Whether you're hanging shelves, building a deck, or tackling a renovation, a cordless drill is the most versatile power tool you'll own. This guide draws on lab tests and hands-on reviews from expert sources to help you choose.
Who This Is For
This guide is for homeowners, DIYers, and professionals who need a reliable cordless drill for drilling holes and driving screws. It covers everything from light household tasks to heavy-duty jobsite work.
Top Picks
Based on Pro Tool Reviews' head-to-head testing of nine high-performing cordless hammer drills, the Flex 24V Brushless Hammer Drill with Turbo FX1271T earned Best Overall. Its runner-up was the DeWalt 20V Max XR Hammer Drill DCD1007, and for budget-conscious buyers, the Ryobi 18V One+ HP Brushless PBLHM102 was named Best for the Money.
Consumer Reports' lab tests also highlight models from DeWalt, Milwaukee, and Skil as top contenders. If comfort and convenience are priorities, Wirecutter found the DeWalt DCD701F2 Xtreme to be the most comfortable drill they tested, noting it packs sufficient power and useful features.
How We Compared Them
We aggregated data from three expert sources:
- Consumer Reports conducts objective lab tests.
- Pro Tool Reviews developed hands-on tests simulating real-world conditions.
- Wirecutter provides long-term use evaluations.
We examined criteria such as drilling power, driving speed, battery life, ergonomics, and feature set, relying on each source's published methodology.
Buying Considerations
- Voltage: 12V is fine for light work; 18V/20V suits most users; 40V/60V for heavy-duty tasks.
- Battery platform: Stick with one brand's battery system to share batteries across tools.
- Brushless motor: More efficient and longer runtime than brushed motors.
- Chuck size: 3/8" for general use, 1/2" for larger bits.
- Hammer drill function: Adds masonry drilling capability.
- Comfort: A well-balanced, comfortable grip reduces fatigue during extended use.
- Torque and speed: Higher torque handles tougher materials; adjustable speed gives control.
