Customer Reviews

Black & Decker FSD182K-2 18-Volt FireStorm Cordless Drill Kit

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I ordered this drill because it was a good deal and I'm happy about it but if you are going to do a lot of drilling or screwing, buy a Porter Cole or DeWalt.

For starters, the fact that you can take the chuck off is nice because it conveniently holds the screw bit so you don't have to go back and forth installing and removing a drill bit then the screw bit. Unfortunately, as a result, you will notice that the chuck does not hold the drill bit perfectly still. You will notice a little wobble. In addition, the front of the drill is a little longer then it needs to be as a result of the removeable chuck.

The bit storage is on the base of the handle, right above the battery holder. Poor design because the bit does not snap in place. Rather, it is held their magnetically. I've dropped the bit several times while it was in the holder.

The torque setting is silly because of the rather large number of choices. Keep it simple I say.

The case is suppose to be wall-mountable. It's large, ugly and poorly designed. I would have perferred a simpler case that held just the drill, charger and two batteries.

The drill has a level light that it really useless. I would have perferred a smart quick charger instead.

This item was a good deal, especially with the [price] rebate. Without the rebate, I would tell you to get the Porter Cole or DeWalt cordless drill instead. The 14.4 volt Porter Cole was definitely better than this drill.

My husband wanted an 18V drill but he wasn't too impressed with
Black & Decker quality so I was looking at DeWalt etc... when I
read a review that this drill was just as good at 1/2 the cost.
They weren't kidding! He loves it! It's got power to spare,
easy and fast to charge and a dream to use and change bits. He
was thinking about returning it when he first got it but decided
to try it out first and that's all it took - you can't go wrong
with this drill if you are in the market for an 18V.

I bought this item because they had a good idea in the handy change over from drill to driver.But they skimped on the quality of the chuck.That is a shame because it defeated the whole purpose of the tool.I took the first one back to the store and got another one,but it was just as bad.Maybe they will come out with a good chuck later!

I recently purchased this drill..., looking for a decent back-up drill to my Dewalts. ... My first thought was this thing is going to suck really bad! An 18 volt for under $200.00. 'Well what the heck, as I was thinking my worst case scenario was return it, and exchange it for another Dewalt.
Surprise, Surprise!
Plugged it in, and began working on cutting boards and prepping the job for little over 3 hours (The recommended charge time for each battery is 3 hours.)
This thing was a monster! Drilled through the metal brackets no problem. The variable torque and high speed settings are outrageous. Popped the front end off with one hand and screwed in the 4 inch screws without a hitch.
Ok, but I needed a reality check. So I took out my Dewalt 958K.
Took out a scrap 4X4 and punched in a 6 inch drywall screw into it completely flush. The 18 Volt Black and Decker Firestorm took out that screw like butter.
To be completely fair to my personal benchmark test there was chuck slippage on the second pass using the Black & Decker. But I simply tightened it by hand again and it worked flawlessly.
The LED level was off by +/- .0003. I shot it with my laser leveler using a mirror and calibrating the level to the reflection.
I really dont see any reason for taking points off based on a +/- .0003 fluctuation. Trust me your screws will be aligned up to .05.
In conclusion for the price and the functionality of this unit I can't say enough great things about it.
Buy it! Even at the price listed here.
Power, performance and ease of use make it a really wonderful addition to any wood working arsenal.
My only concern is it's ability to hold up to constant use. But then again Black & Decker makes it very plain that this unit is not designed for Heavy commercial use. (I purchased it for home and as an emergency back up unit.)
For whatever it's worth I highly recommend this unit for anyone willing to jump on the Black and Decker train.
This Drill is a Monster!

Really like the drill. Good balance, nice battery life, good power. I really like the removable chuck. However, I had the charger burn out after 6 months. Now, after a little over a year of HEAVY use, a gear (I presume) in the drive unit just stripped out while driving deck screws. Other than this, I've loved it. I'm buying another to replace it. Guess I'll just have lots of batteries and an extra chuck. I wonder if this isn't the same problem the other reviewers had. I know my problem isn't in the clutch, but in the drive train as I can hear the gear trying to catch. Hope they didn't use plastic gears....

I purchased this drill about 10 months ago for the incredible price of [$$$] on clearence at Home Depot. I was looking at the Dewalts but decided for [$$$], this is a steal. Overall the drill has plenty of power and feels good in your hand when in use. The removeable chuck is a good ideal but it really takes away from the quality of the drill. The chuck has a tendency to slip and I also notice a slight wobble. Another thing I wish is that it came with a 1 hr charger versus a 3 hr charger. Overall, it's a good drill for home projects and has plenty of power. For [$$$] bucks I can't complain too much. After all, where are you going to find a 18v drill for that price.

In one year, I have been through two of these. It's a good tool, nicely balanced, plenty of power, blah, blah. But don't buy one! The clutch on both of mine failed after a few months' home handyman use. Failed means the motor runs, but the chuck doesn't turn. Makes a nice paperweight, but no good for drilling.

I have had several cordless drils over the years, but this is the worst. I got this drill at Home Depot approx. 6mo. ago , i have uset it about 20 times ,with small home projects . I went to use it the other day and the clutch went out on the third screw. I took it back to the Home Depot, but I couldn't find my receipt, and they told me that Black and Decker would not take it back. So I'm stuck with a piece of junk. I have 2 good battery's and a good charger , but no drill to use them. I won't buy any Black and Decker product again.

The Firestorm cordless drill is no whimpy little cordless drill. This tool has pleanty of power and can be used for a variety of jobs around the house. With a decent set of bits and drivers it's capable of handling the toughest or most detailed project. It's easy to use since the locking mechanizm works by hand and the various settings make it difficult to make any serious mistakes when completing a project. I use this drill a lot and have never had a problem with it.

I bought this drill because I was building a deck and wanted the convenience of being able to drill a pilot hole and then set the screw without changing bits. It was the only drill on the market I could find with this ability. I have to say, it saved me HOURS in that capacity. That said, it made it through the deck project, and the gears seem to be going. Sometimes it sets a screw all the way into the wood, and sometimes, if it meets the least resistance at all, the chuck stops and all that's left is an annoying "chattering" sound. I guess this wasn't made for the rigors of all the drilling and screwing involoved in deck building. I even used my 3/4" corded drill for the heavier jobs. I hope B&D doesn't use plastic gears? I'd buy another one, only because I have the charger and battery for this one which are useless if I switch brands. I'm not planning any more major projects, and my hope would be that it will be perfect for the typical around the house kinds of projects. The only "flaw" I noticed was the chuck has a slight wobble because of it's ability to snap off. I know you can buy more solid, heavier drills for more money, but the convenience of being able to remove that chuck has me hooked.