PRODUCT REVIEW
JCB 18V brushless combi drill –
Still serious and surprising six months on?
By PETER BRETT
THERE is nothing like the passage of time to either change your opinion or reinforce it, for good or bad, whether it is on books, boxed sets, friends or power tools.
I find that regularly using a tool, especially on ‘real’ jobs on the jobsite, really helps me sort out the sheep from the goats. It is then that I might take more notice of a slightly awkward on/off switch or a glitch in the handling or balance of the tool. These might not be enough to condemn the tool to the back of the van permanently, but if there is another one that feels a bit better in the hand, then that will be the one I reach for.
All mod cons There are always special offers on power tools at the big tools and fixings warehouses. If one looks a bit more closely, it is often the case that the offerings are old stocks or specially designed to a price to slip in at the magical cut-off point of £99.99. It was only a couple of years ago that there were still tools with NiCad batteries on this kind of offer. Stone Age or what?
When I tested the 18v JCB combi drill a few months ago, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the competitive price didn’t mean a serious down-speccing of the tool. Value for money usually means that features have been skimped on. But this JCB came with a couple of 5Ah Li-ion battery packs, had a brushless motor, spindle brake, an LED light, belt hook and all-metal keyless chuck.
My first impression was that the combi felt comfortable in the hand – like someone had actually thought about the ergonomics of the design. And when I examined it a bit more closely it was clear that it was built to withstand the rigours of professional use because it was properly screwed together with a cast alloy gearbox, sufficient and efficient grippy bits and rubber ‘bumpers’ for protection where needed.
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The handling of the tool was professional too. The battery packs slid easily onto and off their rails, the battery charge lights were easy to use and accurate, and the battery charger, though quite compact, still managed to charge an 18v pack in a little under an hour.
Reinforcing the professional impression was a nice custom-fitted L-Boxx that makes it easy to pack the tool at the end of a working day, as well as providing some space for the odd driver bits and screws that I tend to accumulate. When it came to performance, the combi drill’s 65Nm of torque and 35mm diameter drilling capacity in timber means that it is as capable (or indeed more capable) than many of the named brands on the market.
More clues with the guarantee Potential JCB buyers should be reassured that the range of cordless tools come with a one year warranty that can be extended to three years by simply registering them online.
I used the combi for a range of jobs onsite and in the workshop. The combi
drill came into its own when I used it to drill lots of holes in porcelain plates (to make cakestands – one of the odder tasks I have been asked to do). It was then that I appreciated the speed-sensitive trigger and ergonomic handling, because porcelain is a hard but delicate material - one slip can destroy the job. This capacity is a useful carryover to drilling those hard but very expensive wall tiles that currently grace many new bathrooms.
In my view, the JCB Combi drill has easily passed the time test and it has certainly not been relegated to the back of the pile. It is, indeed, serious and surprising.
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