The 8 Best Cordless Drills The Spruce Has Tested

Trading cumbersome cords for batteries allows cordless drills to provide far more portability and versatility than plug-in models. The best cordless drills provide all the freedom of movement and positioning you need to carry out tasks like hanging shelves, framing a deck, or boring holes into solid concrete.

Michael DiMartino, senior vice president of Installations at Power Home Remodeling, tells us that there are several types of drills to consider and that you should take into account the sort of projects you want to tackle—12-volt drills for weekend projects, 18-volt models for heavier jobs, hammer drills for concrete work, and impact drivers for heavy-duty fasteners.

With that in mind, we purchased and tested 33 cordless drills to test in our lab, and then take home for long-term testing. We evaluated each drill for battery life, ease of use, ergonomics, accessories, and overall value to identify the best cordless drill for your next DIY project.

Our Favorite Cordless Drill

After putting over 30 cordless drills through their paces, the DEWALT Atomic MAX DCD708C2 was the clear winner. In our tests, this drill/driver proved capable of drilling holes of any size, as well as sinking screws of any size, without problems. It was able to drive and seat the largest lag screws and finesse smaller screws without any issues.

Large-diameter holes were easily drilled without bogging down or stalling. The drill has a 20-volt battery, 1/2-inch chuck, two speed settings with a maximum of 1,650 rpm, and 340 unit watts out of torque (the amount of force with which the drill turns the bit). This compact drill measures a mere 6.3 inches in length and weighs only 2.4 pounds, including the battery, but it's no weakling.

In addition to testing this drill in our lab, we also took it home to see how it holds up in real-world conditions. We used it for a variety of home improvement projects, including installing deck boards, assembling an outdoor patio couch, hanging pictures, and drilling pilot holes for anchors and screws.

Despite frequent use over the span of two years, we never noticed any issues with the battery dying faster, or any other problems with the drill at all. We found that we prefer a larger Dewalt hammer drill for concrete, but we were surprised with how well this drill handled that task anyway.

The Atomic MAX is powerful, but it’s also comfortable to hold, with easy-to-use features. The keyless chuck was easily opened and closed and had no issues gripping the various-sized bits that were tested. The drill felt perfectly balanced in hand, and trigger engagement was effortless. The clutch performed perfectly to limit the amount of torque needed during testing. We also appreciated the built-in work light that helped us see in dim spaces.

The one feature this drill doesn't have is a fuel gauge to notify the user when the battery charge is getting low. However, the battery does have a long run time. In fact, we used the drill for 30 minutes straight without any loss of power.

Overall, we found this drill performed better than expected, and it was a great value for the price. This highly versatile and compact tool yet possesses enough power to tackle even the most significant tasks. It's an excellent option for anyone looking to take on DIY projects at home.

_{Voltage: 20-volt | Chuck Size: 1/2-inch | Clutch Settings: 15 | Max RPM: 1,650 | Max Torque: 340 unit watts out | Drill Weight: 2.4 pounds}

The Best Light-Use Cordless Drill

Although not as powerful as most of the other options on this list, we found the Skil PWR CORE to be a great budget-friendly option for tackling small projects around the house and other occasional use. It presented plenty of power when driving the smaller lag screws and drilling the smaller holes during our tests, but it did stall out with bigger 1/2 and 3/4-inch holes.

For everyday use, we love how accessible this drill is. Five minutes on the charger is enough to get you through 30 minutes of drilling, so it's basically always ready to go. We also found the built-in LED light extremely useful when repairing a hot tub. The positioning can get in the way a little, but having that bright light just where you need it is great.

In addition to the LED light, it also comes with a belt clip. Unlike more expensive models, it only includes one battery and does not include a carrying bag or case. Still, we found this drill performed well, even drilling through concrete without too much trouble, and you can always pick up another battery if you need one.

While this 12-volt drill is not ideal for larger jobs, it's a very useful tool for homeowners or renters who need a drill for smaller tasks. Over our six-month at-home test, we’re happy to report it hasn’t changed at all in terms of performance or battery life.

_{Voltage: 12-volt | Chuck Size: 1/2-inch | Clutch Settings: 18 | Max RPM: 1,700 | Max Torque: 350 inch-pounds | Drill Weight: Not provided}

The Best General Use Cordless Drills

If you want a cordless drill that packs as much power as many much larger drills yet is still small enough to tote around your property easily, check out the Bosch PS31-2A. Although it's a 12-volt model, it has plenty of speed, with a maximum of 1,300 rpm, and with 265 inch-pounds of torque, it also has plenty of power. In our tests, this drill drove screws easily, and the clutch was sensitive to seating screws at the right depth. Impressive for a 12-volt drill.

