Start a discussion with your mates down the pub on the subject of ‘power tools’ and chances are a few common brand names will pop up – Bosch, Black and Decker, DeWalt, we’ve heard them all time and again, and we know generally speaking they deliever great results, so that’s why we go for them. But what if you were thinking of taking a punt with something else? After all, just because the big names make great tools that doesn’t necessarily mean there aren’t others doing the same, and if you could save a few quid in the process you could be onto a winner.
Well one such brand that deserves your attention is ‘Terratek’, which sounds like something from a 1980’s cartoon, but is actually far more relevent than that. Though this company certainly doesn’t hit the bullseye with every tool they produce, they’ve definitely produced a few big hitters that have completely won over consumers in both Europe and the US.
Designed in Britain and distributed worldwide, Terratek represent one of the new kids on the block in the power tool world, yet they still bring 40 years of experience and the combined of force of experts and industry professionals, determined to put their stamp on the industry. In some cases they’ve done such a good job of this that they’ve completely shown up the competion.
But what is it that customers love about this particular brand?
In short it’s a level of quality and performance that you would traditionally pay through the nose for. The technology on offer is bang up to date, with lithium ion batteries, keyless drill chucks, 12 and 18 volt tools all readily on the menu.
The biggest problem for a brand like Terratek is being dismissed as ‘cheap and nasty’ or ‘likely to break within 5 minutes, and while it would be foolish to claim any tool is immune from falling victim to fault, it’s fair to say the overall concensus among users of Terratek tools is overwhelmingly positive, so it would be unfair to tar them with the ‘cheap and nasty’ brush. More importantly however, it gives you a great opportunity to get your hands on some great tools at low prices!
Terratek Tools Reviewed – The Highlights
As we touched on above, not all tools are created equal and that’s as true for Terratek as it is for other brands, so to guide you in the right direction as far as their tools go take a look at what we consider to be their highlights.
Terratek 3.6V Lithium Ion Cordless Screwdriver, Includes 102pc Screwdriver Bit Set & Aluminum Carry Case
A Lightweight Power Screwdriver for Smaller Jobs
This Terratek Cordless Screwdriver Set is a handy little tool for doing odd jobs around the home or hobby-style projects. It is a rechargeable, highly portable screwdriver with a reliable Lithium type battery.
Its small size and light weight make it easy for you do those seemingly never-ending household chores like hanging up blinds and curtain rods. It is also very useful if you are in a hurry to assemble flat packed furniture of the kind Ikea are famous. It is especially good at getting to those hard to reach small screws in the corners. A well designed, small handle and inline trigger grip make it easy to flip around and adjust its position to get square onto screws. There are also extensions to increase the length of the screwdriver for hard to reach fixtures.
The Cordless Screwdriver Set comes with a 102-piece bit kit that will adapt it to any screw you are likely to find in your home.
Although it is quite small, the 3.6-volt battery still gives you an impressive speed of 180 revolutions per minute. This is more than capable of slotting the tightest of screws into most kind of woods, plastics and wall plugs. The Terratek is even comfortable putting self-tapping screws into wood without the benefit of a pre-drilled hole. It has enough power to get such screws flush against the surface.
A variable speed control allows you to slow down the rate of the Terratek’s screwing motion so you can more easily get to grips with smaller, fiddly fixtures. Adapting the speed to suit your job also helps you not to slip off the screw head and scrape or otherwise damage delicate surfaces. If you do get a tricky screw jammed, you usually easily free it by can switching the Terratek’s screwing direction into reverse.
Whatever speed you do choose, however, this Terratek Cordless Screwdriver Set will put in screws ten times faster than doing it by hand. That means no more cramped hands after a few hours of DIY labor.
Pros
- Lithium battery
- Portable
- Lightweight
- One year guarantee
- Comes with an aluminium carry-case
Cons
- Not suitable for heavy-duty jobs
Conclusion
The Terratek Cordless Screwdriver Set is not designed for big household DIY jobs. However, if you are looking for something to grab quickly to reattach or fix say a toy part or electrical item, it is an ideal and affordable tool to have in your drawer.
