At the moment, Craftsman’s new V20 brushless drill/driver is sitting on my bench, waiting to be tested. While I am extremely eager to put it to the test and get that review going, I was even more eager to put a different Craftsman cordless drill ahead of it.
Last week, I picked up the Craftsman cordless drill kit that will be featured as a Black Friday 2018 and holiday season special at Lowes. It’s the Craftsman C20 CMCD700C1 cordless drill kit, with their entry-level drill, a 1.3Ah battery, and charger.
Advertisement
Right now, it is $69 at Lowes, with a “was” price of $79.
Check Price via Lowes
I must say, the box is a very nice “buy me!!” shade of red.
Here’s what you get – the Craftsman CMCD700 cordless drill/driver, V20/V12 charger, and a double-ended screwdriver bit.
The drill is advertised as being Versatrack-compatible, and they tell you clearly on the box that it’s an optional accessory that’s not included.
Advertisement
Specifications
- 280 UWO (unit watts out) max torque
- 0-350/0-1500 RPM
- 1/2″ chuck
- Weighs 2.7 lbs without battery
- 8-1/4″ length (measured)
- LED light
First Thoughts
While I tested this and the brushless model – briefly – at Craftsman’s big launch event earlier this year, there was so much going on that I didn’t get a good feel for the details. Plus, this is a production model, and so little things might have changed.
The first thing I noticed was that the battery connects to the tool very securely. It’s almost satisfying how the two engage together. While it does require a little more effort than some other brands’ battery systems, I’d rather this than sloppy engagement.
The Craftsman drill has a good feel to it. All of the new Craftsman V20 cordless drills share the same handle grip design.
It also wasn’t lost on me that Craftsman included a standard charger, or what I’m calling a standard charger. They could have supplied this kit with a more basic charger, but they didn’t.
Controls
The speed selection switch isn’t as prominent as I’m used to, but I didn’t have any problems sliding it back and forth. It might be harder to feel for with gloved hands.
It has a 23+1 setting adjustable clutch, meaning there are 23 adjustable power settings, plus a full power “drilling” mode. I’m pleased that the clutch is easy to turn, and its markings are clear and easy to read.
Going from the highest clutch setting to drilling mode requires a short turn; there are no other selector switches.
The chuck has a plastic sleeve that’s easy to grip. In my testing, it held securely and I haven’t experienced any issues yet.
Testing
When it came time to testing the drill, I was a little apprehensive. I’m used to using and testing higher-levels of cordless drills. A $69 cordless drill kit? 280 UWO (unit watts out) when I’m more used to the 460 UWO of Dewalt’s compact brushless drill?
I’m working on a new standardized way of evaluating cordless drills (please let me know if you have any testing suggestions), but I settled on the following methods for this and a few other models I’m testing at the same time.
Drilling Applications
- 1/8″ twist drill
- 1/4″ twist drill
- 1/2″ self-feeding spade bit
- 3/4″ self-feeding spade bit
- 1″ self-feeding spade bit
- 1-1/2″ self-feeding spade bit
Fastening Applications
- #6 x 5/8″ self-drilling wood screw (Philips #2)
- #8 x 1-1/4″ self-drilling wood screw (Philips #2)
- #10 x 2″ self-drilling wood screw (Philips #2)
- #10 x 3-1/8″ self-drilling wood screw (Torx T25)
- 1/4″ x 3″ self-drilling lag screw (3/8″ nutdriver)
The self-drilling spade bits I were using have a max speed of 1500 RPM, which is what the Craftsman V20 drill is rated to at its higher speed range. There’s a suitable amount of power for the 1/2″ spade bit, but barely. The low speed range must be used for these kinds of bits.
When attempting deeper 1/2″ holes, the drill can push to around 2″ deep in the long edge of a 2×4. I’m sure that it can drill further if reversed for the hole to be cleared out a little.
When drilling 3/4″ holes, it could make it through the short 1.5″ thickness of a 2×4. Drilling through the 3.5″ edge is possible, but care is needed.
