Lowes...18 volt Tool Combo Values???

[fordy]

...............Was in Lowes looking at routers and the salesman showd me a Special christmas Hitchai package...18v sawzall , 18v drill\driver , 18v-61\2 inch saw , and work light , plus when you buy it you send a copy of sales receipt and they send you a 135 pc. assortment of bits and stuff valued at $80....this package of 18 volt tools is $ 299 which seems like a real value to me .
..............I've always felt Hitchai tools were very high quality plus I like the Green color . Anyone else purchased this special deal?? I left before I could spend more money . thanks , fordy...

[Beststash]

I think I paid about that for my DeWalt 18V Hammer Drill - it doesn't have the pistol grip so this might really be a good Christmas present for me.....Thanks!!

[Columbia,SC.]

Last year I bought a combo from Lowes that must have been marked wrong but they had 8 of them, the same package as you mention w/o the extra stuff though. But it was all 18 volt drill, sawsall, circ. saw, and a nice light and 2 batts. charger and a mega cool nylon bag that is too nice to use,hahaha (still in the plactic wrap). I got it all for $200.00 I had the same Dewalt combo I bought back in 1999 for $450.00 The batts on the Dewalt are headed down hill and cost about as much as I paid for this new set of tools.

Let me say I do like the Hitachi sawsall better(Keyless chuck).
I like the Dewalt drill better because it is a hammer drill also maybe have a tick more power as well.
I like the Hitachi skill saw better cuts longer on a battery charge, the Dewat killed the batts. FAST!
I liked the Dewalt snake type light better but the Hitachi is a nice light with a swivel head that is handy.
PS I threw away the big old hardside Dewalt case, No use to me at all!

So for the money I think you will like the Hitachi......OH almost forgot I had a problem with the batteries on the Hitachi. I called and told them I have to work with these tools EVERYDAY! and I can not wait to send them in for you to evaluate and return! Well they sent me two brand new $89.00 (Lowes cost) batteries within 3 days and I still have the two old ones.
I liked that they helped me out like that! Besides the new batts. (One of the old ones is in the recycle bin. the other one is still pretty good) cost almost as much as I paid for the set!!! Also I saw that Lowes and Home depote are giving an extra 20% off of tool combos now!
Go for it!
my opinion, Columbia,SC.
22 years experienced carpenter

[Gary in ohio]

Originally Posted by fordy

...............Was in Lowes looking at routers and the salesman showd me a Special christmas Hitchai package...18v sawzall , 18v drill\driver , 18v-61\2 inch saw , and work light , plus when you buy it you send a copy of sales receipt and they send you a 135 pc. assortment of bits and stuff valued at $80....this package of 18 volt tools is $ 299 which seems like a real value to me

Until last year I never saw Hatachi tools, Then they started popping up at lowes. The drill is good, the sawsall is ok,but how much demo work do you do and when you do how long will the battery last. I know my battery sawsall is ok but you only get a dozen cuts with it. The 6" saw is ok, but isnt big enough to cut through a 2x4 so it ends up being a trim saw. The light is ok, but again if you need it. How often do you need power tools when you work in the dark.

The Skill 18v or the Black and Decker 24v kits has the same tools and is $100 cheaper.

I purchased the B&D kit a couple of years ago and I feel it was not worth it. I would have been better off just getting the drill and a bunch of batteries.

[fordy]

.............A couple of additional comments , (1) Black\Decker ...NOW owns DeWalt !!?? Sales person said that Bosch , is still owned by Bosch! Someone posted in another thread that B\D had purchased Bosch . Sales guy rated Bosch #1 in quality , Hitchai #2 , Milwaukee #3 , and Makita #4 ...he said Makita has really fallen down on quality , which kinda took me by surprise cause I use to rate them as #1 . I , do believe that , Bosch is Numero Uno(#1) in quality . fordy...

[Beststash]

I always thought Bosch was top of the line electrical but I do not have any experience with their cordless stuff. At one time, I wouldn't own anything other than a Makita but that DeWalt 18V hammer drill is a monster - a bit heavy for screwing though.

[ejsmomma]

i'm sure i didn't spell that right but i digress. i have the ryobi 18v set and it rocks. i even got a chain saw with it. and yes, it acutally cuts. we use it for scrub brush and small trees. keeps the wear and tear down on the good one. the only thing that i never could get to work right was the laser ruler. never did get it to work at any conciderable distance. anyway. wouldn't take anything for that set. it was on sale for 400 i think. came with a sawsall, skillsaw, jigsaw, chainsaw light and some other stuff........ plus a kick butt bag with rollers. have used it a couple times but it's so nice i only use it to transport between my house and my moms. other than that, we just throw the tools in the truck and go.

renae

i am woman, hear me roar!!!!

