9 best cordless drills and drivers that take the drama out of home DIY
You don’t need to have a major construction project on the go in order to justify having a decent drill at your disposal. From wonky shelves to picture frames, it’s one of those indispensable powertools that can save you bags of time and effort and help you get through your household snagging list.
Powered by 12V, 18V and 20V motors the drill you should be looking for depends entirely on how ambitious you intend to be with it. A 12V will be more than adequate for putting together your latest flat pack purchase or general DIY jobs around the home. But for more heavy-duty applications it’s better to rely on the increased power and speed offered by the higher voltages, which are also better suited at drilling into harder materials.
However, we’ve recently come to the conclusion that thanks to the increased quality of the brushless motors and lithium battery tools, many 12V drills pack a powerful punch to increase the range of their applications for both internal and external jobs. So we made sure to look closely at the 12V offerings from every manufacturer.
No matter what the voltage, the drill will be equipped with a range of torque settings, which translates to the turning force that the tool can deliver. Essentially, the more torque you have, the easier it will be for you to drill into harder materials, like masonry.
So, we were looking for our chosen drills to exhibit as much versatility as possible and for the power at its disposal to combine with all its features to put you in control of whatever task is at hand.
How we tested
To test one of the most important metrics (control) we countersunk some screws and then used each tool to see how well they could drive that screw to make the heads flush with the surface. We also drilled and drove into wood, metal, masonry and even concrete, (when the tool was designed to do so) to cover the full range of applications that the drill could be used for and see how each one rated for ergonomics, performance, battery life and features like LED work lights. Here’s the drills that deserve a spot in your tool box.
The best cordless drills to buy in 2022 are:
Best overall – Worx WX354 active hammer drill: £199.99, Very.co.uk
Best ergonomics – DeWalt DCD703L2T XR drill driver: £219, Toolstop.co.uk
Best day-to-day drill – Bosch universal impact 18V combi drill: £83.82, Amazon.co.uk
Best overall design – Gtech combi drill: £129.96, Gtech.co.uk
Best value for money – Makita DHP484RTJ combi drill: £232.98, Toolstation.com
Best for external wood working – DeWalt DCD791D2 compact drill driver: £234.54, Amazon.co.uk
Best subcompact drill – DeWalt DCD708C2 atomic compact: £290, Amazon.co.uk
Best budget drill – Wickes 18V cordless combi drill: £55, Wickes.co.uk
Best entry-level drill – Bosch GSB 12V-35 combi drill: £179.99, Screwfix.com
Worx WX354 active hammer drill
No job is off limits with this “slammer” drill from Worx as its 20V battery, 24 torque settings, and half-inch chuck means as well as working with wood and masonry, it will take on steel and concrete too. The two-speed gearbox means you can work more precisely, so that screw heads are flush and larger screws are accurately placed and positioned into harder materials. So whether you’re hanging a mirror, or gearing up to fix some guttering there’s plenty of power on hand to see both tasks to completion.
You’d expect a tool of this competence and power to be a little unwieldy, but we found it nicely balanced, ergonomic and manoeuvrable, which further adds to its credentials as one of the best all-rounders on the market. The LED was one of the brightest and best positioned on test and stayed on for 20 seconds after it had been triggered, so you’re not plunged into darkness as soon as you’re finished drilling.
There’s an indicator on the battery to let you know when you’re running out of juice, although this bundle includes two 2.0Ah batteries, so you can keep the batteries running on rotation to extend the working time until the job’s done.
Buy now £199.99, Very.co.uk
DeWalt DCD703L2T XR drill driver
Not every job around the house requires a beast of a drill to get the work done, which is where this superb drill driver comes in. The DeWalt’s 12-volts of power are on par with that of some other more highly powered drills we looked at, and it had no problem getting through knots in wood and never failed to deliver a screw flush to the working material. In fact, it performed better than some 18V offerings at similar tasks, especially as it also includes two swap-out drill heads (off-set and right angle) to get into more awkward working areas.
The combination of power, manoeuvrability, and run time makes this an excellent choice for internal jobs and it was one of the most comfortable drills that we tested, with a well-thought-out, contoured handle that still manages to support and balance out the heavier drill body. Combined with a wide belt clip and bright LED, this is a great homeowner’s choice.
Buy now £219.00, Powertoolmate.co.uk
Bosch universal impact 18V combi drill
Compact, ergonomic and one of the lightest drills on test, this tool has 20 torque settings, so you shouldn’t have any difficulty finding the right one for the job at hand. It’s lightweight which means it’s particularly suited for more involved tasks around the house which require having the drill in hand for an extended period or operating above head height, like putting up a curtain rod.
Drilling and driving performance in wood and metal was impressive and switching to the impact mode the Bosch also allowed us to work with the masonry to a basic level. The LED was well positioned so that we were rarely struggling to light up the work area and a single charge of the 18V battery was enough to see several jobs through to completion. The battery is also part of Bosch’s “power4all” system, so it can be used on other Bosch tools.
