Kobalt 18V Drill KT200A – Power on a Budget

Not too long ago we attended the Kobalt Tool Event in NY.  I have to say I have never really used Kobalt power tools in the past, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I have used their hand tools which I like a lot.

After the show we received a Kobalt Drill/Driver which was pretty cool.  At the show we had some time to use the tools, but under their conditions, to build a Bags game or as some call it Corn Holes.  The model number of this drill is KT200A or item number 0325808.  It was nice to use and work with this drill in our environment.

Kobalt is really trying to go after Ridgid which is the Home Depot Brand.  Everything I see at Lowe’s or Home Depot is targeting each other.  With that said, let’s dive into the drill.

The kit comes with the obvious 18V Lithium-ion drill/driver, a 20 minute charger and bag.  Also inside the kit is two compact batteries.  There is also a bit and belt hook.  When we were at the show I did have a chance to play with it and I liked the balance of the tool.  Not only was the balance of the tool nice, but it does have some power to it.  The drill has two speeds 0-450 and 0-1650 and is controlled by the variable speed trigger.  The max torque of the drill is 455 in/lbs, so it does have some pretty good power to it.  The chuck is 1/2″ all metal ratcheting keyless chuck which was a surprise when I first saw this.  Usually the homeowner gets a plastic chuck where the bits fall out over time.  So that is a plus with the Kobalt.

A couple other pros to the tool include the 5 year warranty on the tool and the 3 year warranty on the battery which is one of  the highest warranties among tools.  The charger and battery give a lot of information.  The batteries have a power gauge to let you know if the batteries are dead, hot/cold or how much power is left by using a four bar status.  The charger is like no other charge I have seen and it has an LCD.  It does work for both Lithium and Ni-Cd batteries, so if you have some of the older batteries, you’re still in luck.  The charger does have a LCD screen which is new to me.  The screen gives you a lot of information such as type of battery, battery status and even how much longer until the battery is charged, which I wish every charger had.

Overall this seems like a great drill.  Great balance and the all metal ratcheting chuck is awesome.