The driver feels very solid and nice in your hand. It comes with 4 hex-shank bits - a medium philips, medium flathead, 3/16 and 1/16 drill bits, which should be fine for most jobs. While there is plenty of torque for drilling, there is no torque range adjustment, so you'll have to be careful not to overtighten screws. For that purpose, it has an intuitive manual spindle lock that clicks firmly into place, allowing you to use it like a regular screwdriver.The bit holder shaft has a convenient quick connect sleeve. You simply pull back on the sleeve insert or remove the bit. The bits have a groove at the end to keep them in the shaft when you work, solving the common problem that I always run into previous power screwdrivers and drills, where for various reasons, the bit gets stuck in the hole or screw when I pull away.The handle has cartridge style battery pack. Also included with the drill/driver are 4 AA batteries, 20 screws, and 20 plastic inserts (for dryway)-- everything you need to get started. It comes with a full 2-year home use warranty. I really like this unit. It was very inexpensive, does the job, has the fit and finish quality that one expects from Black and Decker, and has an ergonomic look and feel. While it would have been nice for this drill/driver to run a bit faster (it runs at only 130 rpm versus the more desirable 180/rpm) and have a torque adjustment ring for worry free screw driving, I think the price makes up for it considerably. Overall, the AD600 is an excellent value. Black & Decker AD600 6-Volt Alkaline 1/4-Inch Hex Cordless Drill/Driver with Accessory Assortment
With Lithium Ion models now available in all price ranges, this model is now really dated.
Maybe still a good value, if you find it for under ten buckss at discount store beginning with "W".
Handy for driving screws.
Fits in your pocket while climbing a ladder.
Fits in a small tool-box.
Good for low-clearance uses (6 or 6-3/4 inches from driver tip to heel).
Wimpy, but enough torque for medium duty. Sinks drywall screws without pre-drilling.
At 130 rpm, it's painfully slow for drilling. It's much slower and wimpier than 35 dollar or 95 dollar Li-Ion models. Buy this only as a screw driver - if you already own a cordless drill.
Nice feel, ergonomic handle. Forward & reverse triggers are handier than a separate F/R switch.
The owners manual says to use only alkaline batteries (4-AA), but I find that rechargeables (2100 mAh NiMH) work great, last a long, time, and only cost as much as 5 sets of throw-aways.
One disappointment is the spindle lock, which you can use when hand turning a really stubborn screw. It does not disable the motor. There is no motor OFF option when stowing. It would be nice if the spindle auto-locked whenever the trigger is not pressed and if there was a motor-OFF switch.
**Update 1-15-2010: After 5+ years of moderate use (including one 12-foot drop from a ladder onto concrete) it still works.
The product description clearly states, "for smaller jobs that don't require huge, heavy power tools" yet some reviewers don't read the details or packaging or have trouble distinguishing this product from heavier and larger purpose-built corded or cordless power tools. Anyone thinking this less than twenty dollar AA battery powered tool could compare with the likes of Dewalt or Milwaukee pro tools perhaps shouldn't be using tools at all.
Upon removing the drill from its packaging, I entered the man cave and drove a couple of 2" screws into a pine 2x4 and drilled several holes into a piece of hardwood. No sweat. This will do as well, and better, than the dozen or so small, household class cordless screwdrivers I've owned over the decades.
My motivation for selecting this cordless tool is its use of regular old alkaline AA cells; as far as I can tell, B&D is the only manufacturer on the planet doing that. Every one of my rechargeable screwdrivers have gone bad simply because I needed them just every now and then. They died because I did or didn't leave them constantly plugged in, either of which will waste rechargeable batteries over a long period of time. Or the chargers burned out. To add insult to injury, the cost of replacement batteries and chargers exceeded the price of a whole new screwdriver.
It's most likely that in five or six years when I pick up this tool and press a button, it'll work. If not, I'll throw in some new AA batteries. Thank you Black and Decker.
I bought one from the local wally world thinking it would be nice to have a drill that used such convenient power source, especially since i have a 15 minute charger. i was disappointed, i didn't notice that it was listed as 130rpm on the back, that is absurdly slow. i had assumed it would be atleast close to the speed of my previous 7.2v drill since it was 6v, boy was i wrong! it is great for a screw driver, but it is more or less useless as a drill, the cheapest cordless drill at wallyworld was a 7.2v kraftech that runs at ~600rpm for $14, for 20 dollars you can get a corded black and decker that runs 1200rpm. I ended up biting the bullet and getting a $28 5.2amp corded black and decker from target and it came with a canvas bag. 1500rpm and uses regular bits, and best of all, it varies speed with trigger pressure, and no worrying about replacing expensive rechargeable battery packs. it should last for years. the hex bits this alkaline drill uses also limits how easily you can buy replacement bits. its harder to buy a single bit instead of a kit filled with things you don't need. so really, if you need a new cordless screw driver and like a drill grip, than it works ok, but other wise, its a very poor drill even considering price. because of the slow speed i looked up information on my other black and decker screw driver 3.6v~$15, and it was 180rpm! somethings not quite kosher when a 3.6v screw driver is faster than a 6v "drill". - Power Tools - Screwdriver - Aa Battery - Cordless Tools'
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