I did a lot of research on cordless drills and everything pointed to Porter-Cable as the drill to buy. It has performed flawlessly. It has plenty of power to drill, and it is easy to swap out the bits really fast. I probably would have preferred the 14.4V, but I can honestly say that the 12V does the job. Mine also came with an excellent flashlight, and the dual batteries are a must. The 1 hour charge time is fantastic!

This is a super driver/ flashlight combo with the exception of two problems. The chuck is difficult to tighten on drill bits for the really tough jobs. And the batteries, if one should begin to leak (noticed by blue color on the contacts) had better be disposed of promptly. It will spread like cancer to the charger, then to the other battery and components. My entire system had to be disposed of due to a little blue color that I didn't think was a problem until too late.

Having purchased other Porter Cable products in the past, I had high expectations for this tool. I previously worked with a Makita 9.6 volt unit and wanted to upgrade to a 12 volt product. After six months of fairly light use, my first unit broke at the stem beneath the keyless chuck (above the torque adjustment). A local retail outlet replaced the tool with a new unit, but the battery failed after a few months on the replacement unit. I have concerns about overall manufacturer quality, however, the tool does perform well.

I've owned two of these drills for three years. I'm a former carpenter and an obsessive compulsive home improver. I've used these drills for everything imaginable. In general I've had a good opinion of Porter Cable tools, but I feel the quality of these drills leaves a lot to be desired and I would not buy them again. Specifically:
br /* The battery chargers are junk. I had a total of three chargers between my tools, two charging units have died. In the same period, two batteries have also died. Not too impressive- I expected better.
br /* The chuck sometimes will not grip against whatever mechanism is in there, and will instead just "click and spin", requiring some finesse to get the chuck working properly. Not sure why it happens, but I don't think it's me- I treat my tools well.
br /* The power leaves something to be desired. Maybe this is just due to the 12V capacity, I don't know. Next drill I'll get an 18V Li-Ion battery model
br /* On the good side, I like the feel of the drill and the adjustable clutch is easy to adjust on the fly.
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br /Now that Porter Cable / Delta has been bought by Black and Decker (like DeWalt was years ago) hopefully the quality of the tools will improve. I've had variable results with Porter Cable. Some items, such as a circular saw and biscuit joiner are awesome. These drills are OK, but I think there are better models out there. I used to think the Porter Cable label ensured a high quality tool, but it pays to carefully compare I now know.

I have had a pair of these for years of continuous use. Very satisfied. I ordered this product mostly to get the batteries. Mine have a larger profile 2 amp battery.. This Item though pictured with a 2 amp battery came threw with puny and unlabelled 1.3 amp batteries . I checked with porter cable then returned this kids toy. Where can I get a good buy on batteries?

Have owned this drill a while and worked fine for some time, no real problems, except for the batteries. After a year or so one became noticeably weaker and held a charge shorter then the other. Now neither will hold much of a charge. The drill seems well built and functions well but the batteries leave something to be desired. Two new batteries cost just 10$ less then a new drill. So in the market for a new one. Maybe a Lith Ion one.

My wife got this drill over a year ago, and it's great. Both of us have used it on countless projects.
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br /It is light weight, and the battery life is great. I have not had a problem with torque limitations with this, but I am also using it only for drilling wood and driving wood and dry-wall screws. This is not the tool for frequently driving lag screws or large diameter forstner bits and hole saws. This is an awesome tool for what I have been using it for, which is drilling 1/2" and smaller holes in wood and driving wood screws.
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br /My wife loves this drill, too. It is light and manageable, and having used 18V DeWalt and 19.2V Porter-Cable drills, I much prefer this smaller drill. I have also used the 9.6V series from Makita, which are also great for continuous light duty work.
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br /This drill is pretty tough - I have dropped it a few times onto concrete, and it still works great. I have not had the quality problems many of the other reviewers mention.

This is a replacement to one I bought nearly 12 years ago. It's been a staple in my home wood shop since then and has never let me down. The torque is adequate for driving any screw type in wood but is too light for drilling into concrete without a lot of effort.
br /One negative. You can't place the drill upright. It falls over every time. You just have to remember to place it on it's side.

Great product but too heavy for continous use. Ways 2 lbs more than the smaller chuck with same volts. When you are constantly using for fencing drywall or assembly it will get heavy on you.

I'm a contractor, and I've been a loyal Porter Cable customer for a long time. I own many P/C tools. I purchased this 12v drill as a replacement for a DeWalt 18v drill that I felt was too heavy and cumbersome for all-day use. Now I'm sorry I sold the DeWalt. This 12v has caused many frustrating moments on the job site...poor battery life, faulty keyless chuck (very annoying), and a 2-speed gear switch that sometimes slips into neutral if you're not careful where you grip the drill. I just can't recommend this drill, which is unfortunate for such a Porter Cable fan.

After reading the other reviews I thought I'd put my 2 cents in. My wife gave me this drill/light combo for Christmas some time ago, and since have used it extensively. I am not a contractor, but do all my home improvement and many other projects myself, so this drill has been used, but not abused. I have to agree with the other comments, that I too am dissapointed in this drill. The chuck has slipped an uncountable number of times, and makes your hands hamburger tring to get it tight enough to grip any bit that is not a hex shaft. One day the drill started smoking from the side vents while I was drilling through pine 2 X 4's. I thought the motor had burnt out, but it appears to have been the battery...? I went out and purchased a Rigid 18v from the Home Depot, and am much more satisfied. I expected much more from PC equipment, and am truly very dissapointed. I have used my fathers cordless many times with no problems which is why I wanted one of my one, so you can see my frustration is not unwarranted. Caveat emptor....