Hitachi 4Amp Hour Combi Run Longer and Better


This can’t be a scientific observation, but over the last few months I seem to have seen quite a few tradesmen using combo sets on site. This observation confirms my own experience, in that I often seem to have a drill with quick release chuck and an impact driver on hand whenever I have a serious job to do.


casing is flat and the drill will sit very stably on it, should you need to lay the drill on its side, the rubber bumpers will protect the tool nicely. The front gear casing is a well-finished alloy


casting with 22 marked torque positions, a drilling position and the hammer position. The collar moves


Independent Review by Peter Brett


area and a switch to test how much power the battery has left. Moving on to the impact driver, the first thing that


you notice is how relatively small it is compared to the combi drill. While it is heavier than some of the impact drills I have used, it is not a problem to use for extended periods of time because actually it is quite good to have a bit of inertia from the tool when impact driving. I have some 150mm long woodscrews that I use for testing impact drivers, but I am sure that this driver could handle ones much longer. The user comfort factor of the


handle of the impact driver feels very similar to the combi but closer examination reveals that the rear of the handle has a green textured overmould that is subtly different from the drill. It is attention to detail like that that makes for the kind of tool that you reach for all the time in preference to other tools. Once again the Hitachi Green body


is well put together and a well-finished cast alloy nose holds the impact mechanism. There is the usual simple pull back quick release chuck and a bright LED light under the trigger. The belt hook and nylon loop handle are there when needed. Hitachi, in common with other main


manufacturers, has now included 4Ah batteries with this combo. With an advertised run time of up to 133% of run time compared to the previous battery packs, the advantages of these are very clear. My experience was that


Based on the above, the Hitachi combo I was


sent to try out would seem to be right on the money in terms of what we, the customers want. However, after using the set for a while, I am willing to bet that the customers who invest in it will be very happy bunnies indeed, because it is very, very good. Traditionally, Hitachi has had a group of very loyal


and dedicated users who tend to buy Hitachi products above other more “mass market” brands. My own experience of the Hitachi products is that they deliver in terms of reliability, performance and user- friendliness, while at the same time being a bit eccentric on occasion – witness the “trainer shoe” livery that was a feature of the tools a while ago. But don’t use this as a reason to overlook the tools if you are on the market for a new drill or combo. I will start by looking more closely at the


individual tools before focusing on what they have in common in terms of battery packs etc. After using the 18v Li Ion drill driver combi for


doing a few serious demanding jobs I found that I liked it a lot. Trying to analyse why I liked it so much a lot of it came down to the “feel” of it in my hand and the sheer power of it when it came to drilling some quite big holes in worktops and softwood. In layout, the drill follows a fairly well established


pattern. The body is beautifully made from Hitachi Green


Plastic with some serious rubber overmoulding in critical places. Try as I might, I could not find a reason to doubt the reasons for or the effectiveness of this overmoulding. For example, at the back of the motor housing there is a thick shockproofing layer that serves as a comfortable pad for a hand to push against. The switches are all well protected to from accidental impact damage. Although, the battery


28 ToolBUSINESS+HIRE


fairly easily because it has deep ribs in it that are easy to grip. The all-metal Jacobs keyless chuck is very good and locks tightly onto drill bits of all types. When I used the drill in hammer mode the chuck didn’t show any signs of loosening even under heavy pressure. There is a very efficient slider switch on the top


of the body to select high or low speed ranges and the single finger black trigger can be sensitively used to drive screws or drill holes. A push-through body switch selects reverse/forward and lock modes and this is well placed for easy one-finger or thumb usage. But the most


important thing, in my view, that helped the handling of the drill is the very well designed handle that seems to fit the user’s hand very comfortably. This is because the handle is relatively slim with a lightly textured and grippy rubber overmould that is perfectly placed to balance the battery pack and the business end. A few details that add to the user experience are


the nylon loop safety holder and the sturdy chrome belt hook. While I find I don’t often use them, when I do, I need them to be robust enough and in the right place. There is also a switched bright LED light just above the trigger that is perfectly aimed at the work


they just seemed to go on and on, and also managed to charge quickly too. The battery packs themselves have a flat bottom for easy balancing of the tools. They are also very easy to slide on and off because the grey release buttons work well. There are other advantages to these Hitachi tools


too – for example if you register the tools on the Hitachi website soon after purchase you will be able to take advantage of a three year warranty. The


Hitachi motors seem to have oodles of power and torque as well as a built in spindle brake to stop them instantly. In the time that I used this combo, I grew to like


them a lot. Although they seem very “traditional” in layout, they use new technology to best effect to provide users with a pair of efficient, powerful and sweet-handling cordless tools that I found myself reaching for time and time again. Recommended!


Reply No. 227 www.toolbusiness.co.uk


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