I stalled the drill a couple of times when being mildly aggressive with the 3/4″ spade bit. I also bound up the bit to where the Craftsman drill couldn’t reverse it out of the hole. It did effort to reverse the bit, but the motor overheated a little to where some smoke came out of the air vents.
One of those times, when the Craftsman drill couldn’t back out, I removed the drill and attached a pro-brand 12V-class brushless drill, and it was able to back the bit out. A second time, with the 3/4″ spade bit maybe 1.5″ deep into the edge of a 2×4″, I had to bring out a heavy duty 18V-class drill to free up the bit.
In a real-world application, I would have cleared the chips by backing the drill out a little, instead of attempting deeper holes in one go.
I was able to drive a 1″ self-drilling spade bit about 3/4″ into a 2×4 when it stalled. After that I moved onto fastening tasks.
But, later on, with a freshly charged battery pack and after giving the tool a break so I could do something else, I brought out a 1-1/2″ self-drilling spade bit, to see what the Craftsman V20 cordless drill could do. It stalled twice, but was able to complete a hole through the 1.5″ thick face of a 2×4.
For fastening tasks, the Craftsman drill fared well, driving all of the screws flush. From #6 x 5/8″ through #10 x 3-1/8″, it was able to drive them all, and without pre-drilling any of the holes.
The #6-5/8″ screws weren’t quite flush, but that’s more due to the choice in fasteners. Just enough torque, and the clutch stops the screws from going further. Too much further, and they’ll strip out the holes and free-spin. If you want to drive these screws flush, pre-drill the holes and use a countersink to make a nice recess for the screw head.
When I came back to the drill after a while, and right after I put it through the quick test with a 1-1/2″ self-drilling spade bit, I had no trouble completely driving in a 1/4″ x 3″ lag bolt, using a 3/8″ nutdriver. I repeated the test two more times, to be sure.
Now, I hadn’t pushed it to its absolute limits yet, and there are more tests I want to do, but I’ve seen enough to get a good sense of the tool’s capabilities.
Craftsman V20 Li-ion Battery
Craftsman includes a 1.3Ah Li-ion battery with this kit, and it held up well. While the battery was depleted quicker than I had anticipated, I had also been pushing the drill to its limits. The high current draw, as well as the battery’s elevated temperature during extended use, hastened things along.
But, the battery pack powered through everything the drill asked of it. And it has a built-in capacity fuel gauge, which is always appreciated. They *could* have built a more basic battery for kits like this one, without a fuel gauge, but they didn’t.
The battery pack has a quality feel to it, and as mentioned, it very securely connects to the tool.
Craftsman V20 Charger
The included charger is one of the reasons I think this Craftsman kit is a great value. This isn’t a barebones charger, it’s a full V20/V12 charger.
Craftsman V12? I can’t wait to see what they come out with a 12V Max platform!
I was surprised at how fast the charger brought the battery pack from fully drained to 100% charged. Looking at the back of it, it states a 1.25A output. It can recharge the 1.3Ah battery in what – about an hour? That’s decent for a kit like this.
On the back of the charger, there are keyhole hangers and they very clearly specify the center-to-center spacing right on the back of the charger (3.5″). Those are nice touches that a lot of people will appreciate.
Ratings Explained
I rated the Craftsman V20 CMCD700 cordless drill as 3/5 for power, and 3/5 for speed because it’s a lower powered and slower tool compared to many others on the market. However, it proved to be capable. For tougher test scenarios, it completed what was asked of it, it just took a little longer.
It can handle common light to medium duty DIYer drilling and fastening tasks. For mid-to-heavier duty tasks, care must be taken to ensure a lighter feed rate, which means not putting too much pressure on the drill, or being careful to clear chips out frequently.
I wish that the top drilling speed was a little faster, but since you cannot gain speed without losing torque, I’m happy for the balance that we’re given.
There weren’t any real disappointments as far as the user-experience goes, but the drill doesn’t feel perfect enough for a 5/5 score. 4/5 is still very good. It’s a drill I’m comfortable using.
Frankly, this kit is a heck of a good value – I’d rate it 6/5 if I could.
