The 4 Best Drills of 2025 | Reviews by Wirecutter

Jun 04, 2025

By Doug Mahoney

Doug Mahoney is a writer covering home-improvement topics, outdoor power equipment, bug repellents, and (yes) bidets.

We’ve added drills from Milwaukee and DeWalt to our recommendations and have moved some previous picks to the Competition section.

Cordless drills are more powerful than they’ve ever been. Yet they’ve also gotten so compact and lightweight that you can probably handle one even if you’ve never picked up a drill in your life.

Manufacturers like to market them to pros, but don’t be put off: For all of those slightly more involved home tasks — from hanging a baby gate to mounting shelving — a drill will make the work faster, easier, and more enjoyable. And you’ll be more likely to achieve solid, professional-looking results than if you used hand tools alone.

After drilling over 1,000 holes and sinking at least 60 pounds of screws in drill tests dating back to 2013, we’ve found the DeWalt DCD701F2 Xtreme 12V Max Brushless 3/8 in. Drill/Driver Kit to be the best one yet.

The DeWalt DCD701F2 Xtreme is the most comfortable drill we’ve ever held. It’s loaded with convenience features and packs enough strength and stamina to easily handle common jobs around the home.

The Milwaukee sets a new performance standard at its low weight and small size, but its power falls short of the best drills, and its wide grip is harder to hold versus some larger options.

With five replaceable heads, this drill can get in places others can’t. Most people don’t need it, but advanced DIYers with an eye for cabinetry and fine finish work will see benefits.

The 18-volt Milwaukee 3601-22CT handles demanding work faster and easier than the smaller, 12-volt drills, yet it manages to retain the great ergonomics and other features of our top-pick DeWalt drill.

(deal on single battery bundle)

The DeWalt DCD701F2 Xtreme is the most comfortable drill we’ve ever held. It’s loaded with convenience features and packs enough strength and stamina to easily handle common jobs around the home.

The DeWalt DCD701F2 Xtreme 12V Max Brushless Cordless 3/8 in. Drill/Driver Kit combines power, comfort, and convenience in a way that none of the other tested drills do. In our tests, it bored 30 1-inch holes through a 2-by-10 on a single battery charge, showing it can handle just about anything within the four walls of a home (and even the occasional foray into more aggressive work, like a small decking repair). Other drills we tested had similar power, but the DeWalt DCD701F2 really excels in ergonomics and convenience features. The molded handle seems to account for every curve and bulge of the hand, the battery is designed so that the drill can stand upright when not in use (other drills, like the runner-up Milwaukee 3401-22, need to be placed on their side), and the LED is positioned so that it illuminates the drill front better than most. In all of our years of testing, we haven’t found a drill that’s as much a pleasure to use as this one.

The Milwaukee sets a new performance standard at its low weight and small size, but its power falls short of the best drills, and its wide grip is harder to hold versus some larger options.

Physically small drills can have plenty of power, as exemplified by the Milwaukee 3401-22 M12 Subcompact Brushless ⅜ in. Drill/Driver Kit. Measuring only 5¼ inches in length and weighing just 2 pounds with a battery installed, it shaves almost three-quarters of an inch off the already compact DeWalt’s length and almost a half pound from its weight. It doesn’t match the DeWalt’s capabilities, but it is the smallest drill we’ve ever used, tested, or recommended. Its size makes it an easy drill to operate, especially in tight spots, but because the battery slides up into the handle, the grip is fatter and not as contoured as the DeWalt’s. Also, the LED doesn’t illuminate as well. Even with these drawbacks, this is still a fantastic drill and one that sets a new bar on the combination of size and performance.

With five replaceable heads, this drill can get in places others can’t. Most people don’t need it, but advanced DIYers with an eye for cabinetry and fine finish work will see benefits.

