Customer Reviews

Makita DF010DSE 7.2-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Driver-Drill Kit with Auto-Stop Clutch

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Man I hate being the first to review anything. First I can see from the numbers and percentages that many of these are being purchased. I had serious reservations mainly due to the cost, after all its a freakin screwdriver. I had a black and decker that lasted a long time and it came time to replace the battery and it was the same price as the driver so that was just stupid. I have other good cordless stuff like dewalt and makita. Dewalt does not have any ion drivers so that was out. The one driver dewalt has weighs like 80 pounds or so it looks. I purchased the single speed white ion Makita thinking that would do the trick, but no. The RPM are so high it was like a drill all the time, great build and torque though. This one while costing out the butt seems to fill the bill. It has half the torque of the white one but at least it can be controlled. The settings for torque are nice so you dont strip out delicate screws like in electronic stuff. The one thing I wish it had was the led light should stay on for a few seconds after being activated like the other makita tools. This one is just an on and off switch. Oh well what do you want for a hundren and eighty bucks huh. I still cant get over that fact. Oh well its done and it works and it will last a long time.

I am using this Li-ion MAKITA cordless driver drill for servicing household appliances.It has 2 speed and 21 clutch setting,which is great when repairing delicate stuff(I am using the low speed most of the time).The L.E.D light in the front is helping when removing or putting back screws in darker spaces.Another great tool from MAKITA sold buy AMAZON.

Purchased this unit to replace an 8-year old Milwaukee stick. The Milwaukee worked OK - but power, low RPM, and battery life were big drawbacks. It was light, though - and that's important to me.

The Makita is a heavier unit, but I'm adjusting to it pretty quickly. Battery life is excellent - a big plus. Power is a bit low, but not a real issue. I use it primarily for assembly/disassembly of electronic cabinets and components. The high RPM setting is perfect for most tasks, and makes short work of removing longer screws. Surprisingly, this unit works pretty well as a pinch-hit drill, and delivers adequate torque for light drilling and pilot holes. The locking chuck is great, I never realized what I was missing. Don't expect the performance of a dedicated drill, though - it is a screwdriver, after all. A nice feature nonetheless.

The clutch seems to work well, and should help prevent stripped screws and nutplates. One minor problem, though - sometimes when I reverse the driver after the clutch trips, the unit locks up and I have to reverse it again to free the motor up. Not sure if this is an actual defect, or just a side-effect of an electronic clutch. As time goes on, I'll decide whether or not to return it based on how ofter this occurs.

Now, a few complaints:
I wish the grip would securely lock when placed in the inline position. I often use it manually to tighten or break screws. The beefy grip and heavy weight would be great for this - if it would stay locked. It's easy to have the grip fold back on you when you bear down, which can be a real pain. My Milwaukee was worse in this respect, though. But for the money spent, this seems cheesy.

I don't use the LED light very often, but do find it handy in some situations. I like the on/off switch, BUT the switch is too easy to turn on accidently. Happens to me frequently. Not a deal-breaker - but, again, for the money I expected better. Fortunately, Makita has a time-out feature which turns the light off when left on for a period of time. I'm sure I'll eventually leave the light on when I place it back in my toolbox. Frankly, I could live without an LED light on my screwdriver.

Overall, I'm pleased with this purchase. If it holds up under constant use, it's money well-spent. A 3-year warranty suggests a quality product. I've had great luck with Makita products in the past, and expect this driver to last for a good long time.

UPDATE: 10/2011
Have used this tool quite a bit now, and I'm very pleased with it. I've become used to the few minor flaws - except for the non-locking grip. That still bugs me, but I can live with it. At this point, the only thing preventing a five-star rating is the price.

These two tools - DF010DSE and TD020DSE are perfect pair for each other. Last year I purchased TD020DSE and was pleased by it's usability but mostly for drilling because it's hight speed motor (2000 rpm) perfect for this task and especially powered by impacting mechanism. There were no adjustable torquie clatch for TD020DSE and because of that and fast speed it wasn't suitable for gentle screws.

