The best cordless drills
Shelves up, pictures hung and flat-pack built, without borrowing the one from next door.
For most homes a cordless combi drill does everything: drills wood and metal, drives screws and, with its hammer setting, drills into brick for wall plugs. A simple drill-driver without hammer action is fine for flat-pack and wood but struggles with walls.
Batteries matter as much as the drill. Two batteries means one charges while you work, and buying into a battery system like Ryobi ONE+ makes the next tool cheaper.
What matters
- Hammer action is needed for brick and masonry walls.
- Two batteries, or one bigger one, saves waiting.
- More torque settings make screws easier to control.
- A battery that fits other tools makes the next one cheaper.
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Best overall
#1 of 5
9.3/10
RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless Combi Drill Kit (2 batteries)
£££ Over £40
The start of a system: the same 18V ONE+ battery fits over 100 other Ryobi tools for the house and garden, and this kit comes with two of them.
- 2 × 1.5Ah batteries and charger
- Up to 50Nm torque
- 24 torque settings
- 13mm ratcheting chuck
- Works with 100+ ONE+ tools
What owners say: Excellent quality, easy to use and powerful enough for jobs around the house, with a good weight and good value.
Heads up: The 1.5Ah batteries suit most DIY; bigger jobs go better with a larger battery.
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A closer look: Use the low gear for driving screws and the high gear, up to 1,800rpm, for drilling, and turn the torque collar down for soft wood so screws sit flush without stripping. Two batteries means one can charge while the other works, and both fit over 100 other ONE+ tools later on.
Best for: Anyone starting a proper tool kit
- Batteries
- 2 × 1.5Ah
- Drills brick and masonry
- Yes
- Max torque
- 50Nm
- Torque settings
- 24
- Battery fits other tools
- Ryobi ONE+ (100+ tools)
Runner-up
#2 of 5
9.1/10
Bosch EasyImpact 18V-38 Cordless Combi Drill (2.5Ah)
£92.57 RRP
A compact, well-balanced drill for shelves, flat-pack and the odd bit of masonry, with a battery that fits a growing range of other brands’ tools too.
- 1 × 2.5Ah battery, charger and case
- Impact mode for masonry
- 20 torque settings
- 10mm quick-action chuck
- Power for All battery
What owners say: Reliable and easy to use, with good battery life and a light design. Owners like being able to check the battery charge at a glance.
Heads up: With 38Nm of torque it’s a home DIY drill; very large holes in hard brick need something stronger.
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A closer look: At about 1kg it’s light enough to use overhead for curtain poles and blinds. The 2.5Ah battery is larger than most starter kits include, and it fits tools in the Power for All alliance, which covers more than 150 products from over ten brands. It comes in a carry case with the charger.
Best for: Light, easy DIY: shelves, blinds and flat-pack
- Batteries
- 1 × 2.5Ah
- Drills brick and masonry
- Yes
- Max torque
- 38Nm
- Torque settings
- 20
- Battery fits other tools
- Power for All (150+ tools, 10+ brands)
Best value
#3 of 5
9.0/10
BLACK+DECKER 18V Cordless Hammer Drill (BCD700S1K)
£59.99 RRP
A hammer drill that handles brick and plaster as well as wood and metal, at a price that makes it an easy first drill.
- Hammer action for masonry
- 40Nm torque
- 11 clutch settings
- 2 gears
- Keyless chuck
What owners say: Good value for DIY around the house, with plenty of power and easy to use. Owners say it copes with woodwork and light masonry.
Heads up: Battery life suits odd jobs rather than long days.
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A closer look: Switch on hammer action for brick and plaster, and turn it off for wood, metal and tiles so the bit doesn’t wander. Start holes slowly with a light squeeze of the variable-speed trigger, then speed up once the bit bites. The slide-on battery clicks in and out quickly.
Best for: A first drill that can still do walls
- Batteries
- 1.5Ah battery
- Drills brick and masonry
- Yes
- Max torque
- 40Nm
- Torque settings
- 11
- Battery fits other tools
- –
Best brushless
#4 of 5
8.8/10
Ginour 21V Brushless Combi Drill (2 batteries)
£85.99 RRP
A brushless motor and hammer mode for brick and masonry, with two batteries so one is always charged.
- Brushless motor
- Hammer drill mode
- 50Nm torque
- 2 × 2.0Ah batteries
- Bits included
What owners say: A great budget drill with plenty of power, and two batteries so you’re never waiting.
Heads up: Great for home DIY; a tradesperson would want a pro brand.
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A closer look: There are 23 clutch settings, so start on a low number when driving screws into flat-pack and work up: the clutch slips before it chews the screw head or splits the board. Hammer mode is for brick and block only, so switch it off for wood, metal and tiles. Before drilling into a wall for shelves, a cheap pipe and cable detector is a sensible extra.
Best for: The most power and kit for the money
- Batteries
- 2 × 2.0Ah
- Drills brick and masonry
- Yes
- Max torque
- 50Nm
- Torque settings
- 23
- Battery fits other tools
- –
Best budget
#5 of 5
8.6/10
Terratek 18V Cordless Drill Driver with 13-Piece Kit
££ £15–£40
A light, simple drill-driver for flat-pack, hanging pictures and small repairs, with a 13-piece bit set in the box.
- 18V, 1 battery
- 13-piece bit set
- Up to 650rpm
- 0.8–10mm keyless chuck
- Forward and reverse
What owners say: Good value, reliable and easy to use for small jobs. Owners say it’s light and does as well as pricier drills.
Heads up: It isn’t made for brick or masonry.
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A closer look: It’s a drill-driver rather than a hammer drill, so it handles holes up to 20mm in wood and 8mm in steel but not brick. The bit set covers the common screw heads, including the Pozidriv ones used in most flat-pack. A good first drill for a student or a first flat.
Best for: Flat-pack, pictures and small jobs
- Batteries
- 1
- Drills brick and masonry
- No
- Max torque
- –
- Torque settings
- –
- Battery fits other tools
- –
How they compare
| Feature | #1RYOBI ONE+ kitBest overall | #2Bosch EasyImpactRunner-up | #3BLACK+DECKER 18VBest value | #4Ginour 21VBest brushless | #5Terratek 18VBest budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.6 |
| Price | £££ Over £40 | £92.57 RRP | £59.99 RRP | £85.99 RRP | ££ £15–£40 |
| Batteries | 2 × 1.5Ah | 1 × 2.5Ah | 1.5Ah battery | 2 × 2.0Ah | 1 |
| Drills brick and masonry | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Max torque | 50Nm | 38Nm | 40Nm | 50Nm | – |
| Torque settings | 24 | 20 | 11 | 23 | – |
| Battery fits other tools | Ryobi ONE+ (100+ tools) | Power for All (150+ tools, 10+ brands) | – | – | – |
| Best for | Anyone starting a proper tool kit | Light, easy DIY: shelves, blinds and flat-pack | A first drill that can still do walls | The most power and kit for the money | Flat-pack, pictures and small jobs |
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