Review of the best Black & Decker screwdrivers

A screwdriver is a very useful tool in the household. It is indispensable if you need to assemble furniture, make holes in the walls or drill a few holes in the metal. They are used both at home and in large industries or construction sites. Screwdrivers differ in their power, torque, battery capacity and many other characteristics, which directly affects their price.

Today we will look at the screwdrivers of the popular American brand Black & Decker, which has long found its place in the market and has managed to prove itself well.

About company

The history of Black & Decker, as well as the history of the brand Hitachi, began in 1910, but not in Japan, but in America with a joint venture between two engineers Duncan Black and Alonzo Dekker, which they founded in Baltimore, Maryland.

Tiny at first, the company took the name Black & Decker® Manufacturing Company and was engaged in the production of tools, especially focusing on drills.

Black & Decker was the first in America to produce compact drills that are convenient for home use. Things were going uphill for the company and by 1917 they were able to build their own factory, and in 1922 they entered the foreign market and opened their first branch in Canada, and then in Europe.

The company successfully survived the Second World War and continued to conquer the market, constantly expanding. Now it includes many companies, such as the notorious DeWalt Ink, which joined it in 1960.

In 2009, Black & Decker merged with Stanley and the campaign is now called Stanley Black & Decker.

What to look for when choosing a screwdriver

One of the most significant parameters of a screwdriver is the number of revolutions per minute and torque. The higher the value of these parameters, the better the screwdriver will cope with its task.

A torque reading of 15 Nm and a rotation speed of up to 500 rpm are conditionally considered sufficient for tightening self-tapping screws. For drilling, you need something more impressive.

In professional drills, the torque level can reach 130 Nm, but on average 35-50 will be enough. But the number of revolutions should be at least 1200 rpm.

Another parameter that you should definitely pay attention to is the capacity and type of battery in the screwdriver.

They are of three types:

• Ni-Cd (Nickel-Cadmium) The battery is rated for approximately 1000 charge cycles, withstands prolonged exposure to adverse temperatures and has a large capacity. The disadvantages of this battery is a gradual decrease in its capacity, if you charge the battery until it is completely discharged, also called the "memory effect" and long charging (up to 7 hours);
• Ni-MH (Nickel-Metal Hydride) The memory effect is not as pronounced, although it is present, but they are rated for an average of 500 charge cycles and do not tolerate temperatures as well;
• Li-Ion (Lithium-Ion) are free from the memory effect, more environmentally friendly than Ni-Cd and charge much faster, but are more expensive and do not like low temperatures.

The power of the batteries directly depends on the voltage of the batteries.

It is important to decide whether you need a professional screwdriver or a household one is enough. The performance of professional tools is undoubtedly higher, but why overpay if you need it from time to time for simple household repairs.

You should also pay attention to the type of cartridge. Almost all of them are quick-clamping, and do not require special tools for clamping bits and drills, however, in some models, the cartridges are made worse and can play, so be sure to read the reviews before buying.

And finally, ergonomics and weight. Before buying, it is advisable to hold the tool in your hands in order to decide whether it is convenient for you to work with it or not. It is also desirable that as many surfaces as possible be rubberized so that the tool does not slip in the hand and does not fall from inclined surfaces.

Rating of the best Black & Decker screwdrivers

Black & Decker EPC12CAB

Price: from 3600 rubles.

The first on our list will be a simple low-power screwdriver for home use. It has a small torque of 11 Nm, and the maximum number of revolutions reaches 750 and there is no speed switch. The speed is controlled solely by the force of pulling the trigger.

The ratchet has 22 positions that allow you to adjust the amount of torque. There is a drill mode, but for drilling it is rather weak and it can only drill thin metal sheets and small blocks of wood.

But for tightening the screws, its power will be quite enough.

The case is made entirely of plastic without rubberized inserts. The battery has a holder for the bit that comes with the kit.

The kit also includes a second battery and charger. By default, it comes in a cardboard box, but a case can be purchased for an additional fee.

