Hitachi DB3DL 3.6-Volt Li-Ion Cordless Screwdriver

This is the best ever. I have use a lot of different cordless drivers but this is the best. I use mine every day. Great battery life, lite and very easy to use.

The Hitachi DB3DL 3.6 Volt Li-Ion Cordless Screwdriver has been my favorite cordless screwdriver since I discovered it approximately 3 years ago. I have used the similar product by Panasonic for years before, however when my Panasonic quit working I decided to try the Hitachi as it comes in lighter in weight, torque settings are easier to see and use, the battery life is approximately 16 hours of constant use, off and on use it lasts for a full 5 day work week. The Pivot settings stay locked in place through the entire job. The Hitachi also has an led light in the handle that hits the work dead on without shadows. The Hitachi came standard with 2 batteries and they charge within 1/2 an hour. The only reason I had to buy a new one now wasn't due to performance problems, it was due to someone deciding they liked my Hitachi better than I do.

I've used a Skill screwdriver for years until I couldn't get replacement batteries anymore. Then, I bought a Black and Decker screwdriver that worked fine, but the batteries were dying and the model is discontinued. My co-worker bought a new Bosch, very small & light weight but still too big to keep in a tool pouch. His Bosch won't take a combination screwdriver bit without buying an extra adapter. I was looking at the Milwaukee with vari-speed for well over $100 and just couldn't justify the purchase. Finally, I got the Hitachi DB3DL 3.6 Li-Ion. It is an amazing tool. If you set the clutch to a reasonable number, you don't really need the variable speed. The high speed setting is very fast for removing & inserting screws, and the lower speed is good if you need more torque. Yes, there is room for improvement in the design. For example, the forward/reverse switch is on the side instead of the top. That takes getting used to, but not a major problem. It has a trigger lock on the top which I don't seem to need. If I want to tighten a screw more than the clutch allowed, I just turn the tool like a regular screwdriver and I'm done.
I haven't had any problem with bits falling out as some reviewers reported, and also, haven't had any problem with the tool folding when it wasn't supposed to. My combination bit (straight/Phillips head) fits nicely in the Hitachi & it's a breeze to switch it around from one type to the other.

The tool is small enough to fit in my tool pouch and overall, it's an amazing, powerful, convenient little tool. If you're a pro, I think you'll really like it. Just have a little patience to get used to it so that you can use it to it's greatest advantage.

Needed a lightwieght screwdriver to be used for daily benchtop electronics assembly. So for, this screwdriver has performed well. Many of the other drivers available were either too heavy (batteries) or could not be well operated in a vertical grasp.

i purchased the Hitachi after reading initial reviews and quickly fell in love with it. After a few weeks of light use it began slipping out of gear and grinding so i replaced it with another thinking the fault was limited to my first. However the second began doing it within a year. And recently when i was replacing some outdoor floodlights i dropped the Hitachi from a one-story heighth into the grass and the hinge broke. It still works but is now taped into a straight, fixed position. This Hitachi screwdriver would be perfect with rigid components, but until then i'll replace with a Dewalt or Bosch.