We recently posted about a new blacked-out Metabo HPT 18V brushless impact driver, which looks like it could be a Black Friday or Holiday 2019 “special buy.” Now, we’ve spotted a new blacked-out Metabo HPT cordless drill.
The new Metabo HPT 18V brushless drill kit, model DS18DBFL2QB, features a compact and reasonably powerful brushless drill. It tops out at 620 in-lbs of torque, and the kit comes with a 1.5Ah battery and charger.
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- 1/2″ keyless chuck
- 620 in-lbs max torque
- 1800 RPM max speed
- 22+1 clutch settings
- Optical trigger switch
- On-tool LED battery indicator
- Weighs 3.5 lbs with 1.5Ah battery
- 6-29/32″ length
- LED worklight
Price: $159
If you like the features, specs, and size of this Metabo HPT brushless drill, there’s also the option of buying the green and black version with 1-battery kit, DS18DBFL2S. This model also sports the older Hitachi branding.
But, you get a higher capacity battery (3.0Ah), belt clip, and carrying bag, in addition to the drill and charger.
Price: $89
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Sure, the blacked-out version looks cool, and tools with Hitachi branding instead of Metabo HPT have been sitting on the shelf for a while since the name change went into effect more than a year ago. But $89 vs. $159, and you get more with the kit? Sounds like a good deal to me.
We don’t know what the holiday season pricing on the blacked-out drill kit will be, but the fact that it doesn’t mention a carrying bag as an included component, and it doesn’t look to have a belt clip both suggest it’ll be a “special buy” of some kind. Still, I’d be surprised if the Black Friday 2019 or holiday pricing beat the $89 price on this Hitachi kit.
As mentioned in my post about the new Metabo 18V blacked-out impact driver, I would also argue that $99 should be the target price for this kit. That seems very reasonable, seeing as how the better-value kit is currently priced at $89.
There’s also a 2-battery kit on Amazon, with 1.5Ah battery packs and a carrying case. This kit also has Hitachi branding.
It’s only listed by 3rd party “fulfilled by Amazon” sellers right now, but you get more in this kit and for less money than the $159 the blacked-out kit is currently priced at.
Price: $138
Compare: 2-Battery Kit via Amazon
If you like the blacked-out drill, Makita has their 18V sub-compact drill kit for $159 at Amazon.
Matt J
Is there any indication that this is intended to be a more broad-sweeping change that will apply across the entire line over time?
Since the Hitachi/Hikoki/Metabo merger/licensing/whatever thing happened, I always thought the decision to keep Metabo HPT products a slightly brighter shade of green compared to totally different Metabo products was a bad call that would only lead to consumer confusion. I also don’t necessarily think that Hitachi has the market position to justify holding onto that color scheme solely for brand recognition purposes. Black seems like a good choice that a) looks good b) differentiates them from the other big 3 and c) differentiates them from sister brand Metabo.
Stuart
I don’t think so?
I really think they’re just going to be “special editions” priced lower than usual for the holiday season.
Matt J
Got it — was just curious.
I still think they need to do something to rectify their post-merger (or whatever it was) marketing setup in the U.S.
Rob Potson
Completely agree on the confusion for consumers. The Hitachi change to Metabo HPT has been confusing for people purchasing HPT stuff and then think they can purchase the metabo products and have the batteries/tools work together. I’ve seen some negative reviews on products that reflect that confusion. Really stupid marketing decision. Hitachi is/was probably a more well known name in the US than Metabo too, certainly for a broader range of products than Metabo represents.
Jared
I just can’t get myself excited about Metabo HPT. There isn’t enough reason to buy into this line versus the cheaper, more fully developed and comprehensive power tool lines offered by other companies.
Maybe I don’t understand the niche they fit into?
I appreciate they apparently have a very nice triple hammer impact driver, but unless that’s a tool you’re using constantly, I think I would prefer to settle for one from a more ubiquitous competitor.
Of course, if I came across a tool I wanted, bundled with a charger and batteries for less than a bare tool in a line I already own… well that’s basically the story of how I ended up with six different battery platforms. $99 for the impact driver or drill however, wouldn’t meet that target for me though – I can get a $99 kit (or thereabouts) from a battery line I already use.
Jim Felt
Six? S i x ? ! !
Impressive. Most impressive.
And you surely know the rest of the line.
;-)~
Jared
Ha. It’s not six because of my incredibly impressive tool portfolio – only because that was the most economical way for me to amass those tools, usually kits for less than a bare tool.
E.g. I started with Dewalt 20v multi-tool, but then found a Bosch 18v drill and impact kit for ~$120 (which was right around the price of the Dewalt impact bare tool). Later I wanted a cordless finishing nailer and found a Porter Cable 16g kit on clearance for ~$150 (Dewalt’s bare tool is around $279 here in Canada) . Hunted for a deal on a heated coat and got a Bosch 12v kit for ~$110 (again, wanted a Dewalt at the time but those were ~$250)…. you get the idea. Now I’ve got Dewalt 12v, 20v and 60v stuff, Porter Cable 20v, Bosch 12v & 18v and Worx 20v.
