The Difference between Combi, Drill Driver, Impact and SDS Drills

[@redefv]

My old man purchased a fresh set of tools circa 1994. I went with him as a teenager. It seemed so easy. Today, I went to get two tools and about lost my mind. This video helped so much. My dad had no idea about battery types or even that there were three categories drill/drivers. We learned a lot here. Thank you.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks - I'm really glad you found it useful. It is a bit of a mine field buying a tool these days 👍

[@J0nny61]

I was a pro tradesman from 1980 to 2000 and we used Bosch and Makita battery tools when they first came out. The Makita's used to eat NiCad batteries. I currently have an Hitachi 18V combi, Erbauer 18V SDS and a Titan 239V SDS which I bought for knocking a wall down. The Hitachi has been fantastic, one of the best drills I've had. The Erbauer is as good as a Bosch GBH24 IMHO and way better value. The Titan is by name and nature a Titan, it makes mincemeat out of brickwork and concrete. My next door neighbour borrowed it to break up the foundation of his clothes line pole and got it done in minutes. At work we have 50 to 60 operatives and we used to use Bosch battery tools but found the plastic chucks were poor so we moved to Milwuakee. The Milwuakee's were unreliable with many broken triggers and other electrical issues so we moved back to Bosch, but the Pro range with metal chucks.De-walt have a big fan base but personally I think they're overated and over priced. Great video Charlie, many thanks.

[@charlottea3773]

Your video has just explained why my Erbauer combi struggles with walls and screws. Kept changing bits, but now I know I am using the wrong tool for the job! Thank you for the clear and detailed information.

[@theflyingspaghettimonster3252]

I have always marveled at the audacity of creators who advocate the use of an impact driver over a drill driver and then upload consequent videos where we can clearly see them using a drill driver to drive in screws. Your honesty was a breath of fresh air, thank you for acting as an honest mentor for those who are still learning their craft/starting their DIY journey.

[@hb5777]

Drill/drivers and impact drivers aside for a moment, as a DIY”er, working on your own home or garden where you can be guaranteed a mains power source and are not against the clock, I see no need to go with battery powered for everything. Corded circular saw, SDS drill, jigsaw, mitre saw, multi-tool, angle grinder. Of course battery is more convenient, but corded tools are cheaper and generally more powerful.

[@emmarowley1096]

True but unfortunately there isn't a power source at the allotment plots so cordless is the only option really because I don't own a generator and you can only drive when there's been no rain for months on end or get stuck. Yup cordless is my friend.

[@stupitdog9686]

And you can almost guarantee; when a emergency job comes up - the batteries in your cordless tool will be flat !! So you will have to bodge it with something else ....

[@chickenby]

I have both, the time you save and money saved on extension cords is worth it

[@paulrowley71]

Another very thorough and objective Video, Charlie. I’m a Makita man myself and I stick with the brand and one type of battery because I buy most of my tools much more cheaply as bare units. I found that I never use the storage boxes that tools with chargers and batteries come with and they’re a pain to store. I therefore stick with one type of battery I can swap between all my 18V Makita tools. I keep my eye out on deals for branded batteries and avoid any cheap imitation batteries. More out of fear that they won’t work rather than actual experience.

[@absolutelyfookinnobody2843]

🥱😴

[@aps-pictures9335]

For us total DIY noobs these are so helpful, thank you - been binging all your vids!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Gosh, really appreciate that. Could do with a bit of extra traffic at the moment 😉👊

[@Tremmor500]

Thanks for pointing me here! I planned on installing a package lock box and I didn’t know about SDS Drills. Now I won’t waste time trying to drill into the concrete with a regular driver!

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome. Thanks for the comment 👍🏻

[@LtNoLegs]

Even at 3 years old, this is still the most helpful information I've had to work out what the differences between combi & drill drivers are! I've literally spent hours on various store pages and nothing ever really explains it. Also, you probably already know but may be worth a short update video about AMPShare, which means if you have a Bosch or Titan 18V battery, you can buy a bare version of either brand's tools and use the other's battery!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks and I didn't know that about AMP share. 👊

[@redcoat192]

Thank you for the simple guide!! It's a minefield out there for choice!

[@robinstrahan]

Had an Aldi combi drill for 10 years, good enough to tackle hanging jobs around the house. But had a bigger DIY project building storage shelves from planed timber so decided an upgrade was required. Ended up purchasing a De Walt 18v 2mAh brushless twin pack from Screwfix. I have to say, the impact driver made light work of driving in hundreds of screws and not a single cam out. Made the job a lot easier, quicker and safer.

[@Racmanpajo]

Fantastic and simple explanation! Actually when I stumbled upon your channel it was a comparison between a Ryobi impact and drill driver and that video made me choose Ryobi for my main brand. I am slowly growing my collection and am very happy with the tools. The only real downside is the availability of the brand in my country (Slovenia) as only one retailer has it in stock and the prices are quite high compared to the ones I see on the American Homedepot or the sites you show :( ps I bought the wind-blower that you are using and I can't be more pleased. I use it very often and it always does the job...granted I use a 5Ah battery

[@geoffstrickler]

