Drill driver ratings

Top Stories from Years of 'Popular Mechanics'. Tom Schierlitz. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. Gregg Delman. Dislikes: We'd like a second battery, and a battery gauge would also be nice. Dislikes: None. Panasonic EY Craftsman Kobalt KTA. Porter-Cable PCC Roy Berendsohn Senior Home Editor Roy Berendsohn has worked for more than 25 years at Popular Mechanics, where he has written on carpentry, masonry, painting, plumbing, electrical, woodworking, blacksmithing, welding, lawn care, chainsaw use, and outdoor power equipment.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano. In contrast, Milwaukee and Bosch opt to use a canister-style battery that slides up into the handle, so not only are the handle ergonomics bulky, but in addition, with no foot, the drills can only rest on their sides.

Although both the Bosch and Milwaukee models we tested are appropriately padded, we prefer placing a drill upright, especially on delicate surfaces. This battery design offers another benefit: The battery gauge is on the battery rather than on the tool.

This way, you can quickly check both batteries before you start on your project. Otherwise, as with the Bosch and Milwaukee, you need to put each battery into the drill and activate the drill in order to see how much charge remains. With the battery designed to slide into the base of the handle, DeWalt also had room to place the LED down below the grip. The alternative location for the light, which many other volt drills use, is just above the trigger. Even with the drill inside, the bag is compact, and you can easily stuff it in a closet or on a basement shelf.

The one slight negative we found with the DeWalt DCDF2 kit is that taking the battery off the tool is a little counterintuitive. As on most drills, a sliding tab releases the battery, but on the DeWalt volt, you need to press the tab in toward the drill. Other models, such as the volt DeWalt DCDD2, have the tab sliding away from the tool, making it easier to just grab, unlatch, and pull off.

This is truly a minor point, though, and once we got used to the tab on the volt, we had no issues. For that, you need a hammer drill function. Also, the small convenience features that we like so much on the DeWalt, such as the useful light placement and the foot-style battery, are absent here.

It was the only brushed drill we tested that could hang with the brushless models. Bosch has gone with a canister-style battery that slides up into the handle, making the handle fatter and more difficult to hold than that of the DeWalt. The LED is positioned right above the trigger, so it illuminates a smaller area.

The battery life indicator is on the tool rather than on the battery, and the drill has no belt hook. To determine this, we drilled five 1-inch holes with the volt and five with the volt. Both drills completed the task, but the volt did so in 20 seconds, whereas the volt took 1 minute.

During the test, the volt often got bound up and had a much harder time, while the volt just blew right through the wood. The volt drill, on the other hand, is built for these tasks. On a single battery charge, the DeWalt volt drilled 52 1-inch holes through the 2-by The larger DeWalt shares all of the successful characteristics of its volt counterpart.

It has the same excellent handle, the foot-style battery, and a great belt hook. As on the volt drill, the LED sits at the foot of the volt tool, but here DeWalt has put an unusual spin on the idea. The Milwaukee is a little shorter from tip to tail but is an ounce heavier.

We gave the DeWalt volt the edge here only because the Milwaukee drill does not have additional light features and the case lacks extra room to store drill or driver bits. If you see this model for less than the DeWalt volt, go for it. Or, if you already own tools on the Milwaukee M18 platform, you have a convenient way to expand your set with this drill. In all ways, this drill splits the difference between the 12 and volt DeWalts.

During our tests, the Atomic drilled 32 1-inch holes, about 10 more than the volt and 10 less than the volt—a median measure right down the middle on performance. It sports the nice DeWalt handle, and has solid durability and the well-positioned LED which only comes on when the trigger is pulled.

In our tests, it put up almost the same numbers as the DeWalt Atomic. Ridgid also has a very large volt platform , so like the DeWalt Atomic, this is a great entry point into the larger world of DIY tools.

But this Skil model falls short in power versus the others we tried. It also has an overload-protection feature that constantly kicked on while we were using the tool, which was annoying. The power is not that great, either. In fact, its capabilities are in line with our top volt recommendation, but with the added weight of an volt tool.

Also, the handle design includes an added finger notch which we found uncomfortable. It also tends to be more expensive, and it has the LED positioned at the top of the handle. We also looked at the Bosch DDS , which is the same tool but with larger batteries. We also noted an inconsistent showing from the batteries, as one of them was able to drill only nine holes we ran the test four times with that battery.

Its brushless motor delivers RPM and unit watts out of power read more about UWO vs torque here to go with a comfortable, lightweight design.

Grab the CMCD for the same performance in a drill driver instead. On the highest gear, it tops out at RPM. With in-lbs of torque available and kickback protection, one of the few downsides is that it lacks a hammer drill option. Kobalt made the move to an advanced hammer drill with the launch of their XTR lineup.

It also boasts an impressive in-lbs of torque, RPM on the top end, and includes kickback control. Makita brings their 40V max XGT hammer drill to the competition. The GPH01 is compact at just 7. Plus, it has kickback control to add a measure of safety as well as an electronic clutch for controlling torque. The 40V max battery is only slightly larger than a 5. Add in solid ergonomics, the safety of kickback control, and a lifetime warranty, and you get a hammer drill to watch closely through our performance tests.

Hiding inside that small frame is a brushless motor producing up to in-lbs of torque and RPM. Look for the model if that sounds good to you. Ridgid took a step back from the size of their Octane line with the launch of their updated 18V brushless hammer drill. Much more compact and lighter, it pairs with Max Output batteries to produce RPM on the top end and up to in-lbs of torque. It started with legitimately compact tools and then hit the high-performance end with stronger, yet smaller tools.

With in-lbs of torque and RPM on the top end, it actually beat several of our premium models on the Test Track. Performance is our number one priority when we test drills. Most of the time, the more compact and lighter the drill, the better. It helps you work in tighter spaces with less fatigue.

For the most part, we want to use the smallest, lightest drill we can that still gets the job done without strain. Balancing the weight certainly comes into play. There are a lot of features to consider.

Not all of them are necessary, but they can make getting the job complete easier, less fatiguing, or safer. Staying under budget while getting the most bang for your buck is key. Consider what other tools are compatible with the same batteries.

A deep line ensures you can easily add more tools without having to buy a different battery and charger every time. Warranty plays a big part as well. Having a convenient service center close by can save you hours of driving or the cost of mailing a tool in. Few power tools are as basic for both professionals and homeowners as cordless drills. At its core, these are hole-making tools. They help us hang pictures, run wiring and plumbing, create pilot holes, and a host of other projects that require a hole in wood, metal, or drywall.

But the best cordless drill does more than that now. Drill clutch settings give us control over screw driving while hammer modes let us drill smaller holes in concrete and masonry. In short, cordless drills let us drill and drive in almost any material without the need for a cord.

Our Pro reviewers work in the trades and have the skills and experience to know whether tools can perform well in the field.

Each year, we bring in and review more than individual products. Our team will put our hands on hundreds of additional tools at media events and trade shows throughout the year. Pro Tool Reviews consults with innovators in the technology and design of tools to gain a broader grasp of where these products fit and how they work.