DEWALT DC970K-2 18-Volt Compact Drill/Driver Kit

When I saw how highly-rated this drill was, I thought I'd run out to a big box home store to give myself instant tool gratification. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the asking price everywhere else seems to be $40 more than here on Amazon. $129 vs. $89? I can be patient for my two-day shipping!I'd been struggling with whether to buy a replacement battery or two for my Hitachi 12v drill, or to just buy a whole new drill. It'd been solid over the years and was still in great working order, but the batteries had clearly lost their mojo. I was ultimately stumped by the details of my charger and whether it could properly charge NiMH batteries, which most of the replacements for my Ni-Cd batteries seemed to be. I could pay 50% of the cost of this drill just on a new battery without being sure I'd even be able to use it. I decided to take the plunge and order this.Where has this 18-Volt drill been all my life?So it's torque-y. Like, don't accidentally injure your wrist by holding it weakly if what you're drilling or driving suddenly gets stuck. I used it over a several day period last week, not heavily, but intermittently and regularly. I have yet to run out the charge on the first battery. My 12v drill never had this much torque, and never lasted this long. I was eyeing one of the XRP drills (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003OKEV44/ref=psdc_552794_t1_B002RLR0EY) thinking I might want something more powerful than this. Forget it. Having used this, it's plenty strong to be your daily driver for projects around the house.A few thoughts:Does it have a case? From the description and photos, I wasn't sure, and I didn't want to buy loose parts without a way to carry them around. The answer is... sort of. It has a zippered bag. I liked that my old hard drill case had molded spots where everything fit perfectly. This bag is smaller, lighter, and still fits everything nicely, but you have to figure out how to arrange the pieces so it'll still sit flat and stable. You can't just throw them in and have a low-profile package, but after a bit of use you'll get the knack of how to pack it effectively. The bag seems well-made and I don't expect it to wear out quickly.The mechanism for switching the forward/reverse direction of the driver on my old drill was easier to operate one-handed. This one is a bit smaller and harder to flip casually, but some people might consider that a good thing.It's heavier than my old drill. I think I'd have regretted purchasing the more expensive, heavier-duty XRP hammer drill. This one is plenty heavy and powerful for me. If I were a construction professional, I might consider the upgrade, but for 90% of casual users out there, I'm guessing they'll find this drill to be nicely matched to most tasks. I'd never describe it as lightweight, whether in power, actual weight, or build quality. If a good tool is one that does what you need with a minimum of fuss or attention paid to making it do what you need it for, then this fits the bill in spades. I have a feeling I'll be happily using this drill years from now. If it continues as strong and long-lasting as its first impression, it's a winner.

UPDATE: THANK YOU BLACK & DECKER/DEWALT, YOU HAVE COME THROUGH WITH FLYING COLORS AND MADE IT MORE THAN RIGHT! YOU SENT ME A PRODUCT WHICH IS OF THE QUALITY & STANDARD I AM USED TO HAVE WHEN BUYING YOUR PRODUCTS AND I TRULY APPRECIATED YOUR TOP NOTCH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AMAZING PRODUCTS!!!I wish there was some way to leave a negative star about this drill/driver because it is the biggest piece of JUNK I have EVER received from DeWalt, and I have owned a BUNCH of DeWalt tools/equipment since I started my construction company back in 1997, because DeWalt is the only brand I have purchased for myself and my crews through the years, if they offered a tool to fit the application I was buying a new tool(s) for at the time. Needless to say, this has been SEVERAL thousands of dollars worth of DeWalt tools since that time but THIS ONE WILL VERY LIKELY BE MY VERY LAST ONE, if this is the type of quality (or should I say...LACK OF QUALITY) which DeWalt is really offering now. The bad part is most of them were purchased for commercial/heavy duty use through the years and I have always been VERY happy with them until now, and I bought this one for personal/light duty use in my woodworking shop which I just piddle with as a hobby. I was actually a little concerned as soon as I pulled it out of the box and saw the VERY CHEAP, FLIMSY PLASTIC keyless chuck on the front of the tool. But, giving my past experience with DeWalt tools I "THOUGHT" since it was a DeWalt it would surely be OK or DeWalt would NEVER build it this way. BOY WAS I WRONG!!! I have tried EVERYTHING I know and there us absolutely NO WAY to keep a bit, of any kind, tightly chucked down where it does not loosen up, start wobbling and fall completely out if you are not paying close attention. And to top it off, I was unable to use it until around day 34-36 after receiving it due to some health issues. So guess what, I missed the 30 day return policy Amazon has by only 4-6 days, not to mention it was actually only my first day to actually use the tool. So unless I don't some get DeWalt to give me a refund or let me upgrade to a better drill/driver which has a REAL chuck on it I now have a very expensive boat anchor!! I rarely ever take time to write reviews on the products I purchase but THIS ONE IS SO BAD I am just hoping maybe this will save others from making the same mistake I did!!! Thanks for takinng the time to read this long review and I just hope maybe it will shed some light on this tool for others and keep them from being in the same predicament I am now in!BEST WISHES!

DeWALT is one of the premier "contractor grade" names in power tools. Having used a residential grade drill for the past 7 or so years, please allow me to say that this tool was a quantum leap forward. Some things to consider:1. You get TWO batteries INCLUDED. This means that once you drain one you can flip to the other batter and keep drilling. You won't lose valuable time on the job waiting for your battery to recharge. If you are conscientious then you will never be without drilling power.2. The keyless chuck is VERY heavy duty and maintains a very tight grip on the drill bit. This means that you won't bury your bit in the wood only to have the chuck let go and leave your bit behind. You can tighten up the chuck again and back it out slowly if it ever happens to you with another drill but who has time for that?3. The drill's housing is heavy duty and will withstand countless drops and keep on ticking.4. As the site's picture suggests, it comes with a heavy duty carry case which will protect your drill and batteries even further.5. Drilling power and speed is extraordinary. You will effortlessly drive your drill bit in and out with little to no resistance from the wood or whatever you are drilling.I bought this on sale for $100 but it would still be a bargain at the list price of $150. This drill is an extraordinary find and I would recommend it to a friend.