Customer Reviews

Porter-Cable PC180DK-2 18-Volt NiCd Drill/Driver Kit

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I bought the PC180DK-2 at Lowes about a year ago. Honestly, I was really impressed with this drill. I'm a machine tool technician. I use this cordless drill everyday on the job. It's main duty is removing and reinstalling screws, bolts and any kind of screw fastener. I have to say this the strongest "torquest" drill I've ever used. There were a few times when I forgot to turn the torque down (I was in Drill mode) when this thing just about broke my wrist off. The two batteries hold a charge for a long time and recharging is pretty quick.
The environment I work in can get pretty nasty. These machines use coolants and lubricants. This stuff can get all over my drill especially around the hand grip.
What I found after about 9 months was the rubber material they used in manufacturing the grip was starting to come off from getting wet all the time. This is something that happens on a lot of drills not just the PC180. I just peeled off the rubber pieces that were flapping in the wind and moved on.
If you asked me a month ago if I would buy another PC180DK, the answer would have been an absolute YES. But here it comes; in the last week or so the two batteries will not stay locked on to the drill. I examined the drill to see if something had broken off but it looks fine. I'll be using it and suddenly the battery unlocks itself and in some cases it comes right off the drill and hits the floor. It has gotten to the point where I am duct taping the battery to the drill body. It appears that the spring locks on the batteries are giving it up. The spring tension isn't like it use to be. So in conclusion, this drill would be probably ok around the house but I'm not going to buy another for the type of work I do.

I purchased this at Lowes a few months back for home/weekend warrior use. It's fantastic, tons of torque. As mentioned by others, the light isn't the most useful because it's blocked the chuck. Although it's handy as a quick flashlight as needed (you can squeeze the trigger just enough to turn on the light but not start the chuck turning). For a weekend warrior, no hesitation. Yeah, you're paying less because it's NiCad instead of Lithium Ion, but if you take care of the batteries (do a full discharge/recharge, unlike lithium ion which is meant to be "topped off" regularly) you should be fine.

It was rated very highly, if not #1 in its category, by consumer reports as I recall.

I'd used this drill on masonry job without problems. Good performance for good price. Would be better if total weight was lower. Good power and torque. Gear box and clutch are decent for this price class. Battery endurance is very good. Best value drill.

I'm really happy with this drill. I only have one quibble: The LED that shows your work area in the dark is partially occluded by the chuck, so there's always a little shadow. Aside from that, it's great.

This drill replaced a 5 yr old 12V drill that recently died. Having the two speeds to choose from is great so I can set the drill and torque appropriately. It's a bit heave than my other drill, so that is why I only gave 4 stars. However, I don't plan on using it over my head for extended periods of time. Used it to install an outside dryer vent cover to brick and the it cut through like butter. Also used it to hang curtain rods. Very pleased with my purchase.

Don't listen to the 1 star reviews complaining about a seller. Buy it from Amazon, and you will have an awesome drill for $100. Lots of torque. Very durable! Cant go wrong at this price point.

This is an outstanding tool, period. We used it relentlessly on a deck as recently as this weekend, in spite of the fact there was an electric drill nearby. It (and the other three tools in the set) has performed like a trouper for months under heavy household use. No one should expect a professional quality tool at this price that'll perform in all sorts of weather, around solvents, lubricants, coolants and all sorts of environmental nasties -- and then leave a bad review. If you need a bulletproof drill to use every day in all conditions, buy a pro version for two or three times the price. There's no need to criticize a quality item only because it develops problems after 24/7 use for a year. If you want a very nice tool that'll take everything an amateur can throw at it, this is it.

Works as advertised. Nice carrying case, drill seems well crafted. Charger and batteries connect and charge well. Have had the drill only a few days so it is too early to tell how well it will stand up over time.

My old B&D drill /driver batteries gave out and it had served me well for many years. Time for a new drill/driver. I wanted one that would have a better battery life. I reviewed these products on Consumer Reports and the PC unit came recommended. I love having the led light and the unit has worked great and the battery lasts a long time. Not the cheapest unit out there but buying quality pays off in both the long and short term with more productivity and less problems.

This is my first electric drill I have purchased and definitely consider myself a novice regarding home repair projects. I have no complaints whatsoever regarding this drill. Very few (if any) 18V drills are available for under $100. The batteries charge very quickly and the drill really has some good power. I would definitely recommend purchasing a drill bit set to go along with this as it only comes with a standard Phillips-head and flat-head (not sure if that's the correct term) drill bit.

Overall, I'm very happy with this purchase!