Which Power Tool Do I Buy First?

If you are keen to get into the world of DIY or woodwork then investing in power tools is an obvious next step but if on a budget, which tool will give the most benefit and therefore the first to invest in?

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[davidstevensasidewayslook]

Spot on, an electric drill has been the No1 goto DIYer tool for the last 60 years. I still have a B&D and Bosch electric drill I bought 40/50 years ago but they now reside firmly in the dusty reaches of my workshop with plenty of cobwebs on them no doubt. By comparison my Dewalt cordless brushless drill now rarely goes back in its box! Its so good I've bought another one AND an Impact Driver (wonderful bit of kit) Its always worthwhile buying the best. Cheap tools are expensive as you are always replacing them…..

[abscomm]

Great video Stuart. It is also worth thinking about investing in a "brand" so that you don't end up with lots of different batteries and chargers which are not necessarily interchangeable.

[polluxtroy]

I've had my DeWalt cordless combi drill for about 8 years now. It's been very reliable. Recently invested in a Dewalt impact driver after being annoyed by changing bits all the time. Both work well to speed things up even more. And these days you can pick them up for quite cheap. There's always sales on at the trade shops.

Great video.

[AccountantDoesDIY]

I’m fully bought into the dewalt ecosystem now. Great mid range brand. I’ve become somewhat addicted over the lockdowns….orbital sander, multitool, impact driver, combi drill, sds hammer drill, angle grinder. Next up is the palm router if I can sneak it past the mrs! Great illustration of the clutch in the vid Stuart - I found it particularly useful when screwing in plasterboard into my ceiling of the garden gym I built during lockdown. I found the special bit that came with the black plasterboard screws not very good, but the clutch on setting 6 was perfect every time and fully protected the plasterboard which is so easy to overscrew into!

[ice]

This is a really good video for newbies to DIY like you said. I think it's great that you remember that not everyone has lots of experience in these things so even if I didn't really learn anything from this video I think it's great to make good entry level content. I would have appreciated it a few years ago. I've had a lot of luck with Screwfix/B&Q's Erbauer tools in the UK. Well priced a good range of basic tools. They even do a cordless mitre saw which I think is crazy for a DIY store brand. My new favourite tool is a Bosch 12v drill. It has enough power for most jobs and compared to my 18V drill is so light weight. I couldn't find it the other day because it was so light in my tool belt I couldn't feel it.

[TheJVCMan]

The First tools I bought was a dewalt drill and impact driver set. Best thing I did. Use it for almost all my DIY jobs.

[David-xcus]

As a very average DIYer I would say it’s worth investing in a good make for your power tools….I’ve been using a 24v DeWalt (SDS) drill for well over 10 years and it’s still going strong

[Mjk]

If you looking for your first power tools just go dewalt they are good tools at a resonable price, a lot of Builders use dewalt, dont go for cheapest option like a amazon special or a black & decker, I have always bought decent car tools as i enjoy working on cars but i did at first buy cheap power tools for DIY like black & decker i have upgraded most off them to dewalt now, For any car guys dewalt high torque impact wrench are Fantastic i have the DCF 899 its awsome . If dewalt a little bit out off your price range, from what i have seen from the guys i know who own parkside tools seem half decent at a very good price, be aware though once you bought a battery powered power tool you are kind stuck using that brand as the batterys them self and chargers can cost a pretty penny. But if you look about you can find good deals i got a dewalt DCD 796 with two 4AM batterys charger and case for £120 last year as its a older model however for around the house i dont need the latest model it does 70NM and has a metal chuck and brushless seems like a really good power tool.

[markbailey]

Great video, the clutch settings were particularly useful, thanks.

[bobmcnair]

It's also woth thinking about getting a pair, one ordinary driver and one impact driver. They are sold as such by a lot of companies. Keep up the good work, interesting and well presentes videos.

[valborchardt]

Thanks Stuart, great video, i must say your advice is much appreciated. Take care

[jimlepeu]

The last 10 - 15 years I have used Ryobi Oneplus and they have served me very well. My latest addition being a chain saw running on the same batteries, but for that I splurged on a 5amp hr battery.

[mrporridge]

Thanks again Stuart, I have just (this minute!) taken your advice and finally ordered a replacement for my trusty OLD Bosch drill/driver.
It has done sterling work for over 15 years with only one replacement battery needed in all that time.
Over the last few weeks said battery has not been holding it's charge and I had been meaning to look into a replacement so pretty chuffed I watched this vid and followed your recommendations.
Turning up tomorrow (gotta love Prime!!!) so the child will be pushed to the other end of the sofa while I cuddle my shiny new toy in front of the rugby! 🤣🤣🤣

[brianjohnson]

Car boot sales can be a good source of cheap tools. I bought a MacAllister cordless drill, a corded plane and a corded jigsaw for 20 euros here if France.

[samrix]

Great video always informative content! As it's getting cold I was wondering if you could do a vid/q&a on garage workshops like any issue with painting walls? Can you pva concrete floor? Best way to insulate flat roof? Is it worth it? How to protect cast iron tables from damp etc

[iancovidhamilton]

I would not use my cordless for drilling into stone, unless theres no mains available.
Plus I remember a Sky guy couldnt drill through my wall with his 24v Bosch £400 jobby, but my £80 mains Titan £80 did.
Since the Titan is very heavy, I just bought a Meterk 850w mains for drilling.

[hugheffo]

After watching this I went my own way. The biggest issue is the batteries. We all know that 3rd party batteries do not last as long as original ones, but if you a basic DIY’er you don’t need a battery that’s going to last a few hours. Most people it’s maybe 10-15mins. I went with Makita tools, as the bare units are reasonably priced, and you can pick up 3rd party batteries for about a third of the price of a genuine one. This way you get the build and quality of a good brand, along with the reasonable price. I picked up a Makita brushless combi drill, with all metal gearbox, third party 5ah battery and genuine Makita fast charger for under £100

[iant]

Your videos are like my own timeline through life - really like watching them. One other tool I have always found so many uses for is the multi tool - I have had 3 over the years and for the first time now a cordless - this added even more flexibility to an already faithful tool. Cheers to Friday 🍻

[redhornet]

Excellent video on the overall benefits and workings of modern drill/drivers! I’ve been using a corded drill for over 20 years & just bought my first cordless 5 months ago. This video taught me about the clutch on it, total game changer! I noticed the license/number plate on the wall above your workbench, did you live in the Middle East? I ask because I lived in Saudi Arabia for 11 years. Please keep making fantastic videos!

[EireFirst]

Only thing I'll say is wild horses couldn't drag me back from hex chucks now, although I am a chippy & not a diyer, so I GET the logic 👍👍