The best cordless drills are powerful enough to make DIY drilling tasks as easy as pie. If you need some serious drilling power, we’ve also picked out the best hammer drills for boring holes in masonry and other tough materials.
DeWalt 20V Max XR Brushless Drill (opens in new tab)
Suitable for most DIY jobs
DeWalt is the best cordless drill because of its incredible power, three speeds, and a motor that can reach an impressive 2000 RPM. The three-speed settings mean you can still manage finer jobs that require a slower speed too. An LED torch will illuminate where you’re working and because this DeWalt cordless drill’s motor doesn’t have brushes, you can expect the motor to last longer compared to other drills.
Black+Decker 20V Max Drill (opens in new tab)
A solid option
The Black + Decker LD120VA cordless drill is light and easy to handle, weighing just 2.8 lbs, plus has a soft-grip handle to help you keep control while using it. It only has one spin speed that reaches 1500 RPM, but it's enough to get most DIY tasks done. This basic drill does come with 30 accessories.
Makita XPH11ZB 18V LXT (opens in new tab)
Lightweight design
The Makita XPH12R weighs just 3.6 lbs with the battery installed and comes from one of the leading drill brands around. This cordless drill has been designed so that it can reach tricky areas and with enough power to drill through masonry. It fully charges in about 25 minutes, so there's little downtime as you work.
Milwaukee 0726-22 M28 (opens in new tab)
A powerhouse cordless drill hammer
Power is something the Milwaukee 0726-22 M28 Hammer Drill certainly isn’t short of. This cordless drill hammer packs a punch with 28 volts of power and a brushless motor that gives you 750-in-lbs of torque. Where this cordless drill really impresses is its hammer mode that goes up to 480 impacts a second, which is great for taking on masonry.
What to look for in a cordless drill
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The first thing you’ll need is power. You can measure the power of each cordless drill by its battery voltage. Most of the cordless drills in our round-up offer 20 volts and the higher the voltage, the more torque you can expect from your drill. Sure, you may need to turn to corded drills for the toughest jobs, but cordless models can handle most of the drilling you need.
Top cordless drills should have an adjustable clutch which means you technically shouldn’t ever end up with a stripped screw. The more clutch settings, the more control you’ll have, and some of the best cordless drills in our guide offer as many as 24 clutch settings.
Variable speed is key for those tricky tasks and for manageable precision. The very best cordless drills will have three-speed settings, but it’s still worth considering drills with just two-speed settings since these could be ample for what you need. Lower speed settings are ideal for drilling screws, but high speeds are more suited to boring holes. Be sure to have a look at the maximum RPM each drill is capable of as this will also affect what it can be used for. If you want the best cordless drill spin speed, the Milwaukee 0726-22 M28 is the one for you.
Finally, for drilling holes and working with the toughest of materials, you will need one of the best hammer drills to take on the job. While you will pay a premium for these types of drills, their power really doesn’t compare if you’re doing professional jobs or boring holes.
