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I understand why Bosch relabeled their line the same way, and I guess you're being pretty successful when your competitors copy your products.I've had this particular model for 2 years and have come to really like it. He may have gotten a defective unit.I really like the clutch, an electronic rather than mechanical one. But on a recent occasion I did, and this drill saved me from having to go out and find a 5 foot flexible bit, which would have cost me $40+.I was in a basement needing to drill a hole through the top plate into a wall so I could install a thermostat. The trigger took a little getting used to being that it turns on an instant after you hit it, but it's not a 1/2 second as another reviewer said, and it varies the speed quite well unlike said reviewer found.
I would still prefer a 2 speed gear box, but other than that, it's pretty trick. I used a 1/2 inch bit and it took a while but the drill performed well, though I didn't let it heat up. Then I thought of the PS10 with a spade bit. When their competitors saw what success Bosch was having with the line, they copied them, and came out with their own versions. The competition called them 12 volt, which as I've learned is not the rms voltage, but is a marketing gimick. 600 rpm is fast for a 1 speed and it really has good power for the size. I find it very accurate and easy to work with and find that I rarely use it in the "drill' position.
Yet another handy application.Though excellent, it's not perfect. To me what says a lot is that when Bosch first introduced this line of sub-compact tools, they correctly labeled them as 10.8 volt. The shape with the rotating head is, or was unique until others started copying that too. It was double plated(2 2x6) and my cordless drill wouldn't fit in the space between the floor jousts, so my only other option was get a flexible bit and drill up from the hole I'd cut in the drywall.
Good point1-powerful 12v 2-rotate 90 degrees very Accurate3- two battery with chargerDefect1-the trigger very large (three finger) so you can't Handle the tools good 2-clutch not Accurate for lower torque ( if you Choose clutch 1 and you trigger full speed the torque will Increase and with low speed the torque will decrease ) it Must be same torque with any speed if you keep the clutch in number 1
However, the trigger has a half second delay that will eventually drive you nuts, and the motor cuts out if you try to drive or pull a screw over 1 1/2". Overall this is a great design; heavy and beefy as you'd expect by the price tag. Unless you really need this to get in tight spots for one specific application, I'd go with something else.
Everything about the drill is great with one minor exception.that being that the type of chuck used to attach bits has a little extra room, and as a result bits wobble a bit, and sometimes you have to use another hand to align the bit with the screw. The drill worked very well. The case, rapid charger and two batteries make this a great little drill/driver. I purchased this item as a Christmas gift for myself. With a very young todler in the house two or three days a week I needed a drill that would help me get into narrow spaces to attached child proof latches. Overall, very happy with this handly drill.
I exchanged it for another which had multiple settings as (apparently) designed. If Bosch can get it right in their other tools, what happened here. If you do, then it verifies that the lowest clutch setting is not low enough for the application. At first I thought Bosch didn't understand what "variable speed" and "torque control" settings meant. Now, I haven't tried them in real use yet, but initial observation seems to refute the fact that Bosch doesn't know how a variable speed system should work. These proved to be:SPEED: The first 10% of the trigger travel immediately invokes the next to highest speed and the other 90% invokes the highest speed - hardly suitable for delicate or precise work. Once or twice the driver did stop when it approached a certain set point - albeit different than what I had in mind about where it should stop. If it appears that the lowest clutch setting on the PS10 is not low enough to clutch out.
I REALLY tried to like this Bosch driver since I bought it, but just can't get there.PROS:Multi-angle headQuick change chuckGets in tight placesUses Li-Ion batteries with fast charge cyclesComes with 2 batteries so you can keep goingGood balanceHas (effectively) 2 speedsHas multi torque electronic "clutch" settingsCONS:Has 2 speeds: fast & too fastHas 2 torque settings: too much and WAY too much.After owning other Bosch tools, I bought this with some confidence it would work well. And I can't yet comment on the torque clutch on the driver until I actually use it.So, you gotta' wonder. Was this particular (electronic control) design contracted out to a design firm in Lower Slobovia with limited design resources. It is not broken it is just not triggered by the resistance of the sheet rock or the small screw size into wood. Just to verify it is not broken, drive a 3 inch screw into a piece of wood at the lowest setting and see you get a clutch reaction. Having worked for a major German manufacturing company in an earlier life, I find it hard to believe there was no design review prior to production release.
torque). If it is not low enough, then we would recommend using the PS20 as others who do not feel the PS10 is low enough are reporting that the PS20 does work for them." Anyway, bottom line (still) is that this is a really cool piece of gear re versatility in terms of fitting in tight places, battery life, etc. But then I thought "they MUST understand that - they're in the tool business.".I just bought a Bosh combo kit of a 12v Max (and THAT'S another subject - 12vMax) driver and impactor. The first one had one speed/torque setting (despite the dial settings): HIGH. My 20 year old Black and Decker is more sensitive.TORQUE: The slide switch has 7 settings plus a "drill" setting (max.
They both have a variable speed control that APPARENTLY works - really slow speed at first, then gradually increasing. I wouldn't buy this again. BUT, if you need a true variable speed, variable torque driver, look elsewhere. I bought this driver over 6 months ago as an "elegant", or so I thought, replacement for my aging Black & Decker Versa Pack driver. Setting these at any setting apparently invokes random torque settings - anything from "strip the screw out of the hole" to "rip the head of the screw off".
So, how was such a product released.UPDATE 1/3/10: After sending a brief version of this review to Bosch, here's their response:"The PS10 clutch is electronic so there's no ratcheting & the lowest setting is still pretty heavy, but won't activate on some low torque applications like drywall and we're finding on some small screw applications where they either snap off the head or drive INTO wood.
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