{"id":2228,"date":"2017-12-20T11:02:16","date_gmt":"2017-12-20T11:02:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.battaussie.com\/blog\/?p=2228"},"modified":"2017-12-21T07:46:00","modified_gmt":"2017-12-21T07:46:00","slug":"make-10-cordless-drills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.battaussie.com\/blog\/make-10-cordless-drills.htm","title":{"rendered":"Make 10 cordless drills for yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a walkway for a family center cruise tool, not to mention an innumerable online route, you’ll find a series of cordless drills. CR is here to help reduce your choice to more than 30 models, which we recently bought and tested for beginners.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We perform the bulk of our tests on a\u00a0benchtop instrument called a dynamometer. It measures torque under different loads that we use to derive scores for power, speed, and run time. To give you a sense of what\u2019s involved in our drill reviews, CR engineers could drive 67,547 wood screws into pine boards for the total work they measured during testing. (They use\u00a01\u00bd-inch-long #8 screws.)<\/p>\n

Check out our\u00a0cordless drill ratings\u00a0for detailed results of all that effort. There you’ll find models from contractor favorites DeWalt, Makita, and Milwaukee, as well as brands for the average homeowner: Black+Decker, GreenWorks, Hitachi, Panasonic, Porter-Cable, Ridgid, Skil, and Worx. We also tested the brands Kobalt (Lowe\u2019s) and Ryobi (The Home Depot).<\/p>\n

Here are 10 models for the dedicated DIYer, from weekend warrior to future master carpenter. They\u2019re broken down into three categories\u2014general use, heavy-duty, and light-duty\u2014and listed alphabetically, not by CR rank.<\/p>\n

Visit\u00a0<\/b>Consumer Reports’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide<\/b>\u00a0for updates on deals, expert product reviews, insider tips on shopping,\u00a0and much more. And be sure to check our\u00a0<\/b>Daily Gift Guide<\/b>.<\/b><\/p>\n

Bosch<\/a> PS32-02<\/h2>\n

CR\u2019s take<\/b>:\u00a0One of only two brushless models in our general use category, this Bosch delivers solid performance at under 2 pounds, less than half the weight of a number of heavy-duty drills we tested. The slim, pistol-grip profile makes this 12-volt model comfortable to handle, and the downsized package still accommodates features like a built-in LED light and bit storage. If you\u2019re upgrading from an old 18-volt drill and don\u2019t find yourself doing lots of heavy-duty work with your drill, this is a well-rounded option.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s included<\/b>: Two 2.0 Ah batteries, five bits, and a soft-sided case<\/p>\n

Makita<\/a> FD07R1<\/h2>\n

CR’s take:\u00a0<\/b>This brushless Makita weighs just over two pounds and stands barely 6-inches tall. Despite its slim profile, the Makita packs a serious punch, making it a solid alternative to some of the larger, 18 and 20-volt models. It comes with two batteries and a rapid charger, which tops off an empty battery in an impressive 60 minutes, so you\u2019ll never be without a drill. Also nice, the\u00a0MAKITA 9122 Power Tool Battery<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a>mounts to the bottom of the drill, so unlike the Bosch, it stands upright.<\/p>\n

\n

What\u2019s included:<\/b>\u00a0Two 2.0 amp-hour (Ah) batteries and a reversible Phillips\/flat-head bit<\/p>\n

Ridgid R82005K<\/h2>\n

CR\u2019s take:<\/b>\u00a0If you don\u2019t harbor a lust for power tools but recognize that you need a drill of some sort, this is the one to buy. For $100, you get everything you need and nothing you don\u2019t. Like the 12-volt Bosch above, this model has a pistol-grip profile, making it both comfortable and small enough to toss in the junk drawer. Plus it comes with a 3-year warranty for the tool itself as well as the battery. That\u2019s among the longest for drills in our ratings.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s included:<\/b>\u00a0Two 1.5 AH batteries<\/p>\n

Black+Decker BDCDDBT120C<\/h2>\n

CR\u2019s take:<\/b>\u00a0This bargain-priced drill has a big 20-volt battery that seems like a mismatch for its small \u215c-inch chuck and lightweight 2.5-pound body. It\u2019s half the weight of some of the largest 20-volt tools in our ratings\u2014good for handling but perhaps not so terrific for power. It comes with a lone battery that takes nearly 4 hours to charge vs. only 30 minutes for some other models in our ratings.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s included:<\/b>\u00a0One 2.0 amp-hour (Ah) battery and a reversible Phillips\/flat-head bit<\/p>\n