Good video. I agree that a drill driver (with or without hammer mode) is probably the single most useful tool for DIY, if for no other reason than it’s extremely flexible. I also agree with you on using a good 12V model such as the Milwaukee, Bosch, or Makita. Ryobi doesn’t seem to be committed to their 12V line, so I personally wouldn’t recommend the Ryobi 12V, but if you find a good enough deal on it, it’s fine. I also find that for most DIY users, a good 12V hammer drill/driver (aka combi or impact drill) such as the Makita CXT, Milwaukee M12 FUEL, or DeWalt Xtreme is sufficient. If you’re doing a lot of brick/concrete drilling or a lot of tile removal, then an SDS rotary hammer might make sense. For a one time project, it may be more cost effective to just rent an SDS tool. As you mentioned, if you’re installing a lot of screws, bolts, etc, then an impact driver is highly recommended. They’re almost as flexible as a drill/driver, and much faster, and easier to use for most fasteners. They’re also suitable for lightweight drilling as long as you buy impact rated hex shank QC drill bits. Word of caution, because of their speed, it’s easy to over drive smaller screws, until you learn to control the speed using the trigger and/or speed mode controls. If you’re installing a deck or similar project, save yourself a lot of time by using an impact driver. Since installing screws and bolts was the primary task for which I use power tools in my work, my impact driver gets used much more than my drill/driver. But when I changed projects and was installing/removing more small screws, I bought the Milwaukee M12 screwdriver (model 2401, brushed) which is now the tool I use most, it’s by far the easiest to control and the lightest of my power tools. Impact driver is now second most used, for larger jobs and larger fasteners, and the hammer drill/driver is used almost exclusively for drilling, mostly for larger holes or masonry as the other two tools handle drilling smaller holes in softer materials just fine. It’s a luxury to have all 3 at my disposal, not a necessity. PS. I also have 18V/20V power tools, but rarely use them. For saws and other high power tools, 18/20/24V is definitely more appropriate than 12V

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks for taking the time to send that - an excellent comment that I agree with on all counts. I'll take a look at that Milwaukee screw driver A guy who works for us in the old day job uses his DeWalt impact for everything. He's used to it but can occasionally be heavy handed, and break/snap things. In desperation I bought him a Stanley ratchet screwdriver because even when you're totally in control of the tool you just don't know how tight a screw is in, say plasterboard fixing, without checking out with a manual. 👍🏻

[@robwilkie1]

Great video Charlie. I have a Makita combi and the hassle of having to swap between screwdriver and drill is absolutely as you say. Not had a need for an SDS drill or an impact driver yet so will prob buy a 12v driver for my next project.

[@SteveBower996]

Very useful video. That Titan SDS is a beast! I use DeWalt combi and impact driver daily. Note that there are 'retail' and trade ranges, so if you want the higher spec you need to do a bit of searching (not Screwfix/Toolstation etc)

[@CharlieDIYte]

I'm embarrassed to say, Steve, I didn't even know that!! Can you give me an example of a trade link? Thanks for the comment 👍🏻

[@SteveBower996]

@@CharlieDIYte As you say in the film, manufacturers are tricky with the 'kits' they sell - combinations of tools, batteries, retailer-specifics etc, but for the DeWalt combi driver you can get the DCD796P2 (XR) and DCD996P2 (XR-P). Note the 'P' (Professional?). More powerful, better gearbox, extra speed, led settings as torch. For the impact driver, there is the DCF787N and DCF887N which is more powerful and has 3 torque settings. I got my higher spec from Powertoolworld or FFX. No idea about Milwaukee etc. And of course there are now higher-voltage options. Might be a subject for a follow-up?

[@nannanz2097]

Excellent, I need an all singing all dancing drill & your advice has helped enormously

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks! If all singing is what you're after then a combi drill is the answer 👍🏻

[@nannanz2097]

@@CharlieDIYte I went for the Erbauer combi, and made a cat tree in an afternoon 👍

[@bigwill4978]

The best video on the various drill/impact drivers that I have seen and your explanation of how each work is spot on. I also use the 12v Ryobi drill driver daily because it's so light and it can drill and drive screws. I only use my impact driver if I repetitively drive screws. I've never really seen a distinctive difference in better use or longevity when it comes brushed and brushless power tools. The only difference I've seen is cost. A big thing I see is DIY people not using the proper impact driver bits when it comes to driving screws ie: Phillips head and Pozi etc... If you're a DIYer, learn what types of screw heads there are and driver bits works best for them. Also, learn how to remove stripped screws. It's skill that everyone needs. Once again, fantastic video!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks buddy. It's great to get positive feedback like that, because when something is so personal like this you simply don't know whether anyone's going to agree with you. That's a good point about the driver bits. I did a video a while back, never expecting it to fly, (it's now got 2.9m views!!) and I accidentally used a PH bit to drive in a pozi drive screw, because I had no idea that I had a PH bit amongst my black Erbauer PZ impact bits. You can imagine the field day people have had, pointing this out to me 👍

[@bigwill4978]

@@CharlieDIYte People can be brutal with their comments. Personally, I haven't seen another video with clear and accurate information as I've seen with this video. Usually they're terrible!lol I reckon a video on basic tools that every DIYer should have when they first start would be good.

[@C4sp3r123]

@@bigwill4978 I would think a lot of the people who come to KZbin are basic DIY'ers looking to see how to do a job or use a tool or what tool to buy so 'basic' videos I would think overtime would attract the most views. This video in time I think will get a heck of a lot of views as people try and figure out what it is they actually need to buy. I agree it was, as ever, very well done by Charlie.

[@theflyingspaghettimonster3252]

Exactly, a DIY'er who drives in a couple of screws a month doesn't need an impact driver at all. It's shameful how some of the content creators on youtube have exploited their audience's ignorance by telling them that an impact driver is a "must have" tool. Worse still, I have noticed some of them still using a drill driver after impressing upon us the importance of using the "right tool for the job".

[@bigwill4978]

@@theflyingspaghettimonster3252 I couldn't agree with you more!