The DeWalt DCD703F1 Xtreme 12V Max Brushless Cordless 5-in-1 Drill/Driver Kit is similar to the top pick, except that the head of the drill can be taken off and replaced with one of three other options. This functionality makes it a few ounces heavier and about a half inch longer than our top pick, and it’s also more expensive. The heads vary from a right-angle option to an offset driver that can sink screws in tight inside corners, like the back of a cabinet. The heads easily click on and off the drill body and have a high-quality feel. We tested two similar models, and the ergonomics of the DeWalt, particularly the handle and overall balance of the tool, set it apart. The vast majority of around-the-house jobs don’t require this kind of functionality, but if you’re taking on more advanced projects or are persnickety about screw placement, particularly with cabinetry, you’re likely to see the benefits with this drill. Unfortunately, the kit comes with just a single battery, so for a full kit, you’ll need to get a second battery as a standalone purchase.

The 18-volt Milwaukee 3601-22CT handles demanding work faster and easier than the smaller, 12-volt drills, yet it manages to retain the great ergonomics and other features of our top-pick DeWalt drill.

(deal on single battery bundle)

If you take on projects that have you drilling lots of holes and sinking long screws, we recommend stepping up to the Milwaukee 3601-22CT M18 Compact Brushless 1/2 in. Drill/Driver Kit. This 18-volt drill shares the most important characteristics of our less powerful top pick: It’s extremely comfortable to hold and use, and the little convenience features, such as the belt hook and LED, are spot-on. It’s also extremely short — shorter than nearly all of the 12-volt tools we tested — so it fits into tighter spots (the only one shorter is the runner-up Milwaukee). Compared with our 12-volt picks, this larger drill completes tougher jobs much faster, doing the same work in less than half the time with a battery that lasts a lot longer. We tested drills during a kitchen remodel and a number of smaller home renovations, and this is the drill we reached for over all the others.

Ryobi’s 300-Piece Drill and Drive Kit and 95-Piece Drill and Impact Drive Kit are the best drill bit sets we’ve found in years of testing.

A drill can do way more than a screwdriver. If you’re just looking for a basic tool for hinge tightening, putting up hooks, or swapping out the batteries in a toy, a good screwdriver should do the trick. But once you get a little more advanced than that, a drill makes sense. Installing baby gates or assembling knockdown furniture, for example, is just way easier with a drill. And once you get to full-on DIY projects like replacing a rotted deck board or fixing a sagging gutter, a drill is essential.

The Megapro 13-in-1 (or the identical Channellock 131CB) is the best screwdriver.

For most household tasks, a 12-volt drill is more than adequate. These small drills offer the best combination of power, maneuverability, run time, and cost. They aren’t designed for all-day big-project use, but they are more than capable for basic home maintenance and repair, and if needed they can sink a 3-inch screw on occasion. In our tests, it was common to see a 12-volt drill bore over 20 1-inch holes through a 2-by-10-footer on a single battery charge. This is clearly enough oomph for tasks like swapping out light fixtures, building a bookshelf, and making minor drywall repairs. It’s also enough power for an occasional foray into more aggressive work, like fixing a saggy gutter or replacing a few rotted deck boards.

We also tested a number of compact 18- and 20-volt drills for the more DIY minded. If you have plans to build a deck, doghouse, or tree house, these larger drills offer longer battery life and more power. They can handle all but the most aggressive jobs (like mixing mortar with a paddle or drilling repeatedly into concrete). The compact models we looked at split a nice difference between the smaller 12-volt drills and the much larger, heavy-duty, contractor-grade 18- and 20-volt drills that can cost hundreds more.

Ergonomics are what differentiate the good from the great. You could have the most powerful drill in the world, but if it’s not comfortable to hold, you probably won’t want to use it. We sought out a drill that was small, comfortable to hold (for both large and small hands), relatively light, and nicely balanced. These details make a huge difference, especially when you’re reaching overhead with the tool for extended periods or doing a repetitive task like replacing deck boards or putting together a piece of knockdown furniture.

We like belt clips and LED lights. Most drills come with these accessories, but they’re not all the same. We looked for belt clips that were wide and easy to use, and an LED that effectively lit up the workspace. Some clips hang the tool awkwardly from the hip, and we’ve tested many LED lights that cast shadows over the tip of the drill.

