Cheap drills - better to go secondhand or new? Any specific recommendations?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Cheap drills - better to go secondhand or new? Any specific recommendations?

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#2900122 12-Apr-2022 08:22

insane: AEG a.k.a Ridgid in the US is made by the same parent company to Milwaukee, just a notch down. My good friend who runs a construction company swears by them, his crews use them and he has a set himself.

If the budget allows that could be a good option for both now and later, and perhaps you could 'borrow' them from time-to-time.

Personally I've gone all in on DeWalt, got my first heavy duty hammer drill and impact driver set from i-tools.co.nz 5 years ago and expanded to saw(s), router, nailer(s), garden tools etc etc over the years. When I need the next thing I just find the cheapest price online in NZ, and head over to Mitre10. They beat the price by 15% which is rather crazy, but suits me!

The tools are for an 11 year old. DeWalt stuff is way overboard and they could get the full range of diy tools for the price of a single dewalt (might be slight exaggeration but not far off), plus the dewalt stuff has way to much power for an 11 year old.

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MikeAqua

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#2900178 12-Apr-2022 08:59

insane:

Yeah I've seen the tool brand's map/visual, it's quite similar to the food industry - not many players. You'd think by now they'd at least figure out how to natively support backwards battery compatibility between Ryobi & AEG & Milwaukee and B&D & Stanley & DeWalt to allow the OPs use case for a user starting out to upgrade skins and even sub-brands when the time comes without being tempted to switch to another camp.
Seems like a huge missed opportunity IMO. I know some third party battery adapters exist, and they are trying to prevent forward compatibility to protect brand value, but backwards seems low risk.

I noticed that the Stanley tools seem to use the same batteries as the B&D range. They fit each other. The batteries have four contacts but the skins have three (one in a different places on Stanley vs B&D). Annoying as there is/was a brad-nailer in the Stanley range but not B&D, and if I'm going to change brands it won't be for another cheapy.

Mike

jonathan18

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#2900180 12-Apr-2022 09:08

Thanks all for the really useful posts and information - for the specific context of a drill for my son, I think something from the Ozito range is the way to go. I also think he'd love getting an additional skin each birthday and Xmas as well, building up a decent set of tools. (Also means I can use them if needed!)

Someone mentioned above that Ozito products are sometimes on special, which is something I wasn't aware of - I had assumed it would be the same story as other brands exclusive to Bunnings (eg Ryobi), so will keep an eye out for discounts - may be able to get him an additional tool or two.

Totally happy for the thread to expand more widely to cover general recommendations, as these can be gold for others looking at a later date for equipment; I know I go digging for such threads when on the hunt for guidance and direction.

MikeAqua

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#2900187 12-Apr-2022 09:28

It's worth keeping an eye on the specials tables. From time to time they have power tool batteries/chargers/skins on special. I make a weekly trip to M10 and Bunnings just to check for bargains. I may have a problem.

Mike

johno1234

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#2900189 12-Apr-2022 09:31

neb:
johno1234:

These look great value for a kid: https://www.topmaq.co.nz/nordic

They look like they might even be PXC compatible.

They're actually more expensive than the PXC's when they're on special. Look out for the black-sided PXC batteries which are made to compete with Aldi batteries in Australia and cost about half the standard price when they're on sale, the internals are identical.

Not sure how often they are on special - none seem to be at the moment. Comparing online today, Nordic / Ozito

Brushless hammer drill $90 / $119 [edit: correction]

Brushless impact driver $91 / $129

4Ah battery $66 / $99

Fast charger $46 / $41

No idea if the specs are that different or not though.

johno1234

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#2900190 12-Apr-2022 09:34

MikeAqua:

It's worth keeping an eye on the specials tables. From time to time they have power tool batteries/chargers/skins on special. I make a weekly trip to M10 and Bunnings just to check for bargains. I may have a problem.

Given the shortage of almost everything that is imported, I'm not expecting to see a lot of stuff on sale.

richms

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#2900196 12-Apr-2022 09:44

MikeAqua:

It's worth keeping an eye on the specials tables. From time to time they have power tool batteries/chargers/skins on special. I make a weekly trip to M10 and Bunnings just to check for bargains. I may have a problem.

Yeah, it should be daily.

Richard rich.ms

JimmyH

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#2900198 12-Apr-2022 09:47

For what it's worth, I'm a bumbling amateur rather than a tradie. I have an Ozito 18v line trimmer and 18v impact driver, both of which I love. They work well, do the job they were purchased for, and I would recommend them.

However, I also have the 18v Ozito drill, and I'm less thrilled with it. It's slow and underpowered, and actually underperforms the older NiCad drill that I got it to replace. It's not terrible, it's just not great either. I wouldn't buy it for me again. However, I would buy it for my lad when they are old enough and if they wanted a proper drill - it's robust, affordable, and the things that annoy me are probably actually positives if they are 11 - as the lack of power probably means they are less likely to hurt themselves.

