Over at Amazon, there’s a second deal of the day that I thought was worth a mention – this Rockwell RK1806K2 20V Max drill and impact driver combo kit.
It’s on sale for $100, today only. Deal ends 3am 11/17/2014, unless supplies run out sooner.
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No, these aren’t the new Rockwell brushless drill and impact driver I posted about last week. They’re a little under-powered on paper, but should be enough for most homeowner needs.
The drill features a 0-1300 RPM gearbox and can deliver up to 256 in-lbs of torque. It looks to have a 2-speed gearbox, but only one speed is mentioned in the product description. It has a 3/8″ chuck, 15+1 setting adjustable clutch, and LED worklight.
The impact driver delivers up to 950 in-lbs of torque, with speeds of 0-2500 RPM and 0-3000 BPM.
To be honest, I’m not quite sure how good of a deal this is, as both of the bundled tools are out-powered by leading 12V-class tools.
For example, Ridgid’s $99 drill and impact driver combo comes with a drill that can deliver up to 400 in-lbs of torque, and an impact driver that can deliver up to 1100 in-lbs of torque. Milwaukee’s holiday bundle, which is $129 but comes with (3) batteries, includes a drill that can deliver up to 275 in-lbs of torque, and an impact that can deliver up to 1000 in-lbs of torque. The 12V tools are more compact as well.
Additionally, Rockwell’s 20V Max lineup is a little lacking in breadth.
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Beyond that, I’m irked at how the tools are marked “20V Max,” but described in all marketing materials as “20V.” These are not 20V tools, they’re 18V tools with fancy marketing language that confuses a lot of shoppers. A lot of people see 20V and think that 20V > 18V, but the fact of the matter is that 20V Max = 18V. Even if these tools were powered by a combination of battery cells that added up to 20V during actual use, both tools are underpowered compared to many 12V and 18V models.
Still… the price is hard to beat if you’re looking for a compact 18V-class drill and impact driver combo.
I can’t find any information about the charge capacity of the two included batteries, or how long the charger takes to fully recharge a battery. I can only assume the worst, that the batteries are 1.3Ah or 1.5Ah and take an hour or longer to recharge.
If all that wasn’t enough, it’s hard to take these tools seriously when the product images show someone attempting to drill into a masonry wall with the included drill. This isn’t a hammer drill, and while rotary-only masonry bits exist, I’ve tried a few and they’re not good at all. Also, can someone get that model some safety glasses?
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Keep in mind that I said this is a deal worth mentioning, but that doesn’t mean it’s one I would necessarily recommend. I did start off thinking oh, that looks like a good deal, but as I looked into the details, I ended up without many good things to say about it. This combo looks like it would make a good gift idea for homeowners, but if you ask me, there are better buys out there, such as the 12V kits mentioned above.
If this kit floats your boat, it’s on sale for $100 for another half a day.
I realize I’m being a little harsh in judging the combo based on the tools’ specs. If you try them out, please let us know what you think!
Aellynh
256 inch pounds of torque for the drill? If that is correct, that thing has less torque than my 5 year old brushed 10.8/12 volt Bosch drill. Beyond that, I’d be surprised if the Rockwell is less than 3 pounds, let alone the 2’ish pounds for most 10.8/12 volt drills. I’d be curious to know what the demographic is aimed at for this product. The discerning tradesmen would never buy into such a massively underpowered piece of equipment, 18 volt or not.
Pete
I would much rather have the rigid 12v combo many times over these rockwell
Clem Clements
I own the 18v impact driver and really like it. It may be possible that being slightly underpowered (as compared to some others) allows for longer run times when using it. I have installed sheet metal roofs with it and have no complaints about power, run time (with good batteries), or construction quality of the driver itself. When I called to get new batteries, it was an easy no hassle call and I only had to pay a $6 shipping fee (per battery). Rockwell works great for me, but I haven’t used other 18v drivers to compare it to.