[@marianneporter489]

Very clear, Charlie, thanks. Can’t fault your logic. When it comes to personal preference, I actually like the heavier combo drill and impact drills above the lighter 812V) drivers. But you explain the spectrum of options really well.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Fair point Roddy. That's just it. You have to find what's right for you. You'll still need an SDS though for some concretes 👍

[@anon64mus66]

Greate video. Very clear and helpful descriptions, thanks for sharing!

[@garvielloken3929]

Mate! Your videos are always on another level! Best explanation

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks mate. I really do swear by the 12v drill drivers.

[@rob5944]

Thanks for making it clearer, as you many descriptions are misleading or just plain wrong. It's no wonder I was confused as I'm just an occasional DIYer My intentions is to keep my old corded hammer drill and augment it with a combi for lighter tasks around the home, and this video seems to confirm that idea.

[@p166mx]

Just one comment about batteries as a DIYer, I have recently invested in some Erbaurer stuff to replace an ancient Dewalt and compliment my lower end Makita G series drill and impact driver. I needed a new hedge trimmer as the battery died due to lack of use (Bosch green), so I decided to buy a hedge trimmer that will work with batteries I will use a lot. For this reason I bought a cheap 18v Erbaurer combi drill that was on an offer and a cordless vac, that way when I come to use the hedge trimmers the battery won't die due to lack of use. I also have a 12v Erbaurer drill driver and I love using it for drilling into wood or applications where my impact driver is too powerful. Other than that I totally get your point about not being loyal, and I love my corded stuff for this reason too. All my tools are brushed apart from the new hedge trimmers which are brushless but my 11 year old Dewalt cordless did fail recently due to brushes failing and as it was a lower end Dewalt they are built into the motor :( PS I have your channel and watch a lot of your videos, to me you are very competent and far more skilled than most DIYers.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Hi Ian, really appreciate you watching my vids 👊 Good work investing in the Erbauer kit - I think that stuff is great value for money and I use mine all the time. They also do an 18v SDS that's very good. Sounds like you've got an ideal set up there, with those tools!

[@NicMG]

Another immensely useful video! Once again thank you Charlie

[@1967AJB]

What Nick said,

[@oscarmathew]

Thank you Charlie, really clear and useful video to find!

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome. Glad you found it useful and thanks for getting in touch 👊

[@revanmercury]

Very thankful for your help Charlie!

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome. Thanks for the comment. 👍

[@rujakobsen]

Massive thumbs up.. Recently embarked on my diy journey and picked makita as my companion. I will agree with with your point regarding weight of the combi.. Power the lot.. With the exception if your are drivning into hardwood.. Had to mount 30 meters of solid oak fencing 2 meters tall.. 6*90 mm through oak would have killed my wrist..

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes, for that, an impact would be very useful. That's why ultimately you end up acquiring all these tools. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Feedback like this is so valuable. Caused me a fair amount of anxiety this one as I didn't know how it would be received.

[@rhyswearne9308]

I can definitely recommend that Erbauer SDS drill that you're eyeing up. I picked one up to drill into my house brick as my very poor bosch drill driver just wouldn't do it. It's safe to say, that Erbaur SDS gets into the brick INCREDIBLY easy.

[@neildocherty]

For flexibility, I’ve got the Bosch FlexiClick units. Very handy thanks to the various adapters and the 18V version has an SDS attachment that I’ve used to drill into concrete and brick without issue.

[@bield7]

Another great vid with sound, well researched advice

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks 👍🏻

[@superiorbeing95]

Charlie, the brushless version of this is only £98 and has an 1/2" chuck, got the 18v too, handy to have two drills and the 12v hex driver is awesome for joinery because it's slower and more controllable.

[@Samurai9901]

I agree with your comments on brand loyalty as I like trying different things. Having a charger and battery from different brands gives you a larger variety of tools you can go for.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Exactly. Thanks for the comment 👍

[@statuescher]

I agree about using lightweight combi drill drivers for DIY use, you wouldn’t go far wrong with the Milwaukee you demonstrated. I have a Makita 9.6V percussion combi drill and an impact driver. I’ve also got the matching right angle drill which is useful for tight spaces and pilot holes whilst using the combi in conjunction for screw driving. I used to have some Dewalt 18V stuff and the drill was a beast and really too powerful for things like kitchen cabinet assembly so I sold it all. I’ve still got a big corded 1100 Watt Dewalt SDS and that’s great for the heavy duty stuff and I use it for mixing as well. I also have a couple of old Stanley Yankee screwdrivers which I think are a forgotten tool and I have found them to be invaluable over the years, the small one for general assembly and the large one for stubborn screws (the large one was my dad’s and is over 60 years old!).

[@CharlieDIYte]

I had one of those Yankees! They were a must have tool before electric screwdrivers came out. My brother in law now has it. I think my father gave it to him not realising it was mine! Absolute genius in their day.

[@marymcandrew7667]

Thank you for explaining all the differences Charlie! I have a Dewalt drill with two batteries, but it's probably 25 years old. The batteries just won't hold their charge and it weighs a ton! So now there are all kinds of little drills out there and it is a bit overwhelming, your video really helped. I will look at a small drill/driver for basic screwing wood projects. But we have an old stone barn that we need to remove old cement from, is that when we'd use a SDS drill? I think the one kit you showed had a chisel tip in it.

