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Best Cordless Drills 2024 - Forbes Vetted

The best cordless drills offer more speed and power than a screwdriver, plus the capability to drill holes in drywall, wood and other materials for quick home repairs or making your DIY dreams come

The best cordless drills offer more speed and power than a screwdriver, plus the capability to drill holes in drywall, wood and other materials for quick home repairs or making your DIY dreams come true. After testing 12 cordless drills with varying amounts of power and features, the DeWalt 20V Max Brushless Cordless ½-Inch Hammer Drill Kit is my top pick because it has enough power to complete a wide range of tasks, but it’s easy to adjust the settings and comfortable to hold. On the other hand, if you need only a light-duty drill for tasks like hanging shelves and assembling furniture, then the Milwaukee M12 Fuel Installation Drill/Driver Kit is a more compact tool with four attachments for increased versatility.

After weeks of testing, these are the four best cordless drills for quick home repairs or making ... [+] your DIY dreams come true.

Here are all the winners from my testing process:

To understand the differences between drills, I spoke with with Brandon Walker, construction manager with ASAP Restoration, who identified four factors that affect the power delivered by a cordless drill: voltage, battery, torque and speed. Most notably, cordless drills are divided based on voltage into light-duty (12V) models and heavy-duty (18V or 20V) models. Within these categories, you’ll find drills with varying amounts of torque and speed. A rechargeable battery is often part of the bundle and is usually interchangeable with other compatible batteries from within the brand. So if you already own one or more cordless power tools from a specific brand, it may be most advantageous to look for a cordless drill from that lineup to maximize the opportunity to use the same batteries for all of your tools.

With these factors in mind, I tested a range of cordless drills, along with a couple of impact drivers, to find the models best suited for tasks large and small. Here are the best cordless drills to help you knock out your to-do list.

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The DeWalt 20V Max Brushless Cordless ½-Inch Hammer Drill Kit is a great pick whether you’re starting out with DIY projects or expecting to take on more advanced maintenance or repair tasks. This do-it-all drill has a 20V brushless motor that, when compared to a brushed motor, reduces internal friction that can otherwise negatively impact battery life, cause the drill to overheat more quickly and require more maintenance. It proved itself more than capable for every task during testing, and it combines a compact form with a trio of LED lights for better access and visibility in tight, dark spaces compared to every other cordless drill I tested. While it isn’t the lightest cordless drill that I tried (that title belongs to the 1.4-pound Bosch 12V Max Two-Speed ¼-Inch Hex Pocket Driver), its 2.5-pound weight feels balanced in the hand, with a good grip.

Several features make this cordless drill especially well-suited for light-duty tasks like driving screws or drilling holes, as well as heavy-duty jobs like driving a lag bolt. The drill has two speed settings and 15 clutch settings, which are clearly marked and can be easily adjusted to optimize the power and torque for the job at hand. For example, when drilling holes into a beefy piece of lumber 6 inches thick, this DeWalt drill operated smoothly without any hesitancy or overheating, and it had enough power to avoid being bogged down by wood shavings, which was an obstacle for some other cordless drills I tested. At the same time, it wasn’t too cumbersome to use for basic tasks like drilling pilot holes into a 2-inch-thick board. During testing, it was one of the most versatile drills that I used, and it didn’t seem too complex for simple jobs or underpowered for tougher work.

When drilling holes into a beefy piece of lumber 6 inches thick, the DeWalt 20V drill operated ... [+] smoothly and didn't get bogged down by wood shavings.

Although my testing didn’t include masonry applications on materials like concrete, brick or stone, this option is equipped with a hammer drill function to make penetrating these dense materials easier. Elaborating on this capability, Nick Cappolloni of DeWalt says, “This function delivers enhanced percussive force in addition to the drill’s rotational force.” It’s most useful when the task at hand involves driving fasteners into concrete or drilling holes into brick.

Out of the box, this DeWalt drill includes a 2 Ah (amp-hour) battery, charger, belt hook and soft-sided storage bag. It doesn’t include a side handle for extra stability, but I didn’t have any trouble controlling the drill’s power during testing.

