November is here, and that means that the season’s cordless drill kit deals are out. A lot of people buy new cordless drills this time of year, whether as upgrades, to buy into new cordless power tool systems, or to give as gifts.
The deals have become somewhat predictable every holiday shopping season, but the models sometimes do change from year to year. It’s no different this time around.
Following are all the best cordless drill kit deals that are available for “early Black Friday 2018,” Black Friday 2018, and the 2018 holiday season in general. Some of the prices might drop, and our predictions are mentioned for those specific models
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There might be a couple of other deals, but generally any last-minute Black Friday 2018 deals will be of a more entry-level nature. If you’re buying a new compact cordless drill kit this year, I’d recommend looking at the ones mentioned here, at least first.
Also, we purchased a lot of these cordless drill kit deals this year, for review and comparison testing. Some of the tools are new for the 2018 holiday shopping season, others aren’t. But, specs and performance can change, and so we wanted to make sure we were testing only the latest models. If you have questions, please let us know!
And if you know of any other Black Friday 2018 or holiday season cordless drill deals, please let us know so we can take a look!
Milwaukee M18 Compact Brushless Drill Kit Deal, 2801-21P
This promo kit features the new Milwaukee M18 compact brushless drill/driver, a 2.0Ah compact battery pack, multi-voltage charger, and carrying bag.
If I were shopping for Black Friday 2018 and holiday cordless drill deals, THIS is the one I’d buy.
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It comes with Milwaukee’s everyday (and latest and greatest) compact brushless drill/driver, which means no compromise in the areas of performance or durability.
The battery pack, 2.0Ah, is their better compact Li-ion pack, which should provide for long runtime.
Specs
- 500 in-lbs max torque
- 0-500/0-1800 RPM
- 6.5″ length
- Weighs 3.4 lbs with battery
Price: $99
Buy Now(via Acme Tools)
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
Suggested Reading: Brushless Power Tool Motors 101
Dewalt DCD777C2 20V Max Brushless Cordless Drill Kit Deal
Dewalt’s DCD777C2 cordless kit debuted 2 years ago, and is a big upgrade compared to the other $99 seasonal cordless drill deals that bore Dewalt branding in the past.
The Dewalt DCD777, also a brushless cordless drill, is compact, and fairly capable. This kit comes with (2) 1.3Ah battery packs, a charger, and carrying case.
Specs
- 340 UWO (unit watts out)
- 0-500, 0-1750 RPM
Although the Li-ion batteries are lower capacity packs, you do get 2 of them, which can be convenient. With two batteries, you can still work with one while the other is recharging.
Price: $99
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Buy Now(via Acme Tools)
Ridgid 18V Brushless Hammer Drill Kit Deal, R861162SB
Ridgid has a brushless cordless hammer drill kit on sale for the season, featuring what they describe as “best in class torque.” In their words:
This kit provides the power of a full-size hammer drill in a compact and lightweight size.
Specs
- 750 in-lbs max torque
- 0-500/0-2000 RPM
This Ridgid special buy looks to feature the regular R86116 cordless hammer drill, which would mean it’s their everyday no-compromise model. (That always increases the value of what you get with deals like these.)
It’s bundled with a charger and (2) 1.5Ah batteries. And, because it’s so powerful, it also has an auxiliary handle for extra control (and user safety).
Price: $99
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
Makita XFD131 18V Brushless Drill Deal
As I wrote about in September, the Makita XFD131 brushless cordless drill is their newest holiday season special buy.
The Makita XFD131 looks to be a brand new cordless drill for Holiday/Black Friday 2018. The kit comes with a single 3.0Ah battery pack (with Fuel gauge), and their “standard” charger.
The charger can fully recharge the 3.0Ah battery pack in 60 minutes. While this is longer than Makita’s standard fast charger, it’s about on-par with industry trends.
Specs
- 440 in-lbs max torque
- 0-500/0-1900 RPM
- 6-5/8″ length
- Weighs 3.8 lbs with battery
This would probably be my second choice pick, behind the Milwaukee. It gives you a 3.0Ah battery, which is suitably matched to other Makita cordless power tools, a benefit for those who want to treat this kit as a “gateway” tool.
