Choosing a cordless drill from our Ratings just got easier

Procrastinators are still holding out hope that they'll get a good gift at a good price by Sunday. Retailers are slashing prices on everything from clothes to toys to tools including some of the cordless drills recommended in Consumer Reports tests. If that sounds like the perfect present for the handyman or woman on your list, check out our new model pages, which give our testers' take on each drill as well as the highs and lows of every model.

Take the Hitachi DS18DSAL, for example. It's one of our top-scoring drills and can be found for as little as $149 at Lowe's. This top-scoring 18-volt drill is nearly as fast and powerful as heavy-duty models yet weighs just 3.4 pounds. Pluses include a 1/2-inch chuck, two speeds, two lithium-ion batteries, a smart charger, and an LED work light. We also found its handle especially comfortable. While recharges take some 10 minutes longer than the optimal 30 minutes or less, they're still reasonably fast. A gripe at this price: The battery doesn't show the time remaining until it's depleted.

The Ridgid R86008K is selling for $149 at Home Depot. Consider this 18-volt, two-speed drill if you're willing to trade a little power for long run time. At four pounds, it's still relatively easy to handle. And recharges happen in just 25 minutes. Features include the usual 1/2-inch chuck, two lithium-ion batteries, a smart charger, an LED work, and—yes—a battery-charge indicator.

And the Craftsman 17310, selling at Sears for $90, is a CR Best Buy. This 19.2-volt drill delivers nearly as much speed power as far pricier models. At just 3.8 pounds, it's also light, well-balanced, and easy to hold. Features include two speeds, the usual 1/2-inch chuck, a smart charger with 30-minute recharge time, and a built-in LED light. Pressing a button shows the charge status. And the battery is lithium-ion—though this drill comes with just one.

There are 31 cordless drills on our recommended list and each has its pluses and minuses. But a real plus is finding a great drill at a great price in time for the holiday.

—Mary H.J. Farrell