Are more expensive drills really worth it?

I bought a 18V Ryobi drill (brushed) 13 years ago and did a full renovation of our house with it and every woodworking project since then. The 18V Lipo battery is still the first and going strong. Since then I added several Makita brushless drills and they are quicker, stronger and the battery lasts longer (for twice the price), but I love my RYOBI and did not expect to get this lifespan out of it.

The reason the magic smoke came out of the Craftsman brushed motor drill is that you were covering both vents! If you need two hands, your hand should be on the back of the drill, not hugging it.

Somebody admiting that they realize why tradesmen use red and yellow. I'm impressed at the honesty. I have mostly Milwaukee tools, but run DeWalt drills because their chucks are superior to Milwaukee's. I Plan to buy a select few DeWalt tools in the future that are also better than their Milwaukee counterparts. The work I do demands tools that have the guts and the longevity that only Milwaukee, DeWalt and Makita offer. (RIGID to an extent) Some of these less popular brands have a handful of tools that are just now starting to outperform the big three, but its too little too late, and they're tearing themselves apart to do it. I've no problem with DIY'rs choosing whatever they can afford or need/want, but don't compare your tools to ours and wonder why you recieve the backlash you do. This test served its purpose well, and I hope many more people gain a better understanding of the differences between pro tools and light duty tools through it. P.S. You were so mean to that craftsman...😂

First timer here, just for curiosity, no particular need for deep dive into woodworking tools. But have to say that your test was exceedingly well presented. You were clear, crisp, upbeat, and you speak with authority from your experience. Thank you!

What dedication! Thanks for doing the tests, really appreciate your insights!

In test #3 the Festool drill was set to screw mode which massively limits the torque output. For full torque you must switch it to drill mode.

One of the biggest keys to figuring out which drill to get (as you said at the end) is to look at the full line of tools that brand sells. You're not just buying a drill, you're buying into an ecosystem of tools because the batteries will serve them all (and they're not cheap). If you like DeWalt's tool lineup, buy a DeWalt drill, etc. I would also say, don't buy a 12V drill (they are plenty powerful) if you think later you'll want other tools that only use 18V batteries. Makita would have been another great contender.

I once used Craftsman power tools for personal use but experienced the Milwaukee tools through work. A few years ago I 'bought in to' the entire Milwaukee product line and have not had many regrets. It is a high(er) price but I know that if I use the saw, drill, impact wrench or Sawzall that it will get the job done. I even have the little Milwaukee AC power inverter, it ended up being neat on a camping trip to power an AC device for an hour or so.

I was really impressed with this entire video. Your dedication, the tests, the narration and camera angle and honest advice - second to none. Hello from former Montrealer :) You gained a subscriber for sure!

After watching the video: props for having the patience to perform all these tests! I like comparisons like these because they give the user and idea what to expect.

I love my Festool t18, its no better at drilling holes but... The fast change chucks, 90 degree and off set chucks and its electronic torque control work for me as a traditional boat builder. I mainly use old school slotted screws when they're going to be on display and want all the slots aligned to look right, the low speed control is worth every penny

I bought a Ridgid drill 2 yrs ago Home Depot with 2 batteries with life time warranty.

I started with a Ryobi combo kit a number of years ago because of the price point, and I've stuck with them since. I've added a couple of other tools from Makita, but mostly I stick with Ryobi for the drills and nailers. I do occasional DIY around the house and make other woodworking projects, so that's all I've ever needed. On top of that, I have too much invested in the batteries to start over with someone else's platform. Great vid, as usual.

Add a 2ah powerstack (lithium pouch) battery to the dewalt and use the torque settings as wrist protection, and you have the ultimate 🏆 Very clearly delivered comparison video, thank you. Geez that screw test would have taken forever. Thanks again 🤠👌 🇦🇺

Thanks for the video. My buddy was a cabinet maker (retired now.) He used to use Makita drills back when Makita dominated the market for cordless drills. He had at least 12 cordless drills to save him time changing bits. When the batteries (ni-cads) started failing he tried some Harbor Freight cordless drills. Eventually that was all he used. They did the job okay and cost about 20% of the price of Makitas. He didn't think that Makita was good enough to be justify the higher cost.

Just discovering your channel for the first time. What a wonderful presentation! Briskly paced, beautifully filmed, with comprehensive coverage of the topic, and very well articulated! You deserve a million subscribers - and I think you are likely to hit that magical target!

Another factor to bear in mind is warranty,some people abuse their tools (not me) and with the range of warranty they have a major influence on which one to buy. Great show. Phil. 🇬🇧

I have several 18v Rigid drills and impact drivers and they, in my opinion offer exceptional performance..The biggie for me if the lifetime warranty that Rigid offers and although I have only used the warranty to replace a battery, my tools have stood the test of time and heavy use....especially my impact drivers ...I am a big fan of yours and really enjoy following your videos and builds... Cheers

What a dedicated video, which must have taken absolutely ages! Thank you. I can echo your results, having wasted loads buying rubbish cheap brands over the years and now have 2 that I am very happy with, a brushless DeWalt and a brushed AEG.

Being a tradesman I have used them all and I now stick with Makita...The Brushless are very nice. Sad to see you never tested a Makita.