Ridgid Fuego 12v Drill
During my years (about a solid dozen) as a tool tester, I had a chance to see a lot of changes in cordless drills (or drill-drivers), and to use most of them. There was the period when more voltage was the “hot” item, with drills at 36-volts. And when you held them you thought it was 36 pounds, too. We started making jokes about battery backpacks to support the next upgrade.
The lithium-ion batteries weren’t new; they’d been used in portable computers for a few years. But those batteries were designed to expend energy in low-drain, long-term usage. That’s not what a cordless drill does, it uses energy in quick, high-drain applications. Then a magical thing happened. The tool manufacturers discovered how to effectively use lithium-ion battery technology in cordless tools.
Fuego – Small & Powerful
Since that time I’ve watched drills get smaller and more powerful, offering all the features of the old heavy-weights, but only weighing in at bantam weight. I’ve been using one from Ridgid for the past year or so, and I would honestly be very sad if it went missing.
The combo kit sells for $125.
Ridgid Fuego Review
The “Fuego” (does anyone really call it that?) weighs only six pounds, and fits comfortably in my less-than-beefy hand. The Fuego boasts 240 in/lbs of torque, with a 2-speed transmission and a single-sleeve chuck. Toss in two batteries, charger and a flashlight (that I probably use more than the drill!), and you’ve got a $125 drill kit that I don’t let the neighbors borrow. Small enough to work in tight quarters, while still delivering the umph necessary to sink a 3” drywall screw into a pine 2×4.
Oh, and I forgot to mention one of the other benefits of lithium-ion technology, the batteries don’t drain while they sit on the shelf. So your drill, or flashlight is always ready to work when you are. Okay, they do drain, but over months, not days. That’s plenty for me. I love technology!
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