A NiCd battery with all the pluses and minuses that entails. However, if some screwdrivers with this type of battery come with special devices such as a flashlight in order to be able to completely discharge the battery, then this is not implemented here. Apparently the battery should be completely discharged during operation.

The battery charge time should be no more than 3-4 hours. Long charging will negatively affect the battery, the capacity of which is already not too large.

Of the additional functionality, there is an automatic engine brake and an electronic speed controller.

• Price;
• Build quality at a good level, despite such a low price;
• Convenience, although it does not have rubber inserts, it lies quite comfortably in the hand and does not slip;
• Living battery. On one charge cycle, the battery can work for about 4-5 hours, subject to the operating conditions, of course.

• Low power;
• Low torque and rpm characteristics;
• Too many conditions for normal battery operation due to poor charging.

Despite the rather low characteristics, this model will cope well with almost any housework, while its price is more than loyal.

Black&Decker BDCHD18KB

Price from 6000 rub.

This model already claims to be a professional one. There is a high voltage, a good torque indicator and a high number of revolutions.

Two speeds allow you to adjust the number of revolutions per minute for the convenience of working with wood or metal. This model can be easily used as a drill thanks to its high power.

Working at the first speed, the maximum number of revolutions reaches 360, which is well suited for drilling metal. The rotation speed at high speeds (second speed) reaches 1400 rpm. In this mode, it is convenient to drill wood or, for example, drywall and tighten self-tapping screws.

The drill is also equipped with an impact mechanism for working with concrete. At maximum speed, the impact mechanism accelerates to 21,000 beats / min. With such a working potential, holes of 10 mm can be punched in concrete.

To work in low light mode, the instrument has a spotlight lamp. It is located above the trigger and turns on during operation.

The included Li-Ion batteries do not require such strict compliance with operating standards as NiCd and do not have a memory effect.They are suitable for all instruments of this line.

There are many rubber inserts on the body, the screwdriver fits comfortably in the hand and does not slip. The workmanship is also commendable, with no backlash or rattling imperceptible when used.

This model has an anti-jamming protection that turns off the screwdriver to prevent the engine from burning out.

• Good build quality;
• The presence of a percussion mechanism;
• High power and speed;
• The presence of protection against overheating;
• Beautiful design and good ergonomics;

• Some users complained about inadequate battery life (1.5 hours) with a long charge of 3 hours;
• The weight.

This is an excellent copy in terms of price-quality ratio. Due to its high power, it can be used for almost any drilling or bolt-driving job, and battery problems probably depend on the batch, as there are few reviews of short runtimes.

Black&Decker MT218KB

Price: from 6500 rubles.

For those who want a light and comfortable tool, but at the same time having good characteristics for a wider range of jobs, the MT218KB is suitable.

This is a multifunctional tool that is suitable for any kind of work. Such versatility is achieved through interchangeable nozzles, which are purchased separately.

The tool itself is essentially a base on which nozzles are attached. Depending on the need, in addition to the standard nozzle, you can put a jigsaw, wrench or circular saw.

The wrench gives additional force when tightening the bolts, and with the help of a jigsaw and a circular saw, you can cut parquet boards and pieces of wood up to 1 cm thick.

At the top of the screwdriver in the center there is a black button with which the current nozzle snaps off. Next to it is a special recess with a magnet, designed to store bits.

The power of the tool is enough to screw self-tapping screws into almost any wooden surface, as well as successfully drill metal and wood.

All 20.9 Newtons of torque are controlled by 12 positions on the ratchet.

The 18 V Li-Ion battery holds a charge for a long time, but it takes about 3 hours to charge. On Amazon, you can find a battery with a voltage of 20 V for this tool. The default motor power is 300 watts.

Of the functionality of this model, it should be noted the ability to block the power button, as well as adjust the speed.