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For more intensive jobs, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel ½-Inch Drill/Driver Kit is the best heavy-duty cordless drill that I tested. It has a metal chuck (the adjustable mechanism at the end of the drill head that holds a drill bit or driver) rather than plastic for better grip and bit retention, along with 18 volts of power, and it offers a faster max speed than any other cordless drill I tested (except for the Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Impact Driver Kit). During testing, the 2,100 rpm drill speed meant this tool was capable of driving a 5-inch lag bolt all the way into a 6-inch wooden post in a way that felt very powerful, like the tool had something to prove. To control the power, Milwaukee also includes a side handle for this drill that gives you more control and stability and minimizes the chance of experiencing kickback, which happens when the drill bit ‘binds,’ or gets stuck in the material you’re drilling into. This sends the force from the motor through the tool and causes the drill to ‘kick’ or counter-rotate in your hand, which can cause injuries like sprains.

The Milwaukee M18 drill’s impressive max speed of 2,100 rpm makes quick work of drilling holes in a ... [+] way that felt smoother and faster than other cordless drills I tested.

This drill’s impressive max speed of 2,100 rpm also meant that it made quick work of drilling holes into a 6-inch post, in a way that felt smoother and faster than other cordless drills I tested. It didn’t struggle to drive screws into a pair of stacked 2-inch-thick boards, so it’s versatile enough to use for light-duty tasks, too, although you’re likely to notice its increased weight (4.8 pounds) and noise. When compared to other drills, the high-power motor, metal chuck and large battery make this model feel large and heavy in the hand. But it also feels very durable, like it would easily withstand being dropped. Regarding durability, Walker says, “If the drill is for a worksite where people wear hard hats, then getting a good higher-end model that can survive a fall or a cinder block being dropped on it will be a better option.” This Milwaukee model fits that description and is the only option I tested that comes in a hard-sided case for easier transport and safekeeping, rather than a soft-sided bag.

If small home projects are the only tasks on your to-do list, there are better options for a cordless drill that will be smaller and quieter for use around the house. But on the job site or for major home renovations, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel ½-Inch Drill/Driver Kit has more than enough power and is one of just a few drills I tested that also include a pair of batteries (in this case, long-lasting 5 Ah batteries) and a charger.

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The Milwaukee M12 Fuel Installation Drill/Driver Kit impressed me with its smooth performance, easy-to-hold design and multiple attachments—making it the 12V cordless drill I would put in my toolbox. It has a brushless motor with two speed settings and up to 1,600 rpm. That was enough power to easily drill holes into stacked 2-inch-thick boards or seat a dozen screws, yet this drill was limited in its ability to drive a lag bolt or drill deep holes in a 6-inch post. Those limitations are understandable for a 12V drill, which prioritizes a smaller form over major power and torque.

Regarding form, this 12V cordless drill stood out from the other options I tested based on its in-line grip coupled with a front support that is magnetic and can hold various drill bits, saving me a return trip to the toolbox when I was in the middle of a task. The handle coupled with the bit holder means that the drill easily stands on its own in between tasks without risk of it toppling over, while most of the other 12V drills I tested have to be placed flat on the work surface. Four attachments add to the versatility of the drill, including a right-angle elbow and offset attachment for better access in confined spaces while using the ⅜-inch all-metal chuck or ¼-inch hex attachments. The attachments are likely to come in handy when working in a cabinet or around fixtures, but I wish that the LED offered better illumination. It’s a bit dim when compared to the work light provided by other cordless drills.

The Milwaukee M12 drill has a brushless motor with two speed settings and up to 1,600 rpm, which is ... [+] enough power to drill holes into stacked 2-inch-thick boards, but this drill was limited in its ability to drive a lag bolt in a 6-inch post.

The most unique aspect of the Milwaukee M12 Fuel Installation Drill/Driver Kit is its push-button control pad on the top of the drill, which has two buttons to change the direction of the drill (forward and reverse) and a lock button. I thought that this feature would be more intuitive than it actually is; during tasks like drilling holes using a drill bit, it became cumbersome to stop and push the button every time I wanted to use the drill in reverse. All the other drills I tested are equipped with a mechanical button on either side of the hand grip, making it faster and easier to change the direction of the drill. Still, I think that the push-button controls are at least innovative in theory, if not overly intuitive in use.