Verdict
I would consider this to be a very good value drill kit for DIYers, homeowners, and *maybe* value-minded pro users who need a light duty backup.
There are no “gotchas,” no gimmicks, and not much to complain about. From what I can tell, at least from limited testing so far (there’s more to come), it’s a nicely balanced cordless drill.
If you are willing to spend more, there are better drill kit options out there. A higher budget will get you more speed, which means faster application times, more power, which means less struggling through harder tasks, and either a second battery pack, or a higher capacity battery.
But, this drill can still do a lot, and it’s a fantastic bargain at $69.
I would definitely recommend it to anyone who’s looking to buy a cordless drill on a $50-$80 budget. Spending less will result in too many compromises. Compared to cheaper options, this kit gives you a relatively fast charger, a 1/2″ chuck, and a reasonable balance of speed and power for the money, not to mention great ergonomics and a fairly compact size.
This might be the best budget drill I’ve ever used. It’s a long way from being the best compact drill I’ve used, but I was delighted to find that Craftsman made compromises in its design, but not sacrifices. It’s value-priced, without feeling cheap.
To put things in perspective, the Dewalt DCD771C2 cordless drill kit, which was a hugely popular $99 kit before the brushless special buy model came around (DCD777), features a 300 UWO power output, 0-450/0-1500 RPM gearbox, and is bundled with (2) 1.3Ah batteries. This Craftsman CMCD700 cordless drill is nearly a half inch shorter, is only 6.7% less powerful, features the same speed ranges, and is bundled with (1) battery pack.
Price: $69
Buy Now via Amazon
Buy Now(via Lowes)
What it comes to is this – you’d have to spend at least 43% more to find the next best cordless drill/driver kit, at least given current options and pricing.
See Also: Best Black Friday 2018 Cordless Drill Deals
The test sample featured in this review was purchased at retail pricing.
Satch
Interesting. Will likely be popular with diy’ers and sounds like with good reason.
As for testing parameters, it might be an interesting exercise to include two sizes of self tapping sheet metal screws. Possibly a flat head in Phillips, half inch long in number six or eight. And a hex head driven size in 12 or 14. Just to get a feel for how this would play out in commercial settings. Not necessarily for this drill but others more suited.
Toolfreak
My main concern with this would be being able to get batteries down the road. I’m not so sure SBD will stick with this platform past the first few years they have the Craftsman branding. Nice to see the drill is a decent product, though.
I went with the Black & Decker 20V 1/2″ cordless drill for a cheapo, and it’s quite capable, and you can get it in a 4-pack of B&D cordless tools with two 1.5Ah batteries for only slightly more than this single drill. I’d guess that the internals of the Black & Decker/Porter + Cable/Craftsman 20V tools are similar if not the exact same. I see no reason to pay more if I’m not getting more.
The new SBD Craftsman power tools might be nice for someone that likes the red color or just wants Craftsman-branded cordless tools.
Stuart
I really wouldn’t count that as a concern. There’s no known cordless power tool battery technology that Stanley Black & Decker and Craftsman couldn’t or wouldn’t have built the V20 system to accommodate. It’s here for the long-haul. There’s no reason for them not to, and doing otherwise would be incredibly ill-advised.
Toolfreak
Batteries are the prime concern if you plan on keeping a cordless tool for any length of time. More than a few years and you’ll probably need another battery sooner or later and if the platform is no longer around and the manufacturer went to a different battery for their new cordless line, you’re SOL. Part of why I like the Bosch 12V stuff so much, they’ve kept the same tools and battery and just continally updated them with bigger capacity for longer runtime.
It just seems to me that SBD did a rush job in slapping a new body on the Porter+Cable 20V stuff to make some cordless power tools with the Craftsman name on them. There’s nothing at all that seperates these new Craftsman branded tools from the Black & Decker or Porter+Cable models, other than only being able to get the Craftsman batteries at Lowe’s.
My guess is that within a few years, SBD will come out with some Craftsman power tools that are unique to the brand, completely different from the B&D/P+C stuff, and that will probably mean a different battery connector/attachment than what’s on the current 20V tools.
