Customer Reviews

Black & Decker PD600 Pivot Plus 6-Volt Nicad Cordless Screwdriver with Articulating Head

5 star:		(104)
4 star:		(56)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(29)

 

 

The benefits of cordless power tools are obvious, but who says you need to pay hundreds of dollars to get the job done if you live in an apartment and don't have a contractor's license?

For $25, this is a super addition to any toolbox -- or kitchen cabinet. This is a great gift idea for dad -- or mom, for that matter.

Here's why:

* Quick-release collar allows you to pop in a screw or drill bit in a flash. A nice, tight grip.
* Multiple forward or reverse speeds at the click of a button. Torque control on the collar is easy to adjust and visual icons make it easy to figure out which one is best depending on whether you're using a screw or drill bit. Sweet.
* From 3-6 hours of operation on a single charge. Because it can take about six hours to re-charge, it's a good idea to leave this plugged into an outlet in the kitchen, bathroom or garage (but not longer than 3-4 weeks without use to avoid reduction in battery life).
* Ability to pivot the position of the handle or angle is big plus and great way to avoid carpel tunnel pain.
* The LED light, built-in removable tape measure and bit holder on the handle are fluff, but add to the coolness factor.
* Surprisingly light weight for it's rather large size.

So far no complaints. Price, form and function add up to a solid 5-star rating. You simply can't go wrong here.

Have been using this product for over 2 years. The design and power is pretty good for normal jobs around the house. The biggest complain that I have is the battery. NiCd is really getting on my nerves because we are used to much better technologies now. Recharging is always tricky because if you don't drain it all, the memory effect will kill the battery in a few short circles. Switch to other products with Li-Ion battery (just like the ones in our cell phones) which will give you more power and with little or no memory effect.

I have one of these power screwdrivers and it is a lifesaver! It cuts down on installion time by quite a lot. My fiance put together two new bookshelves for me with this screwdriver in FAR less time than it normally takes him with a regular screwdriver!

Besides being a great screwdriver, it also can act as a drill (if you get the right bits). Since it has two speeds, you can drill holes at a quick speed, then use the slower speed when you're using the screwdriver part. It also has a handy tape measure inside for quick, last minute measuring.

Another great benefit is that it locks in to three different positions - so if you need to get to something at an awkward angle, it makes it a LOT easier! It also has a handy light on it, so if you are screwing something in a dark part of a room, you can see better what you're doing.

I'm very impressed with this tool - I highly recommend purchasing it! You will not be disappointed!

Purchased this as a Christmas present for my wife and have been installing blinds ever since. While it's not intended to take the place of an 18 volt drill, it does a great job screwing and unscrewing. The forward, reverse rocker switch is more convient than others that we have used and the angles are handy. I would not recommend it as a replacement for the DeWalt heavy duty cordless screwdriver (my favorite), but it's lighter and 1/3 the price. Well worth the money....

This is the best *cheap* cordless screwdriver I have ever used. The ergonomics of this driver feels good in your hand. Plenty of power and charge in the 6V battery. The clutch eliminates the problem of overtightening and the drill speed is great for quick pilot holes. The two bit holders and LED light really add to the convenience. I haven't used the tape, which is pretty cheesy, but I imagine it could come in handy for a quick measurement. I only have two complaints, but for less than $30, they really don't matter... 1) It should have a LED to indicate that it is charging, 2) I wish the battery was replacable. For the money, this is an indispensible gadget.

It does everything as advertised.

Pros: different torque settings, 2 drive speeds, small LED light, pivot point, overall "feel".

Cons: drilling is only for light duty jobs (otherwise get a real drill), charging time takes too long. connection for the charger plug is right in the pivot point and it doesn't let you use it while plugged in.

Other than the charging issues(that's why I won't give it 5 stars) but it's a great tool at a decent price.

I think all the advertised features are practical and usefull:
- Low speed high torque for screwdriving and higher speed for drilling.
- Integrated LED light eliminate dark spot or your shadow cast.
- Pivotable handle allows the best grip -- keep it straight for normal screw driving and tilt it all the way for larger job with higher torque requirements.
- Dettachable tape measure provides some conveniences too in case you forgot to wear one.

And I also like its exceptional power for it's size and thanks to it's adjustable torque output I strip less screws. It's light weight too for it's power.

However, I don't care much about its quick connect/disconnect collar as there are not many bits I would use this screwdriver with besides the phillips and flat and occasionally an allen head.

Several more complaints (not really that bad) to follow:
- Not a good drill for 1. its high speed is not high enough and 2. you need non-standarad/special drill bit to work with its quick connect/disconnect collar. The included one drill bit however is good for pilot hole for screw. (I use better cordless drill but a good drill normally weighs a lot more).
- Battery not changeable (who cares.. get a whole new power screwdriver for only $25)
- No variable speed (this means you cannot start or stop your drive slowly)
- No battery indicator (hmmm.. can't seem to know which one has..)

As far as the battery life is concerned, I suggest following the manual's maintenance recommendation and you should get the max out of it.

Conclusion: A good buy and I highly recommend if you are looking for a more powerful electric screwdriver but don't want to bear the weight of a real cordless drill. Five stars for the screwdriver (one star for the drill)

I had this unit for about 2 years, and was continually amazed at how versatile it was. It's true that it won't drive huge screws into hardwood, but for the majority of jobs around the house (assembling furniture, hanging shelves or brackets into studs, installing curtain rods, even hanging drywall), it has more than adequate torque. The adjustable torque is also very handy, and rare in this product class.

I have to echo the complaint that the bit holders are essentially useless; I resorted to using a very fat rubber band to keep the bits in place. What's worse, like some others have reported, the battery in my unit also completely died after less than 2 years -- no warning, no slow decline; one day it just would not hold any charge whatsoever. However, I certainly got much more than $25 worth of use out of it in 2 years, and am about to buy another one.

One complaint I'd like to address is the scarcity of drills and bits. Not true; just search Amazon (or any hardware shop) for "magnetic drive guide", "magnetic bit holder", etc., or "hex shank drill bit" -- you'll see plenty of options. I already had a B&D kit with a magnetic screwdriver bit holder that takes just about any standard driver bit; the kit also came with 6 hex-shank drill bits. Since the Pivot Plus lacks adequate torque for drilling larger holes in anything except drywall or very soft pine, I'd recommend just getting the magnetic bit holder and a handful of common driver bits for a total of $10 or less.

Sure it works good- but it is almost as big as a drill. My old elec screwdriver died, this one had a good price, but it is really big- I might as well use my electric drill most of the time. I did find the teeny weeny light handy when I had to screw in a dark place. But it is heavy and only fits a few places a drill wouldn't. It has a lot of power- not as much as my drill.

I used the Versapak system for years and it worked ok but the constant charging of external batteries that eventually gave out was too much trouble. I contemplated buying a more powerful external battery device when I came across this electric screw driver. It is much lighter and flexible.

So far it has been instrumental in installing blinds throughout the house. I used it also as a drill because the external doors are steel. It has also been used for small furniture repairs.

The charge holds out for sufficiently completing many projects and I really like the quick universal Quick Connect bit system.