What is the Best Right-Angle Drill for the Money?

When it comes to getting into tight places to get that extra few rotations in, sometimes a typical drill or driver won’t cut it. That’s when many of us call upon our special right-angle drill to creep into those crevices to finish the job. To our avail, there are some very highly rated models in the market to take a look at that won’t break our wallets and help polish off our toolboxes.

What is a right-angle drill?

A right-angle drill is fitted with a cutting or driving tool attachment and it is normally a driver or drill bit. It is used for those pesky holes in different materials with the use of fasteners. The attachment may be gripped using a chuck at the end or it may rotate when it is pressed against the target material. The tip can have the edges for cutting the tool and it works by cutting the target materials.  It can slice off thin shavings with an auger or twisted drills and can also crush or remove the pieces of the work in front of you.

It isn’t necessarily a popular piece of machinery considering they aren’t usually included in power tool combo kits. Most individuals think buying a cordless drill or even impact driver will do the job in all, but sometimes you need a tool that will fit into tighter space to give you more efficiency and convenience. Here’s where right-angle drills come in, and for those of us who are drilling quite frequently in our work, can’t live without them at times.

How to pick the best right-angle drill for you

• Price – The best right-angle drills aren’t necessarily cheap, but they can be decently priced depending on how much you’re willing to spend. The higher rated models range from around $100 to $250, so keep that in mind when calculating the cost.
• Corded or cordless? We all know this debate, but when it comes to right-angle drills, we highly recommend cordless since you’ll need versatility and less hassle getting into those tighter spaces. There are some great corded models out there as well. If you do go cordless, keep in mind that many of these are the bare-version and when factoring your budget, will need to include the cost of a battery and charger.
• Voltage – Nowadays, 20 volt power tools are becoming more popular each day while at the same time lowering price to be quite affordable. We wouldn’t recommend going lower than 18 volts (that’s enough for most applications).
• Extra features? Dual speed feature, specialized grip, LED light indicator for extra guidance, etc. Which features are you looking to keep at hand?

The best right-angle drills for the money

DeWalt DCD740C1

This is one of the best right-angle drills in the market for more reasons that just the DeWalt brand logo on the side. It is a cordless compact tool and uses a lithium-ion battery. It gives you 20 volts of power and comes with a deep hex chuck to allow the user to reach a bit further back with the head of the tool, or it can shorten the overall front to back length in the drill with some bits that are already inserted. It features excellent battery power and has a multi-grip trigger that gives you comfortable use in order to match the tool speed to the application. It also has an additional dual speed feature that can match the speed to the application at hand. The DeWalt DCD740C1 is one of the best right-angle drills out there and is the perfect option for those who want to reach small areas where the standard drill just won’t cut it. We highly recommend it.

Makita XAD02Z

Makita has also added to the market one of the best right-angle cordless drills for fastening with a lithium-ion battery. It combines convenience and performance with a compact angle head, which is ideal for applications that are in close quarters. It gives us 18 volts of power and is built with a high-quality speed motor that has torque for different ranges for drilling or driving applications. It comes with a 3.8 inch keyless chuck that was engineered for easy and fast bit installation\removal as well as a compact 3.1 inch angle head that makes the bits easy to remove and install.  The right-angle drill also offers 4-poles in the motor for maximum torque and it has variable speeds that allow for a wide variety of applications you may find yourself needing. The computer protection helps the drill against overheating, over-discharging and overloading. Take a look at the Makita XAD02Z if you want something a bit higher in quality than the previous DeWalt model.

Milwaukee 2615-20

Milwaukee typically makes appearances in our shopping guides, and this particular right-angle drill is worth looking at if you’re a fan of the brand. With the total profile length of over 3 3/4 inches, this is one of the best right-angle drills when it comes to overall construction and stability. It is cordless and uses a lithium-ion battery. It has the arguably industry leading electronic clutch with over 12-torque settings and an LED indicator that can be fastened easily for complete control. The extended multi-position paddle can switch to offer convenience and comfort for prolonged use. It is a powerful motor that delivers over 125 in.lbs for torque with 11 clutch settings with a drill mode to offer additional control. It has a variable speed design and offers over 1500 RPM (18 volts). It has an extended multi position trigger to handle all the convenient operations and for more additional features, the built-in LED lights are able to illuminate the work surface while it indicates the clutch position. Check out the Milwaukee 2615-20 if you want a beastly right-angle drill. Don’t forget that you may need to purchase a battery separately if you don’t have one already.

Bosch ADS181BL

This is one of the best budget-friendly right-angle drills in our opinion. It packs a solid punch with a high performance motor (18 volts) that produces great torque that completes even the most demanding applications. It has a half-inch auto lock with a ratcheting chuck that offers the maximum range for applications for driving or drilling. It also has a compact head length for driving or drilling in tighter places. It is constructed with great ergonomics with a soft and slim design to offer maximum control and comfort. In terms of a few more additional features of the Bosch ADS181BL, the ECP and EMP built-in electronics protect the batteries and tool against self discharge and overheating. Their ‘durashield housing’ is a their unique overall design meant to help for a long life. This also made it into Popular Mechanics’ 8 best right-angle drills article.

Makita DA3010F

Another solid Makita right-angle drill making an appearance in here. This is a powerful corded model with a 4.0 AMP motor with less weight than it’s competitors. It has a variable speed that offers controlled drilling in metal or wood for speed fastening.  It has a built-in LED light that illuminates the work area and has a compact design that can be used while working between the framing studs and other closer quarter applications. The DA3010F also comes with a paddle switch with a speed limiting dial that prevents over-tightening of the fasteners and for easy one-handed operation. It has all-ball bearing construction that offers a long tool life with the right drill chuck. In the package, the product comes with a comfortable grip, a chuck key and a key holder. The Makita DA3010F is just another highly rated right-angle drill we found to be worth looking at if you have the money.