DEWALT DC940KA 12-Volt XRP Drill/Driver

Update 8/22/08:

Still going strong with no noticeable drop in battery performance

12 volt cordless tools seem to have been supplanted in the market place by their 18v brothers. Occasionally you will find less is more.

Ergonomically designed, with an eye towards evolution and not revolution. My venerable 12v xrp drill/driver remains serviceable and on par with all current inovations. Dropped often and used almost everyday ... still never having needed professional service - clearly this is a testament to durability.

5-26-07 ASAP - visit your loacal Sam's - registered as a one time buy - the Dewalt 12v XRP drill/driver-
12v xrp batteries and carrying case - pre tax $108.00. Amazon's price is still cheap - and you may save the price of gas when you discover that the product is no longer in stock.

Whereas many other manufacturesr's drill/drivers have been redesigned to obsolesce previous battery...Read more

I have owned an earlier version of this for years, and while there seems to be a voltage arms race which has left this tool in the dust, it is a superb tool with more than adequate power. Only a professional who uses a drill all day long needs more voltage. With steel gears, it should last forever, but expect to replace the batteries every four years or so. That said, it should be noted that it is designed for continual use, and is far more tool than a typical homeowner needs. Someone who needs a drill for Saturday projects would be far better off getting a 12 or 14-volt Hitachi, which is lighter and fine for occasional use. I have one of these, also, and am very happy with it.

Bought so I could get replacement batteries...I already owned one Dewalt Drill for a 5 years when the battery finally finally stopped working...I looked for replacements at Lowe's and Home Depot in Austin Texas but none had the rechargable 12-V...they only had the 18-V. I looked online and saw that a replacement 12-V on amazon was about 60 bucks... so for a little more I got this one with two chargers and the drill. I still use my old Dewalt with the new batteries and have this one as a back-up. Highly recommend Dewalt Drills in general. :-)