[@ashleychambers7602]

I was pleased to hear you recommend the Titan sds drill because I own a few power tools by Titan and find them amazing value for money

[@mldjoineryandflooring4781]

Iv fell in love with erbauer brushless tools, started with the palm router corded and its got slow start so it's unreal, then got the cordless brushless plainer and skilsaw and they are amazing so I'm getting all erbauer from now on

[@CharlieDIYte]

They're awesome aren't they! Still loving these tools kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2euipmoeaedadk and the circular saw and SDS looks awesome too.

[@mldjoineryandflooring4781]

@@CharlieDIYte got a few now mate circular saw, impact driver, combi drill, multitool, jigsaw, planer, I just need sds and I'm done, iv got all the boxes aswel and they are really good quality and all lock together

[@LucazadeNG]

Just discovered this channel and the videos I have watched have been very useful with lots of information especially real world info, excellent work 👏 👍

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thank you my friend. I really appreciate that 👍

[@MrCrabbing]

Good advise thanks, I might add I have found the impact driver a little noisy for driving in screws inside the house, sometimes I and try to use the drill driver where I can which seems to be most of the time, one of my favorite tools is the Milwaukee cordless angle grinder which came with a charger that can charge both types of battery for the smaller tool and the larger one.

[@andrewcrawford3278]

Thanks Charlie, really helpful just completely changed what I was about to buy

[@CharlieDIYte]

Great to hear that Andrew. Tell me more if you have a moment 👍

[@acchaladka]

Not only liked but favourited. I'd be interested in more of this as we're beginning three process to plan to build our own house.

[@KR-je1if]

As my favourite was festool and getting them stolen twice. I decided to sell the replacements. Kept my plunge saw. I just buy any brand now. I have dewalt. Millwauke. And titan and evolution same as you charlie I like lightweight tools miss my festool sds drill what a tool loved it.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks for that Keith - it's great to hear someone has the same ideas - I was a bit anxious laying myself on the line with this vid! Yes, from what I've heard Festool rock, but they're expensive, aren't they. Sorry to hear you got them stolen twice - that is gutting!! A bit like when I put my leatherman down on site once for literally 2 minutes and it was gone. B&*()^ds! I've got an Evolution chop saw (2 actually because one at work) and the titan as you know. They do a great job, although the laser on one of the chop saws has never been straight which is a bit annoying.

[@benh1216]

Currently on Screwfix they are offering the Erbauer combi drill and impact driver for £129 (was £150) That's the set I have currently and I think they are a great little pair! Makes it so much easier to drill with one and drive with the other. Saves on changing bits and overall an absolute bargain!

[@CharlieDIYte]

I've got to say my Erbauer tools haven't put a foot wrong side I got them and the batteries are brilliant too 👍🏻

[@Tarbard]

Good video. For me I enjoy having an impact driver too, mainly got it for driving big bolts into decking etc.. but found I use it for most screwing jobs and also means you don't have to swap bit/drill when doing repetitive tasks.

[@fqlynx]

Charlie the DIY Legend back again for another awesome vid. Not sure if you do requests, but I'd love to know how to convert a ceiling light rose to multiple spot lights in the same ceiling. Cheers!

[@juliettedumouchel6021]

Drill- Packedge in typical box, came with a tool bag (added bonus), two batteries, one charger, drill, and driver. Two words "plenty of Torque" kzbin.infoUgkxW1vOBRCMrgTCDEijzpVzDWsgI-Jm2iQv well I guess that's three. Nice upgrade from current setup. Has belt clips, I don't think I will be using those. Driver and drill were bigger than what I expected but it is an upgrade from the current setup. For the money I would say that this is a great setup for Professionals and DIY/Weekend warriors.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes a lot more powerful but it's horses for courses. Often you don't need the power but need more control.

[@theessentialguideforblokes7960]

Great video Charlie, I have the 12v ryobi drill driver too, take it with me everywhere, I’ve even used it with a holesaw to cut cable access into kitchen counters and desks (I work in IT) totally agree with the weight and size point, I have a whole bunch of Ryobi 18v gear and some Makita stuff too, all the tradies use them here in NZ. Having the two brands batteries let’s me pick and choose which tool suits me best. Excellent advice all round, I only really use the impact driver for rough carpentry when I’m building fences or framing up a wall as it’s just too aggressive for most jobs.

[@roadwarrior8560]

Thanks Charlie, corded SDS drill for me and a good drill driver, no need for an impact driver or a combi hammer action drill driver for my diy.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Exactly 👊👍

[@James-yy4vl]

I think you must have read my mind, this video has come as just the right time.

[@justharryjohnson7250]

Subscribed. I use erbauer and have done for many years. Their price vs quality is unbeatable. However their price has increased recently. I just wish that they added to their range a little more with 18v routers, radio ect.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks for the subscription 👍🏻 I love the Erbauer tools I trialled here bit.ly/2Y8omfk Would quite like to add the SDS to my collection. I know what you mean about the extras. Ryobi have been brilliant at this over the years.

[@atfuni27]

Finally, someone with logic that's getting off the brand-name loyalty bandwagon. I commend you sir for your opinion on brand loyalty. I was so wrapped up with my first tool, a Porter cable drill driver that I wanted to continue with that line, but Porter cable is no where to be found. You're right, so what if I have three different manufacturers and three different batteries. For do-it-yourselfer it's really a no-brainer when you come to think about it.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks, I appreciate that. 👍

[@MrBreed15]

You are of course right about brand loyalty for diyers but professional's who work on site don't want to be carrying around allsorts of chargers and batteries! You also get what you pay for! If you want a rolls royce then don't by a Morris minor and expect it to be the same quality! I myself am a plumbing and heating engineer who use top of the range Metabo as my choice! I don't want to be buying new power tools every year! If you try to use sub standard power tools for heavy duty site work you will regret it as my son found out when he was an apprentice carpenter and used a cheap Ryobi combi drill for the day to hang doors and by the end of the day the motor had burnt-out and was no more use to him! He then decided to by smart and although he paid more for his new Dewalt combi it has lasted him to this day which is 8yrs on! He now has every power tool he needs all made by Dewalt saving him money on chargers and different battery set ups!

