature and you will be surprised at the torque on the low setting. This is the tool to have when driving screws of any kind and is fantastic for decking projects and the like. This is a sweet drill and an excellent set if the manufacturing is comparable to that of five years ago when I bought this.
Mine had metal clasps- not sure if the new ones are the same or have gone to plastic.Light:The light throws off considerable illumination and has really come in handy. (My drill was made in China, by the way. Carry a spare battery if you have to crawl into some dark place.Impact driver:Just excellent. It drives surprisingly well for it's size and battery rating.Drill:Outstanding. Though worn-looking on the outside, the drill still performs reliably, every day, almost like new.Alas, after using the drill and driver for five years, the batteries are beginning to lose their charge. Usually this gives me pause, but everything in this set has been nothing but top-notch) I can recommend this product unequivocally.
I work as a remodeling contractor and have owned a number of cordless drills. The light is bright and lasts 1hr+. I've replaced the batteries once in the three years I've owned this kit. This kit is usually the first thing onto the job site and the last thing to leave. I have a larger corded drill for mixing thin set and joint compound, but wouldn't expect any cordless to be able to do that. The drill has enough power to drive 3-4 inch wood screws, install drywall, install decking, and drill holes up to 4". This one is by far my favorite. I use it anytime I need more task lighting and especially when working on electrical with the power out.
At the same time it's light enough to use with finesse or use overhead. I use the impact driver for installing lag bolts, quickly removing/replacing any hex head screws, and for putting in concrete board with ease. I've never had any mechanical issues with any of the tools. I would buy this drill again in a heartbeat.
I use it for overnight camping and reading often. This kit is just what I expected. The charger is fast and I haven't had any trouble with the batteries. I bought it for use at home and occasionally for woodworking and handyman jobs with friends. It has performed marvelously for the last few months, and I have come to really like the worklight. This set of tools is powerful enough that I'm not embarrassed when I show up to work on something. I'll certainly let you know if they go bad.
This drill/driver set is an excellent deal. The drill and impact driver are well made and work excellently, but the light failed after only 8 days for no reason. I just bought a house and use them both often, and used the light for almost everything since we were working mostly at night after work. That is, until is started flickering a few days ago and finally just shut off completely last night. Still, its a great deal even with the [now] useless light.Update: I happen to live 5 miles from the Makita headquarters and service center in La Mirada and they fixed my light for free in 3 days. I haven't used it as much since I got it back but it seems to be fully functional again.
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