Customer Reviews

Black & Decker SSL20SB-2 20-Volt MAX Smart Select Lithium Ion Drill/Driver

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'll give the package 3.5/5 stars.

The batteries included are 2200mAh batteries, _NOT_ the high capacity batteries that come with other tools in the B&D line. The build quality is average. Yes, the drill is light, with the battery which is Li-Ion type. However, the torque is bit less than average of the drills that I own in the similar price range. It high dual range of speed has lower maximum speed than my other drill from Craftsman, Panasonic, and some other brands.

Overall, it is a drill that is average, nothing special, other than that it uses same battery that is used in the B&D line of gardening tools. If the battery fail, I will get the high capacity battery next time.

Maximum RPM = 0-400/0-1300. Max Torque =175in-Lbs. In my experience battery life is par with other major brand batteries, and nothing special.

Only special features are: 1) Lightness of the tool, 2) Lithium-Ion battery.

I bought this drill/driver with no published reviews because this model comes with two speeds and two LI batteries. Since the batteries are so expensive to buy separately, it sells at a very attractive price. I have only used it twice so far, but it has performed very well both times. The second time was a big project driving 2.5" screws and the battery held up very well. It is light weight and comfortable to use. I rate it four stars because I was surprised how long it takes to charge the batteries and because the "Smart Select" dial isn't particularly accurate for the uses shown. Also, the high speed selector is on the dial rather than a switch. There are only three high speed positions so there are not as many speed/power options as I've had on other models. That said, anyone who has used a cordless drill/driver with a numbered dial will have no trouble adjusting this unit for the job at hand.

The "savings" mentioned by Amazon is a bit of an overstretch. But anyway, $90 for a 20Vmax cordless B&D drill (18V under load) with 2 Li-ion batteries (plus soft case and double-ended bit) is a great buy. Some other reviewers mentioned they found it cheaper elsewhere, but that drill is the previous model (no smart select) with only one battery...
The time it takes to charge the battery is extraordinary (couple of hours or more), but with 2 batteries and a little bit of fore-planning you will be fine. Anyway these batteries hold their charge for long time so you can charge them now, let them be, and use the drill weeks or months later with no problem (I imagine, I haven't had it for so long). If you need faster charge times, get a DeWalt with 30-min quick charge (but also pay 2-3 times as much).
The quality (although mostly plastic to keep the weight down) is nice and the drill appears sturdy, but only time will tell. The chuck grips securely and I haven't noticed any slipping (although my larger drill bits have a 3-flat base - maybe there is slipping with traditional round-base drill bits). The smart-select clutch is a new one for me, but the concept is pretty much the same as with numbered clutches. There is low-speed setting for driving with different amounts of torque, and a high speed setting for drilling. I am still trying to figure out how accurate this is... The handle provides a nice grip for my medium-large sized hand. The drill is lightweight (but not featherweight) and has plenty of power to do typical tasks (driving and drilling into wood, drywall, metal studs) and even some more demanding tasks if you need to.
It is definitely not contractor grade (you cannot use it to drill hard steel and drive thousands of 3-inch screws every day), but for the homeowner/DIY/honey-do is a perfect balance of weight, power and price. If you don't need the power and want a smaller tool predominantly for driving screws in tight spaces and just some light drilling, the 12Vmax from B&D is even lighter and tackles most tasks around the house equally well (I tried it but didn't keep it).

I myself own this exact kit. The batteries hold a charge for a long time(a lot longer than my 18 volt Ni Cad) and when the battery dies I have the other charged and ready to go. I really like that it gives you full power until the battery goes out...no getting gradually weaker. I really like the metal chuck, too...it doesn't get butchered up like the plastic ones on my other drills. I got mine on a Lightning Deal for $59.99...so that was pretty hard to beat. The current price is $99.00, which is still a good price for a Li Ion drill with 2 batteries.

This tool certainly isn't the strongest but surely gets the job done, I am quite pleased and for the money I spent again thoroughly pleased!

As always came on time. The packaging came in good shape. The product is a good drill. Bought it as a gift for my son. He had a Dewalt unit and it burnt up. It is a good value with 2 lithium batteries and charger. It is lighter than other units and good balance. The automatic chuck is a first so i will see how it pans out when he uses some more. I also have a unit. Not a bad uint for home use.

Not overly heavy and plenty of long lasting power, this drill replaced a five year old Ryobi NiCad set. The flexibility of the drive select works great when your concentrating on the project and not how to configure the drill for the best oerformance on the task.

On my first project I partially rebuilt my deer stand. I screwed in just under 1 pound of 3 inch wood screws and a couple 1 3/4 screws on 1 battery charge before the battery was dead. The reason I only gave it 4 stars is because it should last a little longer than that plus at a local Menards it was 30 dollars cheaper also than the 99 it is sold here (so a little disappointed that it was more on amazon). I do plan to purchase another one of these with 2 batteries next year so I will have more batteries as I have the chain saw also that eats the batteries for dinner.

I am amazed at the power of this drill I have had it for a month and have yet to recharge it. Great for everyday use

It is definitely not the same quality as a Dewalt or Makita, but I'm not a contractor and don't need super high quality tools. I need a tool that is reasonably powerful and will be ready to go when I need to use it, but I don't want to pay several hundred dollars for something that will spend most of its life on a shelf. I've had at least a dozen different cordless driver/drills over the years and they all suffered from the same problem - the battery was always dead when I needed to use them. The lithium ion batteries included with this unit solve that problem since they stay charged for over a year in storage.