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Drill Size, Drill Power
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$40
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$220...+In this review:
Cordless Drills Features
As you sort through the cheap drills options, keep in mind the old saying: "You aren't buying a drill, you're buying a hole." So answer the following before making your selection: How often will you use the drill? How wide and how deep do you want the holes to be? What kind of materials will you be drilling into? What size screws will you be driving, and into which materials? How much power do you need to make all this happen?
Drill Size.
A cordless drill's size is denoted by the largest size bit it can hold; the bit is held in place and rotated by the chuck. Cheap cordless drills that are useful for a variety of home maintenance chores and DIY projects come in two standard sizes: 3/8" and 1/2", and the specs will say something like 3/8" chuck or 1/2" chuck.
), and SKIL 2240-01 (starting at $51, Amazon
), come with a 3/8" chuck. Larger 18V cordless drills and 19.2V cordless drills, like the Craftsman 17310 C3 (starting at $100, Amazon
) and Ryobi P815 Lithium-Ion Compact Drill (starting at $150), typically come with a 1/2" chuck. The PowerGlide 2186955 (starting at $41, Amazon
) features an odd combination of small 3/8" chuck and powerful 19.2V battery.
Older drills need a type of key to unlock the chuck to change the bits. Newer models, including all the cheap 12V, 18V, and 19.2V cordless drills that we researched, are keyless -- you can open and close the chuck with your free hand, or, depending on the model, with the handle trigger. Occasionally the chuck on a cheap drill wears out; eHow.com provides instructions for replacing the chuck instead of buying a new cheap drill.
Drill Power.
The denser the material you're drilling or driving into, the more power you'll need. Higher voltage drills generally produce more torque. So, if you need to drill one medium-sized hole or drive a lot of little screws in material like drywall, a small 12V cordless drill like the Porter-Cable PCL120DDC-2 or Ryobi HJP002K should do the trick; the Bosch PS21-2A Pocket Driver (starting at $105, Amazon
) also works well for quick and easy jobs. But if you're building a deck or a tree house, you'd be better off with a more powerful drill. An inexpensive 14.4V or 16V cordless model might suffice, but most knowledgeable DIY-ers turn to 18V drills like the Ryobi P815, Craftsman 17310, or Hitachi DS18VF3 (starting at $116, Amazon
).
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Best Cheap Cordless Drills
Good Cheap Cordless Drills
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Don't Bother Cheap Drills
SKIL 2240-01
The Skil 12V 2240-01 cordless drill relies on the older NiCAD battery technology, which is a definite minus in our book. Its variable speed up to 700 rpm and good pricing win some fans, but others gripe about limited power, slow recharge, and no extra battery in the kit. Read more »
PowerGlide 2186955
This is another cheap cordless drill with the old NiCAD technology and a 3/8" chuck that isn't much of a bargain. Users like the variable speed but complain about weak motors and report problems with chargers and batteries going bad; users grouse that you can't buy these items separately.
Products Mentioned in This Review
Hitachi DS18DVF3 ReviewBosch PS21-2A Review
SKIL 2240-01 Review
PowerGlide 2186955 Review
Porter-Cable PCL120DDC-2 Review
Ryobi 18V P815 Review
Ryobi HJP002K Review
Craftsman 17310 Review
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