I own a number of tools that are powered by Bosch’s 18V battery platform, thanks in large part to “show specials” the company used to offer out of its large booth at JLC Live/Providence. This includes a few different drill/drivers and impact drivers, so I was curious about the new “Chameleon” Flexiclick 5-in-1 GSR18V-535FC 18V drill/driver system when Bosch first announced it last spring, and asked the company to send me one to try out.
The kit came with a 4.0-Ah battery and charger, a nylon tool bag, and three different attachments: a standard 1/2-inch keyless metal chuck; a right-angle attachment, also with a keyless chuck; and an offset-angle attachment, which has a 1/4-inch hex bit holder with quick release. Also available is an optional rotary hammer adapter that accepts SDS-plus bits for drilling into masonry. That’s four optional attachments; so what’s option number five? The drill/driver is designed with an integral 1/4-inch hex bit holder, and in tight spaces can be operated like an impact driver, without any of the attachments. Keep in mind, though, that it is a drill, not an impact driver, though it does have an adjustable clutch mechanism that seems to operate a little more precisely than the clutches on my other drills.
The drill also has what the company calls Kickback Control, which is a built-in acceleration sensor that shuts down the motor when it detects sudden movement, limiting tool rotation. I learned about this feature when I first started using the drill (who reads operating instructions?) and was both relieved and a little freaked out when I bound up a bit while drilling through a 1/4-inch metal plate and the tool simply stopped. I was thankful that I hadn’t scraped any skin off my knuckles, but feared that I had burned the motor out. But, no worries—after a brief pause, I was able to back the bit out of the hole.
Bosch’s Flexiclick drill/driver has an integral 1/4-inch hex bit allows it to be operated without any attachment.
The driver comes with three attachments, including an offset-angle attachment for driving fasteners close to an adjacent surface.
Is 535 inch-pounds of torque a lot? I don’t know, but that’s what Bosch claims the brushless motor delivers, and it feels like the drill has more power than my older ones. It doesn’t have any trouble powering a 2 1/2-inch-diameter hole saw through a 2-by, and while it doesn’t have the brute strength of a Hole Hawg, it also won’t slap you up against a stud or sprain your wrist if it binds up—partly because of its Kickback Control system.
For you tech nerds, the drill can be connected to Bosch’s free Toolbox app via Bluetooth, as long as you’ve installed one of the company’s GCY42 Bluehound modules (about a $20 item). Apparently, this will allow you to “customize your tool” and check battery status, though more important to me is the fact that the drill comes with a toolbelt clip, a bit holder, and a built-in LED light. A kit with a Core 18V 4.0-Ah battery costs about $300 online; adding the SDS attachment to the kit boosts the price to $400 on Amazon. boschtools.com
Photos by Willem Wormer