[@hexboxx735]

Brill video Charlie, how about a vid on how to stop drill drift, i.e drilling through a softer initial surface then hitting a hard surface-think that makes sense.

[@lazylad9064]

Personal choice of mine is makita. But whatever you find that works for you is good👍👍.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks. You and my mate John, and doubtless many others. Lovely stuff, Makita! 👍

[@TheWidowMaker.]

@@CharlieDIYte can you do a quick video on must have bits for your drill? Maybe recommend some kits? I got the ryobi combi after watching your video on it with the battery power test.

[@aidensmobile614]

One thing I would have personally mentioned would be battery availability. If a manufacturer suddenly stops making a battery and you need to replace yours then you will be left high and dry with useless tools. Erbauer did this a few years ago but I believe Ryobi haven't changed batteries since inception. How much the batteries cost is also something I look at. If you buy a drill and think of it as investment (opening up the possibility of more tools in that range), but then find buying the batteries for that new power dependent saw or impact tool extortionate, then the "buying into that system" has been a waste of money. Ryobi batteries rarely get reduced in price and the 4ah costs on average around £55! Makita 4ah is often reduced down to sub £30 (Less professional tools such as Parkside, Draper, Stanley, B+D, Worx will be even cheaper - I got 5ah batteries for the JCB tools for £20 each, on clearance from B&Q) And also the range of tools available. If I am deciding between two starter kits at the same price (with comparable quality), then I will always go for the one that offers more future expandability.

[@AdamFox1988]

Where is it you’ve found Makita 4ah batteries on sale at that price? I’ll need to keep an eye out for that definitely!

[@neilbrice449]

good advice i use bosch makita mulwaukee over the years think mulwakee have been the best made and lasted longest

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks for that Neil. Good to know 👍

[@frazzle657]

You call yourself a diyer but you're much more competent then half the tradesmen

[@johnw2758]

Informative video Charlie. Btw Metabo's 18v charger will also charge their 12v batteries (dependant on the charger model no. of course.) What I tend to do, especially when I need to pilot hole and then drive the screw, is to get a same make, older, brushed model drill/driver and then keep the relevant drill bit/screw bit on each. For instance I bought an older Metabo but brushed 18v bare unit drill/driver for £35 and just keep a screw bit on it.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks John. Yes I like your thinking 👍

[@imatruthseekr]

I have the ryobi percussion drill, which is great for my needs. but when I needed an impact driver I went for the erbauer one because it came with the fast charger and 4amp battery at a fantastic price.

[@davidmcguire6043]

So you've already made one of the biggest mistakes in power tools. don't mix and match brands because the cost of the power tool is really the battery. pick a brand stick with it and every new power tool you buy will come with one or two more batteries to add to the collection that works with all of them also once you have a suitable amount of batteries you can save money by buying bare power tools that just come with the tool itself. That's why it's good to pick a brand that comes with a full range of tools like DeWalt Makita and Milwaukee.

[@imatruthseekr]

@@davidmcguire6043 thanks for the advice David. I was going to stick with buying ryobi tools, and I had planned on buying their impact driver brushless bare tool, but the cost of it was still €30 more expensive than the equivalent erbauer driver, including fast charger and 4amp battery and a case also. I will build my ryobi collection still, and I think I will buy some erbauer tools also. I don't mind having two tool brands. But I do appreciate what you saying

[@SlackersIndustry]

had a ryobi first drill then i got a makita combo pack and found that drill more powerful, so i got rid of the ryobi had it for 5 years as an extra but never needed it so finally sold it and bought a impact wrench, next on sds drill, my old makita drill wasnt a combi unfortunately bought it when i didnt know much about drills.

[@awantamta]

Thanks for that discussion. It was useful and informative. I also like the idea of not being loyal to brands.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Tahir👍

[@jonathanstokes7791]

Great vid. Not sure if this is still relevant, but always make sure it uses Lithium Ion battery as nicads are (were?) dreadful. My first drill was a b&q own brand nicad one which didn’t last a year. I replaced it with a 18v LiIon Dewalt combi, which I’m still using over 10 years later. Occasionally smoke comes out, but I’m waiting for it to die, before I replace it with a lighter, more modern twin kit! I use a corded Bosch sds for the heavier jobs and that it awesome too!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes I had nicads on my Ryobi drills originally. To their credit Ryobi have never changed the battery housing on their tools so I was able to slowly upgrade them all to lithium.

[@AnilPatel-sd4nt]

Very helpful. Thank you 👍

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Anil. I am glad you find it useful 👍🏻

[@paulcharman44]

I have had Milwaukee M12 drill driver and screw driver for some time, both have given faultless service and being small have got into places that my DeWalt 18V impact driver will not. I also use the 2Ah batteries and have never found their life to be an issue. The main advantage for me of the screw driver is the very low torque setting that i have used for small screws before finishing by hand.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Paul, I'm so pleased to hear that (massive thanks for getting in touch) as, whilst I can vouch for the Ryobi, the Milwaukee is new so it's a bit of a heart in the mouth moment recommending something I haven't got solid experience using. I'm confused as to why they have a drill driver and combi, when both are the same weight, same price. Also, I like to finish off screws by hand like you, with my Stanley ratchet screwdriver. A fitter who works for me refuses to do this (even though I've bought him one) and relies instead on instinct with his DeWalt impact driver, which is crazy as far as I'm concerned.

