DEWALT 12V MAX 3/8 Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit with Battery and Charger Included (DCD710S2)

This drill is a darn nice tool for its intended purpose which is well beyond occasional homeowner use. While I'm not a contractor, I operate a farm and greenhouse operation and have use for an extensive line of tools including 36v, 18v, and now 12v max Dewalt cordless. Each has its place, but I found I seldom used my two 36v drills nor my 18v drills with their truly wonderful lithium nano-phosphate batteries. Sure, for heavy portable drilling, sawing, grinding, and fastener-driving I reach for the 36v or the 18v. The higher voltage drills, though, are quite large and cumbersome compared to this new 12v max. This little guy is CONVENIENT, very confortable, and very well thought out. It has rubber bumpers to protect fine finishes should you set it down on a table for instance; the belt clip is enormously handy, the handle is properly sized for the human hand, the chuck tightens easily and firm. The battery life and torque output of these tools is impressive given their size. I think Dewalt, a little late into this competition for quality compact tools, has hit a home-run with this line-up. BTW - My favorite tool of all time is the 18v DC827 (same driver as DC826 and DC825) 1/4" hex impact with DC9180 batteries. Playing around with the new DCF815 (12v max impact driver) and this little DCD710 drill has me convinced that these new little guys will be the most reached-for cordless tools in my lineup. Amazon's prices are really terrific on these Dewalt tools at the moment, but I'd strongly recommend going to a brick and morter store to try these and other offerings by Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee etc. if you're new to the game. If you're primarily driving fasteners, think hard about an impact driver instead or in addition; they're pretty good for drilling too but vastly superior to a drill for all but finish driving. For odd jobs around the house with a single cordless tool I'd probably reach for the DCF610 screwdriver instead of either the drill/driver or impact. It's light, comfortable, one-hand bit change, terrific illumination, easy to control so it won't damage delicate screws, and it drills nicely too if you have some hex drill bits. Same thoughtful rubber bumpers and belt clip as the other tools in the lineup.

I've had this drill for 4.5 years (bought Jan 2012). It's a great light-duty drill/driver. I use it for basic home repair use... occasionally on the job for drilling holes and running cable. It'll handle a 1" spade bit as long as you're not going more than 2-3" deep. Plenty of power for even 4" screws into 4x4's when fixing a fence. Battery life is excellent for their size and they charge quickly. Usually about 20 minutes. I bought a 3rd battery for jobs when I'm away from the charger for a long time. Dewalt also has a larger 12v battery compatible with these if you need more run time. The included belt clip is handy. The bag also has room for a Dewalt drill bit case which I carry with me. After 4.5 years of light-medium use, it still runs as good as new, and the battery packs are all still great. Low self-discharge rate, too. I can shelf mine for 6 months and the batteries are still ready to go. For jobs around the house, this is perfect.I plan to purchase the 20v drill as well for heavier jobs. It's larger and heavier, though, which is where this little 12v comes in handy. It's light and well balanced, easy to use and not fatiguing, so it still has a use even with the 20v drill in my box.

This drill has many great features,1. my favorite one is that I can put it away for a month or more and when I get it out it has plenty of charge remaining in it to get right to work.2. I've had this model and its sister impact driver for four years now and it is still going strong.3. The drill is light and compact, but has plenty of power. I've punched thousands of quarter-inch holes in 1/8th and thicker inch aluminum stock with it.4. I get 2 hours of steady use out of a charge, The battery recharges in about an hour, so with two batteries you can work pretty close to non-stop.5. So far I have absolutely no battery problems, there are no memory issues (as you would expect with lithium-ion) and I haven't noticed fall-off in performance so far.I am not a professional, this is strictly seasonal weekend work, but that includes many very long days of steady use. This is my go-to gift now for family members.

This drill is the perfect size for assembling equipment, twisting wires, small holes, etc., The battery has a long life and the drill has a lot of torque and is very light to handle.I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars because a drill this size should have a chuck that closes to 0". I think the smallest bit that will chuck is a 1/16".

A couple of months ago my boss bought one of these Dewalt 12-volt drills for our shop. About 2 weeks ago I had a really big job to do installing dispensers in the new Army Reserve building at our base. With about 100 dispensers to install, I needed a drill that could do a heck of a lot of work involving both drilling holes, and putting in screws. Not only did this drill work flawlessly, it made the job far easier than would have been the case with my old Craftsman 14.4 volt cordless. Through all of those installations my battery never seemed to run out of juice. That definitely wouldn't have been the case with my old drill. As small, ergonomic, and light as this drill is, it also didn't tire my arm holding it for hours on end. I liked the drill so much that A few days ago I bought one for myself. That is the final word on what I think of this product. Had I any reservations about the quality of the drill I'd not have bought one for my own use. For the average homeowner this product will do what you need around the house with more than enough power, and with good enough battery life that you won't be swapping out the battery every hour or two. Get one for yourself; you won't be disappointed.