Budget Cordless Drills

12-volt Milwaukee lithium drill handles most tasks

Cordless drill/drivers in the subcompact 10.8-volt to 12-volt range can handle most household tasks, such as putting up shelves or assembling cabinets. The first "pocket drivers" in this range were single-speed models with limited ability to drill holes. Newer subcompact drill/drivers offer two speeds, with a higher maximum speed for drilling holes. They still have variable-speed triggers to fine-tune speed within each range, but the higher speed is suitable for drilling holes. ("Pocket drivers" are covered in our separate report on cordless screwdrivers.)

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries hold their charge a long time between uses, so tools using this battery type are ideal for homeowners who use drills only occasionally. Li-ion batteries make it possible to design smaller and lighter tools that are easier to maneuver in cramped spaces and less tiring to use. Unlike Ni-Cd and NiMH batteries -- older types -- Li-ion batteries also keep the drill running at full power until the charge is completely gone.

Two different surveys of brand satisfaction give Milwaukee top ranking. The latest J.D. Power and Associates survey is based on 5,000 consumers who bought cordless drills within the preceding year. An earlier 2007 survey published at Builder Online is based on the opinions of over 3,400 professional builders.

The 12-volt Milwaukee 2410-22 (*Est. $150) is judged the best of seven subcompact drills at Popular Mechanics. It earns praise for superior speed and power, a chuck that's easy to read and a lighted fuel gauge on the battery. This drill also earns the Editor's Choice award from Popular Woodworking, based on objective comparison tests of six drill/drivers. Editors from the magazine agree that this subcompact cordless drill excels in power and speed. They also praise its all-metal chuck and well-aimed LED light. The fuel gauge is important because Li-ion batteries keep a tool running at full power (a big plus), but stop suddenly when they need recharging.

The Milwaukee charger takes only 30 minutes to charge a battery to full capacity, and the cordless drill comes with two batteries -- making work time practically unlimited as long as you have an outlet handy to keep one battery charging while working with the other. This cordless drill/driver earns mostly positive reviews from owners at Amazon.com, HomeDepot.com and NorthernTool.com. We found a few complaints about the chuck not running true on some units, or gradually loosening its hold on a bit. Overall, reviewers say the tool is adequate for most household tasks, well balanced and comfortable -- though the 6.25-inch handle girth might be too big for some users.

The DeWalt DCD710S2 (*Est. $160) and Ridgid R92009 (*Est. $140) perform comparably to the Milwaukee 2410-22 in several top tests, and pro users find the DeWalt's slimmer handle and the Ridgid's grippy textured handle particularly comfortable. These drills are very similar to the Milwaukee 2410-22 in many ways: All come with two quick-charging Li-ion batteries, LED lights to help you see what you're doing, and ratcheting chucks for a strong grip on the bit. "Really cranks out the power," Tools of the Trade's Michael Springer says of the DeWalt DCD710S2. "Never seems to kick its overload switch." Popular Mechanics' Roy Berendsohn praises the Ridgid cordless drill's ability to "twist through holes using a spade bit or spin in a big bunch of screws -- in seconds." But the DeWalt costs a bit more than the Milwaukee drill, and these tools' three-year warranties can't match Milwaukee's five-year warranty.

For driving screws when a pilot hole isn't needed, a cordless subcompact driver that takes hex-shank bits costs a bit less. For putting up shelves or other small tasks, you may only need a low-voltage cordless screwdriver. We have a separate report on cordless screwdrivers.

Budget subcompact cordless drills

It doesn't drill quite as powerfully or last as long on a charge as the Milwaukee and DeWalt 12-volt cordless drills, but the Porter-Cable PCL120DDC-2 (*Est. $90) finishes right behind those top drills in more than one expert test -- and it costs substantially less. It easily bests other drills costing under $100, with good speed and power, two lithium-ion batteries -- one to use and one spare -- and a handy magnetic bit/screw holder built into the motor casing.

Popular Mechanics praises the Porter-Cable cordless drill's "textured grip surfaces, balance and decent power and speed. What else could you ask from a drill?" Tools of the Trade says it's an "impressive high-performance tool at a bargain price," and This Old House magazine calls it "a respectable mix of battery life, torque and fast recharge time." In This Old House's torque test, the Porter-Cable outperforms all other under-$100 drills, twisting a 3-inch lag bolt further into a thick pine sandwich (a 4-by-4 topped with a 2-by-4) than its counterparts. The Porter-Cable's three-year warranty is shorter than the Milwaukee drill's five-year warranty, though, and one top tester points out that "you also can't replace any internal parts on the Porter-Cable, so it's basically a disposable."

The 12-volt Hitachi DS12DVF3 (*Est. $80) lacks a built-in LED light and uses Ni-Cd batteries that don't hold a charge as well between uses, and don't keep the drill running at full power as the battery loses charge. It does come in a kit with a cordless work light, and it includes a built-in holder for one bit. In May 2009, Wood Magazine recommended this cordless drill as the best value, and it's also one of the top-rated cordless drills by users at Amazon.com. It's fairly light at 3.4 pounds, and owners say it's fine for medium-level tasks. Its charger isn't "smart" (meaning it doesn't shut off automatically when a full charge is reached), and owners note that if you just leave the battery on the charger, it will be ruined. The Hitachi cordless drill isn't as fast as some more expensive competitors, but it does carry a five-year warranty.

The cheapest drill recommended in reviews is the Craftsman 17586 (*Est. $70). Like the Porter-Cable PCL120DDC-2, the Craftsman drill wins a Best Buy award in one prominent test -- in fact, the two drills earn identical ratings in that test. In This Old House magazine's comparison test, the Craftsman manages to sink about 90 more screws than the Porter-Cable cordless drill on a single charge. Tools of the Trade calls the Craftsman drill a "competitive performer" in the light-duty drill class, and both sources praise the Craftsman's super-comfortable grip. However, both find the on-board LED task light disappointingly dim, and This Old House magazine gives the Craftsman a low 2-star score for torque (twisting power). It does use an Li-ion battery, but it comes with only one, so you won't have a spare to use while your battery's charging.