[@EppingForest304]

Good information... I’m going to get shopping for a lightweight 12v drill driver 👍

[@CharlieDIYte]

You won't regret it 👍

[@Matt-go7ss]

Very helpful video 👍 quick question. Other than price, what is the practical difference between the ones you've mentioned and some of the cheaper or lesser know brands? Thanks for your help.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Hi Matt. Thanks. Yes, I should have touched on this really, but I avoided going into too much detail, because, where do you stop? It depends what you mean by "lesser known brands". If we're talking about brands you've never really heard of, then I'd steer clear, because whilst you might pick up a tool for under £50 it will probably be a false economy and only last you a year or two - unless of course after doing loads of research, said brand has received consistently glowing reviews. The thing is, the big brands like Milwaukee, Bosch, De Walt, Makita have been trying really hard to make their tools more accessible in recent years, and so now, typically only £30 to £50 separates a tool by, say Erbauer, and an equivalent by Makita. In which case, it's a bit of a no brainer really to go for the big brand. However like everything in life, it's not that simple, because the lesser known brand might have really upped the spec of the tool to try and compete with the big boys. The combi you saw in my video is available for £80 without battery and has a metal chuck, metal gearbox, and to all intents and purposes, the spec of a very high end tool, and the three Erbauers you saw in my vid have been fantastic the last few years. Conversely, some of the big brands have dumbed down their specs on certain tools (eg plastic not metal gearbox) to try and compete more on price, so it's not just a case of thinking "that's Makita, it's bound to be amazing so I'll buy that". So I think you've got to do your research and find a tool that strikes a happy balance between quality and price. My point about brand loyalty is a biggy though. It's simply not essential to stick with one brand just for the sake of saving money on batteries. Some of these combi deals bundle in two batteries with a tool and you're up and running.

[@Matt-go7ss]

@@CharlieDIYte appreciate your answer 👍 you've made things a lot clearer. Who knew buying a cordless drill could be such a minefield....😂

[@Matt-go7ss]

@@CharlieDIYte by the way, I find your KZbin channel is fantastic for me the average diy'er. Clear explanations and it's my go-to channel for all things DIY 👍👍

[@CharlieDIYte]

@@Matt-go7ss Thanks so much Matt. I really appreciate that 👊🏻👍🏻

[@dartman9265]

Hi what do you think of ferrex Aldi And parkside Lidl For people like me who are on tight budgets. Thanks

[@JezVibert]

I have a Parkside tracksaw that I bought after seeing a Peter Millard ‘10 minute workshop’ review a couple of years ago. I think I paid £65 and it’s been one of the best and most useful tools I’ve bought. The equivalent Festool is lovely, but at about £450 it’s well out of most DIYers budgets.

[@ilishmaach]

Another great and well researched video.

[@havefun1559]

Good video. I disagree somewhat about battery loyalty though. It is so much more convenient to buy a bare unit at very low cost once you have a store of one brand's batteries. I have half a dozen einhell tools and 2 x 4.0ah and 2 x 2.0ah batteries. This alongside a few choice corded tools (circular saw, mitre saw, percussion drill and breaker) has been a very low cost way to tackle DIY tasks requiring the use of a power tool. My only conundrum is my drill/driver is makita and it has been an absolute beast for the last 8 years. When it goes I am not sure I can trade down to the best Einhell has to offer!

[@TwinkleX0]

Would you recommend the Ryobi combi driver over the regular Ryobi 18V drill driver as an all purpose driver for a complete newbie?

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes, I had a Ryobi combi for years and it's a fantastic tool. They're bringing out a new range this month so maybe hold fire before you buy. The Erbauer bit.ly/30RHUY6 that I've got is also a fantastic tool with pro specs, although it's quite heavy with that 5 Ah battery.

[@tiewsanmin5966]

Thank you for such complete info!

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're very welcome! Thanks for taking the time to comment 👍

[@ryk3899]

Great video, couldn't agree more re brand loyalty.....however i would recommend an impact driver every day of the week. Better for driving screws than a combi or drill driver. Far more control....and especially now you can get 12v impacts

[@davidmcguire6043]

You should never recommend that somebody has only a drill or only an impact they both complement each other and they're both good for different situations. For instance I use my drill a lot for cutting holes and drilling into thick steel an impact driver isn't suited to either of those if you could get a hole saw to work with one it would screw it up and it would snap drill bits in steel and there are many other reasons you should have both and apply the right one to the right situation.

[@ryk3899]

@@davidmcguire6043 i never said you should have an impact driver over a combi drill

[@annashiegl]

Very useful video thank you.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're very welcome Anna. Thanks for the comment 👍🏻

[@peter-gn8ey]

my 2 pence... while I have a few tools in dewalts 18v range, the best price/performace range for me is still the 20v Parkside from Lidl (the regular, not the brushless "performance" series which is more expensive). I'm going from memory here but it was roughly: impact driver £25; combi hammer drill £40; angle grinder £30; batteries and chargers are all purchased separately and it was around £25 for a 4Ah battery. I've done a good few renovations with these and I can't complain about the performance for the money - perhaps one criticism would be equivalent capacity batteries probably last a bit longer on the dewalt but I haven't done any comparison testing and the parkside ones are cheap enough you can buy extra to keep on rotation. The downside with Lidl is that they only sell tools on a rotating basis so you have to keep an eye on the website to see what tools will be selling when. also very much agree on a 12v driver. I keep a 12v parkside driver as my goto, primarily as it's small enough to fit in my main tool bag.