Price: $99
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
A Small Note
While I’d more strongly recommend the above $99 cordless drill kits, a lot of people don’t want to spend that much. There are usually some $89 deals, but at that price, you might as well step up to $99 and get a lot more.
If you’re on a tighter budget, or you simply don’t plan on doing enough with it to justify spending a full $100, there are some other options, discussed below.
Craftsman V20 Cordless Drill Kit, CMCD700C1
A $69 cordless drill kit is a good way to encourage people to try out the new Craftsman V20 cordless power tool system.
The new Craftsman cordless drill kit, released just in time for the 2018 holiday season, is similar to what can be found in the combo kits.
I also spotted a $99 kit, but in small supplies. At the $99 price point, I’d instead recommend any of the deals, above.
But for $69? This seems like a good buy. It’s hard to achieve this price without some compromises. Any 18V-class cordless drill kit that’s priced lower definitely has some compromises.
This Craftsman cordless drill kit comes with a 1.3Ah battery and charger.
Specs
- 280 UWO (unit watts out)
- 0-350/0-1500 RPM
Price: $69
Buy Now(via Lowes)
Craftsman V20 Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit Deal, CMCK200C2
If you’re looking to spend $100 and want more than a cordless drill kit, this Craftsman V20 cordless power tool combo kit comes with a drill/driver and impact driver, plus a charger, (2) battery packs, and a carrying case.
The cordless drill is the same as discussed above.
Impact Specs
- 1460 in-lbs max torque
- 2800 RPM
Price: $99
Buy Now(via Lowes)
Ryobi 18V Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Kit Deal, P1832
Ryobi’s 18V One+ cordless drill and impact driver special buy is a very popular choice with DIYers.
P277 Drill Specs
- 0-440/0-1600 RPM
P235 Impact Specs
- 1600 in-lbs max torque
The Ryobi special buy comes with both tools, (2) 1.3Ah batteries, a charger, and carrying bag.
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
See Also(Ryobi drill-only kit via Home Depot)
Bosch 18V Cordless Drill Kit Deal, GSR18V-190B22
Bosch has a $99 cordless drill kit too, and while there are strong selling points, it’s not quite as compelling as the others, seeing as how it has a brushed motor instead of a brushless one.
The kit comes with (2) 1.5Ah battery packs, a charger, and carrying case.
Specs
- 480 in-lbs max torque
- 0-450/0-1700 RPM
Price: $99
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Buy Now(via Lowes)
(We won’t be testing this model as part of our comparison.)
Skil PWRCore 20 Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit Deal, CB739001
Over at Amazon, they have a Skil PWRCore 20 cordless drill and impact driver kit, with (1) 2.0Ah battery pack and charger, priced at $94.
With Skil looking to relaunch their brand, I wouldn’t be surprised if this or a similar combo kit were discounted around Black Friday 2018, or maybe later in the holiday season.
Drill Specs
- 0-420/0-1450 RPM
Impact Specs
- 1100 in-lbs max torque
Near the $99 price point, the Craftsman and Ryobi kits are much better deals. But if Amazon prices this Skil PWRCore 20 kit lower as part of a special promo, it could be a viable option for someone who wants a drill and impact for less.
Price: $94 (as of the time of this posting)
Buy Now(via Amazon)
12V – Class Cordless Drill Deals
For most users, an 18V or 20V Max cordless drill will be the better choice. But if you want a smaller (and lighter duty) tool, 12V-class drills are easier on your wallet and can often handle plenty of DIY and professional applications.
SKil PWRCore 12 Brushless Drill Kit Deals
We still don’t have full specs for the new Skil PWRCore 12 brushless drill/driver, but I’d consider it to be a contender in the $60-80 price range.
Specs
- 0-450/0-1700 RPM
- Hybrid chuck
Price: $80 for the full-featured kit, $69 for the basic kit.
The basic kit comes with a 2.0Ah battery and standard charger, while the full-featured kit (my way of describing it) comes with a PWRAssist battery with USB charging port, and PWRJump charger.