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Terratek 110Pcs combination HSS Drill Bits, Screwdriver Set for Masonry, Wood and Steel in Carry Case
A Kit to Increase Your DIY Potential
If you are looking to expand the range of jobs your power tools are capable of doing, you should consider the Terratek 110Pcs combination kit. Its 110-pieces include drill bits for wood, metal and masonry, screwdriver and hex sets, and saw attachments
These attachments should allow you to adapt the power tools you already have to do just about any jobs around the home or garden.
The drill bits are heavy-duty enough for you to go through solid outer walls or drill interior holes to hang kitchen cabinets. In fact, the bits will put a hole into most surfaces including bronze, copper, cast iron, hard plastics and perspex. Only thicker steels will cause you any problems. Also, do not try to use them on aluminium.
The masonry drill bit is zinc plated and heat treated to make it hard enough to tackle masonry, limestone, and natural and artificial stone. The other drill bits are made from ‘high speed steel’ (HSS) and should see you through any major DIY projects. However, one note of caution, the thinner and smaller of these twist drill bits are relatively brittle. Make sure you hold the drill square on to the work you are doing and only apply gentle pressure otherwise they can snap.
The hole saw attachments in the kit are very handy to have. They are perfect if you want to cut openings in kitchen cupboards to run through cables from dishwashers or other home appliances. Additional saw accessories such as the countersink allow you to get to grips with more delicate jobs as well.
The generous range of different types of screw and hex bits is perfect for finding the right fit for that awkward fixture you have meant to tackle for ages. Even of you are not sure what type of screw it is you want to put in or take out, a search of the kit should reveal the bit you need.
Pros
- Wide range of accessories
- Sturdy carry case
- Affordable price
Cons
- Some saw and drill bits a little weak
Conclusion
The Terratek 110Pcs combination package offers an extensive range of options for a price most other brands can’t match. While not all the parts might be up to the standard of these costlier brands, the flexibility the kit adds to your toolbox makes it worth buying. It is a comprehensive toolkit for most jobs around the house.
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Terratek 150 Piece 18V Cordless Drill, Fantastic Electric Screwdriver complete with Tool & Accessory Set
A Good Package for the General Handyman
The Terratek 18V Cordless is a good quality drill/driver for you to use on general jobs around your home and garden. At 18 volts, the drill is powerful enough to handle most tasks. The 150-piece accessory kit is also large enough so you can start tackling jobs once you’ve opened the box.
The 18V drill is a combined drill and screwdriver. To allow for this, it has 16 different torque (or turning force for the less technically-minded) settings. The higher torque settings let you drill into most materials. To put in or remove screws you just dial down the power settings.
The drill has enough power to go through just about any material including wood, metal and plastics. It also comes with enough different sizes and types of bits to cater for any hole you might wish to make. However, the drill is not suitable if you are looking to make an impact on harder types of masonry and concrete.
In screwdriver mode, the Terratek package has a truckload of different fittings for all the types of screws you are likely to come across – from Philips-type to flat heads of all sizes.
The biggest criticism of the Terratek is arguably the battery. It has a Nickel-cadmium (Ni-CD) battery compared to the Lithium-ion type power cells found in many other power tools (and home tech gadgets). Ni-CD batteries are cheaper but have a tendency to lose capacity if they are not recharged properly or over-charged. The more expensive – by about 40 % – Lithium batteries are more reliable and environmentally friendly.
There are some nice touches on the Terratek to make doing your jobs a bit easier. The drill has a built-in spirit level to help you avoid putting up wonky shelves. There is also a very handy attached LED lamp to light up the dark corners where most work seems to crop up. And of course it’s cordless.
The Terratek is pretty compact so is ideal for working in tight or cramped spaces. It is also light enough, so you don’t need a builder’s arms to use.
Pros
- Powerful enough for most jobs
- Forward and Reverse setting
- Variable speed control
- Compact and light
- One year guarantee
Cons
- Ni-CD battery
- Limited power for tougher jobs
- Quality of accessories could be better
Conclusion
For the amateur handyman, the Terratek 18V drill is an affordable, all-purpose tool. It is not a top of the range Bosch or Dewalt, but neither does it claim to be. If you don’t want to spend a fortune but need a capable, easy-to-use power drill in your toolbox, then the Terratek 18V Cordless is about as good as it gets
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Terratek 180W Multi-Function Oscillating Combi Tool complete With 15 Piece Accessory Kit Includes Cutting Discs, Blades, Sander Sheets
Turns Laborious Tasks into Quick jobs
This tool will take the hard work out of any of your tough sanding, smoothing or cutting jobs.