Stuart
What I’m saying is that I am extremely highly doubtful that Craftsman is launching this brand new V20 cordless power tool platform with the knowledge and expectation that they’ll be replacing it with an entirely different 18V-class platform anytime soon.
Anything can happen, but this isn’t a transitional period for power tool battery tech. Modern tech is well-established, and they have enough experience with B&D, Porter Cable, and Dewalt battery platforms to know what they should be doing with their new flagship DIYer brand.
They [should] know that if they did what you’re suggesting is possible, they’ll lose massive amounts of any reclaimed customer faith and any good will they’re working to grow with these first few years of the relaunch.
So while a potential concern, it’s a hugely unlikely one.
CT
I doubt you’ll ever see tools unique to the Craftsman brand. It’s only ever been a label that Sears put on other OEM’s tools. The only difference now is that it will be all SBD products. Their current offering currently consists of items from Stanley, Lenox, Black & Decker, Porter Cable, Waterloo, and MTD. I haven’t noticed any Dewalt, Irwin or Bostitch yet but I’m sure it’s there.
Matt
I think Porter Cable is either going the way of the Dodo bird or about to get substantially revised in terms of what the brand is about. I agree there’s no real concern with a near-future change in battery tech. 20V Max is really just 18V nominal. PTR did a good video on this. It seems 20V Max was initially created when DeWalt transitioned from NiCad to Lithium and needed some way to differentiate their 18V lines to avoid confusion. Additionally, my understanding is that all/most 20V Max batteries are cross-compatible between Porter Cable, DeWalt, and B&D with some creative use of a rotary tool, and all are the same on the inside, so as long as one of these brands continues to use the platform, they should be able to keep it around for all SBD power brands with very little added cost.
Brett
I just bought a 6 piece combo kit at Lowes on sale for $229.00 and it comes with (2) 2ah batteries.
kman
As a professional painting contractor one of the main uses for a drill is mixing drywall compound-most often from a bag of powdered hot mud but also premix 5 gallon buckets. We often thin out a 5 gallon bucket of mud by dividing it into two buckets and adding water to create material for texturing. Also, mixing paint with a large mud mixing paddle is very taxing on a drill (think 15 or 20 gallons in a garbage can). Anyway, as for testing the drill you might try mixing some drywall compound. It is a high torque application that will challenge any drill and it would be cheap and easy to replicate. As for the craftsman drill I think it is a great deal for an entry level drill.
aaron
I burnt out a hazard fraught hammer drill in my first 10 minutes of ownership mixing mud. Couple cranks and it released the smoke. I’d worry that it may be too tough a test for even some decent homeowner kits.
Stuart
That’s a good idea, at least for benchmarking higher performing models. Maybe a mixer in plain water would be a good repeatable test, and one that doesn’t waste a lot of material.
I looked into a creating an electromagnetic brake test for bench testing, but I needed configuration advice and the company I emailed never got back to me. There’s also a slight problem in that air-cooled brakes top out at 220 in-lbs. There’s the option to double-up, but that gets pricey and complicated, fast. It also wouldn’t properly simulate the torque vs. time profile seen in real-world applications.
kman
water would not put much of a load on the drill. If you just buy a 5 gallon bucket of drywall mud for $15 or less you could remix it as many times as you want. I would split it into two buckets and add maybe a cup of water to the testing bucket. The large mixing paddle puts the most load(Goldblatt G15303 as an example because I could find it on amazon). You will also want to mix on slow speed setting. If you want to be careful about making a mess do it inside a garbage can to contain splatter.
Stuart
Good point. I wasn’t thinking of a standard paddle, but more of a high-drag water wheel. But that might also increase the complexity a whole lot.
A Wyatt Mann
I’ve burned out good corded drills trying to use them as mixers. That’s why they sell mixers.
logan
Are the #s tied to any fixed standard or “just cuz”?
3 out of 5 relative to what? What’s a 5? What if something better comes out? Would it be a 6?
The best X out of Y I’ve seen is on pickuptrucks.com, where the top of the roundup or whatever is the 5, and then it goes via ratios, at least for the objective number stuff.