There are features galore on this compact Bosch drill, including a 21-stage clutch, variable speed trigger, 3/8-inch chuck, soft-grip handle, integrated LED work light, and a side-mounted battery gauge that helps users figure out how much longer they can work before it’s time for a recharge. The drill kit includes two batteries and a soft-sided carrying case. The Bosch battery has an exceptional run time, often outperforming even much larger 18-volt drills. 

This is an excellent tool for general household and garage/workshop use and is capable of drilling holes and driving screws with few limitations. It delivers a bigger performance than its compact size might lead you to believe.

_{Voltage: 12-volt | Chuck Size: 3/8-inch | Clutch Settings: 21 | Max RPM: 1,300 | Max Torque: 265 inch-pounds | Drill Weight: 1.8 pounds}

If you often need to drill in spots that are tough to reach, tight in space, or oddly shaped, then you'll appreciate the DEWALT Xtreme 5-in-1. In our tests, we found that this drill has great performance and could drill holes of any size with no problem until we tried the larger spade bits. 

Still, it was easy to drive screws, and the clutch enabled us to dial in the correct amount of torque needed for the task. Bits remained secure in the chuck without wobbling, and the drill was very comfortable to grip.

This tool has four attachments for different applications: a 1/4-inch right-angle head, a 1/4-inch quick release for corner spots, a 1/4-inch quick-loading head, and a 3/8-inch ratcheting chuck for extra precision. This is a great set of accessories for driving and drilling in odd spaces. The drill runs off a 12-volt battery and has 15 clutch and two-speed settings with a maximum of 1,500 rpm.

While it might not be the most powerful drill available, this is a great choice if you tend to work in tight spots, such as underneath cabinets, behind fixtures, or above your head. You'd have a hard time finding the various attachments separately. The kit also includes one battery, charger, and bag.

_{Voltage: 12-volt | Chuck Size: 1/4-inch, 3/8-inch | Clutch Settings: 15 | Max RPM: 1,500 | Max Torque: Not stated | Drill Weight: 1.6 pounds}

The Best Heavy-Duty Cordless Drills

Hammer drills add a "hammering" motion to the back of the bit, which provides the power needed to drill into tough material like concrete. The DEWALT XR DCD996P2 provides way more power than needed for hanging pictures or other light tasks, but it is ideal for heavy-duty projects. We had no problem drilling 1 1/2-inch holes through 2x material, and it also drilled 3/8-inch holes in concrete without slowing down.

We used this drill weekly for two years for tasks ranging from light to heavy-duty, including installing a screen door, drilling pilot holes, driving wood screws, and driving bolts. We thought it excelled at everything but driving bolts, a task better suited to an impact driver than a hammer drill. 

This drill has handled just about every job we’ve thrown at it in stride, successfully penetrating brick, concrete, and metal effortlessly. This drill still works as good as new despite hours of use, and the batteries continue to hold charges well. 

It is a professional-level drill that runs on a 20-volt battery, has a 1/2-inch chuck, and has three-speed settings with a maximum of 2,250 rpm in hammer mode or 2,000 rpm in drill mode. When used in hammer mode, it delivers up to 38,250 blows per minute. During testing, drove all the lag screws to full depth without any issues and split the board when the 5/8-inch lag bottomed out.

This sturdy drill has a heavy-duty brushless motor and XR Li-Ion batteries designed to provide longer life and run time than other drills. It has a three-mode LED work light with a spotlight function for working in dark areas. Its weight helps keep it steady in your hands, even when working with high torque. We accidentally dropped it once during a project, but it came out unscathed (aside from some scuffs on the housing).

This is a professional model built for heavy-duty jobs. If you have a big DIY project, such as remodeling the kitchen, this would be the perfect drill to do a wide variety of drilling and driving work. But it's probably more drill than you need for small jobs and just around the house. The drill comes with two batteries, a charger, an auxiliary side handle, and a carry case. Note that you can also use the drill without switching on the hammer mode.

_{Voltage: 20-volt | Chuck Size: 1/2-inch | Clutch Settings: 11 | Max RPM: 2,250 | Max Torque: Not stated | Drill Weight: Not listed}

It might have a 12-volt battery, but through testing, we found that the Milwaukee Fuel 3403-22 is "a beast in disguise." We were impressed by how fast and securely this compact drill drove screws. But we found that the drill worked fine until we started drilling holes 1-1/2 inches deep using a spade bit, and then it started to lag a little.