The disadvantage is of course that I can’t just swap batteries between all my tools, but I find that to be a small hassle since I have plenty of batteries for all of my tools and built a portable toolbox which holds a charger from each brand. Since then I’ve found it quite advantageous when shopping for tools since I can look for the best price or features in any of my platforms.
Stephen
The skeptic in me wonders if an all-black tool costs less to manufacture. Does the BOM have a lower cost? Do black plastic parts cost less to manufacture than colored parts? Would all black tools be less likely to be rejected for cosmetic flaws, thereby reducing scrap?
Nathan
in theory yes
Toolfreak
In general, if you just want a generic “black” color plastic, sure, it’s cheaper because it’s easier to just make plastic some generic “black” than it is to get all the chemicals just right to consistently make, say, that particular red/green/yellow.
Of course, if you’re making millions of tools and they ALL use the same plastic color i.e. red/black/etc, then your factories probably are set up so they crank out that color plastic like nothing and any increased costs would be from changing to any other color, ever.
My guess would be, in this case, Hitachi/Metabo HPT wanted something to set it apart from their normal offerings, and the only economic option in order to offer the tool at a reduced cost during the holidays was black.
Nathan
My bigger issue – regardless of brand I don’t know I would every buy an all black tool.
IE without some color differences it could blend in too much. Dewalt, Milwaukee etc – having at least 2 colors on a tool let’s it have some contrast in most environments.
Take the milwaukee mostly red- some black. If you laid that on a red piece of sheet metal you’d still see the black bits. even if color blind it would show up.
Dewalt, PC, etc see the same thing. Craftsman is a little bit too one colored on some tools (jig saw for example)
But an all black tool – if you were to every work in a dark environment – or as in the other example set that on a black piece of sheet metal. you’d have a hard time finding it.
Jim Felt
Black made perfect sense decades ago for professional SLR and rangefinder cameras.
Especially for photojournalists and other once lonely (e. i. Pre iPhone era) shooting situations.
Now it’s ubiquitous as a marketing word and function on everything seeking such a oddly based cache.
Vards Uzvards
Judging by the picture, black Metabo-HPT drill has a plastic chuck. Green Hitachi drill, on the other hand, has an all-metal chuck.
For the holidays, they could have colored the drill orange, and labeled it Meta-Boo!
Stuart
I spotted the chuck difference, but didnt want to draw conclusions. They kept the model number the same, and so I hope they didn’t cheapen the chuck. If they did, maybe they cheapened the switch as well?
Toolfreak
I actually prefer the rubber/plastic covered keyless chucks over the lightly knurled metal ones. Those metal ones are tough to grip, even with gloves, and they get hot when the bit and motor get hot.
Kizzle
Why are power tools made obnoxiously bright? Same with tool storage. I really don’t want to carry a blazing red packout anywhere.
Nathan
worksite visibility, name brand recognition
Toolfreak
Probably so they stand out when you’re looking around to see what you did with that tool you just had in your hand moments before.
I’m pretty sure DeWalt stuff is made bright yellow both so workers can find the tools on the ground after they fall off whatever building they’re working on, and also for extra safety when the tools are falling, so the people below can look up and see the tool falling towards them to get out of the way.
blocky
I ran Hitachi for a long time, and still have their nailers and an older brushed drill (DSAL) that is both compact and very zippy. Everything I’ve had from them has been quite reliable.
For me, I’d bite if a brushless green one came up at $60, tool only.
Btw, I hate the chuck on that Makita subcompact. Has anyone had any luck replacing theirs? I can’t even get mine to come loose. (Yes, I’ve replaced a few chucks. I’m sure I’m spinning it the right direction.)
DRT
I really like Makita stuff, but that particular chuck just doesn’t grip drill bits very well. I haven’t tried replacing it, but if you have any success, please post it here !
Toolfreak
Wonder if this is single-speed like the impact or, if not, why the impact is single-speed and this isn’t? Seems weird.
This actually seems like it’d be a good seller for a special holiday price if it’s vraiable speed, but having a matching impact that’s single speed would still turn me away unless I only wanted a drill.
Sean
Is the Hitachi 18v interchangeable with the new HPT?
Stuart
Yes.
Sean
Thank you??
Vards Uzvards
Yes it is. Part/model numbers remain exactly the same even.
Sean
Thank you for the info Sir??
Henrik
I have the Hitachi machine (in green) and it is a very strong drill with a nice grip to boot.
It looks good in black – I would not say no. I am a bit sceptic to that chuck though, looks plastic. It will not wear nicely. Why would they put another chuck on it? The Rohm (Röhm) chuck is pretty much industry standard but that plastic casing won’t last long. If I managed to get one in black I would swap the chuck.
Former Hitachi drills came in industrial quality as well as DIY line ups, the latter with nylon gear in some of the drills which was not good enough for the trades people; they would wear them out fast and it would put a dent in the confidence of the brand name.
Too bad about the current brand confusion. Hitachi Koki > HiKoki makes more sense after all and that’s how we get them over here. Metabo HPT? Does not sound right.