A regular electric B&D drill runs at a top speed of about 1200rpm whereas this on is only about 650. 7.2volt will not produce enough power to drive screws longer than two inches into any hard wood. Also, a fully charged battery set lasts only about 20 minutes. If you want only one drill at home, this is not a very good choice. Black & Decker VP870K VersaPak 7.2 Volt Cordless 2-Speed Drill with Keyless Chuck and Kitbox with 20 Accessories
Good tool if you use it for handy work around the house. Limited power but is also light & easy to use. Not for tough or long jobs but OK for random fixit work. One negative---The forward / reverse switches are poorly located & it is very easy to change from forward to reverse (or visa-versa) inadvertantly just due to routine handling. I expect better design from Black & Decker.
Although I enjoy the challenge of putting furniture together, I have found it soooo much easier with the right tools for the job.I wonder if this product was really designed to be a beginner's or a woman's tool - most of the men reviewing here have found it a good additional tool. For me, it's my basic tool, although I have a slightly older version. My key advice to women tool-hunting on-line is the same as for those clothes shopping anywhere - try it on before buying! Even if you're going to buy a tool on-line (for convenience or cost), if you can, VISIT A REAL STORE FIRST and hold it in your hand.What one person thinks is heavy may be light to you. The 5.7 lbs of this product is lighter than mine, and I have no trouble with it, non-athletic little book-reader that I am. The off-on-pause on this device is great for me - I have small fingers and like it being right at my touch - someone else may find their fingers too big.Also, if you're in the store, you can ask what else is needed - as another woman posting found out, this one doesn't come with drill bits. I had to go back to the store to buy a Black and Decker 13 piece High Speed Steel Drill Bit Set for under $8.00 . I was thrilled to find out that the bits from my other Black and Decker tools could be used with this one (my very first cordless tool was a Black & Decker portable Screwdriver).If looking for something for yourself or as a housewarming gift for someone who just wants a basic household tool (along with the hammer, ladder, screwdriver, tape measure, etc.), this is a great idea!
I bought one of these after reading the excellent review by "Dale Anne"' (see it below) about the cordless drill. Having just finished my summer project of two small woodsheds with it, I can testify that it is a handy, effective and very portable hand tool. I learned long ago that screwing wood structures together is a great substitute for projects otherwise requiring a number of people to put up walls etc. yet, if you have a great cordless drill to use as a power screwdriver, you can construct the frame on the ground and tack it together by yourself, and do the same with the rest of the construction process. It wouldn't work well if you want to have something exactly plumb, but for work shelters like a wood shed, it is a terrific way to build by yourself quickly, effortlessly, and allowing for making corrections (you can back wood screws out a lot more easily and effortlessly than you can a nail). So, if you want a serviceable, inexpensive, and durable hand tool that will help you with the plethora of home projects you are facing without a lot of time or much in the way of helping hands, try this cordless drill out. Oh, and be sure to buy a Black and Decker 13 piece High Speed Steel Drill Bit Set to go along with it, as Dale Anne advises. I am glad I did. I think you will be pleased.
This was my first cordless drill and my last Black & Decker cordless drill. The main problem with this drill is that it does not have enough power! It strains setting screws and after a handfull of screws the batteries are spent. Also my set came with only 2 batteries; therefore, when the batteries are drained you have to wait several hours before you can use the drill again. Who has time for that! Sure I could buy 2 more batteries so that I always have 2 in the drill and 2 in the charger, but by the time I pay for all that I could buy a more powerful drill with 2 sets of batteries included. My other major problem with this drill is that bits become loose in the chuck over time and fall out of the drill when the drill is pointed down. This is not fun when you are on a ladder. I recommend this drill only for the lightest of tasks such as setting half inch screws in drywall. I now own a 14.4v Milwaukee 0516-22 cordless drill and I am extremely satisfied. I know this drill cost more but is very worth it. I know some people may say that a 14.4 volt drill with 390 in-lbs of torque may be overkill for a weekend home improvement guy, but these same people probably go to the mall in a 4X4 SUV with a 6.0 liter engine.
It would have been nice if the description mentioned that this "drill" does not come with drill bits, but only a plethora of phillips head and flat head screwdriver attachments. It's not easy to install something without a guide hole. Now I have to figure out which drill bits go with this drill. Grrr... Also, it's pretty damn heavy, which makes installing curtain rod holders difficult if you're a 135 pound weakling like me. I'm not as happy with this as I should be.
The batteries don't hold much charge. I have done several small projects, but always had to wait 24hrs for the battery to charge. On a recent flooring project, the battery would die after 15-20 holes through hard lumber. Good for small projects, but please consider a better alternative if you need power and running time.
I have owned this cordless drill for over ten years. It finally broke when I dropped it off a ladder for about the twentieth time. While this may not be a professional level drill it is an outstanding home owner drill. I have built everything with this drill, from furniture to walls. Two inches as another reviewer stated is about the screw driving depth limit, but hey if I'm driving a screw that deep I'm going to drill a pilot hole first so its not an issue. Unfortunately it appears it has been discontinued, I am looking to replace the one I just broke. - Black And Decker - Versa Pak - Versapak - Battery Pack'
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