[texican]

I need more 18v tools like I need another hole in my head.....but....since you said there 20% off, I must go and check em out...

I've got a B/D drill...used it tremendously hard for two years, it's starting to show it's age/abuse. Got a Ryobi mega pack last year, with a 3 year no questions asked warranty, and have replaced the drill once, and need to again... Also have a dewalt drill..couldn't resist Lowe's 100$ kit...think I'm in love... they upgraded the three year to a lifetime warranty...

ejsmomma... I think the ryobi rig is great for part time use, or careful fulltime. Hope you got the extended warranty for like 30$ more. And the rolling bag helps organized my rear seat in the truck a little better. I absolutely love the Ryobi lights, have gotten an extra set of 14.4v kits, just for the lights. I use to spend at least ten dollars a month on batteries for my maglites, for farm and work work... with the rechargeables, I can pay for the whole kit in a few months...

[michiganfarmer]

Originally Posted by Gary in ohio

Until last year I never saw Hatachi tools, Then they started popping up at lowes. The drill is good, the sawsall is ok,but how much demo work do you do and when you do how long will the battery last. I know my battery sawsall is ok but you only get a dozen cuts with it. The 6" saw is ok, but isnt big enough to cut through a 2x4 so it ends up being a trim saw. The light is ok, but again if you need it. How often do you need power tools when you work in the dark.

The Skill 18v or the Black and Decker 24v kits has the same tools and is $100 cheaper.

I purchased the B&D kit a couple of years ago and I feel it was not worth it. I would have been better off just getting the drill and a bunch of batteries.

Hitachi has had tools on the market for at leat 10 years.
I have a problem with skill and black&decker tools. They are not designed to hold up on a contractor site for years and years. They are designed to sit in a home owners closet, and only come out a couple times a year to hang a picture, or mabey build a dog house. If you want a tool that will last a life time remember this...the more you spend, the longer the tool will last. If you are going to buy based on price dont expect the tool to last.

If you dont do a lot of sawing then you dont need the kit, but if you own a corded saw you will like the cordless a lot better. I use my 28 volt milwaukee kit every week. http://www.v28power.com/flash.htm
I used my circ saw to cut all the 2x4's, and siding on my garage. I used the drill to screw it on. I used the sawzall to trim the siding around the soffets, and to trim the plywood off the gable ends of the roof

I had a 6" milwuakee 18 volt circular saw, and it cut hundreds of 2x4's. The 5 1/2" dewalt will cut through 2x4's

Hitachi is good stuff. If you like the feel of the tools in your hand then just about any price you paid for the Hitahi is worth it. They will last a home owner 20 years if you dont drop them off roofs, run them over, or leave them out in the rain. They will last a contractor 5 years under daily haevy use.

[Rod Torgeson]

If you can wait until 2006 you can get 36 volt tools from Dewalt.
http://www.dewalt.com/us/articles/ar...rdless&ID=1409
I have also heard that Bosch is coming out with 36 volt tools. More power. Just for information, Black and Decker also owns Porter Cable and Delta.
Rod<---in Appleton, WA

[Dan in WY]

Originally Posted by michiganfarmer

Hitachi has had tools on the market for at leat 10 years.
I have a problem with skill and black&decker tools. They are not designed to hold up on a contractor site for years and years. They are designed to sit in a home owners closet, and only come out a couple times a year to hang a picture, or mabey build a dog house. If you want a tool that will last a life time remember this...the more you spend, the longer the tool will last. If you are going to buy based on price dont expect the tool to last.

If you dont do a lot of sawing then you dont need the kit, but if you own a corded saw you will like the cordless a lot better. I use my 28 volt milwaukee kit every week. http://www.v28power.com/flash.htm
I used my circ saw to cut all the 2x4's, and siding on my garage. I used the drill to screw it on. I used the sawzall to trim the siding around the soffets, and to trim the plywood off the gable ends of the roof

I had a 6" milwuakee 18 volt circular saw, and it cut hundreds of 2x4's. The 5 1/2" dewalt will cut through 2x4's

Hitachi is good stuff. If you like the feel of the tools in your hand then just about any price you paid for the Hitahi is worth it. They will last a home owner 20 years if you dont drop them off roofs, run them over, or leave them out in the rain. They will last a contractor 5 years under daily haevy use.

If Max couldn't kill it you should buy one. He doesn't misstreat his tools, but he'll work any shoddy tool to death.