Best Cordless Drills for 2024 - Pro Tool Reviews

For most people, a drill is the very first power tool they own. While things used to be as simple as choosing the brand you like, determining which is the best cordless drill for you can mean searching through hundreds of models.

If doing all that research sounds overwhelming, sit back and relax. We’ve done the work for you. In this article, you’ll find our recommendations for several common priorities from brands we’ve reviewed and trust. I’ll even share some tips for sorting through the Wild West of shopping on Amazon.

Want to know how Pro-grade high-performance drills compare? Check out our Best Professional Cordless Drills page to see the head-to-head results!

New to shopping for cordless drills? Jump to these sections to help you get started:

Want to get a better understanding of cordless drills? Check out our Beginner’s Guide to Cordless Drills!

Price: $199 bare, $299 kit with two 5.0Ah batteries

Milwaukee’s flagship hammer drill has the perfect balance of performance and size. While it didn’t have the highest speed and power in our tests, it’s clearly in the high-performance class. Its smaller size and lower weight make it a drill we frequently pick up over models that can do the job a little faster. With a massive range of trade-focused tools that all work on the same M18 battery system, it’s an easy choice for Pros.

Price: $129 bare, $179 kit with a 4.0Ah High Performance battery

Coming through as our top pick for serious DIYers, the Ryobi PBLHM101 has performance that matches mid-range Pro models. Its size and weight have come down from previous models, and its handle ergonomics have improved. Of course, Ryobi’s 18V One+ battery system is also huge, comprising of more than 250 compatible tools and lifestyle products.

Price: $59 kit with a 2.0Ah battery

For use around the house, you’ll have to work hard to find a better drill than Skil’s PWRCore 12 DL6290A-10. It’s a lightweight and compact option with high enough performance to tackle projects around the house and garage.

If you’ve been tempted by those sub-$50 no-name Amazon cordless drills, buy this instead. At $59 for the kit, it’s highly affordable and has much better build quality plus a brushless motor that’s almost shocking to find at this price point.

Price: $179 bare, $249 with a 2.0Ah and a 5.0Ah battery

If you want the fastest, strongest cordless drill, look to Flex. Their FX1271T has a Turbo mode that steps this drill ahead of DeWalt, Makita, and Milwaukee on paper and in our tests. It has a solid build that includes kickback control and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

One hesitation might be that the 24V line isn’t a deep as the Big 3 Pro brands. However, it has been continually expanding since its initial launch and has led the way in several innovations, such as pouch cell battery technology.

Price: $129 bare, $159 kit with a 2.0Ah battery

Those of you looking for a compact and lightweight drill have several options. I prefer the DeWalt Atomic DCD794. Even though it’s not as light as the 12V Max DCD701, it’s more compact, has a nice step up in performance, and is part of DeWalt’s expansive 20V Max battery system. For my money, those benefits are worth dealing with a little more weight.

Price: $99 kit with a 2.0Ah battery

It’s not difficult to find a drill kit under $100. But one that has real quality and a brushless motor? That’s a tall task. When you want a lot of bang for your buck, Skil is always a good brand to look to, and their compact PWRCore 20 brushless drill is the way to go.

Its performance is on par with Pro-grade compact drills, making it a good choice for most any projects or repairs around your home. With a lightweight, compact design and attractive price tag to with that performance, it’s a great all-around drill. The only real chink in the armor is that the PWRCore 20 battery system isn’t as deep as Ryobi. However, it’s constantly expanding and is adding new products at a good pace.

Cordless drills are fundamental to every power tool brand, and we’ve tested a TON of them since we started in 2008. We know there are a lot of different priorities out there, and we do our best to cover what you’re looking for.

As I considered each category in this roundup, here’s what I was looking for:

For Pros: A combination of legit high performance, features, and broad range of compatible tools in as compact and lightweight of a size as I could get without compromising performance.

For Serious DIYers: The same priorities as my Pro pick but with a willingness to give up some performance and features to get a more affordable price point. Having a broad range of compatible tools is still high priority.

For Home Use: Affordability, ease of use, and homeowner-friendly features are the highest priorities. The number of compatible tools is a nice bonus as well as stepping up in performance level, but those are secondary considerations.

Highest Performance: Everything else takes a back seat to the fastest, strongest drilling in our tests.

Compact and Lightweight: Having low weight and a small footprint is the priority, followed by high performance without bulking up. Features and affordability are a lower consideration.

Best Value: A combination of everything—performance, features, size, weight, compatible tools, and price.

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Light, compact drill with interchangeable heads that’s great for professional installers and completing home projects.

Price: $129 kit with two 2.0Ah batteries and five interchangeable heads

Solid performer for DIYers who want the versatility to accomplish projects compact drills don’t have the power for.

Price: $99.99 kit with a 4.0Ah battery

4-speed drill built for the rigors of industrial construction with high performance and a mixing mode.

Price: $299 bare

Entry-level Pro drill with mid-range performance and compact design with a price that can tempt DIYers into stepping up to a higher quality model.

Price: $139 kit with a 2.0Ah battery ($99 until 1/22/25)

High-end hammer drill for Pros who want high performance on a battery system pushing cordless possibilities to new heights.

