The best cordless drills of 2023 Popular Science

Somes it’s as simple as accidentally covering the vent with your hands. Especially when you’re drilling a hole in a hard, solid substance, you may be tempted to push down on the drill by placing your other hand over the back cover, inadvertently covering the vents. DEWALT cordless drills have two vents on either side of the motor inside the back cover. If anything covers the vents, the motor cannot cool down effectively, which will cause it to overheat. If this doesn’t solve the problem, unfortunately, it means your chuck is damaged, and you will have to replace it.

If the DCD701F2 is overpriced or unavailable, we also like the Bosch PS31-2A 12V Max 3/8 in. In our tests, this 12-volt Bosch couldn’t drill as many 1-inch holes on a single charge as our top pick, but it still has more than enough power for general home tasks. In our own measurements, we found it to be about 5 ounces lighter than the DeWalt 12-volt, but it feels heavier because the balance isn’t as good. The Bosch battery slides up into the handle, making the grip fatter and not as contoured as the DeWalt’s. There are drills with brushed or brushless motors, various voltages, and different chuck sizes, among other specifications.

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compact drill

Shop Ace Hardware for the best selection of quality-made Dewalt power tools and combo kits. Then, keep your tools neatly stored and easily accessible by searching our Dewalt tools storage and organization options. 12V is a lot of power for lighter applications and tasks, but you may find it to be lacking in power for more heavy-duty needs.

Overall, it had enough dewalt impact drill, functionality, ergonomics, features, and value to put all but one competitor in the rearview mirror. The key feature for drilling speed has to do with the DeWalt DCD998 and its three-mode transmission. Using that, you can prioritize speed, power, or a solid mix of both. It’s that second gear that really lets it surpass many other tools that have to use their slowest gear.

There, you can filter more than 50 drills according to your needs, including category, price, weight, and noise level. Below, in alphabetical order, we highlight 10 of the best cordless drills we’ve tested, in both sizes. We translate those readings into scores for power, speed, and run time. We also incorporate ratings for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction based on data from CR’s member surveys. The Skil DL PWRCore 12 Brushless 12V 1/2″ Cordless Drill Driver Kit comes with only one battery, and, at 7 inches, it’s longer than the rest of the 12-volt brushless drills we tested.

To learn more about how these trackers help us and how they work, refer to the cookie policy. Powerful DeWalt 14.4 Volt Drill/Driver with a range of speeds for efficient on-the-job fastening and drilling. Reviewed’s mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need. Needs to review the security of your connection before proceeding. To reduce risk of injury, user must read DEWALT instruction manual before operating DEWALT product.

Users like it for its ease of use when switching drill bits, as well as the tongue, though many users have said that the battery-charger design could be improved. As it is, the batteries do not channel into the cradle and snap in to clearly let you know that the battery’s seated. The lightest model on our list, the Xtreme 12V Max, weighs 2.28 pounds and is a great addition to anyone’s toolshed. With a two-speed transmission and LED work light, this 12-volt, 300-watt drill is a small but mighty piece of equipment.