When You Need a Real Drill But Not a $200 Bill

Most of us land in the same spot eventually: the cheap cordless drill we bought years ago finally gives up, and we start browsing replacements. A proper Makita or DeWalt is the obvious answer, but $150 to $250 for occasional home use is hard to justify. That's the gap I was looking into when I came across the Gisam 65N.m impact drill on AliExpress - a Makita 18V pin-compatible tool sitting at around $39 after a 45% discount. I spent time reading through real buyer reviews from France, Spain, Colombia, and Poland before writing this. Here's my honest take.

What You Actually Get

The Gisam is a corded-free impact drill with a 13mm chuck, 65 Newton-meters of torque, and a 35+3 clutch position system. That last part matters more than it sounds: 35 torque settings means you can dial it in for delicate screwing without stripping threads, and then crank it up for drilling into harder surfaces. Three speed settings on the trigger give you additional control. The kit includes two 18V batteries at roughly 2000mAh each, plus a charger. That's a meaningful inclusion - a lot of budget tools ship with one weak battery and call it a day. The Makita 18V pin compatibility is the headline feature: if you already own Makita batteries from other tools, you can skip the included batteries entirely and run on what you have. The impact (percussion) function is real. A buyer in France confirmed they drilled through both thin and thick metal without issues. That's not something you can always count on at this price point - percussion functions on cheap tools often exist in name only. The tool is compact. A buyer in Spain initially bought it only as a screwdriver because of its manageable size, then ended up using it regularly for impact drilling too. That's a good sign for the power-to-size ratio.

The Honest Pros and Cons

What actually impressed me: the torque rating of 65N.m is credible given the buyer feedback, the dual-battery inclusion adds genuine value, and the Makita compatibility is a real ecosystem benefit. The build quality, per multiple reviewers, is described as decent - not flawless, but solid enough for what it is. At this price, that's not nothing. Worth noting that: the rotation speed is noticeably lower than a genuine Makita. Multiple buyers flagged this. If you need a high-speed drill for continuous professional use - carpentry, metal fabrication, sustained daily work - this tool will likely frustrate you. It has torque. It does not have the speed of a professional-grade tool. That's a real limitation, not a minor caveat. Also worth flagging: the charger included is a basic 5.5mm plug type, not a smart charger. Fine for occasional users, but if you're charging batteries constantly, it's not ideal.

What $39 Usually Buys You in This Category

At this price in a hardware store or on Amazon, you're typically looking at a 10V or 12V cordless screwdriver with a single small battery, no percussion function, and a plastic chuck that won't last. Sometimes you find an 18V option but it comes with one underpowered battery and no impact function. The Gisam is offering 18V, two batteries, genuine percussion, 65N.m torque, and Makita compatibility. On paper, that's a significantly better package than what the price normally buys. The trade-off is build longevity and speed - which is the honest answer to why it's $39 instead of $180.

Buy It If / Skip It If

**Buy it if:** - You already own Makita 18V pin batteries and want a cheap secondary or backup drill - You do light to moderate home tasks: assembling furniture, hanging things, occasional drilling into walls or thin metal - Your budget is under $50 and you need something actually functional, not a toy - Two batteries in the box matters to you **Skip it if:** - You're a tradesperson or contractor who needs a drill running all day - High rotation speed is important for your specific work - You need local warranty support and after-sales service - You already have a good drill that works fine **Verdict:** For home use and light workshop tasks, the Gisam 65N.m is a legitimate option at a price that's hard to argue with. It won't compete with a professional Makita, and it's not trying to. What it does is give you a working impact drill with two batteries, real torque, and Makita compatibility for under $40. That's a reasonable deal if your expectations match the price. The 45% discount won't last indefinitely. Check current price and availability here: https://www.ali-ex.com/5qiIlq