We tried to keep the cost reasonable. Solid 12-volt drills (with a charger and two batteries) from reputable manufacturers typically cost between about $100 and $150 (but are occasionally available for less). Compact 18- and 20-volt drills are in the next price bracket, usually costing between $150 and $200. There are certainly cheaper drills available, but in our experience, if you get too far below these cost brackets, the drills are low quality or otherwise flawed. The tools we’re recommending should last years, if not decades.

We tested battery life and power with structured tests. For our structured tests, we sunk 3-inch screws into doubled-up 2-by-10 lumber (a total of 3 inches thick). We did this on a fully charged battery until the battery was empty. This test simulated the process of framing, as if someone were building a tree house or a partition wall. To prevent the drills from overheating, we rested them after every 14 screws.

We then outfitted each drill with a new Irwin 88816 1-inch Speedbor Spade Bit and drilled holes through 1.5-inch-thick 2-by-10s until the batteries wore out. Again, we rested the drills after every five holes. This was no doubt an aggressive task for the 12-volt drills, but we wanted a direct comparison against the 18-volt models to truly see how the drills’ capabilities matched against one another. Also, we wanted to test the upper end of the 12-volt drills to see which models could handle the occasional foray into more ambitious work.

We also used the drills in less structured settings. Using the drills, we worked on various projects — we built a wall, put in a few windows, fixed a hay feeder, repaired a chicken coop, built two bookshelves, put down a floor, installed a pocket door, and outfitted a garage with shelving. We also adjusted a few doors, swapped out some license-plate lights, put up some mudroom hooks, installed cabinetry, and hung a heavy mirror.

We tested for much more than power and run time. While evaluating the drills, we asked questions like: How does it feel in the hand? Does the belt hook feel comfortable? How well does the LED work? Is it likely to mar a delicate surface when put down? We also looked at the drills’ overall designs, seeing how the toggle switches worked and how easy it was to take a battery off and put it back on again.

The DeWalt DCD701F2 Xtreme is the most comfortable drill we’ve ever held. It’s loaded with convenience features and packs enough strength and stamina to easily handle common jobs around the home.

The DeWalt DCD701F2 Xtreme 12V Max Brushless 3/8 in. Drill/Driver Kit offers the best combination of power, size, ergonomics, and convenience. Like the majority of the drills we looked at, it has more than enough strength for household tasks. But it really shines ergonomically: It is, by far, the most comfortable drill we’ve held. In addition, it offers great minor touches, including a wide belt clip and a bright LED that’s positioned to cast maximum light at the front of the drill. The body of the drill is balanced, and because of the way the battery is positioned, the tool can stand up, making it easier to set down and pick up in the middle of a project (unlike many of the other drills, which can be placed only on their sides).

It has plenty of power for around-the-house tasks. In our power tests, the DeWalt 12-volt was able to drill 30 1-inch holes into a 2-by-10 on a single battery charge, and it could sink over 100 3-inch drywall screws into a doubled-up 2-by-10 (3 inches of wood). Obviously, that’s more than enough to tighten up some cabinet hinges and hang a mirror. Yet it’s also plenty for those times you might need to deal with a larger project, such as building garage shelving or replacing a short flight of deck stairs. If you need a drill for constant, all-day aggressive use, we recommend our upgrade pick, but if you’ll be dipping a toe into larger DIY projects only occasionally, the DeWalt 12-volt will have no problems.

The DeWalt DCD701F2 is really small and light. From tip to tail, the DeWalt 12-volt is less than 6 inches long; it was one of the shortest drills we looked at. On our scale it weighed just under 2.5 pounds, landing in the midrange of 12-volt drill weights. But the DeWalt’s balance was so nice that, before we weighed the drills, we were convinced it was among the lightest tested. Some drills, like the Bosch GSR12V-300B22, were much lighter on the scale but felt heavier in our hands due to poor balance.

The DeWalt 12-volt drill stands out for its ergonomic design. The handle appears to be designed with every contour of a hand in mind. Even the slightest details are accounted for, such as the little depression where the forefinger knuckle rubs against the drill body. The handle tapers nicely, allowing the pinky finger to find purchase, and the trigger and forward/reverse control are well-positioned for quick use. We tested the drill in both small and large hands, and everyone thought it was extremely comfortable to hold.

