Maxwell's pick for cordless drills

By Steve Maxwell

When it comes to power tools, a bad start makes for a bad reputation that often lives longer than the reality. Cordless drywall screw guns are a case in point. The idea sounds great, but early models let contractors down. Short run times, expensive batteries that died quickly, and rapid battery self-discharge rates in storage were the main reasons why the first wave of cordless screw guns didn’t pan out.

But just because things were bad years ago, doesn’t mean you’re forever tethered to a cord while driving drywall screws today. Lithium-ion batteries are the main reason why. They’ve breathed new life into all cordless tools, but the boost in run time is especially valuable when it comes to driving drywall screws. Makita’s 18V LXT line of cordless has earned a well-deserved reputation for battle-tough performance, and their BFS450Z drywall screw gun lives up to this tradition. It’s one of the few readily available models in Canada, and is a regularly stocked item at The Home Depot