Best battery powered drill, expert advice to choose
I researched the best battery-powered drill because I need a reliable one for home and occasional heavy-duty use. I have gone through expert reviews from the new york times, consumer reports, and popular mechanics, and these two power tools are consistently rated among the best in their class:
DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill Combo Kit
https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-Cordless-Batteries-Included-DCK277D2/dp/B0C3PQHGR7
DEWALT MAX XR Cordless Drill with 2 Batteries and Charger
https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-Brushless-Cordless-Driver-DCD800D2/dp/B09YY8RZJ9
I’ll be using the drill for everything from furniture assembly and shelf installation to drilling into wood, drywall, and sometimes concrete. I want something powerful, long-lasting, and versatile—but also not unnecessarily heavy or industrial for basic DIY use.
Which one would better suit my needs? Or is there another cordless drill set you’d recommend for a good balance of power and practicality?
Any help would be appreciated—thanks in advance
Editor’s note: Please don’t post affiliate links to forum posts. It was clearly unintentional, but it can get FW in trouble with Amazon. I edited them out.
Replies
The second drill you linked is a corded SDS rotary hammer, not a general purpose cordless drill. Maybe you pasted the wrong link?
I have had good luck with DeWalt cordless tools for decades. Dropped them off 10 foot ladders onto concrete and they keep working. They have a wide range of tools that use the same battery system, I have their random orbit sander, oscillating tool, and reciprocating saw. Also a leaf blower and a mini chainsaw for heavy pruning.
I've used the 20v Max platform for awhile and, before that, previous versions of Dewalt cordless drills. I have never had a problem with them. Great power for all the jobs around the house. I also am a woodworker and use both the 20v Max drill/drive and impact driver for various woodworking tasks. Great there also. If you feel you need a drill that can do hammer drill work also, then Festool has a "Quadrive" cordless drill. One of the "drives" is a hammer drill setting. The problem with this Festool drill (as with all Festool products) is the price; very expensive. Plus, unless you really have a regular use for the hammer drill it probably isn't the most cost effective way to acquire a cordless drill. I'd recommend going with the Dewalt 20v Max system. I recently bought a 12" cordless Dewalt chainsaw for light duty work in the yard. Same batteries.
Dewalt...hands down!
I recently bought the Makita. I had 2 Dewalts and each lasted about 8 years. Burned the motors out on both of them.
I was torn between the Makita and the Milwaukee. I was going to invest in Milwaukee’s battery system where I could use them on yard tools too. When I saw their price manipulation on their sets it turned me off and I went with the Makita.
I have the 18v Festool 18/4 quaddrive, and it is a powerhouse, but not for workshop use. It is just too big and heavy. It is the around-the-house drill for masonry and other heavy-duty work.
The absolute best - if you want the Best - drill I have used for the workshop is the newish Festool CXS 18v. This is quite compact and light, yet very powerful. It shares the same battery system as the 18/4, and I choose to use the smaller batteries (3.0) to further save weight.
My experience with Festool is that they make high quality tools. You pay a little more at the start, but they last decades. Literally.
Regards from Perth
Derek
I have a dewalt and a Festool drill. The Festool has been excellent and I would recommend it.
As far as the Dewalt goes, you could do as well at Harbor Freight
I had a Dewalt 18v when I was in the field last and it still runs. I have the 20v conversion for it and those batteries are total garbage. So it has fallin out of favor. I come from the pre-cordless era. So I still have my my Milwaukee corded wrist breaker for heavy duty work and just don't see cordless drills that way. So the the shop has been graced with a Ryobi drill and impact combo kit. Their batteries outlast the Dewalt by a LONG SHOT. I was very surprised.
You might say I don't care much about brand but then when you see all my old Porter cable tools that theory doesn't hold water. 🤔 I have a neighbor that does woodworking and he is surprised that my holes drill as cleanly as his green drills do. 😁
If you are going to drill concrete as mentioned, you need a corded hammer drill. For everything else, any good cordless drill mentioned above works.
I have used Makita cordless drills and have been very happy. I'm a hobbiest, not a professional, so don't use them day in and out. The current drill and driver have performed flawlessly for years and the batteries are great, they are comfortable and balanced, with a nice fit and finish. I suspect DeWalt and Milwaukee are equivalent, and that Festool is the pinnacle - I just can't bring myself to spend the extra money when my current models have been flawless. (I do own some Festool sanders - they are superb and worth the money).
asking recommendations for the best cordless drill is like asking for the best plane. you will be disappointed if you only have one that's supposed to do it all.
likewise restricting your choices to one battery platform is nice for color coordination, but won't always give you the best tools at the best price.
i am partial to Hilti 12V in the shop, Makita, Dewalt, Bosch, or Milwaukee on site. Some swear by Ryobi.
Maintaining one battery system makes sense, not to coordinate colour, but to minimise the number of chargers and to maximise the exchange between battery powered tools.
I have been using Rigid cordless tools and have never been disappointed. They have survived drops off of ladders, occasional rain exposure and they keep on going. The thing that sold me is the lifetime warranty, even on the batteries! After over 10 years, I have never had to make a claim but good to know that if they die, replacements are free - forever!
I've been using Makitas for a number of years. They're great, plenty of torque. That's not so much of a recommendation as a positive observation, I haven't personally tested multiple brands. As an aside, there are a lot of mentions of 20v and 18v. In case you don't know, they're exactly the same voltage. The 20v thing is purely a marketing gimmick. All 18v batteries charge to 20v, but in use their nominal voltage is 18v, every one of them, every brand. Again, just in case you didn't know and the seemingly higher voltage is a consideration. One thing I always see mentioned in what brand to choose is, what other cordless tools might you buy later? Buying into a battery brand "ecosystem" might be important later if you can't find your brand of a particular tool, it's expensive to have multiple brands of batteries.