The best cordless drills will help you tackle your next DIY project with ease. Choose from our selection of budget, mid- and top of the range cordless drills
Every DIYer needs a drill, but choosing the best cordless drill for those DIY jobs and home improvement projects isn't simple. You will want a drill that is reliable, long lasting and powerful enough to take on any DIY projects you have planned.
But alongside features and battery life you will need to consider your budget. If you are a serious DIYer you will need to look for a drill that has top build quality and durability, so expect to pay more.
But, if you are an occasional DIYer you can look for a budget-friendly cordless drill that still retains a lot of the same features, but at a lower price.
Here we take a look at cordless drills across the whole market ranging from budget-friendly drills for beginners right through to powerful hammer and combi drills for the most committed of DIYers to help you make the right choice for your needs and pocket.
The Quick List
Best all-round drill
1. Clarke CON180LI 18V Brushless 4Ah Drill/Driver
The Clarke CON180LI combi drill/driver is a versatile tool that includes two 4.0Ah lithium-ion batteries, a charger, and a durable case, making it a comprehensive kit for DIY enthusiasts.
The Makita DHP458Z hammer drill is a high-quality, versatile drill suitable for both home DIY tasks and demanding construction sites with its two-speed metal gearbox.
The Bosch PSB 1800 is a highly regarded cordless drill, often considered one of the best in its price range. With user-friendly operation, it's a versatile tool for various projects.
The DeWalt DCD796 includes a substantial 5Ah battery, providing approximately nine hours of runtime, and it can be swapped for a smaller battery for reduced tool weight.
The Makita DHP482M1JW combi drill offers a maximum torque of 62Nm making it suitable for general DIY tasks and can drill into a variety of different materials.
The Ryobi RID1801M features a robust motor that provides 220Nm of torque, ideal for tackling challenging DIY projects and stands out as the most powerful cordless drill in this selection.
This Black+Decker affordable drill is versatile and suitable for tasks like assembling furniture, mounting shelves or curtain poles, and drilling into wood and metal.
The Makita two-drill set is a cost-effective solution for a variety of tasks, including drilling into wood, plastic, metal, and masonry offering great value by providing both drills in one package.
The Clarke CON180LI combi drill/driver comes with everything that any DIYer needs to get straight on the job including two 4.0Ah lithium-ion batteries, a charger and a hard case.
The drill itself is marketed at professional contractors, but if your a serious DIYer who is constantly working on a new project then the Clarke is undoubtedly a good investment.
It's high on build quality and performance and comes with a set of smart features including three modes for drilling into wood, masonry and metal. Plus it provides plenty for torque for driving in screws.
The Makita DHP458Z hammer drill is a top end drill that can be used for DIY tasks at home or on a busy building site.
It has a two-speed metal gearbox and an impressive no load speed of 2000rpm, which allows for drilling into almost all materials. And the hammer feature, at 30,000 blows per minute, allows for drilling in masonry as well.
Makita's XPT technology impressively helps to prevent dust and moisture ingress, while a single sleeveless chuck allows for easy bit installation and LED lights aid working in darker areas.
The battery isn't included, but the tool is compatible with the vast range of Makita LXT batteries from 1.5Ah to 6Ah, so you can save money if you already own a Makita tool.
The Bosch PSB 1800 is one of the best, if not the best cordless drill you can buy, especially for the price. It's budget-friendly and a beginner's dream.
This combi drill offers ease of use (simply push the button and let the drill do the rest), and 20 pre-set programmes to help you perform an array of projects, such as assembling furniture or hanging pictures.
There's an autolock keyless chuck to make it easy to change bits, as well as an integrated work light that comes on ready for you to line up your screw before you start drilling it in place.
It also supports the same batteries as the rest of the Bosch range, although you'll need to buy the battery and the charger separately.
The best for battery run time
(Image credit: Amazon)
4. DeWalt DCD796P1 cordless drill
The best for battery run time
Specifications
Torque: 27/70Nm
Voltage: 18V
Battery: 5.0Ah Lithium-Ion battery
Weight (with battery): 1.8kg
No load speed: 0–550/2000rpm
Reasons to buy
+
Quality, single-piece, all-metal chuck
+
Spotlight mode
+
Long battery life
+
Brushless motor
+
Battery included
Reasons to avoid
-
Battery connection not the best
The DeWalt DCD796 is a compact 18V cordless, brushless drill/driver/hammer drill that will suit every task.