When we took this drill home, we found it highly reliable for all sorts of DIY projects. Over the past two years, we’ve used it to hang a wall mirror, replace a bathroom fan, install new shades, fix a sofa with a bracket, assemble a bed frame, and more, all without any issues. This drill has always gotten the job done, and its performance is exactly the same as when it first arrived.

We did feel like it was a little heavy, but the ergonomic handle made it comfortable to hold while working on long projects. The 1/2-inch chuck provides a maximum of 400-inch pounds of torque, which is in line with many much heavier 18-volt drills. There are 12 clutch and two-speed settings, with a maximum speed of 1,550 rpm.

At only 5.95 inches in length, this compact drill easily works in tight spaces. It has an LED worklight, a metal belt clip, and a fuel gauge that shows how much battery charge remains. This drill also has a remarkably long battery life.

The kit includes the drill, a charger, a carry bag, and two batteries. One big advantage to this kit over some competitors is that you get one each 2.0 amp-hour and 4.0 amp-hour battery packs, the latter providing double the run time of the smaller one.

This is a professional-level tool that's built well and performs well. It might be overkill for a typical household drill, but it has plenty of muscle for any big jobs that might arise.

_{Voltage: 12-volt | Chuck Size: 1/2-inch | Clutch Settings: 12 | Max RPM: 1,550 | Max Torque: 400 inch-pounds | Drill Weight: 2.5 pounds}

For the toughest jobs, you need an equally tough drill. And that's just what you get with the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2904-22, which has both regular and hammer drill modes. Nothing in our tests was too much for it to handle, including quickly drilling through the 2x4 with a 1 1/2-inch spade bit. After all the testing was completed, the 5-amp-hour battery was still on full charge.

This powerful drill runs off an 18-volt battery, has a 1/2-inch chuck, 16 clutch settings, two-speed settings with a top speed of 2,100 rpm, 1,400 inch-pounds of peak torque, and up to 33,000 blows per minute in hammer mode, giving this tool enough power to tackle just about anything.

Despite its power, this is a fairly compact drill, measuring just a bit under 7 inches in length. That lets you work even in tight quarters. Plus, it has a variety of safety features that are important on the job site, including autostop control should the drill bit become caught. 

It has an LED work light and includes two batteries, a charger, an auxiliary side handle, and a case. We appreciated the drill's ergonomic grip, good balance, and easy-to-use controls but did notice that it's a fairly heavy drill.

If you are a serious DIYer or in the construction business, then this would be an excellent choice. It's a professional-level tool with a correspondingly premium price. Just be warned, when testing this option in our homes for two years, we found that it was overly powerful for smaller tasks.

_{Voltage: 18-volt | Chuck Size: 1/2-inch | Clutch Settings: 16 | Max RPM: 2,100 | Max Torque: 1,400 inch-pounds | Drill Weight: 4.91 pounds}

If you need to tackle heavy-duty projects but don't need a hammer drill, then the Makita LXT XFD14T provides a surprising amount of power. 

After testing the drill, we found that it possesses a significant amount of power. This professional-level drill has an 18-volt battery, 1/2-inch chuck, two-speed settings with a maximum of 2,100 rpm, and a whopping maximum torque of 1,250 inch-pounds.

The trigger is highly responsive and allows for easy speed variation within the high and low ranges. It had no issues drilling holes with a 1 1/2-inch spade bit, and even a 1/2-inch twist bit could easily drill through pine.

At 7 inches in length, this is a fairly compact drill, making it easier to work in tight areas. It includes an auxiliary side handle for better control when working at high speeds or high torque. We were impressed with the power and ease of use this drill provides. Even without a hammer drill option, it was able to drill five 3/8-inch holes in concrete in a little over 20 seconds. We did note that the forward/reverse bar is a little awkwardly placed, though.

Still, this is a great drill for users who need a lot of power for large projects and want a professional-level tool for serious drilling and driving. It's overkill for small projects around the house, however. The drill has two batteries, a charger, an auxiliary handle, and a carry bag.

_{Voltage: 18-volt | Chuck Size: 1/2-inch | Clutch Settings: 21 | Max RPM: 2,100 | Max Torque: 1,250 inch-pounds | Drill Weight: 5.7 pounds}

How We Tested the Cordless Drills

We purchased and tested 33 drills at our testing lab in Des Moines, Iowa. Our team of testers, who ranged in experience from casual users to professional woodworkers, put the drills through their paces, evaluating every drill on numerous aspects of performance.

