Post by mattj on Oct 5, 2017 3:20:50 GMT -5
A few months ago, after much deliberation, I bought the 18v Metabo cordless hammer drill, based largely on the positive comments on this forum. I thought I'd share some thoughts after using it a bit.
First off, let me say that this is a fantastic drill, very high quality, and I'm quite happy with it. I think all of the positive aspects of the drill are covered elsewhere around here, so I'm going to focus mostly on the negatives- these are all very subjective for me so don't take this as an overall negative review of the tool. I just want to throw out some observations that would have been nice to read before my purchase. But even given the negatives, I don't regret the purchase.
I bought this drill because I'm currently spending a year with my wife's family in Italy, away from our home in the US. I put a lot of planning into what tools to bring, and since the short list included the cordless KSS40, I was attracted to the idea of having a drill that would use the same battery platform so I could avoid bringing along an additional charger and 2 batteries, plus the temptation of bringing even more tools from that other platform 'just in case'. Luggage space and weight was at a premium. I skimped on clothing and anything else that was easily attainable after landing, and after paying for 2 extra checked bags (one for just tools, one for a snowboard and associated gear, with smaller tools crammed into any available space in every other bag), I managed to bring just about all of what I figured were the essentials to tackle handyman tasks for my in-laws and hobby type woodworking projects for myself.
So, the drill:
I went for the SB (hammer) version because I figured I might need to sink some masonry anchors at some point. I would have preferred the shorter BS version, and I vacillated on that decision for a while. I have yet to need the hammer function so I can't comment on how it works for that. I expect it will be adequate, not ideal... Hopefully handy in a pinch. We'll see.
As said elsewhere, fit and finish are excellent. Balance and power are good. Belt hook is excellent. Tight tolerances all around. I don't notice significant runout at the spindle, but I haven't used any long auger bits yet. If there is some movement I doubt it will matter for my uses.
The things I dislike about the tool are all related to the electronics. I use Makita 18v tools for my day job back home, and I LOVE the way they feel in use. The trigger on the Makita drills is very responsive and I can feel immediate feedback from the tool. This allows complete control when drilling and driving whether I use the torque settings or not. This is what I liked about other drills and drivers I've owned or borrowed in the past (loved my Panasonic, liked some DeWalts). With the Metabo, a pull of the trigger feels completely numb. There's a slight delay between pressing the trigger and motion of the bit, and acceleration of the spindle is the same regardless of how the trigger is 'feathered.' I'm guessing this is why they included the pulse feature. I think it's frustrating to use a tool that is meant to be smarter than the operator. I find myself fussing with settings all the time, switching modes instead of just doing the work in a state of 'flow'. Torque settings might be useful for repetitive tasks in homogeneous materials, but they suck when using several different fasteners, and working with solid wood that can vary in density, etc. I find this tool is harder to control without relying on the torque settings due to the lack of feedback and response. Maybe I'll get used to it eventually, but I haven't yet. If I have three screws to drive, it takes the first two to dial in the torque setting just right, then the third one goes just fine. Yay. To me the Metabo feels just like the Festool and Bosch drills, which I dislike for the same reason. I realize lots of people love those drills, so again, this is a matter of taste.
Once the trigger is released, the drill ‘clacks’ off so abruptly that inertia can loosen the keyless chuck. I’ve had this happen a few times already, even when it was torqued down gutentight. Gotta be careful working at heights, or on messy jobsites when dropping a bit would mean losing it.
Another thing I dislike is the light(s), both the placement, and the motion sensitive activation. It's so sensitive that they constantly blink on when I leave it on a table I'm working at (even if the switch is in neutral it'll do it for a few minutes), which is a distraction. I prefer to have the light trigger activated and located up near the pointy end of the tool, so that I can use it as a flashlight in confined and awkward spaces. Maybe placement of the lights at the bottom of the handle illuminates the tip of the tool a little better in an open space with good sight lines, but in situations like that I usually have good light anyway.
Ok, now I'm running out of negatives...
Some minor quibbles:
I got the bare tool version (602199890) that came in a cardboard box with an insert for the Metabox/systainer. The box (not the outer shipping carton) was pretty beat up when it arrived, and had that faint industrial smell of oil+cigarettes to it. Not that I minded much, but it was a marked contrast to the New Festool Smell I'd come to associate with German tools. The drill was obviously thrown in the box with no shits given. There was some grit and dirt inside. The chucks were just thrown in as well, in their own plastic baggies, but that was it for protection. It's a rugged tool so there was no damage, but it is evidence of the company’s values, I think.
The insert itself sucks big time. Without modification it only fits into a Systainer so that the drill is 'upside down' (meaning the battery end is close to the hinge of the lid), so it's awkward to place and retrieve the tool from the box. There’s no designated place to store the keyless chuck, so if it’s not attached to the drill it ends up rattling around the box in transit. Same for an extra battery and charger! WTF! It does look like it’s meant to fit an impact driver, but that doesn’t help me much. There are two spots to store the hex bit holder. I wonder if different inserts are available and I just got the one I didn’t want… Anyway, it’s not a big deal, I’ll throw a few bucks at some Kaizen foam. But it would have cost Metabo absolutely nothing extra to make the insert actually useful.
Last quibble is the price. I’m learning that nothing is cheap in Europe and this drill is no exception. I don’t mind paying a lot for a tool that is exceptional on all fronts (e.g the KSS40 [swoon]), but to me, this drill does not beat the comparable Makita that can be had for half the price (in the US).
Still, despite my bitching, it was a good buy. I find that the non-LIHD batteries that came with my ’40 provide enough runtime that I can have one on the saw and one on the drill and work a long, long time without running one down. The drill does everything a drill needs to do, and if I ever have the need I’m looking forward to trying out the torque multiplier and right angle chuck. It won’t be my full time go-to drill when I get back home but it’ll be a handy companion to the 40 when I want to travel light.