It comes with a huge 5Ah battery that has a great run-time of around nine hours, depending on your task of choice (you can use a smaller battery to reduce the weight of the tool if necessary). The battery charges in 75 minutes and the battery technology optimises power to help you complete jobs quickly.
The drill offers 13 torque settings and is suitable for drilling into steel, masonry and wood. It has an excellent quality, single-piece, all-metal chuck capable of supporting drill bits from 1.5mm to 13mm in size, and can drill up to 13mm in steel, 13mm in masonry, and 40mm in wood. It also has three modes of LED work light.
Similarly to the Makita DHP458Z, DeWalt 18V batteries are compatible with the whole DeWalt XR suite of tools, so if you already own something from the range, the bare version of this drill would be a cost-effective choice.
This Bosch tool is another good pick for DIY beginners because its lightweight and compact design makes it really comfortable and easy to use for a range of DIY tasks. It's suitable for use with metal, wood and masonry (as long as you use the correct drill bits).
Supporting interchangeable chucks, it is supplied with a drill chuck capable of using drill bits from 1.5mm to 13mm in size, as well as screw holder with a magnetic cap, and a single 25mm PZ2 bit.
There are also two other chucks available as accessories or in different kit combinations: an off-set angle adapter and an angle screw adapter.
There are different modes for screw driving, drilling and impact drilling, and it offers a maximum torque of 36 Nm (Newton metres). With a 2.5Ah capacity, the drill can be fully charged in 60 minutes.
Part of the Bosch Home and Garden 18V System, this cordless drill is a great choice if you already own tools from the range — they can all be powered with the same battery and charger.
Extreme Protection Technology for outdoor and harsh conditions
+
Battery included
Reasons to avoid
-
Brushed motor is less efficient
With a maximum torque of 62Nm, this cordless combi drill from Makita is a great option for general duty DIY jobs. The 4Ah battery offers decent run-time and thanks to the Rapid Charger, it can be fully charged in just 36 minutes.
Drilling, hammer drilling and screw driving modes are easily selected with 21 torque settings available (these are selected independently of the mode).
A nylon keyless chuck is capable of supporting drill bits from 1.5mm to 13mm in size, and the DHP482 is capable of drilling up to 13mm in steel, 13mm in masonry, and 38mm in wood.
The powerful motor of this cordless impact driver from budget-brand Ryobi delivers 220Nm of torque, making it a great solution for more demanding DIY tasks.
The most powerful cordless drill on this list, it is brilliant for screwing tasks. It offers variable speed settings (including reverse and break modes) giving you complete control at all times, and its three integrated LED lights light up your work space and eliminate shadows at any angle.
It also has a magnetic on-board bit storage that can be really convenient if you are working at height or in a confined space, and easy bit changes are achieved thanks to its 6.35mm keyless hex drive.
Sold as the bare tool, it is part of Ryobi's ONE+ range, so again, if you already own other Ryobi tools and already have a 1.5Ah (or above) battery — this is a great buy. If you don't own other tools from the range, then starter kits including the tool, battery and charger are available.
This affordable drill from Black+Decker can easily tackle flat pack furniture, be used to put up shelves or curtain poles or drill into wood and metal.
It offers 10 different torque settings, with a variable speed function that will give you complete control at all times.
It's lightweight and compact enough to be easily used anywhere around the home.
No load speed: Combi drill: 0-1,400rpm; Impact driver: 0-2,300
Reasons to buy
+
Great value
+
Easy to use
+
Gold drill bit helps with bigger jobs
Reasons to avoid
-
Batteries can't be used with Makita's LXT range
Why buy one cordless drill when you can buy two? This two-drill set from Makita is great for completing multiple jobs, such as drilling into wood, plastic, metal and masonry. And they come together at a very affordable price.
Both models feature an ergonomically designed rubberised soft grip for ease of use, and as part of the twin kit you also get 2x 1.5Ah lithium-ion batteries, a charger, a hard plastic carry case with accessory compartment lid, and 3 x 65mm PH2 impact gold drill bits to help with high-energy applications when using the impact driver.
Combi drill
The combi drill features three drill functions (combi drill, rotary drill and hammer action) and boasts a two-speed gearbox to provide greater torque. It also features a single-sleeve keyless chuck for easy bit installation.
Impact driver
The impact driver packs power with 140Nm of torque, has a variable speed controlled by the trigger for greater control, and comes with a LED job light with pre-glow function to help you work in dimly lit conditions.
Both models also come with a one-year guarantee, but it's important to note that the 18V batteries supplied are not compatible with the Makita LXT range.
