If you’re into DIY, a good cordless drill that’s going to meet your needs is a pretty important piece of kit. Whether you’re a seasoned pro who does regular big projects or an enthusiastic beginner who just wants to hang a picture or two, there’s a battery powered drill out there to suit everyone's budget. But which one to choose?
When it comes to looking for the best cordless drill and bit set for home use, we’ve turned DIY on its head and done the job for you. We’ve done all the research and listed what we think are the best drill drivers and combination drills on Amazon, Argos and eBay to help you find your perfect match. So, get ready to drill down to exactly what you need to know!
Quick List - Top Cordless Drills
Makita
A Drill to Stand the Test of Time From a Respected Brand
Ryobi
Best Cordless Drill Under £100 With Over 100 Tools to Buy Into
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So you’ve decided that you need a new cordless drill – what next? There are quite a few different variations in what functions and features drills can have, and which ones you choose depend on the jobs that you need your cordless drill to be able to handle.
There are two main types of cordless drill: drill drivers and combinations (or combis for short). So let's take a look at what these terms mean so you can decide which one would be best for you.
Drill drivers are perfect for completing small tasks around your home, such as hanging pictures and assembling flat pack furniture. They usually have a keyless chuck, which means you can easily change the drill bit without the need for a key or tool.
While they are a great option for your first drill, drill drivers don’t have hammer action (a pulsing action which gives much more power for getting through harder materials), meaning that you won’t be able to drill into brick or concrete for tasks such as hanging shelves.
If you plan on drilling into any kind of masonry, then a combi should be your drill of choice. As well as drilling holes and driving screws, they also have hammer action – so unlike drivers, they do have the extra pulsing function needed for drilling into brick and concrete with ease.
The downside of combination drills is that, owing to the mechanism for the hammer action, they tend to be much heavier than drill drivers, and they also tend to be more expensive. So if you feel you may need this extra power they are a good investment, but if not, a drill driver should suffice.
If you're working with nails, it's best to use a nail gun for better precision.
While voltage doesn’t necessarily equate to better drilling, higher voltage drills will be more suitable if you’re planning on doing a lot of DIY work. Voltages of drills generally range from 12V-24V, so if you’re planning on heavy use, look for a drill towards the top end of this range.
On the other side of the spectrum, if you only plan on doing odd jobs around your home, a drill with a lower voltage should be perfectly capable, and it will probably be lighter and more compact, too.
Torque is the amount of rotational force a drill has, and higher torque means more drilling strength for heavier jobs. However, use too much torque on a job such as drilling in a screw and you could cause damage by stripping the screw head and ruining it completely.
If you need your drill to perform a range of different tasks, you need to be able to adjust the torque so that you’re using the appropriate amount for the job in hand. So, with this in mind, you might want to look for a drill with adjustable torque settings so that you can tackle anything and everything with one tool.
If you need to have more controlled drilling at slower speeds, then you should check the model specifications to see if the drill has two gears to allow for this. Regular users should also check to see whether the drill has metal gears, as these will last much longer than their cheaper but less durable nylon counterparts.
What’s included with a cordless drill can vary hugely. Some cordless drills include just the drill, and batteries and chargers have to be bought separately. Others, meanwhile, include the drill, batteries, chargers, storage bags and numerous drill bits and screwdriver heads!
While some people already own all the drill bits they need or they want to use a specific brand, others may want an all-in-one package to save costs. If you fall into the latter category you should take note of what accessories are included with a drill, so that you can make sure you’re buying everything you need in one go.
Consider adding a tool kit to your DIY collection.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Makita G-Series 18V Cordless Combi Drill|HP457DW | ![]() | A Drill to Stand the Test of Time From a Respected Brand | |
2 | Bosch Cordless Hammer Drill Driver|PSB 1800 | ![]() | The Ultimate Drilling Kit in One Package | |
3 | Ryobi 18V Cordless Combi Drill Starter Kit|R18PD3-215GZ | ![]() | Best Cordless Drill Under £100 With Over 100 Tools to Buy Into | |
4 | Black+Decker 18 V Cordless Combi Hammer Drill | ![]() | A Powerful Combi From a Name You Can Trust | |
5 | HYCHIKA 12V Cordless Drill | ![]() | A Set With the Widest Range of Accessories for Under £50 | |
6 | Blue Ridge Cordless Drill Driver | ![]() | Lightweight Yet Tough | |
7 | MYLEK 18V Cordless Drill Driver | ![]() | A Robust Choice With Some Useful Features | |
8 | Werktough Cordless Drill Driver|D018 | ![]() | A Back to Basics Drill With High Torque Settings | |
9 | Flybiz 21V Professional Industrial Rechargeable Cordless Drill Driver | ![]() | Great for Working in Tight Spots Around the House | |
10 | Terratek 13pc Cordless Drill Driver | ![]() | Lightweight With Lots of Control |
This powerful 3-function combi drill from Makita can be used for hammer drilling, powered screw driving, and high-speed drilling, making it a versatile tool for any DIYer's kit. It has an ergonomic handle and soft grip, and the metal gears mean it will last you much longer than drills with the usual nylon.