Price: $244 bare, $499 kit with two 2.5Ah batteries

Affordable brushless drill with a compact design from a retailer that offers frequent discounts.

Price: $111.22 kit with two 2.0Ah batteries

Drill and hammer drill option for Pros who want a light, compact model on the most extensive trade-focused 12V battery system.

Price: $149 bare, $179 kit with a 2.0Ah and a 4.0Ah battery (3403 drill driver is $10 less)

Entry-level Pro drill with an affordable price tag and lifetime service agreement that can find a home with both Pros and DIYers.

Price: $99 kit with a 2.0Ah battery

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Performance should always be your top consideration when buying a cordless drill. If the tool can’t do the job, it’s useless no matter what other characteristics it has. There are two primary specifications to consider—speed and torque.

Speed is how fast the chuck turns without any load. The no-load speed gives you an indication of the highest RPMs a drill operates at. The faster a drill can spin a bit, the faster it can drill a hole or drive a screw.

Torque is how much muscle is available to keep the chuck turning. Measured in in-lbs, the higher the torque, the strong the drill is.

Speed and torque work together to get the job done. As the bit engages the material you’re drilling in, speed helps the cutting edges remove material and torque keeps the bit from slowing down as resistance increases.

The ergonomics of a tool is the second highest priority when you’re selecting the best cordless drill for your needs.

Tradesmen such as electricians, HVAC techs, and remodelers often have to work in tight spaces and a smaller drill helps them get into those areas more easily.

Smaller usually means lighter, and a lightweight drill is easier to use, especially if you’re working overhead or on long days. Consider the weight even if you’re shopping for a heavy-duty professional drill. Of the models we’ve tested and use, there’s a big difference in weights and we always go for the lightest one that does the job effectively.

Every brand has a different feel. Most of it is in the handle where varying diameters, shapes, and overmold materials change the way the tool feels in your hand. There’s no on-size-fits-all approach, so try holding several different brands in your hand and see which ones feel the best to you.

Once you know which drills can do the job and which ones have ergonomics you like, it’s time to sort out what features are important to you. Here are the features we rely on the most:

There are also a lot of bonus features you can get. Some of them are only helpful for DIYers while others make Pro jobs easier. Make sure it’s something you need before spending extra on them. Here are some of our favorites:

The last piece of the puzzle is price and value. While you want to stay within your budget, you still have options. Is it better to buy into the high end of a prosumer brand or the entry level of a Pro brand? There’s no simple answer—it’s up to what your highest priorities are. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

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There are a ton of brands who make cordless drills. We separate them into four classes. As you move up the ranks from DIY to Prosumer to Professional levels, you should expect higher quality and higher performance.

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When it comes to buying tools, Amazon can be a convenient place to shop and there are often good deals you can find, especially on Prime Day or Black Friday events. However, it can also be the Wild West. Below are some tips to help ensure you know what you’re getting.

Milwaukee, Ridgid, and Ryobi have no authorized sellers on Amazon. The products you find may be returns or fakes, and there is no warranty support from TTI for them.

It’s tempting to buy third party replacement batteries on Amazon. They can be half the price or less, and I’ve personally talked to people who say they can’t tell the difference.

There are a few problems, though. For one, none of those brands are authorized to sell products made for name brands.

The bigger issue is safety. Reputable brands build in components that prevent charging or discharging scenarios that can damage your tool or even catch fire on the charger. Third party knockoffs don’t have those protections.

Then there’s the quality of the battery. It’s one thing to produce the voltage a tool needs to work. It’s another to do it in a way that optimizes performance, charging, and service life. Knockoff batteries are made with cheaper materials and there’s a reason name brand manufacturers don’t use them.

Probably the most tempting cordless drills on Amazon are those that you can get for less than $50. They often come with a couple of batteries and even drill bit sets while making impressive claims.

Like knockoff batteries, these are made using cheap components. We’ve actually run some tests and one drill infamously failed to complete them after the chuck broke early in the first test.

You’re better off going with an entry-level model from a brand such as Ryobi, Skil, or Black & Decker that taking your chances with an off brand on Amazon. When in doubt, do a Google search and see if the brand you’re considering is sold by any national or regional retailers. If not, I’d avoid them.

While it might seem like I’m piling on Amazon, you can find quality brands and deals. DeWalt, Makita, Bosch, Metabo HPT, Skil, Black & Decker, Greenworks, and others have Amazon storefronts with authorized sellers who provide genuine products.

Those brands often participate with sales that coincide with Prime Day, Black Friday, and other events.

Don’t be afraid to shop around, though. Retailers such as Acme Tools and Home Depot often adjust to match Amazon’s pricing on current models. They sometimes have flash sales and promotions that Amazon doesn’t or have kits and bundles that can drive the value proposition even higher. Check out our deals page to stay on top of the latest promos.

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Ever check out a “review” site and you can’t tell if they actually tested anything or if they’re just “recommending” the Amazon top sellers? That’s not us. We won’t recommend anything unless we’d use it ourselves, and we don’t care who the primary retailer is. It’s all about giving you a legitimate recommendation and our honest opinion of each product.

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