It can stand up, making it easier to grab mid-project and less likely to mar a delicate surface. DeWalt employs a “foot”-style battery, which slides into the base of the handle from the front of the tool, giving it a small platform to stand on. By contrast, many competitors’ 12-volt drills, like those from Milwaukee and Bosch, use a battery that slides up into the handle. So not only does this force a bulky handle, but without a foot, the drills can only be put on their sides, making them more difficult to set down and grab in the middle of a project.

It’s really easy to check the remaining charge in the battery. Unlike many drills, the DeWalt’s battery gauge is on the battery rather than on the tool. This means you can quickly check both batteries before you start your project. Other drills have the battery gauge on the actual tool, so to check each battery, it needs to first be installed in the drill. It’s a minor point, but it emphasizes the overall convenience of the DeWalt DCD701F2’s design.

The LED is well placed and evenly lights up the front of the drill. Since the battery was designed to slide into the base of the handle, DeWalt also had room to place the LED down below the grip, whereas many other 12-volt drills place their lights just above the trigger. The 12-volt DeWalt LED’s lower position means it casts much better light at the nose of the tool and reduces the drill’s shadow considerably. In our tests, the light from the Bosch and Milwaukee models’ LEDs barely illuminated above the drills at all.

We like DeWalt’s other 12-volt tools. With the two batteries from this kit, you are then able to get other DeWalt 12-volt items as bare tools, meaning they’re sold without the battery and charger and at a reduced cost. The tools are mostly construction-oriented and, over the years, we’ve liked the ones we’ve used.

We really tried to find something wrong with this drill but repeatedly came up with nothing. It’s compact, powerful, and very comfortable to hold. Those are the most important elements of a drill, and the DeWalt DCD701F2 achieves high marks in all three categories. Any negatives are those shared by other 12-volt drills: It’s not powerful enough for all-day aggressive DIY work, and it can’t drill into masonry.

The Milwaukee sets a new performance standard at its low weight and small size, but its power falls short of the best drills, and its wide grip is harder to hold versus some larger options.

If you can’t get the DeWalt, or compact size is your top priority, we recommend the Milwaukee 3401-22 M12 Subcompact Brushless Drill Driver. I’ve been testing and using drills for 25 years and I’ve never held one as small as this. It’s almost comically tiny. For power, it can handle the occasional 3-inch screw, but it lacks the overall strength of the DeWalt. It was only able to drill 20 1-inch holes through the 2 by 6 (the DeWalt drilled 30). On the upside, the diminutive nature of the Milwaukee makes it an easy drill to hold and handle, especially for those with limited arm strength or if you just want to lessen the load while working overhead.

It’s super small and powerful. By our measurements, the Milwaukee weighs only 2-pounds (with the battery) and is about 5¼ inches long. That’s little. Compared with the DeWalt, it’s 7 ounces lighter and almost a three-quarter inch shorter. We’ve been using this drill a lot, for all kinds of around-the-house tasks, and the power has never been lacking. It did OK, but not great, in our structured tests, but given its compact nature, this is not a drill to use when building a deck. The power is perfectly adequate, if not impressive, for the drill’s size.

The handle isn’t our favorite. The battery of the drill sits inside the handle, which adds bulk at the bottom of the grip area. This makes it a little harder to grab, especially compared with the DeWalt’s design, which tapers at the bottom of the handle and provides an easier grip for the pinky and ring fingers.

Milwaukee has a nice 12-volt platform. If this is your first power tool, it will introduce you to Milwaukee’s world of 12-volt tools. Milwaukee generally targets tradespeople and are light on lifestyle items, but there are plenty of nice tools that are compatible with the same batteries that can be purchased as a bare tool for a reduced cost including a little pruning saw and a variety of worklights.

It’s brand new. This is a new drill from Milwaukee, so while we’ve been testing and using it for a month (during a home renovation), we lack long-term feedback on it. Our experience with Milwaukee drills is generally excellent, so we’re confident recommending it, but we will closely monitor the drill’s feedback.

With five replaceable heads, this drill can get in places others can’t. Most people don’t need it, but advanced DIYers with an eye for cabinetry and fine finish work will see benefits.