• Complete set: it is delivered in a neat case, in which, in addition to the screwdriver itself, there is a spare battery, charger, bit and a standard nozzle;
• Convenient and beautiful design;
• Light weight;
• Replaceable nozzles;
• A powerful engine that allows you to perform almost any work.

• With prolonged use, a slight backlash of the nozzles is possible.

This tool will be a wonderful acquisition for your home or garden.In addition to being powerful enough to do its job, it can also replace many other tools if you don't skimp on attachments.

Black&Decker BDCDE120C20VMAX

Price: from 10300 rubles.

If you want to see the triumph of modern technology even in such a simple thing as a screwdriver, then this model will definitely appeal to you.

In appearance, it is not too different from similar tools of the same company. It has the same design, it is made in the typical black and orange color of this company, but at the same time it has several interesting features.

Firstly, this is the autosense automatic bolt tightening system, which replaces the usual ratchet, but performs its functions much more accurately. All bolts are tightened exactly at the same level, however, in this mode, the number of revolutions is small, which can slow down the tightening process.

Secondly, illuminated indicators of drilling or bolting modes, located at the top of the screwdriver. They are selected by simply pressing the button with the image of the desired mode, after which it starts to glow.

There is also a battery indicator that lets you know when it's time to put the battery on charge.

In addition to the above indicators, it has the usual LED backlight.

Another advantage of the model is a convenient chuck in which you can easily clamp a bit or drill with one hand.

The tool is powered by a 20-volt lithium-ion battery that has a built-in bit holder.

Since this screwdriver model is not adapted for the Russian market, it works through a charger made according to the American version and designed for 120V, so you need to connect it through a step-up transformer, which is generally not difficult to buy.

For this model, in addition to the included charger, there is a charging option that charges the battery in just 40 minutes. However, it will cost about $15 more on Amazon.

The battery itself can hold a charge for more than 12 hours when operated in bolt-on mode.

Complete with a screwdriver, you can purchase a quite decent Bluetooth speaker, which is also powered by the Li-Ion battery that comes with the kit.

• autosense mode, which is useful if you need to tighten each bolt at the same level;
• Indicators for selecting the operating mode and battery level;
• A handy chuck that holds bits and drills well. In addition, it can be twisted with one hand;
• Long lasting battery with good service life;
• Light weight and comfortable handle.

• There is no way to adjust the speed manually;
• Little power.

This tool has, probably, everything you need for convenient work. The handle lies well in the hand, it is convenient to track the battery level and switch the operating mode using the indicators.Unless, due to its low speed, it is not suitable for drilling thick sheets of metal or concrete walls, which generally require an impact mode, but it will cope with any housework with a bang, and the process of working with it will be convenient and enjoyable.

Black&Decker ASD14KB

Price: from 8700 rubles

It's basically a less powerful version of the previous model that costs less but still does the job well. Despite the small number of revolutions (650 rpm), it has a sufficiently high torque value, so it is powerful enough to tighten almost any bolt and do simple drilling work.

There are also indicators of operating modes and battery charge and a spotlight lamp. There is no ratchet here, instead everything is regulated by the autosense system.

The handle is ergonomic and rubberized. The gearbox housing is made of light alloy metal, which does not increase its weight in any way.

One-sleeve keyless chuck with automatic spindle lock. It is very easy to use and holds drills well.

14V Li-Ion battery. This model is available for the Russian market, so there will be no problems connecting the charger. A full charge of the battery will take about 1.5 hours, and it will last at least 12.

The screwdriver is supplied in a special case with an additional battery and charger.

• Beauty and ergonomics;
• Availability of convenient indicators;
• autosense mode;
• Good torque indicator.

• After prolonged use, the cartridge begins to play;
• Excessive noise during operation.

A good choice for the home. Just like the previous model, it will successfully cope with simple work, but at the same time you will not have to spend money on buying additional equipment.

Conclusion

Black & Decker is one of the most famous brands on the market for a reason. They have earned their name for the unsurpassed quality, convenience and workmanship of their instruments.