Best Cordless Drills

My dad always taught me that when I’m ready to purchase a tool I should only consider purchasing the best quality tool I can afford. He taught me that I should pass on buying the low or no reputation tools that are also low quality just because the price is right. It may be right at the moment but it will loose its effectiveness and usability a whole lot faster than quality manufactured tools and in the long run the cheap tools will cost more in replacement.

I use this advice when I purchase all my tools. I’m no tool fanatic but I do have a fairly reasonable tool collection. My favorites are my power tools and I only purchase professional grade tools, not because I plan on doing a lot of consistent work with them but because I know they are manufactured to meet a certain standard with a long life track and they will meet my needs whether they are small or large projects.

Cordless drills are tools that most novice and homeowner users get wrong. They go for the cheap and end up disappointed with the performance, or they outright purchase the wrong type of cordless drill and never get the full benefit of the tool they purchased.

Yes, there are several types of cordless drills and the most common of all cordless drills is the Drill Driver which can do just about anything you need it to do, especially drilling holes and driving screws. Some other types of cordless drills include:

• Hammer Drill – which is used to drill into brick and concrete by delivering a pounding along with its revolutions

• Impact Drill – which is used to drive large lag screws and fasteners with much more torque than a normal drill driver

• Screw Gun – which is designed to drive screws and countersinks to a desired depth, such as when hanging drywall or fastening subflooring

• Cordless Screwdriver – which is a low power drill used mainly for light jobs such as outlet covers and repairing furniture

• Right Angle Drill – which is used for working in tight places but delver low torque

The Drill Driver should be the number one type of cordless drill you should even consider when purchasing the first of your cordless drills. I always look for and only recommend 18 volt drills since they give me the power I need for the time I need it.

The Milwaukee 2601-22 is an 18 volt cordless Drill Driver with Li-on battery is lightweight, only 4 pounds, with a fantastic grip.  The battery is lasts long with frequent use but is not so good when the temperature gets under freezing, but what battery operated tool is?  It delivers a lot of torque from its 2 speed gear box and it has a small built in LED light which comes in handy to lighten up otherwise dark work areas.

The Hitachi DS18DL is also an 18 volt cordless Drill driver with Lithium Ion batteries.  This drill is heavier, at 4.6 pounds, but delivers an incredible 570 in/lb of torque and comes with and additional handle for better control.  It too has a built in LED light to help illuminate the work area.  This drill is a bit more expensive but you get a great quality drill that comes with a 10 year warranty.

The Makita BDF441 delivers 560 in/lb of torque with a variable 3 speed transmission.  It’s 18 volt Lithium Ion batteries provide a long work cycle and only a 30 minute rapid recharge time.  It weighs in at 4.6 pounds and has an ergonomic design.  This cordless drill driver has a 3 year warranty on the drill and a 1 year warranty on the battery.

The Dewalt DCD940KX cordless drill driver is also an 18 volt Ni-Cad battery powered drill.  It has a 3 speed transmission that delivers enough power and torque for most jobs and anything home related.  It’s the brand of choice for many maintenance departments because of its long lasting batteries and comfort level in the hand.  The auxiliary handle allows for added control when its needed.

The Bosch 36618-02 cordless drill driver is a compact 18 volt drill powered by Lithium Ion batteries.  It delivers a respectable 500 in/lb of torque which is more than enough for most household and professional projects.  This drill has 20 clutch settings and variable speed transmission for optimum performance.  And with LED lights, working in darker areas and enclosed locations is a breeze.