A regular drill will be plenty for most, but if you’re looking for an additional level of functionality, we recommend the DeWalt DCD703F1 12-volt Cordless 5-in-1 Drill/Driver Kit.

This drill gives you options. Overall, this DeWalt is very similar to our top pick, but the head of it can be removed and replaced with one of three other options; a ¼-inch driver, an offset driver, or a right angle attachment. Each of these carries its own benefits, particularly the offset driver, which can drill a hole or sink a screw right up against an inside corner, and the right angle attachment, which can operate in spots that a drill can’t otherwise fit. One cool feature is that the right angle attachment can then hold any of the other three attachments. So you could combine heads for a right angle offset driver. Finally, with no attachments on it, the drill can be used as a ¼-inch driver, which brings the tool’s total length down to a short 5 inches.

The ergonomics set it above the competition. We tested the DeWalt against multi-head drills from Bosch and Milwaukee. They’re all fairly similar, except that the DeWalt is far more comfortable to use and hold. As with the regular 12-volt drills, we were convinced that the DeWalt was the lightest, but after weighing them, we found it was the heaviest. We also appreciate being able to stand the drill up on its foot, especially since the tool’s functionality melds so well with finish work, where you want to be as delicate as possible.

It’s longer, heavier, and pricier than our top pick. The added functionality of the multiple heads comes with some slight drawbacks. According to our measurements, this drill is about a half inch longer and 3 to 4 ounces heavier. It’s not a lot. But the price difference is a little more significant. The regular 12-volt DeWalt is usually below $150 and sometimes as little as $110. This kit costs more in the $150 to $180 range, but it only comes with one battery. So for the full two-battery experience (which we recommend), a second battery will need to be purchased, adding about $40 to the total cost, potentially putting you past the $200 range.

Most probably don’t need it. This drill is a lot of fun to play around with, but the uses of the additional heads are specific. Not everyone is going to care about getting screws perfectly lined up, tight to an inside corner and many will never come across a situation where a right angle drill is necessary. But if you’re fully into the DIY experience, you may have already run across these kinds of situations. If so, you can already imagine what this drill can provide.

The 18-volt Milwaukee 3601-22CT handles demanding work faster and easier than the smaller, 12-volt drills, yet it manages to retain the great ergonomics and other features of our top-pick DeWalt drill.

(deal on single battery bundle)

If you need a drill that can consistently and quickly perform more aggressive work, such as driving long screws and drilling large holes, we recommend the Milwaukee 3601-22CT M18 Compact Brushless 1/2 in. Drill/Driver Kit.

Bigger jobs go a lot faster with an 18-volt drill. By choosing the Milwaukee 3601-22CT over the DeWalt DCD701F2, you’re getting more speed, more power, and more run time. To determine this, we drilled five 1-inch holes with each drill. Both drills completed the task, but the Milwaukee did so in 20 seconds, whereas the DeWalt took a full minute. During the test, the DeWalt model often got bound up and had a much harder time, while the Milwaukee just blew right through the wood. So although the 12-volt model is capable of tackling tougher jobs on occasion, that’s really not what it’s designed for. The Milwaukee, on the other hand, is made for these tasks. If you’re DIY-minded, you’ll appreciate the difference.

It has a long battery life. On a single battery charge, the Milwaukee 18-volt drilled 83 1-inch holes through the 2-by-10. This is nearly three times that of the DeWalt 12-volt, and among the best showings of the 18- and 20-volt drills we tested. In our unstructured testing, we framed a partition wall, installed a pocket door, and hung five sheets of sheetrock, all on a single battery charge. It lasted the entire day.

It’s an extremely short drill with great ergonomics. From front to back, the Milwaukee measures 5.625 inches, making it the shortest drill we’ve ever tested (that includes even the 12-volt drills, which are typically the smaller class). This compact size places the drill at a real advantage between stud bays, in cabinets, and in other tight spots, like when we needed to put in a few screws in a wall next to a bed and didn’t want to have to move the bed first. The drill’s short length is reflected in the tool’s weight, with the Milwaukee (with a battery installed) weighing only 3 pounds 3 ounces, lighter than all but one other 18-volt drill. The Milwaukee’s great usability is only increased by the excellent handle, foot-style battery, and solid belt hook.

