Black + Decker LDX120C review

The Black + Decker LDX120C is a bestselling budget cordless drill that is lightweight to handle.

Black + Decker LDX120C review
(Image: © Amazon)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

Black + Decker LDX120C is a good budget cordless drill, but it's not as powerful as other options and it doesn't have variable speeds.

Pros

  • +

    Lightweight

  • +

    Affordable

Cons

  • -

    Only one speed

  • -

    Long charge times

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The Black + Decker LDX120C is a lightweight and budget drill. It’s not particularly powerful,  but it's light enough at 2.8 lbs, easy on the ear, simple to use and, at around 50 bucks, it’s one of the cheapest on the market. To compare this model with others we’ve reviewed, check out our full guide to the best cordless drills.  

Black + Decker LDX120C: Features 

The eleven-position clutch on the Black + Decker LDX120C is effective and the LED light is a handy touch for illuminating the job you’re working on, but the major issue with the Black + Decker LDX120C is that it, despite having a decent one-hour run-time, it only comes with one Lithium-ion battery which takes three hours to charge. This means that, unless you’re happy having to keep a constant eye on the clock and time your jobs around the run-time, you’re going to need another battery, which costs almost as much as half the price of the actual Black + Decker LDX120C (they’re cheaper if you purchase two) which somewhat undermines its value. 

The Black + Decker LDX120C cordless drill has a two-year warranty, which isn’t as long as some other models, however, it’s also a more affordable option than other big brands too. 

In terms of power, this cordless drill offers 20 Volts which is decent enough to tackle most DIY jobs around the home. However, if you’re looking for a real powerhouse, check out the Milwaukee 0726-22 M28 28-Volt review.

One area where the Black + Decker LDX120C shines over its competitors is cost, even if we factor in an additional battery, the (light duty) Makita FD06R1 is nearly 50 bucks more expensive. 

Black + Decker LDX120C: Performance 

The Black + Decker LDX120C features a 12-volt electric motor that isn't brushless, meaning it uses metal brushes that work with opposing magnets to spin the shaft. This is now old technology and may explain the relatively low cost of the Black + Decker LDX120C. These days the old fashioned brushes have been replaced with an electronic circuit board and a sensor, this is better for several reasons, they allow for smaller and lighter drills - though this isn’t an issue with the Black + Decker LDX120C - more energy-efficiency with the potential to pack more power as there are no brushes to hinder speed. 

The Black + Decker LDX120C cordless drill has 115 lbs of torque, which isn’t that powerful. What’s more, the motor spins the shaft at a pretty average 650 RPM with only one speed setting, whereas many cordless drills offer two speed settings and adjustable speeds too. To put that into some sort of context The Ridgid R82005K is a 20-Volt, two-speed brushed motor and has 400 lbs of torque and it spins at 1500 RPM, that’s more than double the Black + Decker LDX120C with more (a lot more) than three times the torque.  

Black + Decker LDX120C review

(Image credit: Amazon)

Black + Decker LDX120C: User reviews 

The Black + Decker LDX120C has an average user review of 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon.

75% of users gave the Black + Decker cordless drill five stars and 6% gave it one star, so the five-star reviews outnumber the one-star contenders by a whopping six times. Firstly, users commended the Black + Decker LDX120C for its ease of use: it’s light, easy to handle and ergonomic, especially if you’re on the petite side. A lot of the five-star (three and four) reviews make it clear that this isn’t an all-purpose drill but it’s great for light duties.

The one-star reviews revolve around poor quality, dead or dying batteries, weak or defective chuck (this appears to be an issue in some of the better reviews too) and a general lack of oomph.

Should you buy the Black+Decker LDX120C?

The Black+Decker LDX120C is a light usage cordless drill that excels at being inexpensive. This drill is easy to handle as it’s not heavy, but it does lack variable speeds and it’s not the most powerful cordless drill on the market either. 

Jamie is a journalist who has done several pieces of work for Top Ten Reviews across a range of subject matters. Jamie is a keen driving enthusiast, and has specialized knowledge of tires and all things rubber. He is also multi-lingual and has tackled some of our reviews in the language learning software category. His bylines are also on other articles on Top Ten Reviews. A postgraduate background in the arts inspired Jamie’s career as a freelance writer and content creator: among a variety of projects, he writes for the History Channel, works on treatments for television directors, while providing reams of copy for established brands. When not writing, Jamie is a dedicated fan of brisk motorcycles, lurid music and idle days with the family.