Cordless Drill Buying Guide

What to look for in a cordless drill – Cordless Drill Buying Guide

Read through our buying tips below and get an idea of what you should look out for, this list is a brief buyers guide which covers the more important points, such as battery voltage, variable speeds and keyless chucks.

Cordless drill buyers guide – top 10 points to look for

1. Speed-range switch, generally 2 ratios, both high and low, normally selected by changing mechanical gearing. High is for drilling applications whilst low range is reserved for driving screws. Look out for the widest range between the two settings.
2. Look for a reliable motor, some models have external brushes for easy changing – when the brushes wear down you can easily change them for new ones, some bosch models have this feature ,it is only of use if you are using your cordless drill on a daily basis.
3. Forward/reverse switch: This should be easy to operate with either your thumb or trigger finger – again this is a standard feature but look for one which is easy to operate.
4. Hand grip: Texture and contoured, should aid your grip, some Porter and Cable cordless drills have padded grips which you can choose to match your hand size – useful after an 8 hour shift.
5. Voltage: a higher voltage means more drilling power but it can also mean more weight – don’t buy a drill you won’t need, 12 volt drills are powerful enough for most DIY users, bigger models just weigh more so think carefully about what you will be using the drill for.
6. Batteries: Two are better than one. New NiMH batteries tend to be better because they deliver more charge and last longer.
7. Trigger: Make sure your index finger fits around it comfortably when gripping the drill, Variable speed offers the greatest control.
8. Chuck jaws: The maximum chuck capacity on most drills is 3/8 inches. Although some 14.4 and 18V drills can handle 1/2-inch-diameter bits, these have a 1/2inch chuck.
9. Keyless chuck: Virtually a standard fitting today, hand-turn it to open and close the chuck jaws. The keyless chuck can grip any screwdriver bit or drill bit securely.
10. Clutch: Setting the clutch gives you greater control of the depth to which screws are driven.