Cordless Drill Deals for the Holidays

Amazon has an impressive lineup of combo kits, standalone drills, and bare tools (sold without a battery). Most impressive might be its deal on the beefy Milwaukee drill below—the brand rarely offers discounts. You’ll drive yourself crazy, though, trying to find a combo kit on Amazon that features the Milwaukee. Instead, grab the drill at a discount, then scour the retailer for other bare tools from Milwaukee that use the same M18 batteries to build yourself a totally tailored toolkit.

Milwaukee 2705-22
Size: 18-Volt, Heavy Duty
Sale price: $299
Regular price: $330
CR’s take: By pairing a powerful brushless motor with a giant 5.0 Ah battery, this drill leaves you feeling like you could build a deck in an afternoon. (If you tried, there’s little doubt the drill could keep up.) But the huge battery makes this drill heavy; at 4.65 pounds, it’s more than double the weight of some stellar 12-volt models we tested. And with so much of the weight concentrated in the battery, which snaps onto the base of the handle, the Milwaukee can feel a bit unbalanced. The clutch has 14 settings, so you can dial it back for more delicate tasks, such as installing curtain rods. Amazon's $31 discount is generous for a drill we rarely see on sale—at Home Depot, you'll pay $329.
What’s included: Two 5.0 Ah batteries, a removable side grip, and a hard-sided case

DeWalt DCF610S2
Size: 20-Volt, Light Duty
Sale price: $97
Regular price: $115
CR’s take: This unique drill falls into our light-duty category because it’s got a fixed, ¼-inch chuck. But like a lot of drills in this class, it blurs the lines because it’s powered by a 20-volt battery, which would otherwise place it in the heavy-duty class. DeWALT has a broad platform of cordless power tools that rely on this same 20-volt battery, and snagging this drill is a great starting point—particularly because this already well-priced model is going for $18 less than normal. The model's currently priced $105 at Sears and $118 at Home Depot.
What’s included: Two 1.5 Ah batteries, a single Phillips bit, and a soft-sided case.

Home Depot’s deepest discounts are on two 12-volt models, the size we think is the best bet for most consumers. That’s why we call this class of drills General Use in our ratings. These tools pack enough power to do almost any job, but they’re slim and lightweight, too. (The retailer is also offering serious savings on cordless combo kits, but each of these bundles is built around a hammer drill. We don’t test heavy, bulky hammer drills, best reserved for tasks such as drilling into masonry—not exactly something most folks tackle on the weekend.)

Milwaukee 2407-22
Size: 12-Volt, General Use
Sale price: $99
Regular price: $130
CR’s take: This Milwaukee, marked down $31, is slightly bulkier and heavier than the trimmest 12-volts, but still earned pretty strong marks in our tests. Its runtime wasn’t on par with the best drills of this type, but with two batteries, which charge quickly, it shouldn’t matter—you’ll always have one ready. Amazon carries this model too, but you'll pay $136, plus $15 shipping from a third party.
What’s included: Two 2.0 Ah batteries, five bits, and a soft-sided case

Ridgid R82005K
Size: 12-Volt, General Use
Sale price: $89
Regular price: $99
CR’s take: If you don’t harbor a lust for power tools but recognize that you need a drill of some sort, this is a great one to consider. For a sale price of $89, you get everything you need and nothing you don’t. The Ridgid has a pistol-grip profile, making it both comfortable and small enough to toss in the junk drawer. Plus, the model comes with a 3-year warranty for the tool itself as well as the battery. That’s among the longest for drills in our ratings.
What’s included: Two 1.5 AH batteries

Lowe’s is offering up to 40 percent off select tools through the holiday season. That means you can score the Kobalt drill below at the lowest price we’ve seen. The retailer is also offering nice discounts on other cordless tools that use the same 24-volt battery—Kobalt's ⅜-inch impact wrench, circular saw, and random orbit sander. All three are available on sale without the battery or charger, so you could grab the drill and build out your tool suite while there are generous discounts across the board.

Kobalt KDD 1424A-03
Size: 24-Volt, Heavy Duty
Sale price: $149
Regular price: $180
CR’s take: Exclusive to Lowe’s, this 4-pound bruiser is a whole lot of drill for the full price. So the fact that Lowe's has marked it down by $31 makes it a no-brainer. One way Kobalt keeps costs down is by including only one battery, albeit a sizable 24-volt unit. Consider buying a second ($50) for larger projects and always keeping one on the charger. This model performs well enough to serve as a tackle-any-task option for the average homeowner.
What’s included: One 2.0 Ah battery, a removable side grip, a single Phillips bit, and a hard-sided case

Nobody would blame you for connecting Sears with Craftsman tools—the iconic brand has been exclusive to this retailer for decades. But the marketplace is changing, and since Craftsman was acquired by Stanley Black+Decker, we expect to start seeing some Craftsman tools in other retailers in 2018. Sears has evolved, too—their website has extensive offerings from third-party sellers, most of whom offer free shipping on tools that can be hard to find. The two deals below are solid values on models we couldn’t find discounted anywhere else.

Makita FD06R1
Size: 12-Volt, General Use
Sale price: $129
Regular price: $160
CR’s take: You may have noticed that Makita hasn't yet appeared in this roundup. That’s in part because the brand rarely seems to offer discounts—expect to pay the full $160 for this top-tier 12-volt drill. But through a third-party tool dealer at Sears, you can have this model for $31 less. We loved its slim profile and found it to be among the most powerful 12-volt drills we’ve tested. Worth noting: Makita is one of the few brands with an impressive array of 12-volt tools that run on the same battery, so you can round out your tool set, if you’d like, with an oscillating sander, handvac, or impact driver.
What’s included: Two 1.5 Ah batteries, a single Phillips bit, and a soft-sided case

Ingersoll Rand D1130-K2
Size: 12-Volt, General Use
Sale price: $130
Regular price: $170
CR’s take: The steepest discount of any drill in our ratings goes to this unique model from Ingersoll Rand, a brand best known for its automotive tools. We found this 12-volt drill to be refined, with nice fit and finish, and plenty powerful for most tasks. It's a solid choice if you need a potent and portable drill for everyday jobs around the house, though it’s not the model for you if you’re looking to build out a set of cordless tools, as you won’t find many other offerings that run on the same battery.
What’s included: Two 2.0 Ah batteries and a soft-sided case