The Best Cordless Drills, According to Our Tests of 30+ Models

My team and I in the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab stay on top of the marketplace to identify the makes and models that you’re most likely to find on store shelves and online. That includes attending trade shows and industry events, like the National Hardware Show and International Builders Show, to keep up with the latest innovations.

From there, we zero in on power tool brands that have performed the best and proven the most reliable through years of testing at the Good Housekeeping Institute. The top picks in our current round-up were culled from more than 30 models tested over the last five years. Our team spent hours analyzing hundreds of technical and performance data points, including manufacturer claims around battery power output, speed, torque, weight and more.

Cordless drills fall into three basic categories: lightweight, general-use, and heavy-duty. Think about how you plan to use your drill—not just today, but down the line as your skills and confidence grow, and along with them the scope of your DIY projects.

• Lightweight drills are basically a step-up from a power screwdriver.
• General-use drills can handle a wide array of drilling and driving tasks.
• Heavy-duty drills deliver the professional-grade power needed to bore through thick lumber, metal, and masonry.

You can differentiate between the three categories by weighing the following factors.

✔️ Battery power: Measured in volts, this spec will be clearly listed on the box and website, often as part of the cordless drill’s model name. Lightweight drills are typically in the 8- to 12-volt range, enough to assemble flat-pack furniture. General-use drills are usually 18- or 20-volt, which can drill into most materials. The batteries on heavy-duty drills are 24 volts or higher and are suitable for driving larger lag bolts.

• Note: While we’re talking batteries, it’s important to include that many brands have expansive battery platforms, meaning the same battery can be used across many power tools. This is helpful when building up your tool collection. It’s also why you often see cordless drills sold as “bare tool only,” meaning the battery is not included. This is for shoppers who already have a battery from other power equipment by the same brand.

✔️ Speed vs. torque: These two specs, which are usually listed on the packaging and website product page, are key indicators of overall performance. Measured in RPMs (short for “revolutions per minute”), speed tells you how fast the drill motor can spin. Torque, measured in inch-pounds, indicates how much force the motor generates as it spins. Speed is good for drilling into softer materials (think: DIY projects), while torque is good for driving into harder materials (think: heavy-duty construction). Drills with adjustable-speed settings are the most versatile, since they let you adjust the ratio or speed to torque as needed.

✔️ Weight: When it comes to handheld power tools, the difference between a couple of pounds can add up, especially over the course of a long project. Lightweight drills cause the least fatigue; they weigh 3 pounds or less. General-use drills are in the 3- to 6-pound range. Heavy-duty drills, with their beefy motors and more rugged construction, usually weigh 7 pounds and up.

✔️ Chuck size: The chuck is the three-pronged clamp at the tip of the drill that holds the drill bit. The larger the chuck, the bigger the bit it can hold and the more tasks it can handle. Chuck sizes for lightweight drills start at 1/4-inch; general-use drills have 3/8- to 1/2-inch chucks, and heavy-duty drills have 1/2-inch and larger chucks. One more point on chucks: Most cordless drills these days have a “keyless chuck,” meaning you can tighten them by hand. But some heavy-duty drills still use a key, a small tool for tightening and loosening the chuck jaws.

✔️ Price: Though there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, generally speaking, the more you spend on a drill, the more power and performance you can expect. Quality lightweight cordless drills range from $75 to $150. The best general-use drills are between $150 and $250. And top-performing heavy-duty drills are $300 and up.

✔️ Feature set: Many of the features that our experts say matter most can be found in all three categories of cordless drills.

• Contoured grip: Whether made of plastic or rubber, a molded grip can help reduce hand fatigue when you have many holes to drill or screws to drive.
• LED light: The integrated LED is helpful when you’re working in low-light situations.
• Side handle: Good for heavier construction, the handle can be attached and removed as needed. It comes in handy when boring larger or deeper holes in framing lumber or other thick materials.
• Rapid charger: Some drills come with a second rapid charger that can recharge the battery in minutes.

Dan DiClerico has covered the power tool market for more than two decades, with work for brands including This Old House and Consumer Reports. He joined the Good Housekeeping Institute in 2022 as director of the Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab, where he oversees testing of all power equipment alongside a team of engineers and product analysts.

Before writing about home improvement, DiClerico worked on roofing and remodeling crews, spending his days with cordless drills, impact drivers, pneumatic nailers and other heavy-duty equipment. He has also managed several remodeling projects, most recently a gut renovation of a 19th-century Brooklyn brownstone. He is a regular at trade shows including the National Hardware Show and the International Builders' Show, where he tracks the latest developments in cordless drills and power tools.