Craftsman 17310 C3

The inexpensive Craftsman 17310 C3 offers great speed and power for its price, experts and owners say -- but for just a bit more money you could get the top-rated 18-volt budget cordless drill, the Hitachi DS18DSAL (*Est. $140). Unlike the Craftsman, which comes with only one Li-ion battery, the Hitachi drill comes with two -- so you'll always have a spare to work with while the other one's charging. The Craftsman is a 19.2-volt drill, but the Hitachi proves faster and more powerful in one top test, and it weighs slightly less than the Craftsman. Reviews note the Craftsman's amenities, including its LED task light, battery fuel gauge (so you'll know when it's almost time to recharge) and quick 30-minute charger.

ConsumerReports.org expertly tests the Craftsman 17310 C3, ranking it in a chart to show how it stacks up against other cordless drills. We found the most owner reviews for this model at Sears.com, with a handful at Amazon.com.