It is an oscillating tool that comes with a wide variety of blades, sanding discs and grinding discs to cope with most household building materials.
First off, the oscillating part means it generates motion very rapidly back and forth, from side to side as opposed to a circular motion. This action gives you much greater control over the tool attachment you have fitted to the machine and allows for work that is more precise. This Terratek tool also has six-speed settings, so you adjust the cutting or scraping power you are applying depending on the type material.
For cutting wood, plastic and soft metal, the kit has two different types of circular blades. A stainless steel one for the lighter materials and a Carbon steel blade for the tougher stuff. There is also a half-circular blade saw that lets you cut wood more precisely.
If you find the saw blades are not doing the job, you can switch to a half-circular grinding disc. This type of disc is especially useful if you are trying to cut through laminate, plastic, carpet or plaster board.
The sanding attachment with this Terratek is perfect if you are looking to clean off and smooth down a surface before applying a new coat of paint. It works just as well sanding down an old piece of furniture ready for restoration. The triangular sand disc fits nicely into small corners while still being big enough not to make sanding larger areas a long, laborious job. The kit comes with ten pieces of different grade sanding paper, which are a start, but you will soon need to visit the hardware store to buy more.
If it’s more than just old layers of paint or rough edges you are trying to get rid of, there is also a flexible scraper attachment. This is great for removing glue, floor covering and various sticky residues. It also makes cuts in half the time it takes to take off a surface covered with multiple layers of paint.
Changing the different types of attachments from sander to cutter is quick and straightforward.
Pros
- Good range of attachments
- Powerful enough for most domestic jobs
- Easy and light to use
Cons
- Not cordless so limited range
- Can be noisy and throw up excessive dust
Conclusion
If you are on a budget and looking for something to cut, sand and scrape this kit could be just right for you. It’s well made and will save you many sore muscles.
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Terratek 1500W SDS Plus Rotary Hammer Drill, Includes Auxiliary 3-Jaw Chuck & Key, Complete with 5pc Drill Bit & Chisel Set
A Tool with a Hefty Punch
The Terratek 1500W SDS Plus Rotary Hammer Drill is a beast of a package with enough power to let you drill and chisel into just about anything. It is a standard rotary drill, a rotary hammer drill and a power chisel all in one.
Despite its many functions, the Terratek is easy to use. A straightforward selector switch allows you to switch simply between all three modes. A key chuck also lets you quickly turn the conventional drill into one with an impact hammer action.
Providing the power for these various functions is a decent sized 1500W motor pumping out 5.5 joules of energy. More than enough if you are going to chisel off old fixtures or want to drill a hole through concrete.
However, don’t get worried about that amount of power in your hands. If you lose your grip or fumble, the Terratek has a safety clutch that will automatically turn it off when your finger slips from the trigger. To help this prevent this happening in the first place the clutch also cuts in to stop the drill from bucking if you get the bit jammed into something.
It also features a useful overload protection system to guard against any sudden electrical power surges.
Due to its multi-role function, the Terratek is bulkier and heavier than a standard power drill. It needs both hands if you are going to use it appropriately and safely. Don’t let that put you off, though. Compared to similar tools used by professional tradespeople it is quite maneuverable and light to use. Your arms shouldn’t get too strained if you are using it all day to restyle your kitchen. An anti-vibration handle also means you won’t have a shaking hand spilling your coffee when you take a break.
The 5-piece drill bit and chisel set that comes with the package is adequate if a bit limited. It would have been nice if Teratek had included a specialized chasing out tool bit to deal with difficult plasterwork. Fitting the chuck into the required slots can also be a bit fiddly.
Pros
- Versatility
- Power
- Safety Features
- One-year guarantee
Cons
- Heavy for some people
- Limited range of attachments
Conclusion
If you are a DIY enthusiast, it is a reasonably priced power tool perfect for renovation work or alterations around your home. Compared to other more expensive models you get your money’s worth.
