Essential starter power tools?

[Toblerone]

I use Bosch gear. I've got the GBH18V-EC SDS drill. Compact and lightweight, will drill 20mm holes, but best piloted first.

Have just seen it’s on sale on Amazon now for £170 including the L-Boxx, seems like a bargain.

Can’t see any advantages of the bigger non-compact models really? Or what the differences even are? Bosch website is useless for comparing various tools.

 

[farmerspark]

The bigger tools have higher impact force, probably have stronger internals. For most jobs it's fine, bigger drills can be a pain when using one handed up a ladder

 

[davesparks]

After further research I’m now considering Bosch. I’m a big fan of their L-Boxx stacking system and they make some quality gear.

L-boxx isn't a bosch product, they're a seperate company and bosch just use the boxes so you can add more boxes etc without buying from bosch.

The same goes for the boxes makita seem to use these days, they are systainers made by Tanos.

 

[Fazz711]

Have used de walt makita and milwaukee.
All are good and reliable.
The milwaukee seems a bit more tough but not massively.
Always used hilti when doing big deep holes in re-enforced concrete.
I have just bought my first own cordless combi drill (always had company gear before) and found a good starter kit at screwfix.
It's a de walt 778 with two 4Ah batteries.
Plan to add an sds and a grinder next

 

[SparkyAndGeorge]

They like to entice you in with deals on the drills so once you have the batteries and charger you tend to stick with that brand. Weigh up the costs of all potential tools you may buy, drills, drivers, multi tool, grinder, circ saw. I personally use the dewalt xr range and have not been let down so far. The hilti stuff is bullet proof but for me the cost outweighs the benefits.

 

[GBDamo]

Appreciate the responses - have always heard good things about DeWalt. Do many people here use Hilti? I know it costs a bomb but curious to know if the quality matches the price.

Milwaukee, Bosch, DeWalt, Makita and some others are pretty much the same, pick your favourite colour.

Hilti are a cut above but not sure its worth the difference in money unless you are going to be doing a lot of the same thing.

You will need.

A good battery SDS, something with enough clout but light enough to use one handed. No point having a 5Kg 56v monster for the occasional big hole then struggling with the vast majority of the holes you'll drill.

An impact driver is a must, don't go daft with power you're not taking wheel nuts off a bus.

A multi purpose drill for spade bits, step drills and hole cutters.

A multi tool, mine is 240 and I'm looking to get a battery one as there are many times i want to use it but can't be bothered with extensions.

A 4" grinder, I use mine a lot, mostly for trunking but will chop anything if it stays still long enough.

A lamp that fits your tool batteries, something hand held for inspection and lighting your work area, dont try to light the whole site.

As you progress...

An angle drill for joists makes running cables properly a joy rather than a chore.

A jigsaw.

A circular saw.

These are handy to have but i dont use them anywhere near as much as the first list.

 

[Toblerone]

Milwaukee, Bosch, DeWalt, Makita and some others are pretty much the same, pick your favourite colour.

Hilti are a cut above but not sure its worth the difference in money unless you are going to be doing a lot of the same thing.

You will need.

A good battery SDS, something with enough clout but light enough to use one handed. No point having a 5Kg 56v monster for the occasional big hole then struggling with the vast majority of the holes you'll drill.

An impact driver is a must, don't go daft with power you're not taking wheel nuts off a bus.

A multi purpose drill for spade bits, step drills and hole cutters.

A multi tool, mine is 240 and I'm looking to get a battery one as there are many times i want to use it but can't be bothered with extensions.

A 4" grinder, I use mine a lot, mostly for trunking but will chop anything if it stays still long enough.

A lamp that fits your tool batteries, something hand held for inspection and lighting your work area, dont try to light the whole site.

As you progress...

An angle drill for joists makes running cables properly a joy rather than a chore.

A jigsaw.

A circular saw.

These are handy to have but i dont use them anywhere near as much as the first list.

This is what I was hoping for - thanks very much for the advice. I'm gonna be acquiring this stuff slowly as it costs a small fortune.

I'm gonna go for Bosch and the GBH 18 V-EC, seems the best combination of size and power. I've seen some second hand Hilti gear on eBay, mainly 230v stuff, which i'm considering for the when you need an extra punch.

 

[BLBelfast]

What is the big use for multi tools. Been suggested as essential a couple of times here. I bought one and have used it to cut old laminate floorboards up when working on the house and nothing else.. interested to see what obvious uses I'm missing

 

[Andy78]

What is the big use for multi tools. Been suggested as essential a couple of times here. I bought one and have used it to cut old laminate floorboards up when working on the house and nothing else.. interested to see what obvious uses I'm missing

It's one of those tools that you can't really see lots of uses for until you start having one around with a decent selection of blades. Then you'll wonder why you didn't have one sooner.

I'm on a domestic rewire this week and so far mine has been used for cutting through plaster to brick depth to keep the edges neat, cutting exposed floorboards with minimal damage, cutting through old metal conduits to make space under floors, cutting wooden braces for floor supports, and cutting neat holes for trunking access.

Plenty other uses too on different jobs.