[@gurdevbrar5782]

Agree, DIY is different from everyday professional work. Lidl tools are fantastic. Brilliant value for money. 4 AH batteries lasts long and have the power.

[@user-ou5tc8lt7t]

Just an idea for a new video. Nobody seems to have done a comparison of an oil pulse and standard impact driver and explained the difference in loudness and how unpleasant a standard one is to use. Are ear defenders necessary for an oil impulse driver for instance? I see Erbauer have both types of brushless impact driver and an impact wrench so might make an interesting video.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks mate. I'll take a look at that. 👍🏻

[@muhammedshahmia1656]

Absolutely helpful thanks for the video ❤️ from 🇿🇦

[@leeaustin8347]

Cracking videos Charlie, they really help me out alot. Thanks for making them so easy to follow. I'm looking at buying an Impact Driver and notice you use the Erbauer and Ryobi - not much difference between the 2 but i wonder which one you would recommend? I'm thinking of the Erbauer because it comes with the 4Ah battery as opposed to the Ryobi which comes with the 2Ah.

[@CharlieDIYte]

I've been very happy with my Erbauer drills. There is a micro second delay when you pull the trigger but you'd only notice this if you have a brushless tool from another brand that doesn't do this. If you can get one with the 4ah battery I'd probably go for it over the Ryobi.

[@davidrowe8747]

Another clear, helpful video. Charlie, I think you must have been a teacher in a past life. ;-)

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks David. I don't think so, but we live in times full of manoeuvring and spin so I just want to give it how I see it, pure and simple. I'm just really humbled that people like the approach 👍

[@avp300]

I agree with you, as a DIYer we should look for a good deal and usefulness of the items rather than sticking to one brand.

[@C4sp3r123]

Problem with that approach I have found is that once you have the battery of a certain platform you can then buy the 'bare' tool where you just get the tool and nothing else. This is often far cheaper than buying another brands equivalent plus batteries and charger for the different batteries of the other brand.

[@AdamFox1988]

Tool snobs giving you stick for using Ryobi when Ryobi and Milwaukee are owned by the same company 🤨😂. Great video. I have that Titan SDS and it’s so powerful.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Interesting. I didn't know that, but i do know that a huge number of these brands are all made in the same factory. The Titan is great, isn't it 👍🏻

[@AdamFox1988]

@@CharlieDIYte Yes a lot are in the same Chinese factory then they come over to the UK and we get shafted on the price haha. The Titan is worth every penny! Mine sits in the garage majority of the time but just knowing you have it for the job that nothing else can do is what it’s for I think. A little battery powered 2 or 3 mode SDS for your everyday stuff is definitely worth having though as the Titan is just too heavy to slog about ha

[@George-iy8dd]

Thanks Charlie. Can I use hex drill bits in my combi drill or would I be better off sticking with the normal round bits?

[@CharlieDIYte]

You certainly can you hex bits. DeWalt do a good range of hex HSS and masonry bits. They're superior to circular bits because there's no danger of them slipping in the chuck.

[@George-iy8dd]

@@CharlieDIYte Appreciate your reply Charlie. Thank you

[@markflajsner9944]

Thanks very much for the vid, clarifies a lot. Just one point on batteries, if you buy a combi or other, with a say 2Ah battery, can one upgrade and stick on it a more powerful battery, and vice versa, on a 4 or 5Ah drill, put a 2 Ah battery, and if so, does that affect thé charger you have. Reading specs, it's never clear to me whether batteries are interchangeable or not.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes you absolutely can. All my Ryobi starter kits (I bought one with a combi drill and an impact) came with 1.3Ah batteries, which are pretty useless but light. And all I use on them most of the time is my 4Ah or 5Ah batteries. Obviously you can only put more powerful batteries from the same brand on that tool though. No it doesn't affect the charger. Again, the starter kits typically come with the cheapest, slowest charger they stock, to keep the price down, and you can upgrade to a fast charger. The batteries will charge on fast and slow chargers.

[@esky6930]

Hi! I've been watching a couple of your videos and noticed you bought the Erbauer SDS to replace the 2-function Ryobi. Can you do a review/comparison on it? What I want to know is if the smaller 2-3J SDS is sufficient for the chiselling work you have been doing with the Titan. What are the limitation of the Erbauer?

[@CharlieDIYte]

I haven't bought the Erbauer SDS but I'd like to. It's good to have the chiselling function on a battery tool but I'd always go mains powered if you've got some serious chiselling to do.

[@PhilipjPatterson]

@@CharlieDIYte a have 1 of 18v sds erbauer drills super job 👍

[@njuham]

I know a Finnish-Canadian chap who has built houses and saunas in Canada since the 70's and he swears by Ryobi.

[@pchisholm4]

Most folk I know swear at Ryobi 😂

[@davidm9643]

Aldi/Lidl have have some good bargains especially when prices are reduced

[@henryperry2713]

Perfect! Thanks mate 👍

[@Bear502]

and generally a three year warranty

[@michaelgalvin6509]

Thanx helped a lot

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome Michael 👍🏻

[@danielg3369]

I agree with the combo drill/driver/hammer. How about the combo drill/hammer plug-in 7.5 amps?

[@CharlieDIYte]

I use a plug in SDS - that Titan, but haven't used a combi plug in for a while now. No need when you can get adequate power from the batteries.

