In the first of a new series, Drew’s Reviews, installer Drew Styles gets to grips with the Bosch GSR 18 V-28 Professional Drill Driver.
Well I’ve got to start with how impressed I was by this drill. Bosch for me has always been a strong brand amongst tradespeople but not something I’ve ever owned – I’d certainly look at adding them to my arsenal. It’s a nice lightweight unit with the worklight in a position that actually lights up the area you’re using it on – unlike a lot of other drills I’ve used over the years where the light gets covered up by your hand. The grip is nice and comfortable in the hand so it’s great for prolonged use. The 13mm full metal chuck has a great hold on all the bits I’ve used in it, unlike my current drill which often has the problem of working loose on the bit. The reassurance of a full metal chuck also gives you the confidence that it’s a drill that’s going to last you a good period of time and handle the abuse it’s given on a daily basis by a tradesperson. It’s backed up with some real power from the 18V 5Ah batteries which hold the charge for really productive amount of time and really don’t take that long to recharge.
The drill handles going through masonry, wood and metal no problem. I thought I’d give it a really good test by taking a 16mm bit through brickwork and it dealt with it without slipping. The only thing I would say I would change was that it’s a little bit bottom heavy (like most drills) but this did help out when drilling through the tougher materials.
Having put this drill through its paces at work, I thought I’d test its “real life” capabilities. When it’s 3pm on a Friday and you just want to get home, you don’t put everything back in the van all neat and tidy – so I just threw it in and let it rattle around for a week. I also dropped it off my step ladder, gave it a splash of water and let it fill with dust whilst drilling MDF – the thing still didn’t miss a beat. All in all I’d say this is a great all round drill.
If this product were a band, it would be…
Metallica: a strong performer that gets the job done!
