Bosch’s 18V drill/driver, impact driver, and L-Boxx cordless combo kit, CLPK234-181L, is really one of the best combos of its kind currently on the market. It comes with a DDS181 drill, IDS181 impact driver, two compact Li-ion batteries, a charger, and two L-Boxx tool boxes.
The DDS181 is our editor’s choice best cordless drill pick because it’s reasonably powerful (600 in-lbs) without being bulky, heavy, or unwieldy.
Advertisement
I don’t have as much experience with the IDS181 as I do with my Bosch 25618 impact driver, but the IDS181 seems to be well regarded. The IDS181 is Bosch’s compact impact driver, and so it’s not quite as powerful as the 25618 or competitors’ leading models. Still, it packs quite a punch and is rated to deliver up to 1150 in-lbs of fastener-driving torque.
Plus, you get two L-Boxx tool cases with the deal. You probably already know how fond I am of L-Boxxes, but if not, take a look at my Bosch L-Boxx tool storage review and best modular tool storage system discussion.
This combo is currently priced at about $206, which is a great bargain for what you get. If you’re not interested in the L-Boxxes, there are better deals out there, including the canvas tool bag version of the kit that’s available for $180-$200.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
I must warn you – L-Boxxes can get addicting. I started off with a few, and then a few more, and then some more, and then I started buying way too many during Amazon’s winter holiday and Father’s Day Bosch discount promotions.
This combo kit might not have the latest and greatest drill and impact driver pairing, but it’s affordably priced and a great value for what you get.
Advertisement
If you can stretch your budget a little further, Home Depot’s holiday 2014 cordless combo promo provides some great incentives to consider a couple of other brands’ combo kit offerings.
Josh
I have the IDS181 as well as the 25618. The IDS starts “impacting” much sooner than the 25618, but it’s wonderfully light and the ring LEDs do a great job illuminating your fasteners. I’ve never needed the extra oomph of the 25618 for normal jobs
Julian Tracy
The L-boxxes will sell on CL easily for about $30-35 each, so if you don’t care about them, you can make that a $140 kit…
I’ve turned around a few of them from the 12volt kits to create an even better deal.
JT
Chris
I got this kit without the L-boxx when Lowes had it on sale (or clearance) for $149
Some people have complained that older stock comes with 1.5Ah battery packs instead of 2.5Ah. Probably not an issue on Amazon since they turn their stock over fairly well, but something to look for.
The specs on the drill are nice, I really only bought the kit for that. But I might keep the impact as well just to have an 18V lith ion impact (its not much more powerful than my M12 Fuel impact)
Stuart
These look to be purposefully packaged with 1.5Ah battery packs. Have you seen them come with 2.0Ah packs?
Chris
I havent seen the kits with Lboxx-es in person, but I have the kit with the canvas bag and my kit should have the 2.0 (or 2.5, I forget which). It says it on the outside of the box, but I have not opened to confirm (debating whether I want to keep it or not).
There was a thread on SlickDeals about the kit and some people got the 1.5 packs and others got the bigger packs. It seemed pretty random…does Bosch still make the 1.5 packs?
Del
I’ve seen the CLPK234-181 kits at Lowes come with both 1.5 and 2.0 batteries. The boxes looked the same but the kits with the 2.0 batteries had a sticker that showed they included 2.0ah batteries. Out of all the kits, the ones that the store received after August 2013 had 2.0 batteries (the newest kits were from Oct. 2013). The older stock had the 1.5’s. Each box had a label with a date and store number. After dropping to $149 for the non L-Boxx kit, they’ve sold out where I’m at.
steve
*SNORT*
Only $520 in the UK.
jason. W
So I’ve been reading up on specs on different brands and I am wondering something…..
Do manufacturers specs mean anything? My ryobi has higher specs then my co workers dewalt. But I’ve used his dewalt and it’s clearly better. So do these specs mean anything at all?
Stuart
Different brands might use different testing standards.
Michael
Lowes seems to have a lot of old stock that they put on sale. I just got a hammer drill that came with the 1.5 a.h. batteries. But for $ 140 I really can’t complain.