[@danielg3369]

@@CharlieDIYte which brand of cordless hammer drill do you recommend

[@antonysmyth2464]

I find battery comparability is very helpful, I don’t mix them up, always one charged, one charger, fewer batteries overall, so have ended up staying with one mfgr.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Fair point Anthony. I guess I'm just trying to remind people that there's another way, plus I want to keep the manufacturers on their toes!

[@davidmcarthur1093]

Personally I don't see the point in a combi drill I prefer a drill driver that I never use to drive screws an impact drill which is the best for driving screws and a sds all Erbauer but I use them every day. Still a very well presented video.

[@turkeyphant]

If a tool comes with a battery does it always come with a charger or a way to charge the battery?

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes tools that come with batteries will always have a charger - in my experience anyway.

[@marcoliver7914]

I'm looking to get a drill for coring 102mm holes in plasterboard and brick. With the brick, I live in a flat on the second floor so would only be able to core through from the inside. What drill/type would you recommend? I only have a drill/driver at the moment but the chuck isn't wide enough to fit the auber (for the hole saw for plasterboard) so a chuck size of 13mm would be required.

[@CharlieDIYte]

For coring holes through brick you really need an SDS and 240v. Take a look at this. It's heavy but oh my, so much tool for the money www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb631sds-6-3kg-electric-sds-plus-drill-22-piece-accessory-kit-230-240v/4172g

[@billconiston8091]

Hi Charlie, Great video, you covered the differences between the tools well and I'm sure this video will be super helpful to people. From my own experience I totally agree with you that a lighter tool is more comfortable and easier, as DIY'ers we don't need batteries that last all day, just 2 lower capacity and charge between use. Perhaps it's more the office work that doesn't prep us for the weekend DIY! But often the 18v can be cheaper and offer more bare tools for future purchase. So I feel if on a real budget an 18v combi could be worth picking up to get the charger and battery and then cheaper bare tools at a later date. Particularly if you want/need garden tools which all seem to be 18v+. On the SDS as you mentioned the Titan is a beast - super heavy but fantastic! Mines taken an absolute beating but has performed faultlessly. Cheers!

[@markvickers4189]

milwaukee m12 tool are good . I have a few m12 tools but I have dewalt 18v and the 54v for bigger jobs . I did treat myself a couple of months ago to the milwaukee m12 installation drill/driver , if you get a chance to try one for a review do . My first 4in1 I also got from tool station but the new one that is brushless as a lot more power . I will look forward to more tool review from you

[@GotTwins29]

I highly recommend 18v Ridgid tools for DIY. The batteries have a lifetime warranty which is hard to beat especially with how expensive batteries are getting. The 12v Ridgid tools are nice also but the batteries only have a 3 year warranty. I did however just purchase M12 Milwaukee Fuel combo drill and impact that came with 2,4 and 6ah batteries. They are much lighter and more powerful than my 18v Ridgid drivers. I still use both but if you plan on doing slightly more than DIY I recommend Milwaukee or Dewalt.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Nice comment, thanks for that. I'll check out Ridgid. I also agree with you about the trade point. 👍

[@joshburdett2638]

Another great video 👍

[@nocode1603]

My choice is ryobi powdered by 2x 4ah batteries bought the cordless grinder for cutting my old mooring chain at low tide lost count of how meany hack saw blade I broke doing this job witch is time critical got a good rane of drill drivers impact driver grinder I found the speed combined with the blue bosh drill bits perfect for installing metal socket boxes witch is my day job also have the sds for any heavy work can't fault ryobi 👌👍

[@robertw6546]

For taking down tiles, what hammer drill do you guys recommend?

[@CharlieDIYte]

I just love this bit.ly/2G4aZ6X So much tool for the money.

[@robertw6546]

@@CharlieDIYte thank you

[@sanmanDC050]

Can you do a video about black & Decker 20 max tools. Cheers.

[@anthonymiddlesex6859]

milwaukee are owned by ryobi same company i didnt know that till last week festool and makita are the only independent ones by the look of things

[@CharlieDIYte]

I think they're all pretty much made in the same factory by a billionaire German (might have got his nationality wrong). I only know that because I worked for a client a couple of years ago who had no redeeming features apart from this fact, which he told me when he saw me walking around with my Ryobi drill.

[@dmhouse1024]

What about corded non-SDS drills? My cordless combi is useless for drilling into London brick but my Bosch corded drill handles it with ease. I'm sure an SDS drill would provide even more power but I haven't come across a situation that my Bosch couldn't handle, and this avoids the need for two sets of drill bits.

[@C4sp3r123]

I used to have similar thoughts but SDS are really superior but if you aren't doing a lot of drilling into brick work and you have a good drill like you there probably isn't a need to upgrade to an SDS due to the extra cost not only of the drill but also the bits etc. An SDS does allow you to use chisel etc type bits that you can't in standard drill as an SDS allows you to just use the hammer function with no rotation.

[@robshaw3655]

can i use a 4.ah and a 2ah battery on the same drill ? does it just give more power or length of use?

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes you absolutely can. Sometimes as I experienced in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIewqKNqfdJqhbM for very torque intensive jobs you might find the 2Ah battery isn't up to the task but this will be rare and in that video the 1.3Ah batteries were I suspect close to the end of their life. Generally though you want a 2 and 4ah battery. The 2 Ah is great to keep weight down. The 4 or 5 is a must for tools like circular saw, chain saws, SDS drills. Yes the 4 or 5 Ah will deliver more power and greater length of use

[@rickh1634]

Mulwaukee charger should be the M12 + M18 to allow for future-proofing. Don’t know why they just include the M12.

[@matandcat2506]

Nice vid Charlie, I got the dewalt deal with 2 5mah batteries from screwfix...... bargain at 150 imo