Love your stuff, as I’ve told you a million times, but I also love clarity in ratings.
and just teasing, but I think that anything close to Milwaukee red has your wallet start to burn!
Stuart
Sorry – seeing as how the total rating was 15/20, I thought it was clear that each field was worth 5 points.
Sorry – seeing as how the total rating was 15/20, I thought it was clear that each field was worth 5 points.
The rating result from a mix of objective and subjective reasoning. I have a bunch of drill reviews I’m working on at the same time, and so the aim is for the numbers to be comparative to each other.
Once there’s enough of a sampling size, the numbers might be adjusted to be fully agreeable with each other. But there’s a lot of discretion involved.
For example, for power, do we go by absolute performance? If so, this would be a 1. Compared to other drills that don’t require an auxiliary handle? Maybe a 2?
I decided that 3 was average, which is how I would describe its power performance for other tools I might compare it to. The same with speed. “1” would have been a single speed range drill that topped out in the high hundreds of RPMs range. “2” would have been if this drill had lower 12V-class-like specs, such as 1300 max RPM.
For user experience, I like the battery engagement, but it does take a bit more effort, and the speed range selector might be hard to toggle with gloved hands since it’s pretty small. Thus a 1-point deduction for it not being quite perfect.
The ratings box is still experimental. If people like it, I’ll develop it further.
The intention here is to give a snapshot of what to expect. If people like it, I can try to develop a “hard” grading system. But until then, I can only treat this more as an english essay rather than a math quiz, giving a grade based partly on a mix of objective and subjective criteria.
There’s also a “specs box” that I use from time to time, usually on new reciprocating saw preview posts. e.g. https://toolguyd.com/dewalt-dcs367-20v-brushless-compact-reciprocating-saw/
Everything’s a work in progress, which is why I love feedback!
Logan
On the what you compare it to bit – 3/5 without context is a bit of a “what?”
Someone who loves Harbor freight tools and is used to all 5s on it might see 3/5 on craftsman as being crap, and someone on the other end runs into the same bias.
Without X holes or X diameter at Y speed Z many times per battery, performance ratings lack substance. A car review saying a minivan felt fast without a fixed baseline or even context doesn’t help much.
I love the max self feed diameter, what it can do with certain length screws etc. That’s the toolguyd I know. Real world, real testing, real results. The number thing could be helpful, but needs more meaning, a benchmark.
Just my unsolicited opinion : )
Logan
For clarity, I only take issue with the scoreboard. I see nothing wrong with them, but I know you are capable of a much more informative chart
Stuart
Well, there is a “Ratings Explained” section for anyone that reads on.
The ratings box at the top is more for someone to determine if they want to read on or not. The goal is to show that it’s average in terms of power and speed, and is an excellent value. So the immediate takeaway should be that it’s a high value but with compromised peak power and speed.
Those blue bars are proportional, which provides context even if the numbers are wildly different. They could be “stars” or a scale of 1-10.
It’s expected that the reader that wants to learn more will read the 1800 words that follow the ratings visualization. The post is the context that the ratings are intended to summarize.
I know you want more from the chart – and I’ll try to work out some ideas, but as-is, are you saying that you’d be happier if the chart was omitted entirely?
Logan
Not necessarily left out, but if you are going to start using charts, theyd be more useful with benchmarks, or fixed, meaningful standards for scoring. If they’re all independent of each other, then I really see no value there and think they take away from your written content. I’ve mentioned my background before with a diff name.
This cheap Craftsmam at 15/20 doesn’t really leave room for other tools to be significantly better, you know? An M18 Fuel at, say, 18/20, would appear at a glance to be only marginally better. I dont think it does the tools or readers too much justice in its current form
Rami
Tools could be reviewed in three different classes: 10,8V, 18V compact and 18V heavy duty where all classes could all have their own benchmarked ratings. That way, a 10,8V tool could get 20/20 points and hopefully no one would think that it is better or more powerful than an 18V compact tool that is getting say 17/20 points.
Stuart
That could be confusing too. Let’s say a compact brushless drill is 5/5 compared to other compact brushless drills. And a heavy duty drill is 4/5 compared to other heavy duty drills.