Today's deals on cordless drills
Unsure of exactly what sparkling new cordless drill you want for 2023? Then check out these impressive money-saving cordless drill deals and choose the one that suits your needs and pocket.
What should I look for when buying a cordless drill?
To ensure you buy the best cordless drill for your budget and purpose, make sure you consider these specifications:
Torque
As a rough guide, 4-15Nm will be fine for small screw driving tasks like hanging up pictures; 15-30Nm will be suitable for drilling holes and driving in medium-size screws; and 30Nm and above is advised for tackling heavy duty jobs and materials.
Voltage
Voltage works in a similar way. You'd only likely want anything below 18V for very light-duty screw driving tasks, whereas anything above is likely to meet most homeowners' needs.
Battery
Cordless drills don't all come as the same, so keep a look out for the following when it comes to the battery:
Bare drills: this is the tool only, and does not include a battery or a charger (which is fine if you already own a compatible battery and charger from a tool from the same manufacturer)
Base or standalone kits include the tool, a battery and a charger
Advanced kits can include interchangeable chucks, several batteries and a multitude of accessories.
Batteries are available with various capacities, allowing you to use lighter, lower capacity (Ah) batteries when keeping the weight of the tool down is important, or heavier, higher capacity batteries when you want to achieve the maximum run-time between charges. Two or more batteries are ideal, so you can have one in use and one on charge at all times.
It can also be useful to compare cordless drills on their no load speed (the maximum speed it can reach when it's not drilling hols or driving screws) — as once in use, the speed will depend on how demanding the task is.
What does brushless mean on a drill?
The difference between a brushed motor and a brushless motor can set you back £40-50 - but it's worth paying the extra to get a brushless drill.
Brushed motors sit in the drill and require small metal brushes to work with magnets to convert electricity into power. When they break, you have to replace them.
Brushless drills meanwhile have an electronic circuit board and a sensor to do the same thing. Not only do you not have to worry about replacing them, but brushless drills are more energy-efficient because no energy is lost through friction from the brushes.
What drill feature and accessories do you need?
If your deal of choice includes batteries and a charger then that's extremely handy. If however you are only looking to buy the bare model, then make sure you get two batteries and a charger: one battery so you can use your drill right away, and the other battery for charging while you're working.
Another useful accessory is a drill holster, or a clip that you can place on your tool belt, which makes it really easy to slot your drill in and carry it around with you.
How we're testing the best cordless drills
There's a lot to consider when buying one of the best cordless drills, and the Homebuilding & Renovating team is getting hands-on experience with the products in this buying guide to help you feel confident in choosing the right drill for you.
In our ongoing independent reviews we are testing the ease of use and power to gauge each drill's efficacy, and assessing key factors including battery life, weight and value for money. We’re also reviewing everything in-between from additional features to which drills are most beneficial for you depending on your task of choice.
Our team is passionate about DIY and home improvement (which probably won’t be a surprise) so we already have detailed knowledge about the brands that make these drills. Moreover, we have taken into account user reviews when compiling this buying guide, and gleaned key information from our sister sites such as Real Homes and Ideal Home to help you find the best cordless drill for your home.
Still intrigued by our testing process? Find out more about how we test on our page. Here are a few of our Homebuilding & Renovating tools testers:
David Hilton
David is a renewables and ventilation installer who is passionate about testing new tools. He has reviewed the the Makita DHP458Z 18V Cordless Hammer Drill and the DeWalt DCD796P1 Cordless Drill for Homebuilding & Renovating to assess their suitability for the toolboxes of self builders and renovators.
Garry Martin
Garry is an independent product tester and tools addict. For Homebuilding & Renovating, Garry has reviewed the Bosch AdvancedImpact 18 Cordless Drill, which he describes as "well-balanced, comfortable to use", and the Makita DHP482M1JW Cordless Drill which he called a "robust combi drill ... that is equally at home helping out with DIY as it is surviving the rigours of wet, dusty job sites."
Get the Homebuilding & Renovating Newsletter
Bring your dream home to life with expert advice, how to guides and design inspiration. Sign up for our newsletter and get two free tickets to a Homebuilding & Renovating Show near you.
Jack has worked in journalism for 11 years and was the News Editor for Homebuilding & Renovating from 2019 until the beginning of 2023. He strives to break the most relevant and beneficial stories for self builders, extenders and renovators, including the latest news on the construction materials shortage and hydrogen heating. In 2021 he appeared on BBC's The World at One to discuss the government's planning reforms.
He enjoys testing new tools and gadgets, and having bought his first home in 2013, he has renovated every room and recently finished a garden renovation.