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For a cordless drill that is efficient and affordable, I recommend the Craftsman V20 Cordless ½-Inch Drill/Driver Kit. It doesn’t have the same oomph as other 18V or 20V drills and comes with a small 1.3 Ah battery pack, but it has a ½-inch chuck to accommodate a larger drill bit and completed every challenge in my tests—including the tough task of burying a 5-inch lag bolt into a 6-inch-thick piece of lumber. It has a brushed motor with a limited max speed of 1,500 rpm, so it’s not a huge surprise that it completed tasks more slowly than other drills I tested. But for its $79 MSRP, it’s hard to beat the value and versatility of this Craftsman model.

The Craftsman 20V drill is capable enough for projects around the house, but it’s not the best pick ... [+] for heavy-duty tasks since it has limited speed and battery life.

This cordless drill fits well in the hand, but it’s not as compact as other picks. Specifically, it has a larger head and longer handle that make it less useful for accessing tight spaces. There’s generous use of plastic components and no metal chuck at this price, but I still think that there’s sufficient grip around the chuck, and it’s easy to insert and secure a drill bit. It’s capable enough for projects around the house, but it’s not the best pick for heavy-duty tasks since it has limited speed and battery life.

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The pocket-sized Bosch 12V Max Two-Speed ¼-Inch Hex Pocket Driver is the most lightweight cordless drill I tested, weighing only 1.4 pounds and measuring just 6.5 inches from top to bottom, so it won’t weigh down your tool belt or take up much room in your toolbox. In the hand, this is the most nimble 12V cordless drill, and it has a comfortable grip and trigger with excellent LED illumination for your work area. Despite being compact and lightweight, it proved its worth during testing by seating a dozen screws and drilling holes into a pair of 2-inch-thick boards.

The Bosch 12V drill is the most nimble 12V cordless drill I tested, with a comfortable grip and ... [+] trigger.

There are expected limitations for such a small cordless drill. It wasn’t the fastest at drilling holes or the most powerful at driving fasteners. The brushed motor does offer two speed options, but at 1,300 rpm and 265 inch-pounds of max torque, other drill drivers I tested are better optimized for speed or heavy-duty tasks like driving bolts into dense materials. It’s also not the most affordable cordless drill I tested; you can spend less for a more powerful drill. But the appeal of the Bosch 12V Max Two-Speed ¼-Inch Hex Pocket Driver is that it’s light, small and sturdy, so you can comfortably use it for long stretches of time or in tight spaces without losing your grip.

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The Ridgid 18V SubCompact Brushless Cordless ½-Inch Drill/Driver Kit had the best combination of features and value among the drills I tested. It retails for about $30 less than my top overall pick, the DeWalt 20V Max Brushless Cordless ½-Inch Hammer Drill Kit at the time of publication, but it’s frequently on sale for even less. And while it doesn’t have a hammer drill function like the DeWalt (which is useful for drilling into brick or concrete), it offers a wide range of clutch settings. According to Docia Boylen, the owner of Handyman Connection of Golden, the clutch stops the drilling action once it reaches a specific level of resistance. She emphasizes how important that feature can be, especially if you’re just getting started with using a cordless drill and want to minimize the chance of stripping out a screw.

The Ridgid 18V drill didn’t struggle to fully seat a 5-inch lag bolt, and it completed its work with ... [+] less noise and intensity than other drills.

During testing, this Ridgid 18V drill impressed me with its power. It has a brushless motor with a top speed of 1,750 rpm, which isn’t enough to outdo the top-performing drills I tested but easily exceeds the speed offered by any light-duty cordless drill I tried. This speed was especially noticeable when drilling pilot holes or boring round holes into a 6-inch post. It also didn’t struggle to fully seat a 5-inch lag bolt, and it completed its work with less noise and intensity than other drills.

Ridgid includes a pair of 2 Ah batteries with this 18V drill, making it ideal for extended work sessions around the house or lengthy DIY projects. Adding to the appeal of this model is the fact that it’s covered by a three-year warranty and a lifetime service agreement, which means you can receive free service, replacement parts and replacement batteries.

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The Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Impact Driver Kit dominated every task during testing—as expected for a tool with this much speed and torque. And while I found it to be loud, heavy and aggressive compared to cordless drills, it was less jarring to use than the other impact driver I tested (the DeWalt Atomic 20V Max Brushless Cordless ¼-Inch Compact Impact Driver Kit).

