Filling up your toolbax (Part 2)

For the next installment of the necessary tools we feature the following (remember, recommended brands looks like this)

- Cordless Drill - This is something you'll use for drilling pilot holes, driving screws into things, making holes in stuff you want to, etc. It is really a MUST HAVE, one thing to remember when looking is that you need to buy a drill for what you're going to use it for. If you're a contractor you need a heavy duty contractor grade tool. If you're a Joe/Jane homeowner/renter the you need a lot less. The important differences between contractor and homeowner grade are:
> Minutes of usage per charge (contractor grade batteries last longer per charge)
> Chuck (what holes drill bits) - on the contractor grade, you will typically see a ratcheting
chuck which allows a tighter grip with less effort on the bits. This is a nice feature but might
not be worth $100+ to you
> Drill speed/power - an 18 volt DeWalt will go faster and provide more torque than an 18 volt
Ryobi

The first thing to look at is how much power do I really need??? I would not advise getting anything under a 12 volt as it would restrict your use to go lower (and there are few if any left offering 7.2 and 9.6 drills anymore). The only exception to this is the Makita 9.6 Volt (~$100.00), this is a powerful, lightweight, compact tool that you will be happy with. If you want to spend a little less then look at Black and Decker, Ryobi, and Skil.

If you think you're going to need a lot of power go with an 18 volt - but remember it will be heavy and large. If you're going to be hanging pictures, putting up shelves, and doing small projects get a 12 volt. The important thing to remember is these tips are for the average person. If you like to do a lot of home improvement projects and/or bigger jobs then a DeWalt/Makita/Bosch tool would be better for you. Hope this helps.

To Be continued....... (only 1 more installment)