factory reconditioned?

[dug]

My Dewalt corded drill has blown a gasket, a gift I received less than a year ago. I am still using my 10 year old $35 POS Skil corded drill but it sounds like it has long since ground up it's bearings, if it ever had any, and the chuck which was not good to begin with is not long for this world.

So I thought I'd move up to the 20st century and get myself a cordless. My Milwaukee 12 volt I had a dozen or so years ago soured my opinion of them because I could only drive about a dozen 3 in. deck screws before my battery was drained. I'm hoping things have improved since then.

My budget is tight right now and I saw some factory reconditioned ones at HD the last time I was there. They were not really what I was looking for but the prices were good and I would not have been able to tell them apart from new. Does anyone know where the factory reconditioned ones come from? I know the batteries have a finite lifespan, do they usually supply new batteries on the reconditioned sets? I swear the ones I saw at HD looked unused.

I was looking at this one-  http://www.reconditionedsales.com/Hitachi_DS18DSAL_18V_Compact_Pro_Lithium_Ion_Driver_Drill_(Reconditioned)___i1285.aspx

Good idea or bad?

[MountainDon]

I have bought a few recon tools and have been very happy. My DeWalt grinders (2) have seen a lot of use too.
I've never bought a recon battery tool though.
Most likely they would have the original battery I would think.
The 18 volt ones with Lithium-Ion batteries are much better than the older ones with Nicads.

I think many recon tools just never worked long enough, if ever, to get blemished or marked up; hence the new look.

On the subject of recon things... I still have a Motorola cell phone I purchased as a recon unit three years ago. Needs a new battery soon. Maybe a new recon phone.

Looks like a nice driver

[John_M]

I love reconditioned tools.

The way I look at it, they are tools that had a minor problem and were fixed!!  Most have the same warranties the new products have and really look new.  There are a lot of great deals online.

Do a google search for reconditioned tools and you will find a lot of reputable dealers!!

[Ernest T. Bass]

I was looking at this one-  http://www.reconditionedsales.com/Hitachi_DS18DSAL_18V_Compact_Pro_Lithium_Ion_Driver_Drill_(Reconditioned)___i1285.aspx

Good idea or bad?

My dad recently bought two of those, from the same site I think. It's got decent torque and gets into tight spaces. The batt doesn't last all that long, which is to be expected.. Too early to tell how gracefully it ages. Our Lith-ion Rigid won't take a charge and it's only a year or two old.

[db4570]

I avoid reconditioned tools, but not for any compelling reason. I guess I have also not been compelled to buy recon, either. If there was a big price difference, like 35% or more, I might consider it. But for the sake of $10 or $20, I prefer new.

My main reason for replying is to address Ernest's problem that his Rigid isn't taking a charge. I'm pretty sure Home Depot has a lifetime warranty on their Rigid tools, including batteries, which always impressed me. Might it be worth checking into that? I never really thought of Rigid power tools for myself before, but that warranty is a good selling point.

David

[Windpower]

I can't speak to reconditioned but

I can highly recommend the new 18 V Makita impact driver and drill

amazing torque and decent battery life

eta

I havea 12V milwaukee too -- just put in  a new gear box --- it's still an oldie but goodie

[dug]

Earnest T that's a little disappointing about only getting a year and a half on those batteries. That's one reason I was considering the lithium ion batteries, they are supposed to hold up to a lot more charge cycles and are not prone to memory loss like ni-cads. Anyone with any real life experience with the lithium batteries please chime in.

I avoid reconditioned tools, but not for any compelling reason. I guess I have also not been compelled to buy recon, either. If there was a big price difference, like 35% or more, I might consider it. But for the sake of $10 or $20, I prefer new.

I agree on that but in this case the difference is about $60 from what I have found at Lowes or elsewhere, more than a 40% discount.

I can highly recommend the new 18 V Makita impact driver and drill

amazing torque and decent battery life

I have heard good things about that one but I'm not flush enough right now to justify the price. 

[MountainDon]

Lithiums are the only way to go as far as I am concerned.    I had three Ryobi 18 volt packs since the start of our cabin project. They are the best batteries and I have had battery operated (NiCad) tools since the mid to late 70's. Unlike NiCads there is no concern about recharging them if they have not been fully depleted. They do not seem to self discharge as much as NiCads. Plus my impression is that they are able to deliver more torque than an equivalent NiCad. At leat the circular saw seems to have more ooommph with the Li-Ion.

[Ernest T. Bass]

Yeah, we were really disappointed our Rigid's batteries. We actually had one of them replaced by warranty already and it too is practically worthless. We did leave the batteries on the chargers for extended periods of time. We left them in the cold garage as well, so perhaps that has something to do with it. We've been pampering our new Hitachis now and keeping them in the house, so it may not be a fair comparison if they last longer.

I just remembered something... A carpenter that I worked on a construction project with back when our Rigid was pretty new had the same drill and was complaining that his was losing battery life.

[Okie_Bob]

A lot of the time, the reconditioned tools at Home Depot are not actually reconditioned but, returned because the original owner simply didn't want it for whatever reason. I've bought a lot of things from their 'reconditioned' tables over the years and always look to see if I can find a recon tool before buying new. Course I'm not a professional so don't put the tools to the hard use pros would.
I have had both a NiCad and now a Lithium Ion DeWalt drill. The new LI is so much better than the old NiCad. It never seems to run out of charge and also charges faster than the NiCad. As a result I then bought a cordless circular saw and have been amazed at the amount of work I can get done on one charge. It came with two batteries and a charger and I've never been caught with both batteries dead before one is recharged and ready to go. Love battery operated tools now and would never go back to corded again.
And also remember that HD gives the same warranty on recon tools they give on new ones.
Okie Bob