Finally a Drill to Match the Ridgid StealthForce Impact! – Octane Drill/Driver Review

Since I first laid my hands on the Ridgid Stealth Force hydraulic impact driver it has been my favorite power tool.  I didn’t however have a drill/driver to go with it. I thought I was there with the special edition brushless drill driver, but not quite.  Is the Ridgid Octane Brushless Drill/Driver the Juliet to the Stealth Force’s Romeo?

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Let’s Check it Out

The 18-Volt Octane Brushless ½ inch hammer drill is one of the most powerful 18 volt drills on the market with 1,300 lbs of torque when paired with an Octane battery.  Even so, the drill can be as delicate as needed with the typical torque clutch ring for what I need it for in woodworking. It lacks no power to drill a hole into even foundation concrete.  This is one of the few cordless non SDS drills that feels capable when drill into hardened concrete.

I mean there are only so many features you REALLY need on a drill, and the Ridgid 18-Volt Octane Brushless hammer drill has all of them.  The typical toggle between Drill. Driver, and Hammer functions. The motion of the toggle switch is still a little muddy, from a feel perspective, this has been my only gripe about the Ridgid drills.  The Ridgid Octane Brushless Hammer drill/driver is the first drill though to make me forget my old brushless Makita drill.

All of this is backed by Ridgid’s market leading Lifetime Service Agreement though, and this really sets Ridgid’s tools apart from the average tool company.

Cons   Opportunities

No tool is perfect, the Ridgid Octane Brushless Cordless Hammer Drill/Driver is very good though.  One thing that was a(n) oversights decisions contrary to what I would do, is the chuck.  With the Lifetime Service agreement I can TOTALLY live with it, but I know they have licensing for a Jacobsen chuck, and they didn’t use it.  This direct lit chuck that Ridgid uses is VERY convenient and provides a ton of light, right where you need it, but I still just prefer the Jacobsen.  I like the feel, I like the lower weight, it instill confidence in me, it also seems to rotate with less wobble and the durability track record is known. I will stay open minded and see if this thing grows on me.

I wish they made a Jacobsen version of this beast, maybe they will.  Here is holding out for a #ALLBLACKEVERYTHING edition, this holiday season.  If there is, you’d better believe I am going to try and do another giveaway.

Conclusion

This will be my new daily driver for a bit and we will see if I fall in love.  It certainly has some subtle advantages over even the special edition 5x brushless.  The torque with the Octane battery system is undeniable, the balance and feel are perfect, the battery life is as good if not better than any other brushless drill in high demand situations.  In day to day stuff, with the Octane tech doing its thing, the battery feels like it lasts forever!

I think…I hope I found a perfect match for my beloved stealthforce drill, time will tell.

Read more review on drill drivers and other cool stuff below

Makita Brushless drill/driver impact combo

Makita Brushless Router Review

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Rick

WoodWorkLIFE

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