Last Updated on January 20, 2021 by Marc Smith A Compact And Powerful Cordless Drill
The DS18DSAL is the first in Hitachi’s compact pro series of compact tools. At 7.7 inches in length and 3.5 pounds in weight it is easy to handle for long periods of time. This drill has been rated #1 best buy for general use drills and drivers by a leading consumer publication. With 460 inch/lbs. of torque this drill can take on any heavy duty drilling.
Hitachi’s pro series delivers excellent performance and quality in a compact tool. The DS18DSAL features a variable speed trigger that can be set from zero to 350rpm or zero to 1500rpm. It comes with a convenient belt hook and LED job light to illuminate your work area. This drill is powered by a long-lasting 1.5 ah lithium ion slide battery. The kit comes with a flashlight, battery charger, Phillips driver bit and carry case.
The company boasts that the battery has up to three times the number of charge cycles of traditional batteries, saving you loads of money on costly replacement units. This is definitely one of the best cordless drills for DIY and our favorite in this category. Below are all the necessary information about this drill.
Product features and specifications
- Weight: 3.5 pounds
- Length: 7.7 inches
- Torque: 460 in./lbs.
- Max Speed: 1500rpm
- Variable speed trigger
- ½ inch ratcheting chuck
- Quick charging Li-ion batteries
- 2 Batteries included
- Covered by Hitachi’s lifetime limited tool warranty
The Reviews
The Hitachi DS18DSAL has been rated #1 best buy in general use drills and the customer reviews reflect just that. On Amazon alone we found two hundred and nine customer reviews with an average of 4.4 stars out of a possible 5 stars. Very good!
Most customers like the compact and unique design and say that it fits comfortably in your hand. “ Very easy to use” seem to be a common phrase in the reviews. Customers agree that this is a powerful drill with good battery life.
One customer reported that he would not swap this drill for any of the nine other drills that he tried out in the same class as this out performs them all. “ It’s a powerhouse with more torque(460in./lbs) than any other drill in this category”
There have been the odd report of battery failure but this seem to be a small minority and will be covered by Hitachi’s battery warranty.
Verdict
The Hitachi DS18DSAL is one of the best drills in this category. This is our pick for best cordless drill for DIY. There are a number of reasons we chose this drill as best for DIY, price and quality are the two main reasons. The Hitachi received the highest accolades from numerous consumer driven publications.
Hitachi is a company that is known for producing high quality and durable power tools. Most of their tools are aimed at the average person on the street, being easy to use, light in weight and reliable. This drill packs a powerful punch and is backed by Hitachi’s excellent warranty. The DS18 is on our list of best cordless drills under $100. You can see the full list of cordless drill reviews on our main reviews page.
