Hitachi has announced that they will be expanding their line of 18V cordless Li-ion power tools here in the US. The new series of tools are compatible with Hitachi’s latest generation slide-style Lithium-ion battery packs.
New Drills and Drivers
All of the new DSDL series of drills and drivers feature industrial-grade 2-piece motors, aluminum gear cases for maximum durability and heat dissipation, LED worklights, metal belt hooks, easy-access carbon brushes, and soft ergonomic handles. Kits are bundled with (2) 3.0Ah Lithium ion battery packs, and bare-tools are also available.
1/2″ Drill/Driver DS18DSDL
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- 814 in-lbs of torque!
- Single-sleeve ratcheting all-metal 1/2″ chuck
- 22-position clutch with drill mode
- 2-speed 0-350/0-1600 RPM gearbox
- Includes side handle
- Weighs 4.6 lbs
1/2″ Hammer Drill DV18DSDL
- 814 in-lbs of torque!
- Single-sleeve ratcheting all-metal 1/2″ chuck
- 22-position clutch with drill mode and hammer mode
- 2-speed 0-400/0-1800 RPM gearbox
- 0-27,000 IPM hammer mode
- Includes side handle
- Weighs 4.8 lbs
1/4″ Impact Driver WH18DSDL
- 1510 in-lbs of torque
- 1/4″ hex quick change chuck
- 2-step power switch alternates between full and power saving modes
- 0-2600 RPM no-load speed
- 0-3200 BPM
- Weighs 3.7 lbs
1/2″ Impact Wrench WR18DSDL
- 188 ft-lbs peak torque (2256 in-lbs)
- 1/2″ square drive
- 2-step power switch alternates between full and power saving modes
- 0-2600 RPM no-load speed
- 0-3200 BPM
- Weighs 3.7 lbs
(I think this might the most compact 18V cordless impact wrench I have ever seen!)
Additional Tools
These tools are only available without batteries as bare-tool add-ons.
4-1/2″ Angle Grinder G18DSLP4
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- Small diameter soft elastomer-covered grip for comfort and slip resistance
- Overcurrent protection
- Safety reset prevents accidental start up when inserting a charged battery
- Weighs 4.0 lbs
- Side handle, grinding wheel, spanner wrench are included
SDS Plus Rotary Hammer DH18DSLP4
- Designed for comfortable use, even when drilling overhead
- 2-step power switch: power mode for fast and efficient drilling of larger diameters, and low power mode to conserve battery power and prevent bending of smaller bits
- Electro-pneumatic mechanism to produce 1 ft-lb of impact energy
- Can drill up to 105 1/4″ x 1/4″ holes per charge
- Factory-set slip clutch prevents users in case of bound bit
- Idle strike restrictor prevents no-load hammering, eliminating unnecessary wear on integral parts
- Base-mounted bright LED worklight
- Easy-access carbon brushes
- Weighs 5.1 lbs
- Includes side handle with depth gauge
Cordless Hand Vacuum R18DSLP4
- “Impressive suction power for fast and efficient cleaning”
- 17″ length
- Weighs 3.3 lbs
- Lock-on slide switch for reduced fatigue during continuous use
- 3.0Ah battery provides up to 29 minutes of continuous use
- 22 oz large capacity translucent dust container
- Can handle wet or dry dry debris
- Comes with brush, crevice tool, and squeegee nozzle
First Impression
Hitachi’s 18V line already includes a circular saw, reciprocating saw, jig saw, high torque impact wrench, (4) brushless drills and drivers, (3) brushed drills and drivers, and 2 flashlight products. It’s nice to see that they’ve expanded the line with these thoughtful new additions.
I really don’t have enough experience with Hitachi tools to be able to make concrete judgements based on rough press information, but I am optimistic that the tools are well designed and well built. I still have fond memories of the Hitachi compact 18V NiCd drill I used for a few years. The flashlight that came in the 2-tool combo was less memorable, and the carrying case a bit too large, but the drill/driver was absolutely superb.
One thing I find interesting about the drills and drivers are their 2-step power switches. You can see these switches on the sides of the impact tools and SDS rotary hammer.
Hitachi brought some nice innovations to their brushless drills and drivers, and it seems that they’re on the right track with this line expansion.
Javier
I bought my mom a set of hitachi li-ion slide pack tool combo kit with a compact drill and impact driver with a flashlight. They’re great tools and quite capable. My only gripes is the clutch on the drill is too low on torque, the charging led indicator is backwards showing a solid light as charging and a flashing light as charged and the flashlight has an led indicator to tell you the light is on. Other than that they are great, compact lightweight and pack a good punch.
Eric
Yes I do like this brand, although it seems kind of weird when I’m used to the other brands. My favorite cordless tool is a hitachi micro angle impact driver, 12 volt, that I saw and bought at Lowes. It won’t do for building a deck, but it sure gets in tight spots for my job working on hvac units, using one hand. But the wierd part is the charger like Javier said, plus no off position and it can turn on when rolling around in a tool bucket. How dumb is that? But they are innovators and I like the option of many manufacturers constantly competing to outdo each other!