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Expertly reviewed by mad max, 27th May 2005. |
| Review Summary: OK but not the best |
Overall Score: 2/5
 
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Review: I was bought my Bosch PSB500E hammer drill as a present. I do a fair ammount of DIY and I guess the drill gets used every couple of weeks or so. I always used to buy Bosch because I thought that the quality was better and I do enjoy the feeling when I'm using a well designed, good piece of kit. I would say that the Bosch is OK in that it drills holes, but it doesn't feel like a quality piece of German Engineering.
One of the niggles is that the lever/button for selecting clockwise/anticlockwise drilling doesn't seem to want to stay put on the setting selected between drilling operations. When it moves, it prevents the trigger from being pulled so before drilling virtually every hole, it is necessary to push the lever to ensure it is in the correct position.
The second niggle is the stupid plastic moulded hole that is designed to hold the chuck key. This is a good idea but the plastic isn't up to the job and split after only a few weeks of use. The same design featured on my previous Bosch drill and exactly the same thing happened. the result is that I've had to tie the key to the flex with a short piece of string but this often gets tangles with the wire while in between uses (any suggestions would be welcome). This may not be a problem for people now as I think this drill now comes with a keyless chuck.
The final niggle is a 'feel' thing - the motor just doesn't sound sweet and feel right when it turns. I know these things are mass produced and it's always possible to get a lemon, but I thought that when buying a brand like Bosch instead of some of the DIY chains own brands, the extra money bought some quality.
This drill has caused me to rethink this and I'll be more open to other brands in future.
These may seem minor points, but a drill is a reasonably simple piece of kit that is used often and these (minor) annoyances become significant when they happen each time you pick up the drill. |
Ratings
| Value For Money: |
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2 |
| Review Score: |
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2 |
| Recommended? | |
No |
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DIY & Tools