WORX SD SemiAutomatic Driver WX254L – Review
WORX SD SemiAutomatic Driver WX254L Overview:
By design, the new WORX SD SemiAutomatic Driver (Model # WX254L) looks more like a gun than a powered screwdriver. With drill bits loaded into a cylinder much the same way you would load bullets in a revolver, the Worx SD SemiAutomatic Driver makes changing bits easy as, well... pulling back and then pushing forward the slide mechanism. Thankfully, the bits don’t hurl at a high rate of speed toward the target when the trigger is pulled, as bullets would. Instead they simply rotate as they should when being used as a screwdriver.
This tool is definitely designed for the DIYer - and more specifically - the DIYer who also likes gadgets. In all fairness to WORX, they don't make any claims that this is anything other than a DIY tool meant for household use. It doesn’t have a ton of torque (WORX lists it at 27inch-lbs), so don’t expect it to be the go-to tool for building furniture, or even for rough framing with pine. I did drive a few screws into 2x4 pine, but it wasn’t the easiest task I’ve ever completed.
However, for putting together toys, IKEA furniture, changing switch plate covers, and household chores like that, this tool is fine. It’s powered by an internal 4V lithium ion battery. The battery cannot be replaced. Personally, I’d prefer a battery that can be removed and recharged or replaced, but many other brands of tools with this same type and voltage of battery are also internal.
One of the nice features of this tool is that (in theory) you should be able to charge the tool, leave it in the drawer and it will keep a charge for up to 18 months. Now of course the tool is brand new, so we’ll check back in a few months to see if that is actually the case.
(And as a side note, check out the paragraph below on warranty information. I would at least check to see if the battery is still charged every month or two before the 12 month warranty on the battery runs out.)
Pros & Cons:
I like the LED work light that brightens your work area. Plus, the tool comes with two cartridges that have 6 bits each (probably more than you’ll ever need for a DIY screwdriver), which means you don’t have to go searching for the right bit.
Bits included are: Cartridge 1: Torx 10, Torx 20, Hex 3, Hex 4, Hex 5, Screw Starter Drill Bit. Cartridge 2: Phillips 0, Phillips 1, Phillips 2, Slot 4, Square 1, Square 2. While I think all of those bits are nice to have, I probably would have opted to not have as many hex or torx bits and had a couple more sizes of slotted.
Bottom Line:
The beef I have always had with WORX is that while the tools operate fine right out of the box - and are usually designed well - the battery life is not what I (or most consumers) would consider ideal. I thought maybe this particular WORX tool might be different because it has a 3-year limited warranty, which is better than most WORX tools. But when I read the fine print, the battery is only covered for 1 year, so we'll see - but that doesn’t make me overly confident.
Something else you need to know about the warranty is that you MUST register it within 30 days of purchase and mail in the warranty card or you could drop the length of your warranty down by a year.
All in all, I’d say this is a fun, gadgety tool that looks and sounds cool. And it was fun to review - I love the slide-action sound and changing bits is actually entertaining and fun. It doesn’t jam easily but when it does, it’s not difficult to un-jam the bit. For household use this tool will be fine, but for the nearly $50 price tag (at the time of this post), you should be aware of the limitations of the tool itself and the limitations on the warranty before you purchase the WORX SD SemiAutomatic Driver.
To purchase on Amazon.com: CLICK HERE
For more info: CLICK HERE