Before we begin the 12-volt and 18-volt competition sections, a caveat: If you’re already invested in one of the following battery platforms, these tools are likely to be a great value for you, especially if you can find one sold as a “bare tool” (without the battery and charger), which drastically reduces the price. Although these models have faults in comparison with our picks, they are solid performers. And you’re likely to forgive their flaws due to the convenience of expanding your collection within a single, consistent brand.

The other two multihead drills we tested were the Milwaukee 2505-22 12-volt Cordless 4-in-1 Drill Driver Kit and the Bosch GSR12V-140FCB22 12-volt Cordless 5-In-1 Flexiclick Multi-Head Drill Set. They’re both excellent as far as performance, but they couldn’t match the DeWalt in ergonomics. Both Bosch and Milwaukee use the fatter, canister-style battery, which makes for a thicker handle than the streamlined DeWalt. Unlike the others, the design of the Milwaukee deviates considerably from their standard 12-volt drill. They’ve added a front piece to the handle, which creates a foot to stand the drill upright and also provides a small magnetic area to hold screws and bits. The downside of this is that it pushes the handle farther away from the nose of the tool, making it a more difficult option in a tight space. The drill’s forward and reverse switch has been moved to the top of the drill, which we thought was awkward to use, compared with a traditional thumb toggle.

The Bosch PS31-2A 12V Max 3/8 in. Drill/Driver Kit was previously a longtime pick of ours. We’ve been recommending it for the better part of a decade, which is multiple lifetimes in the world of cordless tools. It remains an excellent drill, and it’s often sold for less than $100, but it’s not as comfortable as the DeWalt and not as compact as the Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee 3403-22 M12 Fuel 1/2 in. Drill/Driver was also a previous pick of ours. It’s a powerful 12-volt drill with a larger half-inch jaw capacity. This means it can handle much larger drill bits and things like mixing paddles. It’s an excellent drill, and we like it, but through our long-term testing, we’ve realized that it’s not one we reach for. If we were going to do heavy-duty work, we’d go for a larger, 18-volt model. The Milwaukee 3403 is good with more advanced tasks but not great with them.

The Milwaukee 2503-22 M12 Fuel 1/2 in. Drill Driver Kit is an older version of the Milwaukee 12-volt we recommend. It’s not as powerful and will likely be phased out soon.

The Bosch GSR12V-300B22 12V Max EC Brushless 3/8 in. Drill/Driver Kit is the lightest drill we tested, coming in at an even 2 pounds in our measurements (although the overall design makes it feel about the same weight as the DeWalt 12-volt, which is 7 ounces heavier). The Bosch performed well, but it typically costs more than the DeWalt.

The Skil DL529002 PWRCore 12 Brushless 12V 1/2 in. Cordless Drill Driver Kit comes with only one battery, and at 7 inches, it’s longer than most of the 12-volt drills we tested. The charger can give it a 25% charge in five minutes, which almost offsets the lack of a second battery — almost. The Skil also lacks power and has an overload-protection feature that constantly kicked on while we were using the tool, which was annoying.

We did not test the Makita FD07R1 12V max CXT Lithium‑Ion Brushless Cordless 3/8 in. Driver Drill Kit. It shares many characteristics with our main pick, the DeWalt 12-volt, but the light is positioned above the handle, so it doesn’t illuminate a work surface as well. It’s also typically a lot more expensive.

A previous runner-up, the Milwaukee 2407-22 M12 3/8 in. Drill/Driver is not as powerful as the 12-volt DeWalt or Bosch models, and it weighs more.

The Black+Decker BDCDD12C 12V Max Cordless Lithium Drill/Driver comes with only a single battery. It doesn’t have a belt hook, onboard bit storage, or a battery gauge. This model also offers just one speed, and it’s merely a little faster than the low speeds of the other drills we tried. In practical terms, this means jobs don’t go as quickly with this drill, especially with smaller screws, which you normally need to drive at high speed. The power is not that great, either.

