Delta CL144 14.4 Volt Drill Driver

When I bought this drill (I actually bought 2), the only review at the time was for 1 star. I took my chance and hoped for more.

Having had a DeWalt 12V for 10 years, it was time to replace it. I do a fair amount of finish carpentry, and needed two drills to drill holes and then drive screws (usually 3/4 hardwood). Some occasional harder drilling through 2x's might also be needed, as well as things around the house.

After charging the batteries, my first project was to run some romex through a joist, something my 12v DeWalt has done many times, requiring a 3/4" hole to be drilled. The Delta stalled the motor and I immediately could smell smoke. I thought I might have fried the motor, but it did not. The windings did heat up as I could smell the varnish on the them. I've stalled my DeWalt many times, never smelling anything amiss. I guess there is no thermal protection on the Delta like my DeWalt other more expensive drills. No more tough projects for...Read more

Suprising because of the Delta name. This drill is just plain awful. Like others have stated, the chuck doesn't hold bits firmly, the battery depletes rapidly needing constant recharging, and it just has no torque. Drilling in soft pine bits bog down, spin in the chuck and stop.

I have two good quality corded drills but I really had a need for a cordless, but no interest in spending the $$ for a really good one. I needed something that would do the job for not a lot of money, and this Delta fit the bill.

I compared this against a 18v Chinese generic "MIT" for half the price, and this Delta is better in every way, from the quality of the motor to the power to the battery. You can pay 3x more for Delta's non-entry level model, or 4x+ for DeWalt, but this is perfect for my needs, and can't be beat for the price.