Help choosing a compact drill - CXS vs Bosch vs Milwaukee

I'm hoping Home Depot has a great Milwaukee M12 fuel black friday deal this year, I could use something smaller and really like their M18 line.
 
antss said:
I love all the 12V Milwaukee stuff, I took down a 8" Oak with a 12V hackzall, its crazy stuff how those little tools pack such a punch.
Okay that is funny!! I would have grabbed a chainsaw, but then again I have a few chainsaws and sometimes you gotta make do with what ya' got. We have all been there...now cutting down a tree with a Leatherman....been there done that.

antss said:
Peter - no internet search needed.  The cells inside the cases are the same brand.  Yes, the pins are reversed negating cross use.
Some people think they are interchangeable and that is all I was pointing out. You seem pretty knowledgeable so no worries. :)

antss said:
You are also not comparing apples to apples - which is hard to do between those lines.  Bosch has a big m12 fuel battery too.  BAT420 is a 4.0 amp hour battery as opposed to the 3.0 amp hour rating of the  common M12 fuel offering.  18v anything is going to have better specs over a 10.8/12v tool  [doh]
The Makita 18volt compact was brought into the mix by a previous poster, so I included it into the mix. I am pretty disappointed in Makita's offering for a 18volt compact. When I mentioned the 18 volt 2.0ah batteries, it was because I have two of them and like them for my impact driver, as they are lighter than the 3.0ah and 4.0ah batts...and work great in my Makita 18volt heated jacket :)

antss said:
The warranty is also not really a differentiator , bosch's tool is 3 years and the batteries are two.  Only a couple of the 12v milwaukee battery line is 3yrs AND bosch's mice type is more liberal including "wear" on the batteries where as milwaukee's is "defect" giving them a larger out clause.
I read the warranty wrong. You are correct Bosch offers a 3 year warranty. Didn't mean to spread misinformation.

antss said:
Use the 10.8/12v bosch multi and you'll see what I'm talking about.
I am unbiased and looked at all brands before settling on what I felt was the right one for "me" as the selection of tools was the largest selection and most powerful in the size range. Other than my M12 Fuel impact driver my favorite M12 tool is my caulking gun. So much easier than hand caulking stuff to lay a smooth continues bead. I see no need for an 18volt caulking gun.
 
I would  make my choice based  on which line has more tools you would want to use, all the mentioned tool brands are great.

For me the Milwaukee's massive offerings in the 12V space and their statements publicly they are going to support, update and even introduce new tools  to the M12 line is why I chose.

I only wished Milwaukee had the Bosch version 12V jig saw, otherwise all my cordless would be Milwaukee. Any other cordless tool I have are just left over from what I had before I jumped into Milwaukee. Plus, it's nice I have tools that started right here in America near my region of the USA. I know they are all made in China now, still the history is there for me and I have enough German representation in the shop already. Red looks good next to my Green and black(well Dark Blue).

Now if Milwaukee only made dust collection hoses as nice as the Bosch!
 
duburban said:
bobfog said:
duburban said:
Get the new tiny Makita 18v. Thing looks perfect for all tasks.

What's the model number?
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-1...OdhwseIDuGc3Q_nYbJM0waArPs8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

Nothing wrong with a "tweener" if it fits someones criteria.  The issue is they aren't as small nor as light as the smaller 12V and not as powerful as the full sized 18v tools.  For some they might replace both but for me I like to have the HD 18v and small 12v at my disposal.
 
[member=3373]Dovetail65[/member] - you need one of these:

Almost brought one home with me earlier this year from Paris when I saw it at BHV .  Just couldn't bring myself to schlep it around for two weeks for the novelty. 

AEG has a similar one too, made by - you guessed it. 
 

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My tool repairer has literally binloads of faulty Milwaukee EC motor modules replaced under warranty.  There must be hundreds of them.  Given their track record, I wouldn't have a brushless Milwaukee for free!  I personally use Bosch cordless tools myself, but I'm progressively changing over to Metabo, simply due to their fantastic little cordless EC SCMS & Grinders:  best in class in my opinion.  Anybody can make a drill:  it's the other tools that are difficult to make well.

Nevertheless, Bosch have just started using similar Sanyo cells to the latest LiHD Metabo batteries, & their new SDS is also a game changer, but the absence of EC motored saws is holding them back.

If you only want drills or impact drivers, then you can't better Makita in my opinion:  the choice of probably 75%-80% of the world's professional tradespeople for the very reason that they just do these particular tools so much better than anybody else.  Those new compact EC tools look like the harbingers of a whole new generation of compact pro-grade tools.  Why would you want to look elsewhere?
 
[member=9481]aloysius[/member]  I have the Mafell (A10M), only because it was easier to get and cheaper than the Metabo a year and a half ago.
It is good, if they have the metabo it would be interesting to hear how it stacks up against the Makita.

I have also heard good things about some of the Panasonics, but the impact/slapper drills are pan-sonic to the ears.

(The title says CXS vs Bosch vs Milwaukee, which leaves out Metabo  and panasonic.)
 
antss said:
[member=3373]Dovetail65[/member] - you need one of these:

Almost brought one home with me earlier this year from Paris when I saw it at BHV .  Just couldn't bring myself to schlep it around for two weeks for the novelty. 

AEG has a similar one too, made by - you guessed it.

