Customer Reviews

Porter-Cable 9966 12-Volt Ni-Cad 1/2-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit

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

 

 

I got this at the same time as I got a cheap, 15.6v Crafstman drill as a gift. They couldn't be more different. If you're considering a cheap alternative like that, let me list some differences:
- The PC has WAY more power. Don't let the voltage rating fool you. I have had the Craftsman drill bog down far more often than the PC drill.
- Brake and locking chuck - When you take your finger off the PC trigger, it stops immediately and locks in place, making bit changes much easier and avoiding turning screws too far.
- Speeds - There is a speed switch on the top of the PC, not the Craftsman. I have found this very helpful when switching between drilling (HI) and screwing (LO).
- Apparent quality - The PC feels better built. It has that steel-instead-of-plastic feel to it. It probably is a little heavier, but that's probably due to more metal and more battery, a trade-off I'm fine with making.

This drill has had plenty of power and battery life for me in my furniture building. I drilled 400 holes in a pair of bookcases and had to switch batteries once. I asssembled 8 drawers using these two drills. I had three drilling tasks: drilling a large hole (3/4"), drilling a small hole (1/8"), and turning a screw. Eventually, the craftsman drill ended up just turning screws because it was too slow to change bits on it and it was slower drilling even the small holes. The only reason I used it on the screws was to skip another bit change to put the screwdriver bit in the PC.

I have had this drill for several years. Bought it as a kit with a super flashlight and two batteries. I was looking at this site because my handyman said he was thinking of getting a PC because he liked mine so much. I was surprised to see just a 3 star overall rating and a couple of negative reviews. No doubt those people got lemons. Mine gets used at least several times a month, has taken through many remodeling projects, and has performed flawlessly. I've used it to drill holes in all kinds of wood, drive screws in pressure treated 1 x 10 pressure treated lumber to build a 400 sq foot deck, many hundreds of dry wall screws, etc, etc. It charges quickly (about an hour?)and runs for a long time. Get the flashlight too - it's great. I thought I had made a somewhat frivolous purchase when I got the light but there have been dozens of times when I was very glad I did. Both have performed flawlessly and I'm 100% satisfied.

I've had this drill for two and a half years and am loving it. Not one single time have I regretted purchasing it. It has met or exceeded my expectations every time I've used it. I was impressed enough by the quality of this tool that when I needed (okay, 'wanted') a nail gun, I bought Porter Cable for that as well (and it's great, also).

My wife and I bought a fixer upper two and a half years ago and have been working on it since. Among other things, we renovated our kitchen soup to nuts and built a new mahogany deck. We've used the PC drill/driver for everything we've done in the house. Having the two battery packs and the fast charger is great. We've never managed to drain the second one before the first one is fully recharged.

We bought a second drill when we were doing our deck so that my wife and I could work in parallel. We wanted it right away and ended up getting a Black & Decker because our local Home Depot didn't have this PC drill in stock. The B&D is useless. It's 15V instead of 12 but has noticeably less torque, fewer settings that can be adjusted, and just plain doesn't work as well. It also feels really cheap compared to the PC.

One reviewer said that the drill was unusable after 2 years. I haven't had any problem with it after 2.5 years of regular use. This is a very high quality tool that you won't regret purchasing.

I have had a 12 volt porter cable cordless drill for 5 years now. I need another because the batteries have finally died and they want as much for a new set of batteries as they do for the whole drill. I will be purchasing another Porter Cable. I've used this drill for many large projects including a 2000 square ft shop that was screwed together entirely with this drill. I also do a lot of steel working and have used and abused this drill without any problems. It has been dropped from several roofs without any issues also. I have also used 18v cordless drills and in my opinion the extra weight is not worth the extra power. this 12v drill will do anything you will probably be doing with a cordless drill.

They do not service their own items and the companies that do are few and far between. The balance of quality and power are not equal. If you push this drill to operate as it is advertised you will ruin it. Mine sparks everytime I let go of the trigger. It has been used four times and all of the drilling was into soft woods. Buy a Dewalt if you want a quality cordless drill.

I have the previous all plastic case version of this tool. It has given good service since 1999. I wore out the second set of batteries and bought the 9966 because the batteries were compatible with my old tool.

The new PC drill has been used maybe 10X. It looks near new. The gear box broke and it won't shift into low gear. The metal case also cracked by the gear shift.

I used the heck out of the old tool and it still runs strong. This new replacement is a downgrade. The gear box should not break.

Glad the new warranty is 3 years. Now hope it can be repaired.

I would not buy one of these. After thinking about it, it seems a very stupid idea to use die cast or injection moulded metal in an application that is expected to receive impact loading such as a portable power tool.

At the greatly reduced sales price, this is a quality product that will outlast several "homeowner quality" consumer products many times over. Bought it as a gift for my son, and should last him his lifetime.

Very Good Drill. It has much more torque than others I have had. I don't know how I got along without it!

I have had my PC 12V drill for 8 years medium use. Excellent power/weight ratio with no need for more voltage. Replaced one battery at 3years and replaced the replacement last month. One of the original batteries is still going strong. The only downside is the battery replacement cost is high.

Dear Sir;
I have used this product now for almost a month and find it to be a drill that is easy to use and comfortable in the hand. It has more power than I had expected and so far am very pleased with it.
A satisfied customer