DeWalt<\/a> DCD791D2<\/h2>\n

CR\u2019s take:<\/b>\u00a0This 20-volt drill from DeWalt (featured in the video above) is neither as brawny as the biggest 18-volt drills we tested nor as balanced as the best 12-volts. But by splitting the difference between those extremes, this model may be the Goldilocks of cordless drills for some users. That means compact enough that you won\u2019t tire from using it to swap out an overhead light fixture but forceful enough to bore holes in hardwood without bogging down. It\u2019s well worth considering if you\u2019re torn between voltage ratings.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s included:<\/b>\u00a0Two 2.0 Ah\u00a0DEWALT DC9071 Power Tool Batteries\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>and a hard-sided case<\/p>\n

Kobalt (Lowe’s) KDD 1424A-03<\/h2>\n

CR\u2019s take:<\/b>\u00a0Exclusive to Lowe\u2019s, this 4-pound bruiser is a whole lot of drill for the money. One way Kobalt keeps costs down is by giving you only one battery, albeit a big 24-volt unit. Consider buying a second ($50) for larger projects and always keeping one on the charger. This model will drill plenty of holes fast and perform well enough to serve as a tackle-any-task option for the average homeowner.
\n
\nWhat\u2019s included:<\/b>\u00a0One 2.0 Ah battery, a removable side grip, a single Phillips bit, and a hard-sided case<\/p>\n

Milwaukee 2705-22<\/h2>\n

CR\u2019s take:<\/b>\u00a0By pairing a powerful, brushless motor with a giant 5.0 Ah battery, this drill leaves you feeling like you could build a deck in an afternoon. If you tried, there\u2019s little doubt the drill could keep up. That ginormous battery makes the drill heavy; at 4.65 pounds, it\u2019s more than double the weight of some stellar 12-volt models CR tested. And with so much of the weight concentrated in the battery, which snaps onto the base of the handle, it can feel unbalanced. The clutch has 14 settings, so you can dial back the beast for more delicate tasks such as tightening a cabinet pull. Of course, if that\u2019s all you\u2019re doing, a screwdriver will work just fine.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s included:<\/b>\u00a0Two 5.0 Ah batteries, a removable side grip, and a hard-sided case<\/p>\n

Ridgid R86116K<\/h2>\n

CR\u2019s take:<\/b>\u00a0If you don\u2019t mind working with a drill on the bulkier end of the spectrum, you may want to check out this model, because it\u2019s the only tool in our ratings with a built-in hammer-drill setting. That\u2019s a handy function for projects like drilling into masonry\u2014think fastening a ledger board to the foundation of your house to build a deck. (If you don\u2019t know what a ledger board is, then you probably don\u2019t need this drill.) The Ridgid also has an astonishing 115 clutch settings, which allow for precise control when driving screws. And it\u2019s quick if not quite as powerful as the very best drills in our ratings.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s included:<\/b>\u00a0Two 2.0 Ah batteries and a hard-sided case<\/p>\n

Ryobi P1811<\/h2>\n

CR\u2019s take:<\/b>\u00a0Ryobi is a brand sold exclusively at Home Depot. This drill, like many of the brand\u2019s offerings, provides quite a bit for the money, including a charger and two 18-volt batteries. The batteries also power an exceptionally broad slew of tools, including the traditional power tools you might expect, like a circular saw, impact driver, and worklight, as well as some unique offerings like an electric air inflator, pruning shears, and even a leaf blower.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s included:<\/b>\u00a0Two 2.0 Ah batteries and a soft-sided case<\/p>\n

Worx WX176L<\/h2>\n

CR\u2019s take:<\/b>\u00a0This unique drill falls in our light-duty category because of the limitations of its fixed, \u00bc-inch chuck. But it blurs the lines because it\u2019s powered by a 20-volt battery, which would otherwise place it in the heavy-duty class. It\u2019s a one-off design with two chucks, allowing you to load two different bits at once and easily switch from drilling to driving by rotating the wheel at the business end of the tool. The dual chuck might be more of a liability than an asset for some. The mechanism makes the tool a little unwieldy and hard to maneuver in tight spaces\u2014say, inside a sink cabinet\u2014which is why you\u2019d want a light-duty drill in the first place.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s included:<\/b>\u00a0Two 1.5 Ah batteries, a single Phillips bit, and a soft-sided case<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a walkway for a family center cruise tool, not to mention an innumerable online route, you’ll find a series of cordless drills. CR is here to help reduce your choice to more than 30 models, which we recently bought and tested for beginners. We perform the bulk of our tests on a\u00a0benchtop instrument called […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[678,909,240],"class_list":["post-2228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-bosch-2607335037-power-tool-battery","tag-dewalt-dc9071-power-tool-batteries","tag-makita-9122-power-tool-battery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.battaussie.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2228","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.battaussie.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.battaussie.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.battaussie.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.battaussie.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2228"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.battaussie.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2228\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2233,"href":"https:\/\/www.battaussie.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2228\/revisions\/2233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.battaussie.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.battaussie.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.battaussie.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}