JimmyH

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#2900204 12-Apr-2022 09:51

neb: They're actually more expensive than the PXC's when they're on special. Look out for the black-sided PXC batteries which are made to compete with Aldi batteries in Australia and cost about half the standard price when they're on sale, the internals are identical.

I haven't seen these in NZ, and wouldn't mind another couple of PXC batteries. Are they stocked at Bunnings too, or do you get them from somewhere else?

Hammerer

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#2900213 12-Apr-2022 10:04

jonathan18:

Someone mentioned above that Ozito products are sometimes on special, which is something I wasn't aware of - I had assumed it would be the same story as other brands exclusive to Bunnings (eg Ryobi), so will keep an eye out for discounts - may be able to get him an additional tool or two.

Totally happy for the thread to expand more widely to cover general recommendations, as these can be gold for others looking at a later date for equipment; I know I go digging for such threads when on the hunt for guidance and direction.

When I mentioned specials, Bunnings don’t have the sort of deep cuts I look for in the prices of their exclusive brands. When I did the Ozito to Ryobi comparison, there were a few dollars off on both their batteries but given that the Ozito batteries were already cheaper they effectively were getting about double the discount %.

I stuck with Ryobi 18V for one main reason. It is easy to find others who have them so I could just have bought batteries and chargers and borrowed skins for everything else. I found out that my son has bought a good set of the tools that I don’t have - nailers, reciprocating saw and other building tools. He bought into the same range because he had borrowed mine. So I save in not having to buy more skins.

I was hoping to get the sort of discounts (up to 50% at least once a year) that Ryobi sell for at Home Depot in the USA which is another reason they are so popular over there. This is particularly important for the batteries which are worth having more of with some smaller and lighter and a couple of larger ones for heavy loads. That improves performance and increases their expected life. Life is reduced if you run them flat, let them get too hot, or fast charge them all the time. I can slow recharge because I have 6 or 7.

But if I were buying now, I would probably buy Makita 18V by using @insane’s strategy and relying on borrowing the most expensive skins when I needed them e.g. I have a tradie son-in-law who uses them.

insane:

… When I need the next thing I just find the cheapest price online in NZ, and head over to Mitre10. They beat the price by 15% which is rather crazy, but suits me!

Best skin for me has been the $149 Ryobi air compressor for blowing up air beds and auto tyres - it stops once the desired pressure is met, typically within 30 seconds. My wife uses it too. In the USA a similar model is USD60 which has dropped to USD30 on sale:

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/ryobi-one-18v-cordless-air-inflator-deflator-skin-only_p0278573
versus
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-ONE-18V-Dual-Function-Inflator-Deflator-Tool-Only-P747/308746324

MikeAqua

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#2900225 12-Apr-2022 10:19

richms:

MikeAqua:

It's worth keeping an eye on the specials tables. From time to time they have power tool batteries/chargers/skins on special. I make a weekly trip to M10 and Bunnings just to check for bargains. I may have a problem.

Yeah, it should be daily.

Problem is, they are closed when I leave for work and when I get back. Highly inconsiderate.

Mike

Hammerer

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#2900239 12-Apr-2022 10:50

JimmyH:

However, I also have the 18v Ozito drill, and I'm less thrilled with it. It's slow and underpowered, and actually underperforms the older NiCad drill that I got it to replace. It's not terrible, it's just not great either.

The best deal would be the brushless drill kit which has a the advantage of a 4.0Ah battery and smaller size without extra weight … if only they stocked it in NZ. Another issue with buying an exclusive product: if they don’t stock it then nobody else can.

AUD149 so would probably be about NZD180

https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-pxc-18v-brushless-drill-and-impact-driver-kit_p0290055

tchart

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#2900311 12-Apr-2022 11:35

SirHumphreyAppleby:

cshwone:

I would recommend going with the Ozito

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/ozito-pxc-18v-compact-drill-and-impact-driver-kit_p0195859

Solid performance and great value.

The driver is great (I have two), but the drill in this kit is rather disappointing. It gets the job done, but its top speed is rather slow.

I don't use the drill much, but if I had a need for one I'd opt for one of the more expensive drills in the Ozito range.

Agree. The driver is indespensible. I do a fair amount of DIY and my Ozitos havnt let me down. If you can stretch it, they have a combo of the drill and driver. Thats good value. Had my drill over 5 years now and still going strong.

tchart

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#2900313 12-Apr-2022 11:37

JimmyH:

neb: They're actually more expensive than the PXC's when they're on special. Look out for the black-sided PXC batteries which are made to compete with Aldi batteries in Australia and cost about half the standard price when they're on sale, the internals are identical.

I haven't seen these in NZ, and wouldn't mind another couple of PXC batteries. Are they stocked at Bunnings too, or do you get them from somewhere else?

They occasionally get them in. I have 3 or 4 of them. If I see them I buy them straight away.

tchart

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#2900315 12-Apr-2022 11:38

MikeAqua:

Problem is, they are closed when I leave for work and when I get back. Highly inconsiderate.

Most Bunnings stores are now open from 6:30am to 9pm nowadays.

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