This is a very nice product , and for the sale price a real bargain. However it is not 1/2" chuck as advertised. It is a 3/8 " chuck on the drill.

I used the drill to complete installation of drywall on the ceiling of my garage. I was pleased with the operation of the drill. The only negative comment is that the drill is marked with an "R" on all the components indicating it is refurbished. When I purchased the drill, nothing in the description of the item indicated it was a refurbished. I believe this was very deceptive.

I wasn't sure what to expect after reading a few of the other reviews that said the drills were refurbs, but mine arrived brand spanking new (no R's anywhere!) and I must say that I'm very impressed with the quality of the product! It feels very good in my hand - the drill is quite meaty, the grip is rubberized and it's nicely balanced. The motor and transmission are very precise and smooth. The motor is fan cooled and it has a brake for when you release the trigger. The trigger allows for fully variable rotational speed, so you really have a lot of control. The forward/reverse/neutral switch is right where it should be and is easily toggled with your fingers. It's easy to adjust the torque setting to fit your needs as it has 22 settings between 9in/lbs up to 52in/lbs and then a fixed drill position at either 96in/lbs on high to 400in/lbs on low. The drill has a small LED light which you can shine directly on the contact point and it can double as a belt hook. The kit comes with the charger, two batteries, a set of screw bits, a fitted hard case to store and carry everything and a really cool and seriously bright adjustable-head flashlight that works from the 18v batteries. If you're looking for a quality cordless drill/driver, I would say this Hitachi won't disappoint.

My only fault with this drill is the thin injection molded plastic holding the battery. Also as Popeye stated in the previous reveiw the chuck is not 1/2 inch but 3/8. The 1/2 on the chuck relates to the mount which is 1/2 x 20 UNF.

Purchased mine this week. It arrived, brand new, not refurb. Although the warranty card says 1 year, Hitachi's website says 5 years. I think this is because the drill was manufactured before they switched to 5-year warranty. According to Hitachi, its based on the purchase date, so the 5 year should apply.
br /Overall, very high quality drill! The electronic brake is an excellent feature if you are driving screws. It stops when you let off the trigger. No overshoot! The trigger has an excellent feel and its easy to control the speed. Can't beat the deal with June's 20% coupon!

I am really happy i bought this drill. A contractor suggested that hitachi is one of the top brands and it rings true. I borrowed my friends 18v dewalt and it seemed a lot less precise than the hitachi. What i mean to say is that as soon as you let go of the trigger the drill dead stops unlike the dewalt where it keeps moving for a fraction of a second. That way you don't strip a screw more than normal. battery life seems good and it actually comes with a second battery and a flashlight that also uses the 18v battery. (i wasn't sure what it came with from the specs.) Not much else i can say since i've only used it for small projects around the house and haven't used it a lot yet.

Battery life is good.Chuck iz good, not excellent. Strong 18 volt.....and an outstanding price.....if you don't need the commercial use "brand" buy this drill....there is no reason to buy lesser voltage when you can get 18 volts at this price.

My trusty old 7.2v Makita's batteries died, so I decided to upgrade to a whole new drill.
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br /This drill has a nice solid feel to it and it is very powerful. You can really feel the power of 18v! The built in hook is very useful, though the weight of the drill threatens to pull down any pants that aren't securely fastened. I haven't used the built in light feature yet, but it looks like it might come in handy some dark day. My only complaint is that there is no place to put the extra bit on the drill itself.
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br /The flashlight is a surprise treat for me. I've already used it many times in different circumstancees. The adjustable beam and well placed button are handy. Though, the strap should be placed in a better spot. It gets in the way of the button when it hangs down, so I have to actually look to see where to press. It is pretty bright, though the beam is not really focused well.
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br /The case is tough and everything fits in the slots well. I wish there were less wasted space so that the case could be smaller.
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br /I've only had the drill for a month, but so far, it's been a great deal for me.

