Product Review
18 Volt, 1/2", Cordless, Driver Drill, 2-Piece Rare Earth Magnet Motor For Greater Durability & Performance, Class Leading 550 In LBS Of Torque To Power Through The Toughest Jobs, High Capacity 3.0 AH Batteries Allow For Longer Run Time & Fewer Charges, 22 Stage Ratcheting Slip-Clutch For High Torque And/Or Precision Driving, Externally Accessible Carbon Brush For Quick & Easy Brush Changes, Convenient 5 Position Belt Hook Features & Integrated Amber LED Work Light, Includes: 2 3.0 AH Ni-MH Batteries, Side Handle, Rapid Charger, Plastic Case, No. 2 Phillips Driver Bit Double Ended, Tool Weight 5.73 LBS, 5 Year Warranty On Tool & 1 Year Warranty On Batteries.

Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(26 customer reviews) 140 of 140 people found the following review helpful
Two and a Half Years and STILL kickin' bootie!,
November 7, 2004 Jodie Reynolds (Sacramento Area, CA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Hitachi DS18DMR 18-Volt Ni-MH 1/2-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit (Tools & Home Improvement)
NOW UPDATED! Nearly two and a half years later, I'm updating with the longterm view. See original review below the update.
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UPDATE: March 25, 2007
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I notice my review is Spotlighted. Thanks, Amazon... ;-)
Almost two and a half years later, and this is still my most used and most reliable tool, seven days a week.
In short? This drill/driver has some battle scars. It's seen literally thousands of hours of use and still does everything I ask of it. It's a 5-Star tool if ever there was one.
The belt-clip I mentioned I wouldn't trust? I use it every day now. 35ft up a ladder, drill a hole, reach around and clip it on my back pocket. Drill in some screws, clip it on my pocket. It works 100% of the time.
The built-in light? Never use it. Still works even today on the original batteries.
I also bought the kit with driver/circular saw/reciprocating saw/light shortly after - so ended-up with...Read more
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Hitachi DS18DMR 18-Volt Cordless Driver Kit,
February 11, 2006 Mark Minn (NC) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Hitachi DS18DMR 18-Volt Ni-MH 1/2-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit (Tools & Home Improvement)
I work on a metal roofing crew, and most of my day at work is spent either with a cordless drill in my hand, or at my side. I don't personally own one of these Hitachi drills, but several of my coworkers do, so I've been able to observe the drills' performance.
I'm a big Milwaukee fan, and have been using their 18 volt drills for several years. So, to compare the Hitachi drills with Milwaukee... Well, both are balanced well, and feel good in your hand. The Hitachi grip is somewhat large, though, and could be uncomfortable in a smaller hand. The rubberized coating that covers a good part of the drill is nice, but tends to peel off if you don't baby the drill.
The chuck is all metal, and very solid. The speed switch is on the top of the drill, and rather large, stiff, and not as easy to move as some other brands. For unknown reasons, some of the batteries are also stiff, and require some effort to remove. They're supposedly 3.0 amp hour batteries, but they don't...Read more
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Check it out!,
October 14, 2005 Rich T. Kroll "pilgrim07" (Spfld, IL United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Hitachi DS18DMR 18-Volt Ni-MH 1/2-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit (Tools & Home Improvement)
Hitachi DS18DMR Hitachi has come a long way since their last 18v drill that had something like 1.4 amps...I'm impressed with their new drill It has 3.0 amp batteries, 5 yr warranty on drill, comfortable grip, well balanced, tool caddy on board, a cute light used as a tool hanger , plenty of kick to get the job done, and it looks like a sexy green machine! I've owned Bosch brute tough, Panasonic, and Porter Cable cordless drills. I use my tools for a living. I give it five stars.