On the subject of drills, I have a makita 14.4, a ridgid 24v li-ion, and a dewalt 18v. Really all over the map. I love(ed) them all, but I intend to trade all of them for one C12. I started out dead-set against this drill, and I had many excuses.
Among them, it's way too expensive ( !!! check the price point here in Australia), it's too light (I thought that the lack of weight would make it harder to drive screws home), that I would need at least two (one to countersink, one to drive), and that the battery would be underpowered. Not to mention when you're used to huge 18v batteries, the thing feels like a toy. After a week or so of using one at work (driving hundreds of 2" screws into subfloor, hanging ply sheathing, drilling holes in ledger boards), I'd go home and the only drill I'd use would be the Makita. I naturally gravitated towards the lightest. The C12 is not only lighter, but better balanced than any other drill I've used, which also includes the newer Panasonics and Hitachis. You can't tell the difference by hefting it for ten or fifteen minutes while you think about how expensive it is in a tool shop somewhere, you have to use it all day.
None of my other drills can become so short front to back. None have a right angle attachment. I found that the Festool 12v battery was more than sufficient, which was a surprise. The backup battery charged quickly, and I never waited on a battery. Almost best of all, I could throw it in a tool bag or pouch without hitting the trigger, because of the enclosed guard (always been a pet peeve). For that matter, it's the only one that can actually fit in a nail pouch. I love the magnet on the front, to hold the spare bit you can never seem to find when you need it. It barely feels like it's there on a tool hook on my belt, which means I can actually carry it all day, I don't have to walk over to where I left it.
If there were things I could change about it, it'd be to add an LED light, and put some numbers on the clutch ring, for reference. Everything else seems perfect after using it. If they had a small impact driver, I'd buy that as my backup for more clout, but I feel the value is definitely there.
I'm a recent convert, and even with my limited experience, I'm at the point that I'd buy on faith almost any tool they released, on the basis of performance of the other tools in the line. Totally convinced. The only hand power tool they have no equal for is the Fein Multimaster.