This is a heavy-duty model, so it's perfect for someone who needs a tough and reliable drill day after day, and the quick charging time and interchangeable batteries with other Makita tools means you're always good to go. We think this is a fantastic bit of kit, and that's why it's our top pick!
This drill from Bosch features intelligent electronics that detect the difficulty of the job and deliver the exact power needed which helps prolong the battery life, so you can get more done between charges. Changing accessories is quick and easy, and the titanium bits included are high quality and durable.
This drill is also part of a wider range with transferable batteries, so you can easily add to your Bosch collection knowing that the 18V batteries will work in all your tools. The only criticism we can make is that the torque can be a little bit lower than expected especially for heavier work.
This combi drill from Ryobi functions as a drill, a screwdriver, and a hammer drill which is ideal for tackling hard materials such as brick, stone and concrete. From installing curtain rails to outdoor lights and fixtures, this tool will handle it!
It is also supplied with 2 batteries, so you can have the spare one charged and at the ready. This is a great drill and forms part of Ryobi's ONE+ range, which means the universal batteries can be used across their range of over 100 household tools.
This is a compact drill with a lot of power, that can quickly and easily tackle drilling into anything from wood to masonry and concrete. It forms part of Black+Decker's 18V range including power tools and garden tools, so you can build your collection by buying bare units and using the interchangeable batteries.
There are odd cases with this drill where the chuck has either become jammed or completely stuck, but the cases of this happening seem to be very few and far between, and otherwise, this drill offers a great deal of power at a very reasonable price.
If you need a drill with plenty of control, then this offering from HYCHIKA is ideal as it has a fantastic range of torque settings – 22 in total. It also comes with an extensive range of drill and screw bits and a handy wallet to store them all, as well as a soft storage bag to ensure no bits and pieces gets lost.
While this drill offers fantastic value for money, there are quite a few cases of the bits shearing off whilst in use, so you may have to replace those supplied with ones that are better quality. This isn't a major issue for most, but it could be annoying if you want an all-in-one set with no additional costs.
This drill from Blue Ridge is impressively tough, especially seeing as it weighs in at only 0.84 kg. The battery has a real-time capacity indicator so you always know how much power you have left before you need to charge again.
While the battery capacity indicator is undoubtedly useful, the manufacturers don't specify how much time the battery takes to fully charge so this may be a bit of a gamble.
This drill driver from MYLEK comes with some great features, including a variable speed trigger for better control when working with wood or metal, and a safety quick-stop brake for conserving battery power and reducing the likelihood of injury. It is robust yet easy to hold, and again, features an LED work light.
There are some cases of a faulty indicator light showing that the battery is fully charged when it isn't, which is a shame. The drill bits supplied also aren't the toughest, so depending on the work you need to do you may find you need to replace them.
This drill driver from Werktough features an ergonomic soft-grip handle for ease of use, and its 18 torque settings make it well suited for drilling into a variety of materials from wood and plastic to metal. The LED light gives you a clear view as you work, and it comes with a 2-year manufacturer's warranty.
Where this drill falls down is that when high torque settings are used, the battery is drained fairly quickly. This isn't so much of an issue if you plan to use it for one-off tasks, but it could slow you down quite a bit if you have a lot of work to get through.
This drill driver from Flybiz charges in just one hour, meaning that you can spend less time waiting for it to charge and more time getting the work done. It features LED lights to help you work better in dark places, and the handy flexible extension rod included will make it so much easier to operate in tight spots.
This drill is good in the respect that it is ideal for basic jobs around the house, but its lack of torque means it is only really suitable for light use. We expected it to feel much more robust than it does, and there are cases where either the bit or the chuck broke resulting in the whole drill having to be replaced.
This drill from Terratek has a good range of torque settings, so you can find the perfect one for the job in hand. The handle has been designed with an ergonomic grip in order to be comfortable to hold for extended periods, and its light overall weight means it puts much less strain on your arms and hands.
Despite being advertised as a combination drill, users found that it was much better suited for work on lighter materials rather than masonry or concrete. Some also noted that they felt it was lacking in torque, so if you have heavy jobs to do this may not be the drill for you.
That concludes our delve into the best cordless drills available right now. We hope that you found the information you need to be able to decide what cordless drill you want to buy, and that you found the perfect one that meets all your needs in our listing. Wishing you the best of luck with your DIY projects!
Author: Catherine Torrance
No. 1: Makita|G-Series 18V Cordless Combi Drill|HP457DW
No. 2: Bosch|Cordless Hammer Drill Driver|PSB 1800
No. 3: Ryobi|18V Cordless Combi Drill Starter Kit|R18PD3-215GZ
No. 4: Black+Decker|18 V Cordless Combi Hammer Drill
No. 5: HYCHIKA|12V Cordless Drill
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