Top 5 compared
The best cordless drills
Shelves up, curtain rods hung and the new bookcase built, without borrowing the neighbor’s.
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The top 5 at a glance
For most homes a drill/driver does everything asked of it: holes in wood, metal and drywall, and screws driven in and out, with a clutch that stops before the head strips. A hammer drill adds a pounding action for brick, block and concrete, worth having if there’s a masonry wall, a basement or a patio to mount things on.
Every drill here comes as a kit with a battery and charger, and some add bits or a case of accessories. A hammer drill takes a carbide-tipped masonry bit for brick and concrete; for wood, metal and tile, hammer mode is switched off.
What matters
- A 1/2-inch chuck takes bigger bits; 3/8 inch suits most home jobs.
- A brushless motor, for more work from each charge.
- Two speeds: low for driving screws, high for drilling.
- A battery that fits other tools you might buy later.
#1DEWALT 20V MAX Compact Brushless Drill/Driver Kit (DCD777D1)
$75–$100
A brushless motor gets more work from each charge than the brushed drills here, and at 7.6 inches front to back it fits between studs and inside cabinets. The 2.0Ah battery is a size up from most starter kits, and the 1/2-inch ratcheting chuck holds bigger bits firmly.
What owners say: Owners like how light it is to carry around a job and say the battery goes a long way between charges, with power to spare for home projects. Durability splits them: most find it tough, a few had trouble.
A closer look: Use the low gear for driving screws and the high gear for drilling, and set the clutch collar low for small screws in soft wood so they stop flush. The LED stays lit for 20 seconds after you let go of the trigger, handy inside a closet or under a sink.
- 7.6 in front to back
- 2-speed transmission
- LED stays on 20 seconds
- 3-year limited warranty
Best for: Shelves, curtain rods and bookcases
- Batteries
- 1 × 2.0Ah
- Hammer mode for masonry
- No
- Brushless motor
- Yes
- Chuck
- 1/2 in
- Bits and accessories
- None (belt hook)
- Battery range
- DEWALT 20V MAX
#2BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Cordless Drill/Driver Kit (BCD702C1)
$50–$75
A light, simple drill/driver for ready-to-assemble furniture, curtain rods and pictures, with an 11-position clutch to stop screws from stripping, an LED to light the hole and a holder on the base so the driver bit doesn’t go missing.
What owners say: A good everyday drill for household jobs, owners report: compact, simple to change bits on, and with battery life that surprised a few. It has one speed, which some wished were two.
A closer look: Its 3/8-inch chuck takes the bits most home jobs need. In drill mode the clutch steps aside for full power, so turn the collar back to a number before driving screws, and keep the double-ended bit in the holder on the base between jobs.
- 11-position clutch
- LED lights the hole
- Bit holder on the base
Best for: Furniture assembly, pictures and quick fixes
- Batteries
- 1 × 1.5Ah
- Hammer mode for masonry
- No
- Brushless motor
- No
- Chuck
- 3/8 in
- Bits and accessories
- 1 double-ended bit
- Battery range
- BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX
#3BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Drill/Driver with 100-Piece Accessory Kit (BDC120VA100)
$50–$75
A whole starter tool kit in one zippered case: the drill, battery and charger, plus 100 pieces including wood, metal and masonry bits, screwdriver bits, nut drivers, sockets and a ratcheting screwdriver. The 24-position clutch gives fine control over small screws.
What owners say: Owners get about an hour of steady drilling from a charge and plenty of use from the bits around the house; one drives 3.5-inch screws with it. Durability is where opinions part.
A closer look: The kit is sized for light work: assembling furniture, hanging shelves and small repairs rather than decks or framing. Learn early which bit lives in which slot of the case, and put each one back after use, so the set is still complete the day you need a particular size.
- 24-position clutch
- Zippered storage case
- Ratcheting screwdriver included
- 2-year warranty
Best for: Setting up a first toolbox
- Batteries
- 1 × 1.5Ah
- Hammer mode for masonry
- No
- Brushless motor
- No
- Chuck
- 3/8 in
- Bits and accessories
- 100-piece kit
- Battery range
- BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX
#4AVID POWER 20V Cordless Drill Set with 22 Accessories (CD316)
$30–$50
At about 2.5 lb it’s light enough to use one-handed for long stretches, with a charge gauge on the battery, an LED, 15 clutch settings plus a drill setting, and 22 accessories, including a flexible shaft for screws in awkward corners.
What owners say: Easy to pick up and use for furniture assembly and small repairs, owners find, with a battery that charges quickly and lasts. A few had included drill bits break the first time out.
Heads up: AVID POWER says it isn’t for concrete or masonry walls, so it suits wood, drywall, plastic and thin metal.
A closer look: Charge the battery fully when it arrives, even if the first job is weeks away. Between jobs AVID POWER suggests taking the battery out and recharging it every three months, and since only its own battery fits, a spare has to come from AVID POWER too.
- Battery charge display
- 15+1 clutch settings
- Weighs about 2.5 lb
- Flexible shaft for tight corners
- LED light
Best for: Wood, drywall and thin metal
- Batteries
- 1 × 1.5Ah
- Hammer mode for masonry
- No
- Brushless motor
- No
- Chuck
- 3/8 in
- Bits and accessories
- 22 accessories
- Battery range
- AVID POWER 20V only
#5CRAFTSMAN V20 Cordless Hammer Drill Kit (CMCD711C2)
$100–$150
The only hammer drill here, with up to 25,500 blows a minute for brick, block and concrete, a 1/2-inch ratcheting chuck and two speeds, plus two batteries so one charges while the other works. CRAFTSMAN started out in 1927 as Sears’ own tool brand.
What owners say: Owners praise the motor’s power and how fast the batteries charge, and find it manageable in the hand for a hammer drill. Some had batteries that faded or a drill that gave out.
A closer look: Switch to hammer mode with a carbide-tipped masonry bit for concrete anchors or a brick wall, and back to plain drilling for wood, metal and tile, where the pounding only chips the surface and makes the bit wander. The charger refills a battery in an hour or less.
- 25,500 blows a minute
- Two speeds to 1,500 rpm
- LED light
- 3-year limited warranty
Best for: Wall anchors in brick and concrete
- Batteries
- 2 × 1.3Ah
- Hammer mode for masonry
- Yes
- Brushless motor
- No
- Chuck
- 1/2 in
- Bits and accessories
- None
- Battery range
- CRAFTSMAN V20
How they compare
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| Feature | #1DEWALT DCD777 | #2BLACK+DECKER BCD702 | #3BLACK+DECKER 100-piece | #4AVID POWER 20V | #5CRAFTSMAN V20 hammer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | Best for masonry | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.5 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.0 |
| Price | $75–$100 | $50–$75 | $50–$75 | $30–$50 | $100–$150 |
| Batteries | 1 × 2.0Ah | 1 × 1.5Ah | 1 × 1.5Ah | 1 × 1.5Ah | 2 × 1.3Ah |
| Hammer mode for masonry | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Brushless motor | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Chuck | 1/2 in | 3/8 in | 3/8 in | 3/8 in | 1/2 in |
| Bits and accessories | None (belt hook) | 1 double-ended bit | 100-piece kit | 22 accessories | None |
| Battery range | DEWALT 20V MAX | BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX | BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX | AVID POWER 20V only | CRAFTSMAN V20 |
| Best for | Shelves, curtain rods and bookcases | Furniture assembly, pictures and quick fixes | Setting up a first toolbox | Wood, drywall and thin metal | Wall anchors in brick and concrete |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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