

One caveat to keep in mind is also that the higher Ah and voltage, generally, the more bulky battery and longer it may take to charge. That means when you can look for a balance of the right voltage for you and a higher ampere-hour to power your jobs.

You can think of as the capacity of the battery, or how long it will last. The other measurement to watch for is the ampere-hour. So you'll likely want to opt for an 18V or 20V version. However, a good rule of thumb is that the higher the voltage, the more torque (think power) it will deliver. Most of your consumer drill/drivers will be in the 12V to 20V. There are lots of cordless battery options out there, ranging from 3V to 48V. The other consideration when choosing your battery is the voltage (V) and the ampere-hour (Ah). Another great benefit is that they are smaller and lighter, all while providing the noted benefits. They charge quickly, have longer lifespans, and have a better discharge rate. Lithium-ion batteries are in most modern battery-powered electronics. Meaning you'll be recharging them more frequently. However, they have a higher discharge rate as well as less power density. They are durable and, for the most part, quite reliable. NiCad cells have been around for decades and powered many different products. As for the batteries themselves, you generally have two choices, NiCad, and lithium-ion. As was mentioned in the "Things to consider" section, the tool/battery ecosystem is paramount when choosing what brand to go buy. There are few things more important when picking out your cordless power tool of choice than the battery. Let's dive into some of the nuances of words you may come across when buying the tool that makes it right for you. It will provide quick bursts of high strength turns to get that last few threads secured. The motor is designed to give maximum torque when what you are driving starts to stick or get tight. The quick-change chuck makes swapping from a Philips to a socket adapter simple. It's lighter weight and more compact than your average drill/driver.

BEST DRILL DRIVER
The hammer drill does as the name states and will make tiny hammer motions with the motors onto the bit to help force the drill bit through whatever material on which you are working.Īn impact driver is a tool that's primary function is just that, driving a screw or nut. A quick tip, if you won't be doing much masonry work you can likely get by with a regular drill and a masonry bit. Should your walls be made from concrete and you would like to hang a picture, a hammer drill is the best tool for the job. Keep in mind that a good bit set, the part you put into the end of the drill/driver for the task at hand, with a variety of components is a must regardless of the tool you choose.Īs for hammer drills, they are built for driving an anchor, a screw, or bolt into a masonry material. A drill/driver is a versatile tool that can drill a hole, set a screw-like a screwdriver, or drive a nut. Do you need a drill, an impact driver, or a hammer drill for the task at hand? While there are specialized tools, if you won't be drilling into concrete or brick walls regularly, then you are probably better suited looking at a drill/driver with a hammer drill setting rather than buying a hammer drill alone. You may have seen in our "Best of" section above, that there are a few different drills out there. Let's get into some things to consider when looking for the drill you need.

So if you buy a drill, but could see a use for a cordless reciprocating saw, or maybe a circular saw, impact wrench, oscillating tool in your future, then you will want to keep those in mind when looking at the brand you buy. All major cordless power tool companies are producing tools that can all use the same rechargeable battery. A phrase you will frequently hear in the tech world is "ecosystem lock-in" and guess what, that is something that permeates even the power tool world. There are a lot of variables that can go into picking the drill that best fits your needs. Things to consider when picking a cordless drill Best overall kit: DEWALT DCK240C2 20v Lithium Drill Driver/Impact.Best overall hammer drill: DEWALT DCD778L1 20V Max.Runner-up impact driver: Makita XDT131 18V LXT.Best overall impact driver: DEWALT DCF885C1 20V Max.The budget option: BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Matrix BDCDMT120C.
