Hitachi Power Tools keeps putting out some great new products. Besides the Compound Sliding Miter Saw C8FSHE that Hitachi introduced late summer, they have introduced a new Compact Pro Series of cordless tools, starting with a drill driver DS18DSAL. This Pro Series is powered by a 1.5AH Lithium Ion slide battery - curiously similar to the ever popular Makita LCT200W Compact Driver Kit.

Hitachi's drill Driver DS18DSAL is compact, weighing in at only 3.5 pounds and measuring 7.7 inches in length. That is the same weight as Makita's 1/2 inch Drill Driver BDF452HW, and packing the same amount of torque at 460 inch-pounds. I'm not saying that either Drill Driver is better than the other, until I can actually get my hands on Hitachi's DS18DSAL, I won't know how it compares to Makita's DSF452HW.  

I do like Hitachi tools though. They have impressed me with their lightweight and powerful, 10.8 volt Micro Drill Driver DB10DL and I am excited to check out their new 18v Pro Series line. 

The lithium ion battery on Hitachi's DS18DSAL slides onto the bottom of the tool which makes for a nice ergonomically shaped handle and good balance of weight. The well-balanced design on the DS18DSAL helps you work longer without getting tired as quickly. As with all Lithium Ion technologies, you get a steady stream of power until the battery is nearly drained, then the tool just stops working. This is actually good for the protection of the battery and for you - when the battery is dead, it's just dead and you charge it up again. Lithium Ion batteries don't have the dreaded "Memory effect" of NiCad or NiMH and also have up to three times the number of charge cycles of traditional batteries as well.

The DS18DSAL comes with a convenient metal belt hook and an LED job light to illuminate your work surface. It also features a keyless ½" ratcheting metal chuck that accepts a wide variety of bits and externally accessible carbon brushes. This type of brush allows you to easily and economically replace the brushes when they are worn, thus lengthening the lifespan of your tool.

And bonus - the DS18DSAL comes with Hitachi's 18v UB18DAL Lithium Ion flashlight. This is a cool little handy light that adjusts to five lighting positions and can stand alone while you work. The UB18DAL light also has a handy shoulder carrying strap and low battery indicator light.

The DS18DSAL comes with Hitachi's industry leading 5-year warranty, bonus UB18DAL 18-volt flashlight, two 1.5Ah Lithium Ion slide batteries, a quick charger, dual-tipped Phillips driver bit, and sturdy carrying case. The "quick charger" charge time on the DS18DSAL is actually 40 minutes, according to the manual. I'm not sure I'd call that quick but I'm quite sure that the DS18DSAL overall won't disappoint you.