[member=727]antss[/member] Is that available in the US?
 
Paul G said:
antss said:
[member=3373]Dovetail65[/member] - you need one of these:

Almost brought one home with me earlier this year from Paris when I saw it at BHV .  Just couldn't bring myself to schlep it around for two weeks for the novelty. 

AEG has a similar one too, made by - you guessed it.

[member=727]antss[/member] Is that available in the US?

Nope
 
Not available in the U.S.  and I think it's also been discontinued in the EU.

I'm not certain of that though.

 
@Holmz The Mafell and Metabo options look awesome, but appear to be NAINA. Same with the Milwaukee interchangeable chuck @antss mentioned. I'll have to head back to the store to check out the Makita options (both 12v and sub-compact 18v). Thanks all for the great feedback!

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I've recently acquired the Metabo version of the same, after having their 10.8v rattler for the past 6 or years or so.  I'm using some old Festo "FX" chucks & adapters on it, & I'm (for a brushed tool) mightily impressed.  The rattler, incidentally, @ a mere 10.8v is slightly on the "gutless" side of the utility/power equation, ideal for electrical installation work, where delicate (& expensive) fittings are otherwise so easily damaged by injudicious use.

Each manufacturer seems to have a particular expertise, often making a particularly unique or well designed individual or class of tools.  Bosch make superb SDS plus & max hammers, Festo their sanders & (for some anyway) a loose tenoner, Metabo their massive range of world-class industrial grinders, Mafell have their magnificent saws and the incredible duo doweler, Elu/DeWalt their Routers, and so it goes on for a variety of select manufacturer's with particular expertise.  Lamello, Vitrex, Scheer, Eibenstock, and for Makita its their cordless tools.

Always the innovators, always first with different classes of (occasionally useless, to be frank) cordless innovations, some of which are literally years ahead of the others.  Whilst I don't actually use them myself, not being professionally engaged in any trade currently, I still appreciate the general (but not universal I'll be the first to admit) innovation & quality of their cordless range, with undoubtedly the largest, best and most powerful range of impact drivers available.  Most tradies I know simply wouldn't consider looking elsewhere.  Ever.

Sanyo/Panasonic make the batteries that go into roughly half of the world's cordless tools.  This, rather than their tools themselves, seems to be their particular area of expertise.  If Makita are due any general criticism about their cordless range, then perhaps they aren't quite as innovative in their choice of battery supplier or adoption of newer chemistries than their peers, but they're frankly still streets ahead of Festo in this regard, who seemingly remain resolutely 3-4 years behind the pack.  Some might even regard these conservative innovation-avoidance strategies as a virtue.  Personally I don't.

Every manufacturer makes mistakes too.  There's been some truly woeful tools emanating from otherwise highly regarded manufacturers.  In fact about half & occasionally most of every manufacturers' portfolio is simply done better elsewhere.  Sad but true.  I've been sufficiently unfortunate to have bought into some of these dogs myself along the way, which is where the collective experience of contributors to fora such as this are of inestimable wealth.

That our opinions differ is indicative of our diversity of needs, desires, uses & expectations.  A good thing, too.  Nobody else has the same requirements as I, and what I'm seeking.  Nor should anybody else slavishly follow the advice I'm offering either. 
 
Decided to go with this Bosch kit for Christmas, (x3), one for each child. 

Bosch PS130-2A 3/8-Inch 12-Volt Lithium-Ion Ultra-Compact Hammer Drill/Driver Kit
https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-PS130-...?ie=UTF8&qid=1480362303&sr=8-1&keywords=Bosch+PS130-2A+3%2F8-Inch+12-Volt+Lithium-Ion+Ultra-Compact+Hammer+Drill%2FDriver+Kit

What's in the Box:
3/8" hammer drill/driver, 2 lithium-ion 12 V max batteries, 60-minute charger, carrying case

Two of the three kids live out of town (College), and the third is a Junior in High school, but all three are independent enough to need their own tools, and since I don't loan my Festool stuff.......

The hammer drill function (although light duty), is nice for when they want to hang pictures on a block wall (Dorm room).  As an add-on gift, I got all three this little drill bit set, which covers very basic needs.
https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-MS4034...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CJRZ6FVG4RWTJF583QTS
 
I decided to go with the Milwaukee brushed version.  Acme Tool has a deal today for the 2494-22 drill/driver combo plus an extra 4.0 ah battery for $100.  The CXS was super comfortable, but centrotech wasn't in the budget and I was a little concerned about power.  I preferred the ergonomics of the Milwaukee tools to Bosch or Makita, and this was to good of a deal to pass up.  I may add the 2406 or 2402 screwdriver to my kit for lightweight driving if I find the 2407 drill to be too heavy.  Thanks to all for the advice!

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Goz said:
I decided to go with the Milwaukee brushed version.  Acme Tool has a deal today for the 2494-22 drill/driver combo plus an extra 4.0 ah battery for $100.  The CXS was super comfortable, but centrotech wasn't in the budget and I was a little concerned about power.  I preferred the ergonomics of the Milwaukee tools to Bosch or Makita, and this was too good of a deal to pass up.  I may add the 2406 or 2402 screwdriver to my kit for lightweight driving if I find the 2407 drill to be too heavy.  Thanks to all for the advice!

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I've heard good things about them. Let us know when you've "suss'ed it out".
 
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