Tool Ratings

Filling out your own toolkit takes time and money, but mostly money – tools aren’t cheap. However, there are some bargains to be had; tools which won’t empty your bank account or max out your credit card, but will also work well and last long enough to be worth more than what you actually end up paying. Makita has a reputation for making products which quickly satisfy such requirements and often are praised by those who use them regularly. The Makita 8391DWPE 18V cordless combi drill is a perfect example of this.

Makita endows the 8391DWPE cordless combi drill with a high torque, two-speed motor capable of between 239 and 372 inch-pounds (or pound-inch; 27 Nm / 42 Nm) and an unloaded speed of up to 400 RPM and 6000 IPM (impacts per minute) in low and 1300 RPM and 19,500 IPM in high. The batteries are one area where costs are cut on this drill as they are NiCad instead of the higher-spec lithium-ion. Even with that limitation, though, it can drill through 13 mm through steel and masonry and handles 36 mm of wood. Most of that is due to the all-metal gear-train which gives strength and durability to this tool. The standard 13 mm (½ inch) keyless chuck and auto-locking spindle make it an easy process to change out bits and 16 adjustable torque settings provide flexibility for the work at hand. Those hands are comforted thanks to a smooth design and a rubber-coated hand-grip. All of these stats add up to a 5 pound (2.3 kg) weight for the Makita 8391DWPE combi drill.

When buying the Makita 8391DWPE, you get the combi drill, two 18-volt 1.3 amp-hour batteries, a 30-minute quick-charger and a useful plastic carrying case.

Though you would not likely use the Makita 8391DWPE combi drill on a worksite as it is not up to some tasks there, the repair professional or home DIY user will find many uses for this well-balanced tool. Its relatively low price, one-year warranty, light weight, comfortable grip, and usefully flexible and powerful two-speed motor make it great for your average handyman – the impact feature, making it a ‘combi’, is most impressive in this segment. The batteries do limit the duration of your work but, as long as you keep one in the charger, you should be able to switch the power supply out very quickly and get right back to work. Makita’s reputation for reliable products follows them with the 8391DWPE combi drill, and it feels very rugged and strong for its price range and it will not let you down.

And, speaking of the price, the Makita 8391DWPE combi drill has a suggested retail price of US$400 (£250), but you will almost never find it for that high; most retailers sell it for around US$95, though it is curiously only as low as about £100 in the U.K.

Tool Rating: 4.2 of 5.0