Hitachi DS18DVF3 18-Volt Ni-Cad 1/2-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit The truth is, this drill/driver is a kick to use. When we wrapped our hands around it, it just felt goooood. Hitachi’s hot new tool design makes this drill look like something out of a sci-fi flick, but it’s got down-to-earth power and torque that, quite frankly, surprised us.

Pop a bit into the 1/2-inch keyless chuck and admire the two speed ranges of 0-400 in low and 0-1,200 in high, and even tough jobs are no match for its whopping 400 inch-pounds of torque and 22-position clutch. For all that power, it’s pleasantly light, and if we had a couple hours of overhead work to do, we’d be happy to be using this. We’re even impressed with the flashlight - it’s plenty bright and stands solidly on its own. Batteries (not one, but two) charge up quick in the charger, and everything fits neatly into the carrying case. This is a nice combination set for the homeowner, do-it-yourselfer and the construction professional. –Kris Jensen-Van Heste

What’s in the Box
Drill/driver, flashlight, two batteries, quick charger, carrying case and bit set

Customer Review: Excellent drill, especially for the price.
I bought this drill based on the ergonomics. I picked up and held every drill at the store and this one has perfect ergonomics. The handle is very comfortable and it appears to be perfectly balanced, the weight is perfect, feels light but well made. This drill is the most comfortable to hold by far of any drill I have seen or tested and I looked at every brand in several stores.

The drill has a lot of torque and the clutch is great. I use it as a cordless screwdriver most of the time and a drill on occasion. Most chuck less drills have a hard time holding the bits, but you can use the DeWalt drill bits that have a hexagonal base and it solves the problem completely.

The batteries last a long time and charge in about 30 minutes. It comes with two so you can charge one while using the other. They won’t charge until they cool down however (the charger will not charge a hot battery).

If you need a longer run time, you can get NiMH or Li-Ion batteries in anywhere from 1.5Ah to 3.0Ah that fit this drill. If you go with either of those however, you will need a new charger since the supplied charger is only for Ni-Cad batteries. The UC18YRL is a universal charger that can charge all 3 types of batteries.

You can also buy the DS18DFL package which appears to be the same drill with Li-Ion batteries but without a flashlight. For some reason the Li-Ion drill is rated about 6% less torque of 374in/lbs vs this one is 400 in/lbs, although I doubt anyone could tell the difference.

The flashlight is bright and lasts a long time, I use it all the time. The light comes with a spare lamp inside if you unscrew the cover. I had a hard time finding replacement lamps for the light for a while, but then found out the Makita ML180 lamps work perfectly as a replacement so I just pick those up at a local Makita dealer.

I have dropped both the flashlight and the drill onto a concrete floor about several times and both survived without damage except killing the flashlight bulb if the light was on.

I bought two kits I use in two locations and this set has been great in every way. The batteries are getting old so I’ll replace them with NiMH or Li-Ion and get the universal charger.

All rechargeable batteries self discharge so if you charge it and store it, it will be dead when you need it. If you use it only occasionally, it is best to store the batteries with a low charge or near empty, not fully charged to extend their lifetime.

When you replace them, you can recycle them at most hardware stores or any Radioshack will accept them. Don’t throw them out, the Cadmium is toxic and like all rechargeable batteries, they should be disposed of properly.
Customer Review: Green Dragon Drill
I purchased new for $75 plus a free battery totaling 3 batts. I am glad I got the third one since the 1.4 amp batts do not last long. Hitachi makes higher amperage batts, and I would suggest purchasing them for those who use the unit extensively. The drill is well balanced and well made with plenty of power.