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Terratek Fast Charge 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless Drill Power Driver, 13pc Accessory Kit, Variable Speed, and Powerful Screwdriver
Perfect for Smaller Jobs
The first thing to take note of with this power tool is its battery. Unlike a lot of other Terratek tools with a cheaper Nickel-cadmium (Ni-CD) battery this power screwdriver comes with a Lithium-ion one.
This latter more expensive, type of battery is much quicker and easier to charge than its Nickel-based cousin. It is not prone to self-discharging or failing to fully charge when used regularly. Once the drill is fully powered up after about an hour plugged into the mains, you can start and finish jobs like assembling furniture without having to recharge.
Putting together ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds, chairs and desks is exactly what this power drill/screwdriver is best at. That and small fixing jobs like hanging shelves.
The 18V motor is powerful enough to let you put screws into most woods and other materials. If on the other hand, you are worried about scratching your new flat-packed wardrobe, you can turn down the drill’s torque settings for more delicate jobs. In fact, the Terratek lets you choose from 21 different power/speed settings. Probably a bit too much for the average handyman but it’s always nice to have the options.
This Terratek has no hammer action so you might find drilling holes in some tougher surfaces like masonry or hardwood is a bit too much for the tool.
To get your shelves level the Terratek come with a very handy built-in spirit bubble. It also incorporates a LED light so you can see what you are doing in the dark corners around your house.
The 13-piece accessory kit has a range of drill bits big enough for you to most jobs. It also includes enough driver bit options to fit whatever screws and fixtures you have around the home.
Like a lot of accessory kits that come with all types of brands, however, the extras are not top quality and won’t cover all jobs. You might find yourself visiting the hardware store for replacements or exact size you want.
Pros
- Quick charge
- Reliable battery
- Easy to handle
- Versatile
Cons
- No drill hammer option
- Limited power for tougher jobs
Conclusion
Overall, the Terratek is a lightweight, easy to use drill/screwdriver. It fits nicely in smaller hands. It is more than capable of doing fixing jobs around the home. With its relatively low price, it is a useful addition to any toolbox kept under the stairs.
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Terratek TTAG800 800W 115mm Power Angle Grinder with 2 Metal Cutting Discs and 2 Metal Griding Discs
An Easy to Use Grinder
The Terratek TTAG800 Angle Grinder is a straightforward, no frills ‘’does what it says on the tin’’ kind of tool. It can be used if you are looking for a reliable grinder to cut through metal or other similar hard surfaces. The Terratek is great at cutting off thick bolts and jammed in screws or other pieces of metal sticking out where it should not.
The 800-Watt motor is sufficient for any home-DIY job and gives out power smoothly enough to be easily controlled by any amateur handyman. The motor and all its gears are encased in an aluminium housing to protect it against any damage it if it is dropped or knocked around.
The tool comes with two metal grinding discs and two metal cutting discs. These discs are good quality, but you may want to upgrade them if you are planning to a lot of grinding.
Perhaps the Terratek kit’s biggest drawback is that it does not include a disc specifically for stone, masonry and other hard materials. You can make do with the metal cutters if you are in a hurry to cut other types of surfaces but do so with caution.
For the safety conscious, the Terratek has an adjustable disc guard to stop sparks and hot, sharp off-cuts of metal flying into your face and body. If you do lose your grip, there is a dead man’s style switch on the trigger that will immediately turn the tool off. It has an anti-vibration handle to help prevent fumbling and make longer grinding jobs easier on your hands. This handle can also be set to three different positions for greater control and comfort depending on the room and space in which you are doing the job. By moving the handle, you can also use the tool in either your right or left hand.
The Terratek’s trigger switch is easier to use than awkward and stiff push button kind found on a lot of other brands and models.
Pros
- Powerful 800Watt motor
- Easy to handle
- Simple to operate
Cons
- Only has metal cutting discs and grinders
- Not suitable for heavy duty jobs
Conclusion
For the relatively inexperienced at grinding, the Terratek TTAG800 Angle Grinder is a great starter tool. It is safe, reliable and straightforward to use. It is robust and adaptable enough to handle any home-DIY job but not suitable for bigger projects. If you are looking for an honest, affordable grinding tool, it is worth considering.
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