Hitachi DS14DMR 14.4-Volt Ni-Cad 1/2-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit

I've been looking around for some time to replace my 18v DeWalt XRP with something that would be more comfortable to use with plenty of power to handle multiple jobs. I come from a family of builders and everyone has their preference. In my opinion, brands aside, the 3 tools to look at are: Hitachi DS14DMR (14.4v w/2.0 Ah Ni-Cd battery), Panasonic EY6432NQKW (15.6v w/3.0 Ah Ni-Mh battery), and Bosch Brute 33614-2G (14.4v w/2.0 Ah Ni-Cd battery).

All drills are excellent. Panasonic has the mojo on battery life, Bosch on torque, and Hitachi on overall comfort. The Hitachi works well, holds bits well, and comes with a well-designed belt clip with integrated light, and good bit storage on the base. The power is there if and when you need it and the battery wear is okay. If you're like me and want something that'll be comfortable to use, the Hitachi is a good bet. If you're like me and want something comfortable with long battery life, buy the Hitachi and order the 3.0 ah...Read more

I'm a commercial electrician and depend on a good cordless drill every day of the week.
This one was on sale and the selling points that put me over the edge was the LED light/belt hook. That's so handy for climbing ladders etc that I'll never want a drill without a hook again.

First the good news. It's powerful. Pull the trigger and the green machine revs like a Porche. It's also got a very solid feel to it. Makes a DeWalt feel like a Yugo in comparison. So really the thing is strong and solid and that counts for the most points when I choose a drill.

And the bad.....Batteries. Why Hitachi is only providing 2 Amp Hour Ni-Cd batteries
In the year 2005 is beyond me. They do make better ones- I've seen them. Then why don't include them with a tool clearly aimed at professionals? As a homeowner I'd be more than happy but I'm taking this tool places far away from my service van and charger. The last thing I want is for my drill to die when...Read more

I work for an office furniture company, and I use a dewalt 14.4 heavy duty which is a great drill as well (no complaints about the dewalt). This drill is just as powerful if not more than the dewalt. This drill has everything, 2 Speeds, Clutch, Light/belt clip, an awesome design, etc. This drill is powerfull, and the looks are so great. I can't say enough about it. I highly recomend this drill