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 walls or drill several holes in 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 Decker, which they founded in the city of Baltimore, Maryland.

Tiny at first, it took on the name Black & Decker® Manufacturing Company and focused on tool making, with a particular focus on drills.

Black & Decker was the first in America to launch compact drills that are convenient for home use. The company was doing well 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 infamous 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 important parameters of a screwdriver is the number of revolutions per minute and torque. The higher the values ​​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 conventionally considered sufficient for tightening the screws. For drilling, you need something more impressive.

In professional drills, the level of torque can reach 130 Nm, but on average 35-50 will be enough. But the number of revolutions must 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 "memory effect" and long charging (up to 7 hours);
• Ni-MH (Nickel-metal hydride) The memory effect is not so pronounced, although it is present, however, they are designed for an average of 500 charging cycles and do not tolerate temperatures so well;
• Li-Ion (Lithium-ion) are free from the memory effect, are more environmentally friendly than Ni-Cd and charge much faster, however, they are more expensive and do not like low temperatures.

Their power 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 indicators of professional tools are 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 chucks are made worse and can play, so be sure to read the reviews before buying.

Finally, ergonomics and weight. Before buying, it is advisable to hold the instrument 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. Speed ​​is controlled solely by pulling the trigger.

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

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

The body is made entirely of plastic without rubberized inserts. The battery contains 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 advantages and disadvantages that follow from this. However, if in some screwdrivers with this type of battery in the kit there are 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.

Battery charging time should be no more than 3-4 hours. A long charge will negatively affect the battery, the capacity of which is not too large anyway.

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

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

• Low power;
• Low characteristics of torque and number of revolutions;
• There are too many conditions for normal battery use 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. It has high voltage, good torque and high RPM.

Two speeds allow you to adjust the RPM for convenient wood or metal work. This model can be easily used as a drill due to its high power.

Working at first speed, the maximum number of revolutions reaches 360, which is good for drilling metal. The rotation speed at high revs (second speed) reaches 1400 rpm. In this mode, it is convenient to drill a tree or, for example, drywall and tighten the screws.

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

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

The supplied Li-Ion batteries do not require such strict adherence to operating standards as NiCd and have no memory effect. They fit all instruments of this line.

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

This model implements anti-jamming protection, which turns off the screwdriver to prevent the engine from burning out.

• Good build quality
• The presence of an impact mechanism;
• High power and responsiveness;
• Overheating protection;
• Nice design and good ergonomics;

• Some users have complained about inadequate battery life (1.5 hours) with a 3 hour long charge;
• Weight.

This is an excellent specimen in terms of price-quality ratio. Due to its high power, it can be used to perform almost any work related to drilling or tightening bolts, and battery problems probably depend on the batch, since there are few reviews about the short operating time.

Black & Decker MT218KB

Price: from 6500 rubles.

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

This is a multifunctional tool that is suitable for all types of work. This versatility is achieved due to interchangeable nozzles, which are purchased separately.

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

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

In the upper part of the screwdriver in the center there is a black button, with which the current attachment is snapped off. Next to it is a special recess with a magnet for storing 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 adjustable in 12 positions on the ratchet.

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

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

• Package contents: supplied 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;
• Powerful motor for almost any job.

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

This tool will be a wonderful purchase for your home or summer cottage. In addition to being powerful enough to do its basic job, it can also replace a variety of other tools if you don’t skimp on attachments.

Black & Decker BDCDE120C20VMAX

Price: from 10 300 rub.

If you want to see the triumph of modern technology even in such an unpretentious 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 for this company, but at the same time it has several interesting features.

Firstly, this is the autosense automatic bolt retraction 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 turns is small, which can slow down the tightening process.

Secondly, the illuminated indicators for drilling or tightening the bolts, 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, which allows you to understand when it is time to put the battery on charge.

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

Another advantage of the model is a convenient chuck, into 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 model of a screwdriver is not adapted for the Russian market, it works through a charger made according to the American version and designed for 120V, therefore it must be connected through a step-up transformer, which in general will not be 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 operating in bolt tightening mode.

Complete with a screwdriver, you can purchase a quite decent Bluetooth speaker, which is also powered by a 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;
• 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;
• Low power.

This tool probably has everything you need for comfortable work. The grip fits well in the hand, it is convenient to track the battery charge level by the indicators and switch the operating mode. Unless, due to its low speed, it is not suitable for drilling thick sheets of metal or concrete walls, for which an impact mode is generally needed, but it will cope with any work around the house with a bang, and the process of working with it will be convenient and pleasant.

Black & Decker ASD14KB

Price: from 8700 rub

In fact, this is a less powerful version of the previous model, which costs less, but still does its 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 bolts and do simple drilling work.

There are also indicators for 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.

Single-sleeve quick-release chuck with automatic spindle locking. It is very easy to use and holds the drills well.

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

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

• Beauty and Ergonomics;
• Convenient indicators;
• Autosense mode;
• Good torque performance.

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

A good choice for 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 the purchase of additional equipment.

Conclusion

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