Cordless Drills: Reviews

Updated August 2009

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Best cordless drill for homeowners

*Est. $150 Compare Prices

The current trend is toward subcompact lithium-ion (Li-ion) drill/drivers for most homeowner tasks, since heavier drills are overkill. This 10.8-volt Makita, which earns top marks in the latest comparison reviews, weighs… just 2.2 pounds. Its Li-ion batteries hold their charge well between uses and will run through more recharging cycles than older battery types. Designed for driving screws, this rare two-speed model can also drill well. An integrated LED light stays on a few seconds after you release the drill's trigger so you can easily check your work. Makita's three-year warranty is another plus.

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Tools of the Trade: Tools of the Trade compares nine subcompact Li-ion cordless drill/drivers based on objective tests plus jobsite use, ranking the ...

Journal of Light Construction: The Makita DF030DW shares top ranking with the Hitachi DB10DL in this review of six Li-ion subcompact drill/drivers. The review ...

J.D. Power and Associates: Makita ranks fifth in J.D. Power and Associates' customer-satisfaction survey of 10 cordless drill brands, though it still ranks ...

Amazon.com: The handful of owners reviewing the Makita DF030DW cordless drill at Amazon.com say they're very pleased with its compact size ...

TylerTool.com: This YouTube video is basically an advertisement, but it does demonstrate the features of the Makita DF030DW, and shows that it ...

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for $112.36

Cordless drill for construction projects

Makita BDF452HW

*Est. $200 Compare Prices

This 18-volt compact lithium-ion drill weighs more (3.5 pounds) than the 10.8-volt Makita DF030DW, but its half-inch chuck and extra power make the BDF452HW cordless drill superior for larger construction jobs. Reviewers… say the Makita drill's batteries are easy to change, and that the tool itself is very comfortable, with excellent balance. Its 15-minute charger means you can easily keep up with long work sessions, recharging one battery while using the other. For construction jobs with lots of fasteners, experts say you should also consider an impact driver, which helps cut down on fatigue, but costs more.

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: This review compares the Makita BDF452HW cordless drill with 42 other cordless drills, based on earlier tests published in ...

Tools of the Trade: Tools of the Trade Online compares eight compact Li-ion cordless drill/drivers based on objective tests plus jobsite use, ranking ...

Popular Woodworking: The Makita BDF452HW is the Editor's Choice at Popular Woodworking, based on detailed comparison tests of seven 18-volt, Li-ion ...

Wood Magazine: The Makita BDF452HW is judged the better of the two cordless drills recommended in this brief Wood Magazine review. Tester Doug ...

Tools of the Trade: Tools of the Trade doesn't rank or rate the Li-ion cordless tools reviewed here, but the brief summaries of each model make it ...

J.D. Power and Associates: Makita ranks fifth in this large customer-satisfaction survey of 10 cordless drill brands, though it still ranks above the ...

Amazon.com: The Makita BDF452HW compact lithium-ion drill is one of the top-rated cordless drills at this retail site reviewed by over 160 ...

HomeDepot.com: Nearly two dozen owners review the Makita BDF452HW at HomeDepot.com, making it one of the top-rated cordless drills at this ...

The Power Tool Geek: The Power Tool Geek blog post reports on informal tests of cordless drills by three women. They agreed on the 4.6-pound Makita ...

ToolKing.com: This video, posted at YouTube, is basically an advertisement, but it does give a good indication of the relative size and power ...

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Budget cordless drill

Hitachi DS12DVF3

*Est. $75 Compare Prices

The 12-volt Hitachi DS12DVF3 drill/driver is slower than the top-ranked Makita drills, and its nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries don't hold their charge as well between uses. However, this Hitachi drill weighs 3.5 pounds,… light for a Ni-Cd-powered drill, and reviewers say it's an excellent budget drill for homeowners. It also includes a separate work light that uses the same batteries and charger. Hitachi's five-year warranty is another plus. If you think you'll need a little more oomph and a longer battery charge, the Makita DF030DW gets better reviews, but costs twice as much.

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: This review compares the Hitachi DS12DVF3 cordless drill with 42 other cordless drills, based on earlier tests published in ...

Wood Magazine: The Hitachi DS12DVF3 is recommended by this tester as the best value in cordless drills, with praise for its excellent runtime ...

J.D. Power and Associates: Hitachi ranks third in this large J.D. Power and Associates customer-satisfaction survey of 10 cordless drill brands, well above ...

Amazon.com: More than two dozen owners review the Hitachi DS12DVF3 drill/driver here, giving it a high average rating and judging it a good ...

HomeDepot.com: More than two dozen owners give this Hitachi drill reasonably high average ratings at HomeDepot.com, especially for value, design ...

YouTube.com: This video review of the Hitachi DS12DVF3 is silent but gives a good demonstration of it in action as it drills through both ...