This year I purchased DF010SE and found all the rest - two speed switch, low speed ideal for screws, adjustable torque clatch. DF010SE was supplied with plastic case and I fitted both tools inside this case with all the batteries and charger.

So now I have what I need.

This Makita is a wonderful Driver/Drill. The quality is the best. Nice case. Great batteries.
There is never a replacement for the highest quality and Makita is it!

My old AEG (now made by Milwaukee) rechargeable screwdriver that could be bent or used straight (like this model) has seen better days and I've gone through at least 6 battery replacements on it over the years, so I researched what was out there in today's market. I stumbled on this model and, despite its very high price, I opted to give it a try. It's wonderful - slightly larger than my old model but with loads more power and the batteries charge super-fast. And the 600 RPM "drill" speed is great for little jobs around the house. It also holds its charge far longer with the lithium ion battery, when compared to the Ni-Cad's in my old AEG model. So, it's charged and ready to use even if it's been several weeks between uses. It's designed well, works well, and reeks of quality. If I could change one thing it would be to turn on the light automatically when you run the unit. A separate switch seems a bit cumbersome - but, it's still a nice feature despite the separate switch. Buy one - you'll love it.

I bought this driver because I wanted to update a couple of B&D pieces I have. I own a 3.6v B&D Versapak with a magnetic tip holder and clutch. I also own a 7.2v B&D Versapak keyless chuck drill. I have used these for years with only a few complaints. One the bits & batteries fall out of the driver too easy. Two the batteries wear out pretty fast and are heavy. Three the drill had very little power and speed. So since I do a lot of computer work this seamed to be the most logical unit to replace both pieces. The quick chuck is awesome because I was sick of my tips sticking in the screw and not the driver. The speed and power is what I expected for a 7.2v slow enough to drive in screws with out striping them out and fast enough to drill in a pinch. This unit is awesome because not only did it fix all my problems it replaced both B&D tools with out having to sacrifice a single feature. Plus it also gave me some features that I didn't have before.

Driver control well but not lot a power but do what it suppose to do Drive screws in and out it feel solid and great build I work lot on electrical and electronic board in fryer,steam oven, food warmer I put it on the oven which is very hot or sometime spilled hot oil on it and leave it inside warmer nothing happen to it still look as good as new. settings for torque are cool so you wont strip out delicate screws but should have some sort of lock for handle position sometime it pop back from pistol to in-line position when you put some weight on it well it not a deal breaker for me what best are size and battery.It last very long for that little battery and size fit perfect in tool bag overall it a great tool to have it'll save you a lot time and it look like it going to last long time too

I bought this tool to use at work as a screw driver for computer hardware assembly, beside this Makita, I have three other cordless tools made by different manufacturers. I hardly use them because they can not perform as this Makita. It is a little pricecy, but it worths the money.

This is one of the best one that I like to use in for all the jobs. It is well made, long last battery and good solid looking.
I like the quietness of the motor running, and the Auto-Stop Clutch feature that really help to perform the job. You will not regret to own it.

I am a copier technician, and wanted something to speed up removing copier covers with multiple screws. I had been using a ratcheting screwdriver, which worked well but still took a while on machines that use 10-15 screws to secure a single cover. This Makita makes my job so much easier and service calls go much faster. I'm most impressed with how long the batteries last, and also that they don't drain while sitting for days on end. The auto-stop clutch is a life saver, especially when working with circuit boards and other delicate electronics. Don't be fooled though, on the highest clutch setting I've snapped a few screw heads off, so this thing packs a lot of torque despite it's small size. I love the built-in LED light, although it's easy to turn it on accidentally, due to the switch's odd location. It's not a big deal though. The two-way handle (from flat to pistol grip) is a nice feature as well. Overall, an awesome little tool, albeit expensive.