Bosch PS21-2A 12V Max Two-Speed Pocket Driver Kit

Note: The model name of this line of Bosch screwdrivers/drills is "12V Max." Not be confused that 12 volt is maximum power or whatever.I have been using battery powered screwdrivers for about 25 years. (Some powerful enough to use as a drill.) I decided to update my screwdrivers because 1) My old beast of a screwdriver pooped out, would not hold a charge, and batteries were no longer available for it; and 2) My Black & Decker (four X AA battery powered) cordless screwdrivers could handle many jobs, but those drivers are not powerful nor versatile enough for bigger jobs (e.g., driving large screws into 2 X 4 or thick plywood).With this intent I went sniffing on Amazon and YouTube to find the best screwdriver suited to my needs and requirements, that is, for DIY household use, not for a profession (e.g., carpenter, plumber, contractor, electrician, handyman). While researching and shopping I could simply have stuck to the professional drivers/drills, you know the names. A sticking point, however, I didn't want to pay $150 to $200 for driving screws every now and then, or drilling a hole every other month, if that. Moreover, I have small hands (glove size is always men's small). While the big drivers are impressive beasts, my mini-digits get tired of holding those, especially if overhead or arms extended. Yes, in these situations SIZE DOES MATTER.What sold me on this Bosch "12V Max" screwdriver / drill (PS21-2A):- High ratings, solid reviews on YouTube and Amazon. This screwdriver received high marks everywhere. Yes, there were occasional complaints, but if product star ratings on Amazon indicate an average of four stars or higher, a few scattered complaints don't factor into my buying decision. (And often times those complaints border on moronic, stupid, or nonsense. E.g., "After five hours straight use on a house remodel I was doing the battery crapped out.")- Compact size: If you're looking for a small lightweight, but nevertheless powerful battery powered screwdriver, this Bosch does not disappoint. At age 67 I'm in reasonably good shape. But I'm not fooling myself. I can no longer comfortably use manual screwdrivers, and I definitely feel the pain when holding extended or above my head a large heavy power screwdriver. When I read that this driver was very compact and lightweight I no longer would settle on even a mid-sized screwdriver. (See my pics, comparing the size of this screwdriver next to U.S. dollar bills.)- Two batteries: This was VERY PLEASING to me, that this kit comes with two (02) lithium ion batteries. Plenty of power for all-day DIY jobs. Warning: What some companies do to market their consumer screwdrivers at a low consumer-friendly price is to sell the powered driver SEPARATE from the batteries. You have to buy the batteries separately, or buy the higher priced set or kit that includes a battery and charger.Pleasing Price: My budget was $60-90 for a screwdriver, battery, and charger. Because it totally sucks to run out of battery power, I allotted another $30 to purchase an additional battery. So I was super pleased to see the retail price for this device was $80 for the screwdriver, TWO (02) lith ion batteries, AC charger, carrying case, and a couple bits. With free Amazon Prime shipping, I was at $40 UNDER budget.Note: I never buy on price alone. E.g., eBay and Amazon are littered with $30-40 trashy as-seen-on-TV screwdrivers that include battery. Bonus Tip: You may rest easy because El Cheapo branded screwdrivers are guaranteed: "[W]hen charging your battery it is warranted to catch fire and burn down your house."Quality Name: I trust the Bosch brand, even though like everything else, this driver is Made in (Asia). Despite that, to protect its reputation for quality and the Bosch name the brand represents, I assume in Bosch has strict quality controls.Recourse: I liked the fact that buying from or via Amazon gave me access to a full refund if I didn't like the product, or simply changed my mind.Functionality and Features: The 12V Max has everything you want in a drill or screwdriver. Has the power to drill most anything, or to drive/remove the biggest screws in the hardiest of materials. This is what I would call a "precision driver." Features that stand out:- Small, compact, lightweight.- Smooth precise motor and driver gearing.- Speed control (via the trigger switch).- Precision power controls: A two-speed switch; the trigger (the more you press, the more power delivered); and the clutch (1-19, and drill setting). You can set this driver/drill for delicate work, or place everything on full power for the big tasks.- Note about the Clutch (settings 1 to 19, and drill mode). "1" is lowest, "least power" setting, "19" is highest, "most powerful" setting. For max power dialing the clutch to the indicated drill bit icon. Bonus Tip: Why the clutch? You use the it to prevent stripping screw or bolt threads, or damaging the head (e.g., stripping the slots), or damaging the working surface. E.g., on a "1" setting the driver will lightly screw or unscrew the a bolt, and make a clicking sound to show the driving has stopped.- Quality throughout: The fit and finish of everything in this kit is finely done. This is NOT your cheap plastic, poorly fitting, breakdown-in a-month-screwdriver.- Lot of Nice Stuff: Included in this kit is the screwdriver, two batteries, an AC charger, canvas carrying case (that holds everything), two hex-head screwdriver bits, and easy-to-read manual. The LED light is a nice touch. I actually used the light to see inside an car engine bay when removing a part.- Note: This screwdriver uses hex-head bits. This makes it very easy to attach and remove bits. If you have standard drill bits you want to use, you can buy a hex head adapter that has a drill chuck for standard drill bits.

I bought one of these along with the very similar drill version in Dec 2013 for use in my commercial shop. It is now Nov 2024 and both are still being used regularly INCLUDING the 4 original batteries.This driver has received almost daily use for 11 years and is still working great. I've had a lot of cordless tools over the years and can't think of any where both the tool and batteries are still good after more than a decade of use.This is an absolutely outstanding tool. The feature that often gets overlooked on something like this is the accuracy and sensitivity of the clutch. Most drills do not have a clutch that can be reliably used on small screws without stripping the holes. This guy can drive even tiny things like #6x1/2" screws in soft wood all day long with the perfect torque.It is small enough to fit in tight spaces; the lack of a chuck combined with a short bit make the overall length very short. Despite being lightweight and compact, it is extremely durable and never feels fragile. It has a nice fat grip that fits perfectly in the hand. The trigger pull allows for a wide range of speed variation for good control. The batteries, despite their tiny size, last a really long time.We frequently use it with a 1/4 or 3/8" socket adapter to quickly thread fasteners in or out during assembly operations.A couple years ago we replaced all of our cordless drills with new 12V brushless Milwaukees. I love the power and high RPM of these units. However, they now have an electronic rather than mechanical clutch. That clutch is absolutely worthless on almost everything. It basically cuts the power at a specific torque, which sounds great in theory. But unlike a mechanical clutch, it doesn't instantly stop the torque. The spin-down time of the motor before full stop means that unless you're going really slow, anything you'd want to use a clutch on will strip out before it stops turning.As a result, this Bosch driver has become even more popular as the brushless Milwaukees are now exclusively drill-only use.Now I'm back to buy a few more of these driver and would highly recommend them to anyone who needs a quality clutch for their operations.

It works beautiful !! I had it for a couple of years and use it everyday. No problems at all.

The drill is compact, easy to change speeds, and powerful. I had been looking for a small power screwdriver and had purchased a couple of others that left me disappointed. However, this one is stellar. I used it to assemble some furniture, and it surpassed my expectations. Although I think it is a bit pricey, it does come with two batteries and a charger. I would love to purchase this for my elderly parents as a gift. I recommend this power screwdriver to friends, family and to you!