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Best cordless screwdriver

Hitachi DB3DL

*Est. $65 Compare Prices

For driving small screws, reviews recommend the Hitachi DB3DL 3.6-volt cordless screwdriver. It earns top marks for comfort and performance, with a clutch that makes it easy to avoid stripping screws (many small cordless… screwdrivers don't include a clutch at all). And unlike most pocket screwdrivers, the Hitachi comes with two batteries so you can be recharging one while you use the other; both hold their charges well between uses. The warranty is for 10 years.

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: This review compares the Hitachi DB3DL cordless screwdriver with seven other models, as part of a larger report on cordless ...

PopularMechanics.com: This review at Popular Mechanics of nine cordless screwdrivers gives the Hitachi DB3DL top ranking, based on tests of drilling ...

Wired: The Hitachi DB3DL ranks second to the Bosch PS10-2 I-Driver in this Wired review of four cordless screwdrivers, but costs much ...

Tools of the Trade: This Tools of the Trade overview recommends the Hitachi DB3DL cordless screwdriver for light tasks such as installing cabinet ...

J.D. Power and Associates: Hitachi ranks third in this large J.D. Power and Associates customer-satisfaction survey of 10 cordless drill brands, well above ...

Amazon.com: Over 50 owners review the Hitachi DB3DL cordless screwdriver at Amazon.com, giving it a high average rating. Owners say it's ...

Toolbarn.com: Only a couple owner reviews are listed for the Hitachi DB3DL cordless screwdriver at ToolBarn.com, both giving it high ...

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for $63.43

Best cordless impact driver

Panasonic EY7540LN2L

*Est. $315 Compare Prices

For big construction jobs that require driving lag bolts or other heavy-duty fasteners, reviewers recommend an impact driver. This pro-grade, 14.4-volt, lithium-ion Panasonic EY7540LN2L gets top ranking in two objective… comparison tests, earning praise for both performance and comfort on larger construction projects. It's light at 3.2 pounds, compact (6.5 inches long) and has a brushless motor plus a sensitive variable-speed trigger for control. The powerful batteries provide longer runtime for big jobs away from outlets.

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Taunton's 2009 Tool Guide: A professional designer/builder tests 12 cordless Li-ion impact drivers on the job for several months. This review, originally ...

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org compares the Panasonic EY7540LN2L with 17 other cordless impact drivers in this thorough review. All 18 ...

Journal of Light Construction: The Journal of Light Construction tests the Panasonic EY7540 cordless impact driver, driving 3/8-inch lag screws that are 6 ...

Tools of the Trade: This review reports on tests of all the Li-ion impact drivers available at the time of publication. The models aren't rated or ...

Amazon.com: At the time of this writing, only a couple owners review the 14.4-volt Panasonic impact driver at Amazon.com, both praising it ...

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Bosch PS20-2A Pocket Driver *Est. $100

10 picks including: Amazon.com, American Woodworker…

Panasonic EY6432GQKW *Est. $200

7 picks including: Amazon.com, Popular Woodworking…

Bosch PS40-2A *Est. $150

7 picks by top review sites.

Ridgid R86006 *Est. $200

5 picks by top review sites.

Skil iXO3 *Est. $45

5 picks including: Amazon.com, Wood Magazine…

Ryobi P844 Kit *Est. $300

4 picks by top review sites.

Makita BDF451 LXT *Est. $300

3 picks including: Amazon.com, J.D. Power & Associates…

Festool C12 *Est. $375

3 picks by top review sites.

Milwaukee 2401-22 *Est. $100

3 picks by top review sites.

Sears Craftsman 11542 *Est. $100

2 picks including: ToolMonger.com, Sears.com…

Ryobi HJP001K *Est. $80

2 picks including: HomeDepot.com, The Power Tool Geek…

Ryobi P230 *Est. $70 w/o battery

2 picks by top review sites.


	Bosch PS20-2A 12-Volt Max Lithium-Ion Pocket Driver with 2 Batteries from Amazon.com New: $244.00 $91.98 In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Panasonic EY6432GQKW 15.6-Volt NiMH 1/2-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit from Amazon.com New: $360.00 $188.00 In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Bosch PS40-2A 12-Volt Max Lithium-Ion Impact Driver from Amazon.com New: $334.00 $129.00 In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Bare-Tool Ridgid 18-Volt Compact Lithium-ion Drill R86006 (Tool Only, No Battery) from Amazon.com New: Average Customer Review:


	Skil iXO3 2346-05 3.6-Volt Li-Ion Cordless Driver from Amazon.com New: $75.78 $45.33 In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Makita BDF451 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit from Amazon.com New: $538.00 $299.99 In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Milwaukee 2401-22 12-Volt Li-ion Sub-Compact Driver Kit from Amazon.com New: $249.00 $89.99 In Stock. Average Customer Review:

Cordless Drills: Reviews

Best cordless drill for homeowners

Cordless drill for construction projects

Budget cordless drill

Best cordless screwdriver

Best cordless impact driver

Cordless Drills by Price Range