Cordless Drills Buying Guide
After months of drilling holes, driving screws, and rip-sawing lengths of pine beams, we found some heavily promoted cordless
tools to be light on performance. But others were up to the task. Something to look for: More cordless drills and tool kits
feature lighter or longer-running lithium-ion cells.
- Getting started
- Types
- Features
- Brands
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Cordless drill & tool kit selector (beta)
Sort our Ratings based on features, brands and other factors.
Brands
Black & Decker and Craftsman (Sears) are the major brands. Like Ryobi and Skil, they're aimed primarily at homeowners. Bosch, DeWalt, Hitachi, Makita, Milwaukee, Porter-Cable, and Ridgid offer more expensive drills designed for pros and serious do-it-yourselfers. Use these profiles to compare cordless drills by brand.
Black & Decker
Black & Decker is one of the leading manufacturer and marketer of cordless drills. Black & Decker cordless drills are geared to the consumer market and are available in multiple sizes, weight, and voltages. Black & Decker cordless drills are widely available online, in hardware stores, and at Lowe’s and Walmart.
Bosch
Bosch cordless drills are geared to the contractor market and are available in multiple sizes, weights, and voltages. Bosch cordless drills are widely available online, in hardware stores, and at Lowe’s.Craftsman
Craftsman is one of the leading brands of cordless drills. Craftsman cordless drills are geared to the consumer market and are available in multiple sizes, weights, and voltages. Craftsman cordless drills are available in NiCd and Li-Ion battery types. Craftsman drill drivers are sold at Sears and Kmart and online at Sears.com.DeWalt
DeWalt is one of the top manufacturers and marketers of cordless drills. DeWalt cordless drills are geared to the contractor market and are available in multiple sizes, weights, and voltages. DeWalt offers multiple lines, including the Heavy Duty and Compact lines, and models powered by lithium-ion batteries. Dewalt cordless drills are widely available online, in hardware stores, and at home centers like Lowe’s and Home Depot.Hitachi
Hitachi cordless drills are geared to the contractor market and are available in multiple sizes, weights, and voltages. Hitachi cordless drills are widely available online, in hardware stores, and at Lowe’s.Makita
Makita cordless drills are geared to the contractor market and are available in multiple sizes, weights, and voltages. Makita cordless drills are widely available online, in hardware stores, and at Home Depot and Lowe’s.Panasonic
Panasonic cordless drills are geared to the contractor market and are available in multiple sizes, weights and voltages. Panasonic cordless drills are available online and in hardware stores.Ryobi
Ryobi is one of the leading brands of cordless drills. Ryobi drills are made by TTI, which also makes the Rigid and Milwaukee brands. Ryobi cordless drills are geared to the consumer market and are available in multiple sizes, weights, and voltages. Ryobi is known for the One+ rechargeable battery that can be used among a variety of products. Ryobi cordless drills are available in NiCd and Li-Ion battery types. Ryobi drill drivers are exclusive to Home Depot.Skil
Skil cordless drills are geared to the consumer market and are available in multiple sizes, weights and voltages. Skil cordless drills are widely available online, in hardware stores, and at Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Walmart.
