Thread: Festool T12, T15 or T18?

I myself use cordless for everything

I have an extensive range of Makita, Hilti and Paslode... Pretty much the only time i bring leads onto a job site is to plug my chargers in at a handy location. Radio is cordless as well. Also when it comes to hammer drills just get an SDS and dont look back...

To answer the original question:

I looked at the C12 as well as the T12, T15 and T18 in some depth and tried each out before settling on the T15.

The C12 is a really good tool and it was this drill that attracted me to Festool drills in the first instance. I loved how it felt in the hand; how balanced and comfortable it was to use. However, there were a few situations where I thought the front bar in the handle would get in the way. I was really disappointed by this as I really admired the look and feel of the C12 and ummed and ahhed for a couple of weeks but eventually discounted it.

Then it came down to the "T" series. The T12 and T15 are pretty similar in feel but the T18 is noticably heavier. I drove a series of fasteners with all three and had a bit of a play with the fittings on each. I decided that the T15 was the better option for me as it was lighter and more comfortable in the hand than the T18 and I struggled to separate the T18 and T15 on performance. The T12 was a really good tool but given I wanted a versatile driver/drill and I could feel the difference in performance between the two I went with the T15.

To follow up on some of the comments on the Festool product.

There is no doubt in my mind that Festool is a superior product. I've used and continue to use both the Makita and Metabo products extensively and neither of these comes close to the Festool in terms of precision, comfort or quality. You do pay significantly more for the Festool, yes, but I really enjoy using some tools and on of those is my Festool drill. It's not something I can easily quantify.

Hammer functions in my mind are best suited to a rotary. I understand how the engineering works and I have a Rotary hammer that I get out for those situations. I'd not want a multifunction cordless hammer drill again after the last one I had, which was a top of the range model. It was needlessly heavy and when it broke down and I had it taken apart it was clear the compromises of engineering a hammer function into the tool had shortened its life.

If I were doing general handyman or chippy type work on sites I might have made a different decision. However, for my situation where 95% of the use is confined to my workshop and home the T15 is fantastic and I've not regretted the additional cost.