What kind of cordless drill should i buy

You can find different bundles online and in your local big-box retailer, some with extra batteries, some with only one battery and some that are even packaged with other power tools or bare tools only.

To keep the pricing comparison as level as possible, each of these includes the drill, a charger, one or two batteries and, in most cases, some kind of accessory to carry everything around. Along with the six drills above, here is a list of the other ten drills I tested, along with some context about why they didn't get the nod as best in class. Other than general use and impressions, I have three main ways of testing drills. There is a clearance test, where I determine the tightest space the drill can get into and still drive or drill at a perfect degree angle perpendicular to the drilling surface.

For the high-torque test, I use a brand new 1-inch wood spade bit for each drill. I use the bit to drill a series of holes into standard yellow pine construction grade lumber.

After, I divide the number of holes drilled by the battery capacity which gives a "holes per amp hour" data point for comparison. I like this particular metric method because it negates the ability of a drill to win just by having a larger battery. On this test, the numbers for the volt drills are pretty low -- so if you're looking to bore a lot of holes, it's probably best to stick with the volt drills.

For the most part, all of the volt drills felt strong starting this test off with a brand-new battery, and although it did score second-to-last here, the Ryobi felt the strongest out of the gate. There's also the breakthrough feel -- how well the spade bits are able to exit the opposite side of the lumber without snagging and seizing.

Here, it was Milwaukee that really showed off. Not only did Milwaukee absolutely trounce the competition, but the spade bit moved from one side of the lumber to the other with almost no snags. On the opposite end of the scale, both Bosch and Ridgid seemed to have trouble exiting the boards almost every single time. In the low-torque tests I took some screws -- a ton of screws -- and drove them into standard four-by-four construction lumber.

Drive in as many as possible until the drill can no longer completely seat a screw; i. I use the same previously described method here, dividing by amp hour to get our final metric. Running the low-torque tests takes longer than the high-torque tests, so there's more time to get the feel of the tools themselves. Generally speaking, the drills all feel like you'd expect, but there were a couple of features that stood out. On the volt DeWalt, the hand grip feels small.

This may actually be a benefit for some people, but for me, it was a little off-putting. I was also not a fan of the trigger on the volt Ridgid. It felt like I had to pull the trigger farther back to reach max power than on other drills. This, over time, leads to a little extra hand cramping. Not ideal if you're planning on using it for hours at a time. For the clearance test, I measured the distance from the center of the drill chuck opening to the top of the drill and separately to the side of the drill.

The lowest value for each drill you will see charted below. The lower the value, the smaller the overall size of the drill is, allowing it to be used in tighter spaces than the drills with larger values. There were a couple of other features worth pointing out that may help if you're still undecided. A large capacity battery such as 5Ah or more will generally run much longer than a smaller capacity, though our tests show this isn't always the case.

Battery voltage — measured in volts V , of course — is a guide to the power you can expect from the drill. Generally, the higher the voltage, the better the torque, though again our tests show that there's a lot more to performance than just the voltage. We find 18V drills vary a lot in their torque and drilling performance. Chuck who? The chuck is the part at the end where the drill bit goes. Usually you'll need a 13mm chuck to accommodate larger drill bits.

Smaller and cheaper drills often only have 10mm chucks, which might be enough if you're looking at nothing more than drilling in some small holes to hang pictures. A piston firing the drill bit forward and pulling it back drives the hammer action on these drills. This reduces friction and increases strength, allowing SDS drills to punch through the toughest materials with ease. Special SDS drill bits are used to eliminate the bit slipping and also to withstand the powerful force of its hammer action.

These drills make light work of chiseling and chasing jobs. Designed to handle breaking up hard materials like concrete, asphalt, bricks and blocks. Breakers and demolition drills deliver more powerful blows to the surface and can also be used to chisel channels in masonry and remove tiles. Depth stop: Fitted to the side of the drill, a depth stop can be adjusted to ensure that the hole being drilled does not exceed the desired depth.

This feature can also give you a consistent depth when making multiple holes. Trigger-activated LED: A handy feature to have, especially in dark conditions, is a trigger-activated LED light that automatically lights up when the speed trigger is pulled. The light will automatically switch off a few seconds after the trigger is released.

Auxiliary handle: An auxiliary handle improves both safety and accuracy when drilling. The extra handle can be positioned on either the left or right side of the drill and helps to increase the users force and control compared to just using the pistol grip handle.

When selecting your drill, the drill's grip should feel comfortable to hold with an ergonomic design. Forward and reverse function: Drill drivers have a reverse function, which allows you to turn the drill bit or screwdriver bit forwards, as well as backwards.

Reverse mode is also convenient when backing out the drill bit after boring holes. Keyless chuck: The chuck is at the front of the drill and holds the drill bit or screw bit.

A keyless chuck means you can change bits quickly and easily, without the need for additional tools. If too much torque is chosen, the screw can be driven too deeply. The excess power can also cause a loss of control and accuracy, causing damage to the work surface. Gears: Drills with more than one gear let you select different speed ranges. If the drill is a single gear drill, you can control the speed with the speed control trigger.

The gear control switch is usually located on the top of the drill. Integrated belt clip: Free your hands quickly and easily with an integrated belt clip, attached to the drill. Craftsman Tools www. Norcross, GA www. Makita U. La Mirada, CA Porter-Cable Corp. Ryobi America Corp. Anderson, SC www. S-B Power Tool W. Peterson Ave. Chicago, IL www. Woodworker's Supply Alameda Pl.

Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Choosing a Cordless Drill. By Tim Snyder. Pinterest Email Pocket Flipboard.

Courtesy of Makita Whether you are just learning the basics of simple maintenance or are taking on a second addition to the house, a good drill is essential.

Are Cordless Drills Worth It? Building a storage rack; replacing deck railings and fence pickets; drilling pilot holes and driving screws in hardwood or plywood; making furniture; hanging drywall. Drilling holes for bolts and spikes in pressure-treated wood and landscape timbers; drilling holes in masonry walls; installing decking; drilling into steel. For drilling holes and driving screws, get a drill with two fixed speeds; variable speed is an option.

Also, look for an adjustable clutch.