You don’t want an impact driver to do the job of a drill (the extra force behind the tool’s driving action means it produces less accurate holes while drilling and might blunt your drill tip more quickly because of the tool’s high rpm), but it definitely is the best tool for driving fasteners, like bolts, into dense hardwood. During testing, this drill put a lag bolt into a 6-inch-thick post in a flash, and it was equally adept at driving smaller wood screws into stacked 2-inch-thick boards.

During testing, the Makita 18V impact driver put a lag bolt into a 6-inch-thick post in a flash, and ... [+] it was equally adept at driving smaller wood screws into stacked 2-inch-thick boards.

The driver is heavier than many cordless drills; it weighs 3.3 pounds. However, that weight is well-balanced, and in my experience, I found the narrow grip to be easy to hold even though I have relatively small hands. This tool includes a 3 Ah battery that distinguishes itself from the other battery packs included with the drills I tested by having the fastest recharge time of 30 minutes. This means that even if you deplete the battery, you can get back to work quickly.

Along with the seven winning cordless drills, I tested five more models that didn’t have the attributes or performance chops to be named a winner.

After testing 12 cordless drills with varying amounts of power and features, these are the best ... [+] cordless drills to complete a wide range of tasks.

Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless ½-Inch Driver/Drill Kit (8.5, $169): This Makita model is a heavy-duty drill that didn’t fall short in any specific task during testing. It straddles the middle ground between my top pick of the DeWalt 20V Max Brushless Cordless Compact ½-Inch Hammer Drill Kit and the Milwaukee M18 Fuel ½-Inch Drill/Driver Kit, which I recommend as the best heavy-duty cordless drill. This option has more rpm than the DeWalt but isn’t as ergonomic to hold and use, and it weighs more (3.8 pounds versus 2.5 pounds). It has fewer rpm than the Milwaukee model and doesn’t feel as durable.

Workpro 12V Electric Cordless Drill Driver Kit (6, $52): Designed for light-duty tasks only, this cordless drill is one of the most affordable I tested. But it has some compromises that kept it from earning my recommendation as the best budget cordless drill. Most notably, it has an uncomfortable plastic grip with minimal cushion for the palm or fingers. This shortcoming is only magnified when you have to put some pressure behind the drill to complete a task, like fully seating screws. I also found the LED work light to be dim and the battery life indicator to be hard to interpret. If you can step up to the Craftsman V20 Cordless ½-Inch Drill/Driver Kit, you’ll have a much more versatile tool at your disposal. But for putting a few holes in drywall or seating a few screws, this model can get the job done, and it’s frequently on sale.

Ryobi 18V One+ HP Compact Brushless ½-Inch Drill/Driver Kit (7, $129): The Ryobi is an affordable entry to higher-voltage drills, but testing revealed that it’s better suited for light-duty purposes. For example, the drill became hot when faced with demanding tasks, like boring holes into a 6-inch-thick post, and it slowed significantly driving a lag bolt into the same post. If your primary purpose is to fasten screws or make small holes for hanging pictures or hardware, then it might serve you well, but for a wider range of tasks, there are better options.

Black+Decker 12V Max Cordless ⅜-Inch Drill Driver Kit (6, $40): This budget drill barely succeeded at any task during testing. It managed to drill a half dozen holes in a 2-inch board, but it was slow going. It also lacked the power to fully seat a dozen wood screws in the same board. Other faults include a small 1.5 Ah battery and the lack of a battery life indicator for the tool—it makes it hard to quickly identify whether a loss of power is the fault of the tool or a dying battery.

DeWalt Atomic 20V Max Brushless Cordless ¼-Inch Compact Impact Driver Kit (7.5, $99): Aside from being very loud (which is characteristic of impact drivers), the biggest downside of this DeWalt impact driver is that the head of the tool became very hot during use, which wasn’t the case for the other impact driver I tested—the Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Impact Driver Kit. It was also louder and less comfortable to hold, although it has a superior LED work light.