Going from one review to the next could give the wrong impression.
Another option is to simply offer a percentage, similar to Maximum PC, along with a summary and pro/cons box.
Frankly, I need to try a few different methods to see what sticks, and once I’ve experimented a little more I’d ask for public feedback as I have in the past.
Wayne
Well its like this. An like that an a like that an a like this an a like that. Perfect drill for the normal person. Dont need any more than it. Think about it. Most of us would be just useing it around the house anyway case closed. Go buy one. Im sure you will be pleased.
satch
This.
Rami
I would like to see some metal drilling tests too, and maybe a couple of hole saw sizes too, like 1-1/2″ and 2-1/2″ for example.
satch
Rami, good idea. Holemsaws are a real workout for any drill.
We used the Lenox carbide cutters( they make holes but are not like traditional hole saws) in trade sizes for electrical fitting knockouts. 7/8 diameter for 1/2 inch fittings, 1-1/8 for 3/4, and 1-3/8 for 1 inch. They make them for up to 2 inch trade size but by then you had better be using your Hitli rotary with 3 jaw chuck accessory or a good electric drill. Cutting oil too. Even on the small sizes.
The first three I listed would be perfect for the professional cordless models. The issue is expense. Several years ago our kit with five cutters for conduit fittings was something like 145 dollars.
Tom
V12? Are there any 12v tools that have slide batteries?
Stuart
I’m assuming this means there will be new Craftsman V12 cordless power tools soon. (Only V20 tools were announced thus far.)
John
Dewalt’s 12v system uses sliding batteries
TonyT
Makita CXT and the new (Chervon) Skil PWRCore12 use sliding batteries.
Maybe Craftsman V12 and Skil can invigorate the 12V market.
CT
Black & Decker recently introduced a new 12V Max drill with a slide pack. I’d imagine the Craftsman line would probably be a combination of that on the low end and the DeWalt 12V tools on the high end.
Nathan
so would it be equally fair to say that this is the “older” Dewalt 99 dollar special drill in a different color with only one battery?
As the specs and relative size and feature seem exactly like that. Even the location of the led. I have that dewalt drill that I use alot for my wood work projects as it’s nice to have 2 drills and the impact driver handy for some assembly projects.
It used to be my only drill at home for a long time and did plenty that I needed it to do. No I’d have never drilled steel with it but I did use a 1/2 inch 2ft auger bit with it to run some network cable a few times.
Stuart
No, because it’s a little smaller. That, and it has been several years since that Dewalt DCD771 was introduced. There’s no telling what could have changed since then. Without doubt complete teardown analysis of both tools, there’s on speculation. In addition to a teardown, I’d have to do a complete performance characterization, which would be very time-intensive.
While I do have two of these tools available (I also bought the $99 drill and impact combo kit for comparison against Ryobi), I don’t think it would really benefit anyone.
Framer joe
Good review, good testing. No need for the other tests suggested. Wow, this is a homeowner type drill, it’s basic, period.
Really all that needs to be said is that it’s not a pro tool,but nothing thats V20 will be. There is only one comparable tool that’s Ryobi. Is it better then the Ryobi of same stats ? I’d compare all V20 tools to the Ryobi equal….that’s enough without any tests….. anyone looking for more is just wasting time and effort.
…..either a tool is pro level or not., Who cares how much less pro…
Nathan
Indeed.
Redcastle
A DIY/sole trader producer long established in the UK had a new range of 20v power tools at the trade show last week which looking at them and seeing the demonstrations looked they would be fine for all except everyday users. The interesting thing was the price these tools would be if anything cheaper than the prices quoted here for the Craftsman equivalents.
The dividing line now is between those who earn a living every day from using tools and are prepared to pay the price for the best tools to enable them to do so and everyone else grows wider as there are more and more producers of “finely priced” tools which are perfectly capable of executing their function.
The analogy that springs to mind is the IT industry a basic low cost computer will run all the programs that most people need particularly given that most of us use only a fraction of the functionality available, whereas someone who earns money playing games in a competitive environment needs (apparently) the absolute best in terms of technology.