The 18-volt drills we recommend are all in the compact class, meaning, they’re typically the smallest version of an 18-volt drill that most companies sell. In our testing, we also looked at the Milwaukee 2903-22 18-Volt Brushless Drill/Driver as a representative of the larger pro-class of drill. These tools are stronger, heavier, and larger than the ones we recommend and usually come with removable side handles to help manage the higher torque they produce. This Milwaukee is an excellent tool, but overkill for most. For someone looking for a substantial tool that can truly take a beating and manage difficult tasks like using mixing paddles and large diameter hole saw drilling, it’s a great choice.

We previously recommended the DeWalt DCD800E2 20V Max XR Brushless Cordless 1/2 in. Drill/Driver Kit. This is a fine drill and if you already have 20-volt DeWalt batteries, we recommend this one, but compared to the Milwaukee 18-volt, it’s a little larger and, through long term testing, the moveable LED light hasn’t added much to the overall experience (yet it does add bulk to the drill body).

We also used to recommend the Ridgid R87012 18V Brushless SubCompact Cordless Drill/Driver Kit. It’s a nice drill at a solid price and easily available at Home Depot. It’s also one that, given the opportunity, we rarely reach for. If you have Ridgid batteries, it’s a great choice, but starting from scratch, we’d opt for the Milwaukee 18-volt instead.

The DeWalt DCD791D2 20V Max XR Li-Ion Brushless Compact Drill/Driver Kit was a previous pick, but it has now been discontinued. Similarly, the Milwaukee 2801-22CT M18 Compact Brushless 1/2 in. Drill Driver Kit was also a pick, but it has been replaced with the Milwaukee 3601-22CT we now recommend.

The Craftsman CMCD713C2 V20 Brushless Cordless Drill/Driver Kit is nice, but it’s not as powerful as our picks, and it felt chunkier in the hands.

DeWalt has two versions of their Atomic drill (the DCD708C2 and the DCD794D1). These are meant to be a bridge between the two classes of drills, combining the size of the 12-volt drills with power closer to the larger, 18- and 20-volt tools. The problem is that, over time, the 12-volt drills have become more powerful and the 18- and 20-volt drills have become smaller, effectively squeezing the Atomic drills out of the picture. The Milwaukee 18-volt drill we recommend is shorter than both of the Atomics and considerably more powerful.

The Ryobi PSBDD01K One+ 18V Brushless Compact Drill managed to drill just 31 holes on a single charge, making it one the least powerful 18-volt drills we tested. In fact, its capabilities are in line with our top 12-volt recommendation, the DeWalt DCD701F2, but with the added weight of an 18-volt tool. Also, the handle design includes an added finger notch that we found uncomfortable.

Flex is a new brand of cordless power tools. Its 24-Volt Brushless Cordless Drill has a lot of positive feedback at Lowe’s (where it is exclusively sold), but we don’t think the added voltage is necessary for around-the-house work. Plus, the larger battery adds weight.

In our tests, the Makita XFD11RB Sub Compact Drill/Driver wasn’t as powerful as the other 18-volt drills we recommend. It also tends to be more expensive, and the LED is positioned at the top of the handle.

The Black+Decker BDCDE120C 20V Max Lithium Drill/Driver with AutoSense Technology was a champ at driving screws, but it didn’t do well in our drilling test, managing only 25 holes (which put it in the middle of the pack). It also has only a 0.375-inch chuck (the rest of the 18-volt models have 0.5-inch chucks), which limits it with larger bits. In addition, it’s a single-speed tool, whereas all of the others we tried have two speeds.

This article was edited by Harry Sawyers.

Doug Mahoney

I write about a variety of home topics that range from tools and outdoor power equipment to fire safety and plumbing (toilets, bidets, and plungers). I also handle our pest-control guides, including those focused on bug repellents and mousetraps. I assist with some emergency-prep coverage, as well.

by Doug Mahoney

Ryobi’s 300-Piece Drill and Drive Kit and 95-Piece Drill and Impact Drive Kit are the best drill bit sets we’ve found in years of testing.

by Liam McCabe

by Harry Sawyers

Everything we recommend for mounting heavy stuff on a wall or ceiling.

by Thom Dunn

There’s a better way to rig an AC in a window.

Advertisement