• Performance: We challenged the tools’ abilities to drive through in wood and concrete. We noted the drill’s performance at different speeds, including how easy it was to change the bits, adjust the settings, drill precisely, and pull the tool’s trigger. 
• Power: Torque is a measurement of the force with which the drill bit spins, and so the more torque, the more powerful the drill. To test the drills' torque, we used a variety of bits to drill pilot holes of different sizes in wood. We then drove lag screws into these holes and backed them out, repeating the process at both high and low speeds.
• Ease of Use: We evaluated the tools’ abilities to drive screws of various sizes into wood and concrete, as well as drilling both small and large holes into wood.
• Features: Once testing was completed, we evaluated the drill batteries for run life, ease of installation and removal, any special features on the chargers, and overall battery performance. We then loaded the drill and its components into the carrying bag, if one was included, and observed how well everything fit and the bag's overall weight.
• Value: To determine each drill's overall value, we considered performance power, ease of use, and extra features compared to its list price. Drills with high performance and many features compared to the asking price were judged to provide excellent value.
• Long-Term Testing: After concluding our lab testing, we tested the top 10 cordless drills in various homes across the country to assess their long-term performance, checking in after two years for several products.

What to Look for in a Cordless Drill

The Right Battery Voltage for Your Projects

Today's heaviest-duty cordless drills have either 18-volt or 20-volt batteries similar to those found in other battery-powered electric tools, such as cordless finisher nailers, which provide enough oomph to drill through even the hardest materials.

Our top pick, the DEWALT Atomic MAX DCD708C2, has a 20-volt battery for the utmost power. However, that extra power means extra weight, which can be tough on your hands, wrists, and arms. If you’re only planning on using your drill for simple tasks, such as screwing furniture together or hanging pictures, 12 volts or less are sufficient, and the drill will weigh less.

Match the Chuck Size to Your Drill Bits

The drill’s chuck is the three-pronged clamp at the front of the drill that holds the bits in place. Generally, the more powerful the drill, the larger the chuck. You’ll typically find that the heaviest-duty drills have a 1/2-inch chuck, which is large enough to accept the big bits used for drilling into metal or stone. 

For most DIYers, however, a drill with a 3/8-inch chuck is sufficient. The Bosch PS31-2A is one such drill with enough power and versatility for most DIY projects. A 3/8-inch chuck is large enough to hold good-sized bits but not so large that the drill is unwieldy. Drills intended for only lightweight jobs often have 1/4-inch chucks. 

Most cordless drills today have keyless chucks, meaning you can change bits without needing a “key” or extra tool; just a twist of your hand will release or tighten the bit.

Adjustable Clutches for Precise Torque

The drill’s clutch sets the amount of torque, which is a measure of the power with which the bit spins. Lower-end or lightweight cordless drills often have just one or two clutch settings, but higher-end or powerful drills typically have 14 to 20 settings, letting you fine-tune the amount of torque while you work.

The very powerful Makita LXT XFD14T has an impressive 21 clutch settings, making it an ideal tool for drilling into various hard materials such as stone or metal or into wood and other softer materials.

Effective Speed Settings or a Variable Speed Trigger

The speed of your cordless drill is measured in revolutions per minute, or rpm.

Many drills have a low- and high-speed setting. Low-speed settings will have more torque, making them better for driving through hard materials such as metal and concrete. The high-speed settings are ideal for faster drilling into materials like wood and plastic. Our favorite drill, the DeWalt Atomic 20V Max Drill/Driver, has two speed settings with a maximum of 1,650 rpm.

You should also look out for options with a variable speed trigger, like the Bosch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit. This allows you to precisely adjust the RPM in real time to suit your needs. For example, if you’re drilling a small hole or driving a screw into a delicate material, you can lightly squeeze the trigger to start slowly and gradually increase the speed as needed.

Why Trust The Spruce?

This article is edited and updated by Michelle Ullman, a tool expert for The Spruce. She has extensive experience not only in writing about all things related to the home, but also in carrying out various DIY projects, including landscaping, painting, flooring, wallpapering, furniture makeovers, and simple repairs.

For this roundup, she received extensive input from The Spruce's team of product testers, who carried out multiple tests of each drill's performance at various tasks, including drilling into wood and concrete.

Our Experts:

• Michael DiMartino, Senior Vice President of Installations at Power Home Remodeling
• Jeremy Laukkonen, an updates writer for The Spruce