A power tool collection isn’t complete without the best cordless drill. Even if you aren’t building up a repertoire or toolbox and merely need the perfect cordless drill to fix some things around the house or work on a few side projects in a shop or garage, it’s a very wise investment regardless. I remember my dad having more than one for many different occasions in his tool box. There are a lot of reviews out there on the internet when it comes to cordless drills in particular, so we wanted to sift through the rubble and find the very best ten to help with your shopping needs.
Table of Contents
What is a cordless drill?
Many may already know what a cordless drill is, but to help put it more into perspective, a drill is a tool with a cutting element that is typically used to make holes in different materials. A cordless drill is a drill that is powered by a battery (unlike electrical, corded drills that are powered by electricity through a plug). Drills are used in households as well as in different industries, so there are drills designed for amateurs as well as professionals. It’s one of the most popularly purchased power tools out there, and although many also equip themselves with corded drills, these are very important to merely build anything.
Every carpentry workshop or even home has a drill because it’s an essential tool: it’s going to be necessary in construction, assembly, putting together pieces of machines\furniture or even fixing random appliances around the house. Pretty much all power tool combo kits have one of these in their packages. Cordless drills can be very simple or a bit complex; they can have a single speed or multiple speeds if that’s what you fancy, different holding positions and more. There are also different ways to change the speeds and direction of operation. We love this cordless drill uses article if you want some more information.
How to choose your cordless drill
- Your budget – How much money you have saved up to purchase your cordless drill will be crucial when selecting a model that’s best for you. As we stated previously in our first and foremost recommendation, there are different price points out there, and the higher you go in terms of price, the higher quality the drill will be of course. If you want something more budget-friendly, read our cordless drills under $50 or best cordless drills under $100 for some more information, or continue reading on since a lot of these in here are pretty affordable.
- Preferred brand? We again know many people who stick to one brand only when it comes to stocking up on power tools. This may deter you in a certain direction when deciding which drill is best.
- Additive features – There are the best cordless drills with special grips, a convenient LED light to help guide your work, different speeds and more. You may be a person looking for a simple drill to get those jobs done quickly and efficiently, while others may be looking for some slick side features that make your experience and work a bit easier\hassle free.
- Overall weight and power – When it comes to cordless tools, you want something that doesn’t weigh you down completely, considering you’ll be using it without a cord and typically need to hit some random angles here and there. The less the better is not necessarily key here; however, you want a drill that weighs decently yet still offers a solid construction to help with longevity. If you want some of the more popular models in terms of higher power, read our 18v cordless drills or 20-volt cordless drills articles (although a few of those are in this article as well).
The top 10 best cordless drills on earth
Below is our list of the ten best cordless in the market. Let us know if you have any questions or comments or feel we missed an important model worth taking a look at. Keep in mind there are numerous models out there and these were the best based on research, user reviews, and overall quality. Even Consumer Report’s best cordless drills article has some different models in there.
Black & Decker LDX120C
As we had mentioned this model previously, the LDX120C is a great cordless drill when it comes to a variety of drilling operations in and around your home. If you want to upgrade your home workshop with a reliable and powerful cordless drill that will be able to tackle a variety of surfaces, then this particular tool is one of the best cordless drills to pick up. With its powerful and long-lasting 20-Volt max lithium-ion battery, it will reliably complete numerous different tasks. It’s also lightweight and has an excellent compact design which makes it very easy to operate and complete even more demanding tasks in confined, small spaces that would otherwise be quite complicated to handle. In terms of additive features, this model by Black and Decker comes with a convenient led light that will ensure sufficient light during work in spaces with limited visibility. The Black & Decker LDX120C will reliably ensure the completion of drilling works on metal, plastic and wood and will be there to serve you for years to come. As we said — this is one of the best out there. You can also read our LDX120C review for some more in-depth information.
DeWalt DCD771C2
The DCD771C2 cordless drill is one of the best out there if you are looking for a reliable, powerful and versatile tool for your workshop. It’s a DeWalt power tool so many would consider this top-of-the line. It comes with a powerful engine that will deliver up to 300 watts of power in two speeds (from 0 to 450 and 1500 RPM), which will enable you to drill through wood, metal and plastics. The DCD771C2 comes with the energy and versatility to complete a number of different operations. This cordless drill is equipped with two batteries that will allow long-lasting operation for as long as you feel like it. Its compact and lightweight design will prevent worker’s fatigue while at the same time enabling you to complete drilling activities even in the smaller areas. The DeWalt DCD771C2 also comes with a sleeve ratcheting chuck that will give you confident gripping power. It comes with a three-year guarantee and is a step up from our previous listed model if you have the cash.
Hitachi DS18DSAL
If you are looking for a reliable and strong cordless drill that falls in the middle price-point, then the DS18DSAL is one to check out. Equipped with 460 in/lbs of torque, it will provide enough power to easily complete even the most demanding drilling operations. This cordless drill has a 22 plus one clutch, which means you have 22 drive modes and one drilling mode that will provide both precision and power. The keyless chuck is 1/2 inch wide, which will enable you to use a number of different bits that you can easily and swiftly replace. The engine is powered by two speeds that will give you complete control during drilling operations. The Hitachi DS18DSAL is also equipped with a convenient LED light like the others that will provide necessary visibility where there is restricted light or to merely help guide you elsewhere. It is compact and lightweight (weighing just 3.5 lbs) to give us yet another one of the best cordless drill models, while giving a solid Hitachi construction we all love.
