Pls advise on cordless screwdrivers

p5x

I'm looking at getting a cordless screwdriver for no more than £40. Main thing i'm looking at is speed, weight and low charging time (<3 hours). I've found a few which look good for this price range but i'm not sure which to go for:

Black and Decker CD12CKA
Einhell BAS18A
18V Cordless Drill & Driver
18v Cordless Hammer Drill with 2 Batteries
Cordless Drill 18v
POWER DEVIL 18V
24v Cordless drill with hammer action and 2 batteries
Skil 2401

Obviously, if you can suggest a better one than those above, please do

bugly_2

you say cordless screwdriver not drill, if its just for screwdriving then the higher voltage will be heavier for sustained use but have power to do 3 inch screws without starter holes. be aware that all drivers will burn out it worked too hard, so decide what you are going to use it for then decide on weight and feel and sort from there. ps try screwfix.

weekendwarrior

Save your money, all the ones that you have posted links to are flase economy IMHO. Check this out- Bosch 12v

It is £30 more, but is delivered to your door with three batteries. This will still be going strong when the ones above are in powertool heaven!

Trust me on this, cheap cordless tools are a definate NO NO

alanobrien

Ignoring named brands for a minute i would go for the one with the highest torque capability as this will prove best as a screwdriver.

There is no point in having 3 batteries if it doesn't do the job well in the first place.

Beyond that i would look for a 1 hour recharge cycle.

For the price this one is worth a look
http://www.robertdyas.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=311&storeId=91&productId=18746&langId=-1&cache_entry=-1&parent_category_rn=&parents_parent_category_rn=&top_category_rn=&showSubCategory=&top=Y&fromPage=SearchResults

p5x

weekendwarrior wrote: »

Trust me on this, cheap cordless tools are a definate NO NO

You're probably right but I can't justify spending £70 odd on a cordless screwdriver

alanobrien wrote:

For the price this one is worth a look

What do other people make of that one? + it's slightly cheaper here

missile

I got a cheap 18v driver/drill from Wicks for £25. It works great, better than the 14v Bosch it replaced when the batteries would not hold a charge after only 2 years.

p5x

Any other suggestions anyone?

weekendwarrior

Use a normal screwdriver, it will last for ever!

The cheap makes of cordless tools are absolute rubbish and should not even be allowed to be sold. They have very poor batteries and chucks. My friend bought a 18v draper drill and after a week the drill bit started to wobble in the chuck because it was goosed, and it take ages to charge.

Many of the poorer makes of power tools have 3 year guarantee's but you will soon get fed up of changing the bloomin things, trust me on this!

There is a company out there that makes amost unfit for purpose tools and offers a lifetime guarantee. I bought a few tools to try them and they do not do the job they were intended for but I can always go and swap it for another unfit for purpose tool if it breaks.

I'd buy a decent set of screwdrivers like this- http://www.teng.co.uk/product-details.asp?prod_id=647

Or I would save up and buy a decent make ;-)

ritesh

p5x wrote: »

I'm looking at getting a cordless screwdriver for no more than £40. Main thing i'm looking at is speed, weight and low charging time (<3 hours). I've found a few which look good for this price range but i'm not sure which to go for:

Black and Decker CD12CKA
Einhell BAS18A
18V Cordless Drill & Driver
18v Cordless Hammer Drill with 2 Batteries
Cordless Drill 18v
POWER DEVIL 18V
24v Cordless drill with hammer action and 2 batteries
Skil 2401

Obviously, if you can suggest a better one than those above, please do

Hi pX5

I am pretty sure Which? did a survey on cordelss drills not too long ago. i will try and locate or if any one else remebers the best buys from there please post

ritesh

p5x wrote: »

I'm looking at getting a cordless screwdriver for no more than £40. Main thing i'm looking at is speed, weight and low charging time (<3 hours). I've found a few which look good for this price range but i'm not sure which to go for:

Black and Decker CD12CKA
Einhell BAS18A
18V Cordless Drill & Driver
18v Cordless Hammer Drill with 2 Batteries
Cordless Drill 18v
POWER DEVIL 18V
24v Cordless drill with hammer action and 2 batteries
Skil 2401

Obviously, if you can suggest a better one than those above, please do

Hi pX5

I am pretty sure Which? did a survey on cordelss drills not too long ago. I will try and locate or if any one else remembers the best buys from there please post

ban-all-sheds

1) Don't buy a drill/driver to use as a screwdriver - they are too big, heavy and cumbersome. Buy a good cordless drill, and a separate cordless screwdriver. My unequivocal recommendation for cordless tools (apart from a screwdriver) for DIYers would be the blue Bosch ones (not the green ones - this is very important). For a drill I'd suggest the GSB 18 VE-2 or GSR 18 VE-2.

2) A hugely important thing to look for with the screwdriver is how the forward/reverse selection works. Those which have a rocker switch that you press one way for forward and the other for reverse are a pain in the neck, as you want to be able to press the switch with your hand, either hand, and any finger or thumb, in whatever position is most comfortable, or where you can reach, and you don't want to have to worry about whether you're pressing the right side. Ones with a separate selector for F/R are much better.

Second in the list of useful features is the ability to lock the mechanism and use it as a manual screwdriver

Third is a hinge in the middle to improve usability in restricted spaces.

4th is a variable torque clutch. Essential on an 18/24/26V drill used for screwing, but less important on a 3.6V screwdriver.

Overall I am very happy with the Black & Decker KC9036/9039 - I'm on my second now, I had to eventually replace the first one after several years because the batteries no longer held a charge. Normally I would not recommend their tools, as I'm not impressed with the quality, but for a screwdriver they are just the ticket.