This is one of the best cordless drills I've used. It has plenty of power to get the job done. There is not a better drill out there for the price. The batteries seem to last longer than many of the others. You also get the flashlight and the screw driver bits. The case is very sturdy and has plenty of room for the drill and the accessories. You won't be disappointed with this drill.

Am a Software Engineer who bought a small townhouse and wanted to buy a drill/driver for the odd jobs around the house. Beleive it or not this was the best price I got for a 18v drill unless I bought a $30 un-branded of ebay. Turns out that this drill is one of the best (some swear they like it better than a DeWalt) and professional grade. I got a brand new piece and the torchlight is a great addition. I cant comment on the technicalities as I dont use it that much. I probably use it once in 3 months!! I love it and at $60 it was a steal with the additional batter and torchlight worth $45 by themselves!!

I use this drill professionally since I'm a mobile electronics installer. I thought this drill was a good deal: 18-volts, case, charger, two batteries, and even a flashlight that uses the same battery.
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br /Problem is, the batteries won't hold a charge and this occurred only after a few months. Now I have to charge the batteries and use them immediately or they run dead. I can go through four or five charges in a day with only light use. The local hardware supply wants $89 for one Hitachi battery, more than I paid for two and the entire tool set.

Drill will not hold a small (1/8' to 1/4th") drill bit without slipping. I'm considering sending it back.

LOVE the drill. I especially liked that it came with two battaries so I am never without a charged battery.

As advertised-all new.
br /A greatly superior product to my previous 18 volt drill. (Coleman)
br /It has a longer lasting and quicker charge, and has a lot more torque with a smoother clutch.
br /I am quite pleased with the Hitachi.

We have been running Hitachi drills in a commercial shop for over three years now. We have had no failures, and not a bad battery yet. The price cannot be beat. I have tool vendors come in all the time and knock these drills. They want to sell me their "quality products" for a lot more money. I tell them to keep them their $ 250-350.00 drills. We own a dozen Hitachi's that are performing solidly.

I am very pleased with the performance of the drill. It has smooth consistent power in either setting; high speed or low speed. It is much easier to handle than expected considering it is an 18 volt drill, which is much heavier than lower voltage cordless drills.
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br /The separate light that came with the drill was an added bonus and is quite nice too!
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Nice torque on either low or high setting for this drill. What surprised me was the second battery that came with it. In the details it does not show that. It also has a light/hook combo that lights the area you are drilling, although dim, it works better than no light. It also has a hook for your belt or pocket built in to it. For an 18 volt battery/flashlight with 2 batteries, charger and a case, this is a great deal for under $60.

My order arrived today,in great shape and that I'm very happy with the results.I am impressed by the quality of the whole package.Really great quality.

Advertised as a 1/2" drill chuck... got mine yesterday and all packaging states 3/8" drill. That is what I have in hand. Can't seem to find a way to contact Amazon directly to get this resolved, and don't want to send it back if the ad is wrong and it should actually be a 3/8" chuck. Very unhappy with Amazon!
br /Drill 5 Stars, Amazon ZERO Stars

great drill one battery needs to be falt dead to charge it but great drill for the money

Got mine this morning and it was new and in perfect condition. I don't know why these people are making this crud up, but they are NOT refurbs. If it was refurbished Amazon would have said refurbished. K-thanks. The Amazon box they came in looked like it was tossed across the room a couple of times, but the interior was fine. Highly recomended.

If you are working a site all day long, there are probably better choices, but for the price ($60 delivered!) it is impossible to beat. Head and shoulders above anything else at near its price!
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br /Wish I bought a few more when they where cheap...

Bought this drill thinking it was a good deal at about $85. Arrives today and I find it is a refurb! It is missing all the accessories, everything is scuffed up, there are drywall marks and pieces inside the case, and all the pieces are stamped with a big fat "R" letting you know it is a refurb. Learn from my mistake and don't buy this...and also don't buy any Hitachi refurbs. If their "refurbishing" process looks like this then forget about it.