There is always a tendency to benchmark higher than is justifiable, once it is established that there are no flaws the only fair comparison is in terms of value for money i.e. this USD 65 drill is better or worse than other drills in the same price range because …….
I am not sure trying to create an overarching strict point of comparison rating across a wide price range brings anything to the table it would be like trying to rank cage fighters with no weight classes, you can do it I am just not sure why you would.
Thom
Good review Stu! I might Christmas Gift it to my Son or Nephew as they are new homeowners. I have the Craftsman Brushless USA /Global drill and am impressed with the power. It is more powerful than my Dewalt 777 and seems about equal to my Milwaukee 2701 and Makita XPH07.. Maybe a little more torque on the Craftsman… Hopefully I can stop buying brushless drills now
Paul K
As was revealed in testing, self-feeding spade bits seem a bit optimistic for this drill. I guess you chose them to stress the drill, but it seems any owner of this drill would probably want to go with regular spades bits. 1/2″ chuck seems an optimistic choice by SBD for this drill. I presume that’s to make it look tough.
I think you should reconsider your review. The drill seems perfectly fine for what it is, but SBD has been making drills with this much power and at this price point for YEARS. They’re branded Black & Decker. To be fair, they also make much crappier drills and brand those Black & Decker too, this would be a premium B&D.
I feel like the Craftsman branding is causing you to be way more enthusiastic than you would for a similar B&D drill. Consider that you wouldn’t even bother testing a similar drill, produced by the same company, if it had that B&D branding. Maybe you can rationalize that the battery platform is better, but at $70 and one 1.3 AH battery, you’re not very far into the battery platform.
Stuart
I tend to really like Bosch’s Daredevil self-feeding bits, much more so than traditional spade bits. For the testing, I didn’t feel that the self-feeding bits were pushing forward at a greater pace than regular spade bits that require manual pressure. They’re closer to spade bits than what most people mean by “self-feeding” drill bits.
On paper, this drill has a lot in common with Porter Cable drills and Dewalt’s DCD771 kit.
If it were Black & Decker, the speeds might have been lower, the charger a wall-wart style adapter with clip-on charger.
It could be a redesigned Black & Decker tool, or maybe it’s a rebranded Porter Cable tool. A redesign of the Dewalt DCD771? Or it could draw features and components from several of Stanley Black & Decker brands.
The fact of the matter is that I was interested in reviewing this model, and so I did. To maybe 95% of the people who want to know more about this drill, it doesn’t matter whether it was developed from the ground up, or whether its design is derived from existing SBD tools from one or more brands.
I tested and reviewed this drill in a vacuum. Otherwise, there would have been another 1000 words (or more) putting things in context with opposing arguments that ultimately cancelled out.
This is the best cordless drill kit for the money that I have ever seen, and it might even best some of the compact cordless drills that came out a few years ago.
That said, its capabilities are below what I’m looking for in a compact cordless drill kit, which would be more power, more speed, and either higher capacities, a brushless motor, or both. But I’m not reviewing it with myself or users like myself in mind, I reviewed it for the types of people who are interested in buying this drill kit, or a drill kit in the $60-80 price range.
What specific statement or conclusion of mine do you have issue with? Or are you simply upset for some reason that this drill exists?
I have tested Black & Decker drills before, and some of them are quite good. Did the Craftsman brand make this cordless drill more interesting and appealing to me? Absolutely. But that’s what marketing is all about.
Jalopy_J
Being a cheap drill, if one doesn’t mind a 3/8″ chuck and single speed gearbox, this drill kit is only $29 at WalMart in Black and Decker branding. The rest of the internals (and the battery internals) are the same between the two drills.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/BLACK-DECKER-20-Volt-MAX-Lithium-Cordless-Drill-BCD702C1/138602068
Matt
Good review. I played around with this again at Lowe’s yesterday in their little display section. It’s not really for me as I’m in the high end brushless camp but I agree with you that for an entry/value drill, it’s a great drill. The rubber molding felt quality and great in the hand which is important to me. The chuck is nice (it’s identical to an older Dewalt brushed 20v drill I have). The charger is indeed a plus and I’m very intrigued by the V12 thing!