Makita XPH012
The XPH012 cordless drill by Makita is arguably one of the best cordless drills in its price range if you have the cash because it provides powerful energy, thanks to its 18-Volt LXT lithium-ion battery, as well as versatility and reliability. It can be used as a hammer drill or classic drill, which means you have enough energy to tackle any and every surface, while at the same time having enough precision to make your job as neat as possible. The XPH012 drill is sturdy and will last for an extremely long time (if you take care of it, of course) thanks to it’s all metal construction. It works in two speed modes (0 to 400 and 0 to 1500 RPM) that will enable you to complete a wide array of drilling and hammer drilling operations. The Makita XPH012 cordless drill is compact and lightweight as well (weighing just 4 lbs), which will prevent worker’s fatigue and help with the overall ease of use. Additional comfort is assured with a rubber-covered grip and they offer a 3 year limited guarantee. It also made it into our best hammer drill article because of its overall versatility.
Milwaukee M18 2691-22
The Milwaukee M18 2691-22 cordless drill is a reliable and advanced drill that is equipped with two powerful lithium-ion batteries along with a charger. It’s a bit of a different spin here — although some would consider it a combo kit, we love the impact that comes with it for a bonus. This is one of the best cordless drills when it comes to innovation, power and energy. It is lightweight and compact, which will ensure long work without fatigue. It’s compact design will also help with easy and reliable work in confined spaces. This energetic tool will deliver up to 1400 RPM that can confidently tackle a wide variety of drilling operations. The M18 2691-22 has a four pole frameless engine that includes magnets for a prolonged life and higher energy level that will enable you to work for as long as you wish. It is equipped with a battery indicator as well that will allow you to easily track how much battery life you have left to complete the work. The Milwaukee M18 2691-22 also comes with an LED light and is one of the better cordless drills in terms of quality and construction.
DeWalt DC970K-2
The DeWalt DC970K-2 is another one of DeWalt’s heavy hitters in the drill category. It has a very lightweight and compact design. At the same time, it can easily operate in confined spaces. This is a reliable and powerful two-speed cordless drill (providing speed ranges from 0 to 450 and 0 to1500 RPM) that will ensure confident power to complete even the most demanding drilling tasks in and around house. It comes with 2 strong lithium-ion batteries that power its 380-watt engine, which will deliver all the power you need from this tool — DeWalt has some of the best batteries out there. The DeWalt DC970K-2 cordless drill also comes with a 17 clutch setting that will enable you to choose different settings to finish off with maximum precision. Its soft rubber grip will provide additional comfort for long operations — it’s more of a “what doesn’t this drill have?” type of suggestion.
Ryobi ONE+
If you are looking for one of the best budget-friendly cordless drills in the market, then the Ryobi ONE+ is an excellent choice. This 18-Volt 1/2 inch cordless drill comes with 24 clutch positions that will offer you a wide array of different approaches to tasks you encounter while drilling and driving in your home. It’s design is pretty interesting and intuitive: just over the battery housing there is a magnetized platform that enables you to attach additional parts of hardware to use while working – convenient, right? The design of this cordless drill is compact and lightweight, so it will easily complete tasks in smaller spaces. The Ryobi ONE+ cordless drill comes with 218-Volt lithium-ion batteries that provide energy to its strong engine which can deliver up to 1600 RPM (divided in two-speed settings). This reliable and powerful cordless drill comes with a 3 year manufacturer’s guarantee and is one to take a look at if you want to save some money.
Bosch DDB181-02
Bosch is known for manufacturing some of the best drills in the market, so it is no wonder that our thumbs up goes to their \DDB181-02 cordless drill. This tool is designed to be compact and lightweight, which as mentioned in our checklist will enable prolonged operations without you breaking a sweat. It will work confidently and reliably even in small spaces. The DDB181-02 comes with two 18-Volt lithium-ion batteries that will confidently push the engine to deliver you all the power you need to complete even the most demanding drilling-driving tasks. It also comes with two speeds and 350 inch pound torque that can provide up to 1300 RPM which will allow you to complete a wide variety of operations. The Bosch DDB181 cordless drill is equipped with a LED light as well. They offer a 3 year limited guarantee.
Porter-Cable PCC606LA
The PCC606LA is one of the best cordless drills on the market in its price range. It will deliver all the energy you need with its 20-volt lithium-ion battery that will reliably power the 330-watts engine for an extended period of time. This one comes with two speeds (0 to 400 and 0 to 1600 RPM) that enable you sufficient versatility to complete tasks with different power requirements. This cordless drill comes with a battery indicator that will warn you when the battery needs to be charged — not a must per se but it doesn’t hurt. Like most others, it also comes with a convenient built-in LED light for extra assistance. At the same time, its lightweight and compact design will help you to work for long periods without experiencing worker’s fatigue. The already mentioned compact design will enable you to operate even in confined spaces. The Porter-Cable PCC606LA is a versatile and reliable cordless drill that also comes with a manufacturer’s one year guarantee.
Black & Decker LDX112C
Here’s another B and D we feel is one of the best cordless drills if you want an alternative to our previously mentioned model. It comes with both a drilling and a driving function, which makes it ideal for a variety of operations on many different surfaces: wood, plastics and metal. The LDX112C is equipped with two long-lasting lithium-ion batteries that can hold charge up to an incredibly long 18 months (depends on how often you use it). The driver is ideal for drilling and screw-driving in a variety of materials. It’s convenient clutch with 11 positions ensures precision and control during different drilling and driving operations. Two speed settings also enable precision and control that will enable you to complete work without damage to the surface. It is lightweight and compact, which will enable work in tight spaces, and the LED built-in light will provide necessary light where there is limited visibility. We love the Black & Decker LDX112C if you want a more budget-friendly B and D cordless drill.
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