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This has become one of my favorite tools. It is easy to use and can be applied to many jobs around the house or work place. My wife has taken to using this tool for her needs as well. Good addition to the tool box.
I first bought one of these for use at work. I wish DeWalt would make an 18 volt random orbit sander. I have a full spectrum of DeWalt 18 volt tools, so I can grab a full size battery if I need to; (3) the trigger is easy to get to, and I can use it with my normal grip.
The features I like most are: (1) the DeWalt float battery charge system that allows me to have a battery ready at any time, since my cordless tool use may be times of intense use separated by many days of no use. The 3/8 inch chuck has always been big enough for me. Then I bought one for use at home.
I don't have to grapple with the drill to get it turning; (4) The drill is surprisingly well balanced in my hand, though it doesn't look that way in the picture. My Makita cordless system won't let me do this, and when I need my Makita angle drill, I have to wait an hour for a battery, which may be dead, to charge up; (2) the DeWalt 18 volt batteries that this drill comes with are compact, not the regular XRP kind. Since I will usually use an angle drill in tight areas, I often need all the help I can get maneuvering into the space I have, and I rarely use an angle drill for long enough periods to fully drain a battery.
On the rare instances where I've needed a larger hole, I drill a pilot hole and ream to size with a turned shank bit. I'd buy one--or two--immediately.
They told me to order the 2-pack of XRP batteries separately, and I would be refunded for the amount of that purchase. This item DOES NOT come with XRP batteries - they are the old, standard batteries. HOWEVER, after speaking with a supervisor, the tech said they would make a special exception for me. What an incredible mess.UPDATE: April 16, 2009No refund has shown up on my credit card statement for the batteries.
He also said he would send over a confirming email within 10 minutes. I will now return the original batteries and wait to see what happens. I waited a week and called them again. The drill itself performs very well despite the battery confusion.I called Amazon Tech Support (in India) and was told they would investigate the situation and send me an email with a solution. The picture of this item shows 2 XRP batteries are included.
OK, but the original drill and battery combo was, in fact, sent free with Super Saver Shipping. Go figure.UPDATE: March 31, 2009I received the XRP batteries that I was told to order and was charged for them plus shipping. were not eligible for free shipping to Hawaii. The rep looked through the notes and said it had been determined that if I reordered the same item, it would still come with the standard batteries. Not only that, but I could keep the original batteries that came with the drill.
I'll believe the refund when it happens, but I did order the batteries and am waiting to see what happens.An interesting thing happened when I ordered the batteries: the item said free Super Saver Shipping; however, when I checked out it insisted that the cheapest shipping was going to be $26.95 (2nd Day Air to Hawaii). Buyers beware. I called Amazon again and spoke to someone who sounded like he was actually in the U.S. After explaining the situation to him, he said I should not have been charged for the new batteries and that he would credit that amount immediately.
Well, that was 5 days ago and there was no confirming email and no refund to my credit card.I called again (India, this time) and was told this time that there was no record of any refund being given; however, if I could return the original batteries that came with the drill, they would refund me the entire amount of the drill. Rather than arguing with the rep and confusing things even more, I said OK, and she sent me an RMA and mailing label. I also had to return two other items that were not what I ordered - clearly their mistake - and I have not received a refund for those either.
If you don't mind the old batteries (40% less power/time), then order this drill. I put a hold on all credit card payments I made to Amazon for these products until this gets straightened out. I gave the tech the exact item number of the batteries I was going to order, and he supposedly put it in the notes.
I emailed an inquiry regarding this and was told that things like Tools, Garden Supplies, etc. I don't have high hopes of anything happening, so I'm calling my credit card company to put a hold on those charges until this all gets settled. These are the first items I ever returned to Amazon.com, and I'm beginning to think their returns department is totally incompetent.
I have many Dewalt tools including several cordless drills and saws. Unfortunently I wasted about three weeks (both orders) and still never received the correct drill/battery kit. I spoke to a representitive from Amazon and another unit was sent that day which was to include the XRP batteries.
The right angle drill pictured shows the 18 volt XRP batteries. For some reason the item pictured and the item sent are different. Dewalt has always been a quality name and provides an excellent battery in the 18 Volt series.
When the second drill arrived I opened it to find the same thing, the wrong batteries. I ordered this item on two different occasions. The first time the order was sent with two of the lower quality DC9099 18-Volt batteries.
I will say that Amazon gave me a full refund for the purchase but as a business owner I planned on putting this unit in service immediately. It is a shame I was really looking forward to using this on a current kitchen cabinet installation project.
Haven't challenged it's power yet. Drives well in tight spaces. Great to get two batteries. My other 18V Dewalt drill has not disappionted me. The forward and reverse switch is very small and a pain to use for big hands.
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