First off, let me say that this is a fantastic drill, very high quality, and I'm quite happy with it. I think all of the positive aspects of the drill are covered elsewhere around here, so I'm going to focus mostly on the negatives- these are all very subjective for me so don't take this as an overall negative review of the tool. I just want to throw out some observations that would have been nice to read before my purchase. But even given the negatives, I don't regret the purchase.
I bought this drill because I'm currently spending a year with my wife's family in Italy, away from our home in the US. I put a lot of planning into what tools to bring, and since the short list included the cordless KSS40, I was attracted to the idea of having a drill that would use the same battery platform so I could avoid bringing along an additional charger and 2 batteries, plus the temptation of bringing even more tools from that other platform 'just in case'. Luggage space and weight was at a premium. I skimped on clothing and anything else that was easily attainable after landing, and after paying for 2 extra checked bags (one for just tools, one for a snowboard and associated gear, with smaller tools crammed into any available space in every other bag), I managed to bring just about all of what I figured were the essentials to tackle handyman tasks for my in-laws and hobby type woodworking projects for myself.
So, the drill:
I went for the SB (hammer) version because I figured I might need to sink some masonry anchors at some point. I would have preferred the shorter BS version, and I vacillated on that decision for a while. I have yet to need the hammer function so I can't comment on how it works for that. I expect it will be adequate, not ideal... Hopefully handy in a pinch. We'll see.
As said elsewhere, fit and finish are excellent. Balance and power are good. Belt hook is excellent. Tight tolerances all around. I don't notice significant runout at the spindle, but I haven't used any long auger bits yet. If there is some movement I doubt it will matter for my uses.
The things I dislike about the tool are all related to the electronics. I use Makita 18v tools for my day job back home, and I LOVE the way they feel in use. The trigger on the Makita drills is very responsive and I can feel immediate feedback from the tool. This allows complete control when drilling and driving whether I use the torque settings or not. This is what I liked about other drills and drivers I've owned or borrowed in the past (loved my Panasonic, liked some DeWalts). With the Metabo, a pull of the trigger feels completely numb. There's a slight delay between pressing the trigger and motion of the bit, and acceleration of the spindle is the same regardless of how the trigger is 'feathered.' I'm guessing this is why they included the pulse feature. I think it's frustrating to use a tool that is meant to be smarter than the operator. I find myself fussing with settings all the time, switching modes instead of just doing the work in a state of 'flow'. Torque settings might be useful for repetitive tasks in homogeneous materials, but they suck when using several different fasteners, and working with solid wood that can vary in density, etc. I find this tool is harder to control without relying on the torque settings due to the lack of feedback and response. Maybe I'll get used to it eventually, but I haven't yet. If I have three screws to drive, it takes the first two to dial in the torque setting just right, then the third one goes just fine. Yay. To me the Metabo feels just like the Festool and Bosch drills, which I dislike for the same reason. I realize lots of people love those drills, so again, this is a matter of taste.
Once the trigger is released, the drill ‘clacks’ off so abruptly that inertia can loosen the keyless chuck. I’ve had this happen a few times already, even when it was torqued down gutentight. Gotta be careful working at heights, or on messy jobsites when dropping a bit would mean losing it.
Another thing I dislike is the light(s), both the placement, and the motion sensitive activation. It's so sensitive that they constantly blink on when I leave it on a table I'm working at (even if the switch is in neutral it'll do it for a few minutes), which is a distraction. I prefer to have the light trigger activated and located up near the pointy end of the tool, so that I can use it as a flashlight in confined and awkward spaces. Maybe placement of the lights at the bottom of the handle illuminates the tip of the tool a little better in an open space with good sight lines, but in situations like that I usually have good light anyway.
Ok, now I'm running out of negatives...
Some minor quibbles:
I got the bare tool version (602199890) that came in a cardboard box with an insert for the Metabox/systainer. The box (not the outer shipping carton) was pretty beat up when it arrived, and had that faint industrial smell of oil+cigarettes to it. Not that I minded much, but it was a marked contrast to the New Festool Smell I'd come to associate with German tools. The drill was obviously thrown in the box with no shits given. There was some grit and dirt inside. The chucks were just thrown in as well, in their own plastic baggies, but that was it for protection. It's a rugged tool so there was no damage, but it is evidence of the company’s values, I think.
The insert itself sucks big time. Without modification it only fits into a Systainer so that the drill is 'upside down' (meaning the battery end is close to the hinge of the lid), so it's awkward to place and retrieve the tool from the box. There’s no designated place to store the keyless chuck, so if it’s not attached to the drill it ends up rattling around the box in transit. Same for an extra battery and charger! WTF! It does look like it’s meant to fit an impact driver, but that doesn’t help me much. There are two spots to store the hex bit holder. I wonder if different inserts are available and I just got the one I didn’t want… Anyway, it’s not a big deal, I’ll throw a few bucks at some Kaizen foam. But it would have cost Metabo absolutely nothing extra to make the insert actually useful.
Last quibble is the price. I’m learning that nothing is cheap in Europe and this drill is no exception. I don’t mind paying a lot for a tool that is exceptional on all fronts (e.g the KSS40 [swoon]), but to me, this drill does not beat the comparable Makita that can be had for half the price (in the US).
Still, despite my bitching, it was a good buy. I find that the non-LIHD batteries that came with my ’40 provide enough runtime that I can have one on the saw and one on the drill and work a long, long time without running one down. The drill does everything a drill needs to do, and if I ever have the need I’m looking forward to trying out the torque multiplier and right angle chuck. It won’t be my full time go-to drill when I get back home but it’ll be a handy companion to the 40 when I want to travel light.