I guess my questions might sound weird - I'm an amateur and want to
redecorate my home by building shelves, simple cabinets, radiator covers and
installing crown molding by myself. The extent of my experience is putting
together pre-fab bookcases so I have a big learning curve ahead of me...

Questions regarding two cordless drill-drivers:

Ryobi HP1202M 12V
Craftsman 315.114600 14.4V

I understand Ryobi makes Craftsman drills. Does this fact make the Ryobi
line better in quality?

The release of the Ryobi switch trigger slows to a halt, whereas the
Craftsman seems to screech to a halt. If the extent of my work is building
wall-to-wall bookshelves (I suppose the only real woodworking I would do is
mitres), is there any preference for how this operates?

What else should I consider?


The Craftsman will probably have an extra bell and whistle or two, such as the
electric brake feature you described (stops the rotation quickly after
releasing the trigger). That feature can be useful when you need more precise
control.

There are more durable and more powerful brands out there (and more expensive,
too), but unless you are going to use them a lot, for what you need, either
model will work. 12v to 14.4v are good voltages for household projects.
Strong enough to drill and drive screws, but not so heavy that it will pull you
off a ladder.

Make sure whatever you get has two batteries and a one hour charger.

Rich S.