Thread: Drill advice please

You've pretty much hit it dead on. I'd recommend Bosch 'Blue' as a first choice, then Bosch 'Green' as second - only because Makita corded drills always seemed a bit clunky ergonomically, their battery drills are near the top.

You could also give AEG & Metabo a look for their corded drills - very good quality but usually only stocked at 'trade' stores rather than the local hardware shop.

I have a recent 1000W Bosch green drill as my masonry drill, and a 25 year old 650W Bosch that refuses to die despite lots of abuse. Otherwise I use a 9.6v Festo and a pair of 14.4v Makita's for my general drills.

Hi,

if it has to be Makita, choose the 6300-4. A Landrover-type classic. No electronics, and with 650 Watts not the latest cry in power level, but it lasts and lasts.

If it has to be Bosch, choose the GBM 16/2 or -2E with electronics. The latest type has 1150 Watts, the model before that 1050 Watts. If it is beyond the budget, buy a decent one second-hand. It is a daily bread and butter machine in many German garages, metal products workshops, locomotive overhaul shops, shipyards and building sites. This is an absolute evergreen machine, even if it is blue.

A finer machine still is the Fein Ds648 (two speed) or the ASz648a (slow single speed 16 mm). I managed to buy a lightly used one on Ebay Germany for 160 Euros, four months ago.

greetings

gerhard

oh, my mistake, i overlooked "hammer setting" in your post.

Instead of the Bosch GBM 16/2, make that the GSB 90/2. And instead of the Fein DS648, make that the DSc648. The Makita 6300-4 has no hammer setting and has no direct equivalent with a percussion function. The HP2071 would be an option, although less sturdy. The Hitachi VTV-16 is also nice.

greetings

gerhard

Would recoment you stick with the european brands with good warranties.
Like:

AEG - 3years warranty, has some really good deals out there as they have change housing colours from blue to orange & you wiill pick up the blue range at a good price

Milwaukee- same as AEG with 3year warranty

Metabo- 3year warranty-sbe750 is a real workhorse

Protool- Sister company to Festool with 3year warranty also

You should be able to pick up good deals at the moment as alot of the brands have put out special to reduce inventory due to the economy

thanks for the tips
I will continue my search.
bottom line though is durability. It has to last.

cheers
michael.

I bought the bosch blue a couple of years ago and I am not a professional, but have put it through its paces on a couple of large reno projects, including quite a bit of hammer work! And this drill is awesome. Would recommend it to anyone, I love the variable speed of the trigger as well. Unfortunately I don't have the model number on me (its in the shed)

I have an AEG pro powered Jig saw that is a fine machine too, so would assume the AEG drill will be just as solid.

I have a cordless AEG drill that has served me well, quite heavy but very powerful.