Buy now £83.82, Amazon.co.uk
Gtech combi drill
This well-priced combi is very comfortable to hold and its nicely contoured grip makes it a real joy to work with. The usability is backed up with plenty of versatility when it comes to the jobs that it’s able to tackle and with 21 torque options and a half-inch chuck, we were able to drill with confidence at both large and small diameters.
The design made it easy to switch between the three working modes and the chuck itself was sturdy and efficient. Underpinning this performance was the lithium-Ion battery, which coped well with everything we threw at it without any signs of flagging. As with some other manufacturers, like DeWalt, the Gtech’s battery is designed to slide into the base of the handle, leaving room to place the LED below the grip, rather than the usual position above the trigger. This lower position means it casts more light on the job area and escapes the drill’s shadow when working, which was very useful when working beneath cupboards or in attic spaces.
Buy now £129.96, Gtech.co.uk
Makita DHP484RTJ combi drill
With a reputation made in the construction industry, this is the brand that, for good reason, hangs from the tool belts of many site workers because the tools combine versatile power with near indestructible build quality. This 18V tool is a good example of what Makita does best – delivering plenty of power (both in the drill and from the battery) where and when it’s needed.
The 21 torque settings combine with a very responsive variable speed trigger to make precise drilling and no nonsense driving a formality and the Makita offered effortless drilling into all our test materials without any kickback and minimal vibration. The hammer function performed well in our masonry test and we found the tool comfortable to work with and well-balanced with the battery on board.
The other reason why the brand is an on-site favourite is because its tools are built to last. This drill’s all metal gears are expertly housed in aluminium, so you know it will be able to take plenty of punishment without any deterioration in performance. There’s also a fast charger, two 5.0Ah batteries, and a sturdy Makpac type 2 connector case making this is a complete DIY package that’s very well priced.
Buy now £232.98, Toolstation.com
DeWalt DCD791D2 compact drill driver
If you’ve got some ambitious external jobs on the go, like laying decking or building a garden shed, then this is a great tool to have on your hip. It’s a very powerful 20V drill with 15 torque settings and a high-quality chuck, which made good drilling and driving progress through all the materials. However, when working with wood the DeWalt was superb and never got jammed when drilling, while the power enabled fast drilling and driving while retaining plenty of control so we never felt the tool was getting away from us.
The battery was fast charging and offered good run time, while the whole unit is compact, nicely contoured and well balanced with the battery slotting in at the base so you can stand the drill upright on its own. The LED is at the base of the tool and operates on three settings, including an “always on” option so that the bright LED stays lit independently of whether the tool is working or not, which would come in really handy when working under a sink or in a crawlspace and finding that screw you’ve just dropped.
Buy now £234.54, Amazon.co.uk
DeWalt DCD708C2 atomic compact
Another DeWalt model now, but one that we found to be the best example of a relatively new category. Called a subcompact, this boasts the size, weight and ergonomics of a 12V drill, yet is powered by a 20V battery. It’s a real Jack-of-all-trades product, with the power to take on a range of tasks, assisted by the 15 torque settings.
The tool looks bottom heavy with the battery in place but, in actual fact, the battery balances out the tool well and it was comfortable to work with even in more cramped working environments. It performed well drilling at large and small diameter holes and the driving performance was precise and controlled thanks to a very responsive variable speed trigger, which fed off a two-speed gearbox.
The LED was well placed, so we were rarely working in the shadow of the drill, as did the battery which performed well considering how much we were asking of the 20V motor. It also offers a cheaper pathway to get started with DeWalt’s impressive 20V tool platform.
Buy now £290.00, Amazon.co.uk
Wickes 18V cordless combi drill
This is our top recommendation if you’re shopping on a budget because it’s compatible with the Wickes “1forall” battery system. This means as you progress to bigger jobs you can just upgrade to a higher-powered, or more fully featured Wickes drill, without having to buy a new battery system for it. On its own, it’s a very capable drill with two working speeds, a quality chuck and 21 torque settings, which coped really well drilling and driving into plaster walls and wood while still offering up enough battery life and power to take on a masonry task. Nicely weighted with a good quality LED, it’s a good drill at an excellent price.
Buy now £55.00, Wickes.co.uk
Bosch GSB 12V-35 combi drill
If you only occasionally feel the need to pick up a drill then this 12V tool will be able to handle most light-duty jobs. Having said that though, these days, drills like this one have become very powerful, so if you ever needed it to have a go at more aggressive work – like replacing deck boards or fixing loose guttering – it won’t let you down thanks to its impressive output.
The 21 torque settings and responsive, 2-speed, variable gear box was enough to cover drilling and driving into a range of materials, while the two 3Ah batteries (supplied with the kit) were fully charged in 45 minutes. All this performance comes in a robust housing that’s lightweight, compact and comfortable when operating and the whole kit is supplied in one of Bosch’s tough l-boxx casings, so nothing should go missing in between jobs.
Buy now £179.99, Screwfix.com
The verdict: Cordless drills
Combining power, versatility and control the Worx WX354 active hammer drill worked well with all the materials it was faced with and overall was one of the most comfortable drills to work with. Good build quality, battery life and a bright LED work light added to the overall value.
Make light work of DIY with our best hammer drills that tackle concrete, wood and brick