When it comes to picking out a cordless drill, the first decision is whether you need a light-duty or heavy-duty drill. For simple projects that don’t involve drilling into dense or heavy materials for an extended period of time, a light-duty drill is likely to be sufficient. But for intensive tasks like drilling into concrete or brick or for driving big fasteners like bolts into dense wood, a heavy-duty drill is preferable. In addition to voltage, Walker explains that you should compare the battery’s capacity to store energy as well as performance factors like torque and speed. According to Walker, here are the most important things to know about the main criteria for cordless drills:

Voltage: Generally speaking, the higher the voltage rating, the more power the drill is likely to be able to deliver. Light-duty drills are typically 12V models, while heavy-duty drills are usually 18V or 20V models.

Battery: The amp-hours (Ah) on a battery indicate roughly how long it will operate for.

Torque: Torque is the amount of rotational force that the drill produces; the higher the torque, the more drilling and driving power the unit has.

Speed: Many drills will come with speed settings that allow you to deliver more or less power to the motor for greater control.

By matching your average tasks to the drill’s power and performance, you can choose a cordless drill that is the right tool for the job—without overspending or settling for a drill that isn’t up for the tasks you have in mind.

The best cordless drills should be easy to use, comfortable to hold and have the performance and features necessary to complete a range of tasks around the home or job site. With those factors in mind, I researched popular and top-rated cordless drills. I included light-duty (12V) and general or heavy-duty (18V or 20V) drills in my search to address a range of scenarios and users.

I tested a dozen drills with tasks designed to evaluate driving and drilling capabilities. Specifically, I used each drill (with a fully charged battery) to complete the following tasks:

During each test, I made notes if the drill overheated, lost power or suffered from performance issues. I also considered how ergonomic the drill felt in my hand, how simple it was to make adjustments to the speed settings or clutch and how noisy it was to use.

I’m a product reviewer and writer with six years’ experience, and I specialize in researching and testing home products and appliances. That often means assembling furniture, and I’m quick to reach for a power drill to get the job done faster. I’m also no stranger to using a cordless drill for tasks like hanging up artwork and shelves or straightening up a crooked door hinge. My work has also appeared on The Spruce, MyDomaine and U.S. News & World Report.

Along with hours spent researching the nuances of cordless drills and power tools at large, I consulted three experts to get their input on what to look for in a cordless drill. Brandon Walker, a construction professional with more than 20 years of experience and the construction manager for ASAP Restoration, outlined four of the most important features to consider when comparing cordless drills. Next, Docia Boylen, the owner of Handyman Connection of Golden, highlighted why an adjustable clutch is so important and also compared and contrasted cordless drills with their corded counterparts. Finally, Nick Cappolloni, product manager at DeWalt, explained the purpose of additional functions like a hammer setting and why you need to use lower or higher clutch settings.

The cordless drills I tested included batteries with amp-hours (Ah) ranging from 1.3 to 5; the amp-hours reflect the battery’s energy storage capacity. The real question you probably have before starting a task with a drill is: How long will the battery last? Likely, you don’t want to have to pause your project because of a dead battery. While amp-hours provide a baseline for estimating how long the battery will last (more amp-hours equates to longer runtimes), there’s no set formula. Cappolloni explains that the voltage of the drill impacts the battery life, as well as the type of task you’re performing. “More demanding applications will also inversely impact the battery life of the drill,” he says. That means that drilling into knotty wood will wear down the battery faster than making quick and easy holes in drywall. Most cordless drill kits ship with one or two batteries in the box, but you can always purchase a backup to have on hand.

When comparing cordless drills and corded drills, the right tool depends on the task at hand. Corded drills have the obvious advantage of never running out of power, but the downside is that you must have enough cord to reach from an outlet to the spot where you’re using the tool—and you’ll need to manage the cord as you work. Boylen also points out that “corded drills usually can use a larger bit than a cordless drill,” so that’s a factor to consider if you have a heavy-duty project to take on. But for the sake of simplicity and mobility, a cordless drill is hard to beat. With a charged-up battery, these drills can be used indoors or outdoors, and you don’t have the tripping hazard posed by a cord.

Cordless drills range from about $40 to $300. At the lower end of the price range are light-duty 12V models. At the higher end of the price range, you’ll find 18V to 20V models with more functionality and heavy-duty features, like increased clutch and speed settings or a hammer drilling function. Impact drivers also sit at the upper end of the price range and serve a similar function to a drill driver but are designed for more intensive use.

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Best Cordless Drills 2024 - Forbes Vetted