They offer plenty of power for most household tasks, like hanging a shelf or tightening screws, and they weigh less, in some cases coming in at half the weight of heavier-duty models. Lower-voltage drills, which we call general-use drills in our ratings, typically use about 12 volts. They’re typically heavier but also more capable of tackling difficult tasks like boring a large hole through studs or joists, or driving hundreds of screws on a single battery charge (something you’ll need to do when building a deck). Higher-voltage drills, which we call heavy-duty in our ratings, generally have 18 to 20 volts of power or more. The voltage of your drill dictates the size of the job it can tackle.

In our latest round of testing, we looked at roughly a dozen models from DeWalt, Makita, and Milwaukee, among others. buying a tool with a battery and charger. “Simply buy the bare tools to complete your set and adjust the voltage to match the project you’re working on.” While the savings will vary, expect to pay about one-third less when buying a bare tool vs. “So you can use the same batteries for your drill, chainsaw, and string trimmer,” says Courtney Pennicooke, CR’s market analyst for cordless drills. That’s because we’re seeing more batteries that are interchangeable among the entire suite of power tools offered by a brand. And the changes aren’t unique to cordless drills they’ve also occurred across many of the power tools we test.Īs a result, your cordless drill can actually save you money.

These improvements in cordless drills come thanks to advancements in lithium-ion battery technology and the introduction of brushless motors, which are more powerful despite requiring less energy. In the past decade, cordless drills have become more powerful, lighter, and more energy-efficient, making corded drills practically obsolete. In fact, we would argue that it’s the single most important item in your toolbox.

Whether you’re hanging a shelf, installing a ceiling fan, or building a deck, a cordless drill is a must.

Dewalt multi tool mt