I Can't Live Without My Black & Decker Cordless Swivel Drill

When I need to do light drilling or screwing, I always choose my Black & Decker cordless drill. It's the model XD1200K that incorporates a five position, swivel head. Unlike my heavier Sears Craftsman cordless drill, the Black & Decker allows me the accessibility into tight spaces that a standard 18-volt drill won't.

I finished by basement last year and was constantly buying materials and tools from the big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes. Being a regular at those stores, I would always browse the tool section for useful ideas. It's pretty much a "guy" thing, but hey, I'm contributing to the local economy! One day I spotted a Black & Decker display stand that showcased this handy 12-volt cordless drill. When I saw the low price at $49, I just had to buy it.

The drill comes in a hard shell plastic carrying case that snaps shut securely, and also includes 15 quick-connect accessories (screw heads and drill bits). It also has a battery charger for the 12-volt battery. All of this easily fits snugly into the storage case.

You might ask, "why not just use your larger (and heavier!) 18-volt drill?" I'm glad you asked. The Black & Decker drill allowed me to get into a very tight spot when placing wood screws in my basement's suspended ceiling. My big drill wouldn't even fit in the confined space I had to work in. But even better than that, the Black & Decker drill is adjustable in five different positions, from a straight drill to four other angled positions. A normal cordless drill is permanently stuck in a 90-degree angle. That's fine for routine work, but not in this case.

The B&D drill also is much lighter than my big drill, causing much less fatigue when doing a lot of screwing or drilling work. But, just because it's light in weight doesn't mean it's a wimpy drill. It has 105 in-lbs of torque, which is more than adequate for any light drilling tasks. Another great ergonomic feature is its 3-finger trigger. This also reduces hand fatigue, as you are not pressing on a small button that a standard drill would have.