Customer Reviews

Factory-Reconditioned DEWALT DW983K-2R Heavy Duty 14.4-Volt Ni-Cad 1/2-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit

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

 

 

Sure beats the heck out of my old 9.6 volt makita. This drill is excellent, I would like to say that it's much closer to deserving a five star rating than a four so let's give it four and 1/2.... If balance is a must, this drill has it, even with the extra pound I added with the quick exchange bit, and drill and drive system I use. User fatigue doesn't seem to be an issue. The only thing I noticed that may take some getting use to is the 3 speed clutch. At times the drill doesn't seem to want to advance out of a gear so it's necessary to run the drill, allow the motor to stop and try again. Not a big issue and if it's the only one I can't complain!! Do yourself a favor and look closely at the 14.4 volt Porter cable. If you dont mind the extra 20$ on the price tag it may be the only comparable drill on the market.

I gave 3 stars, but it could probably be 4. I've had it for about 8 months now.
Good:
1) Excellent power. The drill will easily put a lag bolt in with no problem. The 3-speed transmission makes a difference for this type of job.
2) Well balanced. As heavy as it is it still feels good in your hand and is pretty easy to use even over your head.
3) The torque adjustment is good if you have a lot of the same stuff to do over and over, like decking or cabinets, but it takes lots of tweaking to get the adjustment right, and the adjustment doesn't always match the entire work. I found it easier to judge it myself and stop when I should.
4) The two batteries and case are pretty nice to keep things together. However, this is pretty standard for the price range.
Negatives:
1) The reverse switch location STINKS!! If the button is barely touched the trigger locks. Consequently, in an awkward situation when you've got the screw carefully balanced on the driver, and you got to start it you find the trigger is locked, or slightly locked (it snaps instead of pulling smoothly). This becomes a bigger issue if you swap hands to drill/drive screws. Often, when I went to use my left hand for driving a screw I would just touch the switch creating the problem. It's worth noting that I was talking to a my furnace maintenance guy, who has the same drill, about a week after I bought mine. He swore he'd never buy the drill again because of this single issue. I thought he was exaggerating, but I've been ready to heave the thing thru a window because of it.
2) The one-handed keyless chuck, or automatic spindle lock. This is a bitter-sweet type thing. I love it, but I hate it. Because the head locks when the drill is not running you must adjust your driver to match the head of the screw, or bolt. Seems minor, but you get tired of rotating the big drill a 1/4 turn to match the head of a screw, especially in tight situations.
3) The keyless chuck on my drill is having some problems. Sometimes it catches and I have to jiggle it to get it to release. The drill is going back under the 1 yr. warrantee for repair/replacement.

Overall it's a good drill and worth the money I would recommend it. Would I buy it again? I think I would buy another brand for the real life, real use, comparison.

I have used this drill at work (decking/concrete) and have never had any problems with it. It combines good power without being heavy or unbalanced... A very good buy if you're in the market for a drill/driver.

Disclaimer - I have no brand preference when I choose tools - it's based on quality, durability and merits of the tool. Not necessarily the best or most expensive. The only exception to this is, without bias or hesitation, the Milwaukee Super Sawzall, the 6521-21, 11.8 amp reciprocating saw - it's a beast, very powerful and smooth!

I have always been a little apprehensive about the runtime for the batteries of cordless tools. I had the search narrowed down to Milwaukee's 14.4 volt or Hitachi's 14.4 volt versions. I personally don't see the need to go beyond this level of drill unless you're driving screws in a deck all day. (My older DeWalt 5 amp VSR drill is fine for drilling holes and light duty screw driving, and the Makita 9.6v just doesn't do anything well but drill holes.)

That said, I wanted to see how it compared in terms of power/torque against my new corded Milwaukee 0302-20, which is a very serious drill (scary - it comes with a side handle for a reason!).

So far, I have no complaints. Here's the upside from a demolition job we did on a neighbour's sunroom - it's being replaced with a more energy efficient sunroom. It was painted metal panel sections with a styrofoam core, held together by aluminum trim and nut head screws.
1) I like the racheting mechanism in the keyless chuck - it is very good. (so is the Milwaukee's keyless chuck)
2) It's nice to have speed and torque settings too...
3) Cordless - nice battery runtimes, and you don't have to manage the extension cords on the roof (removing the screws with a nutdriver). We removed a lot of screws...
4) Quality of the tool - solid heft, but not super heavy (although I didn't have to raise it above my head often)
5) Nice balance with the pistol grip.
6) Very good price - plus a $25 off coupon makes this reconditioned tool very nice on the pocketbook, and a versatile drill/driver in your arsenal.
7) Efficient use of the carry case - dedicated sections for the batteries and the charger.
8) Quick charge times - faster than the 1 hour or so for the older Makita.
9) It may be a "reconditioned tool", but the only thing that showed this was the carry case. Everything else looked new.
10) Full DeWalt warranty.

The cons?
1) I agree about the comment by jhvincent for the reverse switch location. I belive the corded DeWalt 5 amp has a better idea - it's a lever, not a button, above the trigger. However, I soon was able to pay attention and not hit it after a few minutes. So it did become a negligible issue after a while.

Maybe I will find issues later on, but not much right now. It's got a spot in my tool box, that's for sure. I would not hesitate to recommend this great buy to anyone. Buy this kit at this price - it's very good!

I am buying a Bosch router kit soon, and either a Bosch or Makita sliding compound miter saw in the new future. But both Milwaukee and DeWalt have shown their quality, no question...

PS - the Sawzall "more than payed for itself today", was the comment from another worker. We easily sectioned up the walls and roof with it. I would estimate it saved at least 2 hours of grunt work (the caulking was very tough and sticky around the windows, but the Sawzall cut through it and the aluminum siding with ease).

I have been using this drill for about two months and the drill works fine (even though its Reconditioned). The batteries dont hold a charge compared to the ones I got with my Impact driver (brand new, not reconditioned).I think its got to do with them being reconditioned.

I purchased this drill because of the DeWalt name and reputation. They deserve it. The drill is comfortable to use, and stays that way for a long period of time. The 14.4 volt battery would make the Energizer Bunny blush with envy. It just goes, and goes. In my opinion DeWalt is "DeBest" in a cordless drill.

I've had this reconditioned cordless drill for years now. The drill smokes and stinks when under heavy usage but it keeps on keepin on. Hasn't died yet.

I have a Dewalt corded drill and plate jointer, and like them. This cordless I am sorry I bought. One battery will not keep a charge, and the clutch went out after only minor use. I also have a Makita and a Panasonic cordless drill. They have not broken, and I have had them twice as long as the DeWalt. The Makita was made in the U.S. The DeWalt and the Panasonic are made in Mexico.