Panasonic EY6450GQKW 18-volt NiMH 1/2-inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit

As a union journey man plumber I am always looking for the best product to increase my productivity. THis is the best Drill I have ever owned. Lightweight, Long Lasting and the Quality of being manufactured in Japan, not China like alot of its competitors. The battery technology and warranty are what really sold me. Having batteries go bad from overcharging or heat, the SoCal summers, is a big problem down here. THey have a warranty on the batteries for like 2000 charges. That is like 3 years, incredible. Also a problem is theft of tools and with the Panasonic I am the only person on the job with the tools so there is no confusion or misplacing of my tools. The only drawback is that Panasonic doesnt offer a full line of battery compatible cordless saws and lights yet. AS for this deal specifically where else can you get a top of the line Drill with 50$ in rebates. I paid the same for an 18v what most are paying for a 14.4v and mine is full of high technology. I completely reccomend...Read more

I've had the older model of this drill with the NiMH batteries for several years. It was my second Panasonic. Previous one was the 14.4 volt, and I used it so much the batteries wore out, but not the drill. I've had Bosch (chuck wobbles), Porter-Cable (poor quality), and Milwaukee (great, but trigger pinches your fingers), etc. Panasonic is the best by far.

Pros: chuck holds even the smallest bit, excellent balance, really durable, light but powerful enough that if you need more get a drill with a cord or an impact driver. If I had to do it again, I'd go with this Ni-Cad model because it holds a charge longer than the NiMH and is cheaper, although the run time is less.

Cons: None

If you're looking for a great cordless drill, look no further! I've owned 18 volt DeWalt and Makita cordless drills before, and the Panasonic blows them both out of the water. The torque is awesome, and even more importantly, the runtime is by far the best I have ever seen! This Panasonic comes with 3.5 amp-hour batteries, with the competition just now offering 2.4-2.6 amp-hour batteries (with their base batteries less, often 2.0 or 2.2 amp-hour). On the job, I can go for a couple of days on one battery, whereas the other guys I work with have to change their battery several times per day. Also, the ergonimics are very nice, the balance is awesome. It is definitely more comfortable to use than the "other brands" that I have used. If you are truly looking for a star performer, look no further - power, runtime, ergonomics, case - this is the best cordless drill/driver that I have ever used!!!