My negatives were that it’s down on power for what I’d want though that’s a given on a lower tier model. That’s what the USA brushless is for. This is just fine for a homeowner though. And while it’s indeed shorter than the older Dewalt, I’m so hooked on the compact thing now that I wish even this was shorter yet. Like move the venting from the back end and relocate it on the sides somehow? Maybe that’s not possible… My #1 gripe though was the forward/reverse switch. It’s very thin and just feels cheap like it could break. That’s just the feeling I got from messing with it in the store. I actually went to Lowe’s to buy the V20 sander and get the brushless drill if it was in stock yet (it wasn’t). They didn’t have any sanders and I was told they aren’t getting any more in? Do you know Stuart if they are discontinued? I was really disappointed.
Stuart
The Craftsman V20 sander isn’t available near me either, but it is available for shipping.
Since these new Craftsman cordless power tools have only launched just now, there might be supply or perhaps display constraints. Maybe it’ll be featured in a Black Friday doorbuster combo kit? Maybe there was a production setback?
I think it’s going to take some time before things like V20 platform expansion tools are stocked at Lowes stores. My store, for example, doesn’t have any Craftsman power tools in the regular tool aisle yet. Converting over will be a process.
Matt
Perhaps you’re right. There’s got to be something going on. I checked into the V20 miter saw today and that’s not available now either… Hopefully this stuff comes back. Even better would be to come back brushless. Especially the saw. I’ve really been looking forward to these.
Your Lowe’s is also like mine. They have their Tool World section but there’s no Craftsman display there yet like they have for other lines. The Craftsman stuff is off the main aisle in a small side display. The power tools anyway. Tape measures and such are right inside the front door to grab your attention.
ChrisP
I would like to see chuck run out measured. It is not critical for a hand held drill to be as precise as a drill press but some cordless drills have so much run out it becomes a problem.
Also would like to see the clutch evaluated. My new DCD796 has only 15 settings but is way more useful than my old drill which had 24. There was very little difference between settings 4-12, then 13 -18 were big jumps, then 19-24 not much difference again. More is not necessarily better!
Whitlow
The UWO rating for that drill is more like a B&D drill it’s even lower than a Porter Cable PCCK600LB at 330 UWO with two batteries. Still it’s a good buy. I think as long as they make batteries /after market batteries Porter Cable will still be around. SB&D is selling the Porter Cable stuff now in AutoParts stores like NAPA, Advance Auto etc, and even large kits at Costco. I think the main idea was to make an exclusive Craftsman line for Lowes, but in doing so they made sure other SBD batteries will not work. The Lowes Craftsman line seems to go from low-end B&D to Porter Cable (mid-range) to top of the line Dewalt equivalent I’m vested in old B&D and Porter Cable so don’t so the need for any of those. But deals on the top line Craftsman Dewalt-like combo kits might tempt someone with old tools. Most of what I see though is just redo’s of Porter Cable. For example the 20V wet dry vac is like $99 and the Porter Cable version can be found locally for $40 new at a local liquidator. The CRAFTSMAN V20 20-Volt Max LED light looks exactly the same as well at $69 and was was ~$30 at the same local liquidator. Don’t be fooled into investing into a another line unless you really need it.
Gregory
It’s junk. If you try to use the second speed, (high speed) it will slip and grind the gear.
Jared
In what scenario? I assume you mean you managed to overload the drill’s capability and got a grinding sound.
Sounds odd to me. I’ve used several lower-powered cordless drills, albeit not this specific one, and when you demand too much they usually cut out, not “grind”.
I strongly suspect you don’t have the drill cutch adjusted properly. Make sure it is in the “drill” position and not one of the numbers (the picture Stuart posted right under the heading “Controls” shows how the ring should look – there’s a graphic of a drill bit).
If you have it set on a number and got a grinding sound – that’s what it’s supposed to do. It’s limiting the max torque you can apply on purpose – useful for sinking screws consistently to a certain depth, for example, but not drilling.