Buy Now(Drill Kit via Amazon)
Buy Now(Drill Kit with PWRAssist and PWRJump via Amazon)
Milwaukee M12 FUEL Brushless Hammer Drill with Packout Tool Box
This Milwaukee M12 special buy features the previous generation of M12 Fuel brushless hammer drill/driver, a 2.0Ah battery, charger, and Packout tool box.
Specs
- 350 in-lbs max torque
- 0-450/0-1700 RPM
Price: $99
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
Milwaukee M12 Cordless Drill Kit and Packout Tool Box Bundle 2407-22PO
This other Milwaukee M12 cordless drill/driver kit is a little different, featuring the brushed motor drill (without hammer function), a charger, and (2) 1.5Ah battery packs.
Specs
- 275 in-lbs max torque
- 0-400/0-1500 RPM
Price: $99
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
Milwaukee M12 Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit, 2494-22
This Milwaukee M12 cordless drill and impact driver combo kit, 2494-22, typically goes on sale for $99 right around Black Friday.
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
Buy Now(via Acme Tool)
Makita CXT 12V Max Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit
Makita’s CXT CT226 12V Max cordless drill and impact driver combo kit also went on sale for $99 during the 2017 holiday shopping season. There’s a good chance it’ll return again this year.
stotea
Just a heads up on the Milwaukee M18 brushless drill and impact driver kits for $99, the included bags are extremely small, much smaller than last year’s bags. You can’t really fit anything besides the tool, battery and charger in the new bags. Additionally, they’re kind of a PITA to zip/unzip.
Troy
I got the same shifty small bag. They displayed the contractors bag like the one that came last year. I will be calling home depot and And getting the advertised bag they sold me
aaron
Acme is running a great deal on m12 right now. Buy a bare tool, get 2 Batts and a charger thrown in. Online only https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/milwaukee-build-a-kit-promotion-jan-2019/DiscountDetailsDisplayView?code=Milwaukee+M12+CT+Starter+Pack-10124551&langId=-1&storeId=11301&catalogId=10551&productId=3074457345617199900
logan
2407-22PO — I bought this exact kit for $79 last month or the month before, from home depot.
became my #1 drill / screwdriver.
are these for sure black friday deals? ive been on the edge of my seat waitin for the m12 deals to roll out, but everything is pretty weak so far.
Stuart
Online or in-store?
These are more Early Black Friday and Black Friday Deals. They’re typically featured in all the sales flyers and ads, but are live ahead of time.
e.g. https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/home-depot-black-friday-2017-tool-deals/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/home-depot-black-friday-2016/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
The prices of most of these deals won’t likely go any lower.
Gordon
I really like the $99 kits from the big 4. They offer a no compromise drill, then compromise in the accessories. 2.0ah batteries aren’t great, but it’s always nice to have one of them around for that time you just need to drill one hole. Plus so many of the non-holiday deals are related to extra batteries. You’re bound to pick up some larger, and better batteries with you next purchase.
Stuart
It’s a tough thing to balance – 2x 1.3Ah (or 1.5Ah) batteries vs. 1x 2.0Ah, vs. 1x 10-cell 3.0Ah.
A 2.0Ah gives you a slightly more compact, lightweight, and balanced tool, a 10-cell battery better powers more heavier duty tools (although higher capacity packs are preferred).
The choice of battery pack factors into my feelings about the Milwaukee and Makita deals being the best of the bunch, especially the Milwaukee because it’s an everyday drill with an everyday battery pack.
Ted Brant
I just purchased a 2ah makita battery for my subcompact impact driver. I installed a 10 x 14 wood ceiling on one charge. Very impressive
Stuart
The subcompact is nice, but typically isn’t discounted. At best, we might see the “buy the sub-compact combo kit and get a free battery” deal that came around previously.
Gordon
My HD has 2 of the 3pc sub-compact kits (drill, impact, reciprocating saw) for $150 right now. I grabbed one even though I don’t need it. I had been waiting to see if they were going to do any holiday deals on them this year. I was thinking we might see more variation in combo kits now that there is a subcompact saw and SDS.
John
Doesn’t almost everyone already have a cordless drill or 5 of them? Why are these desirable? I have so many drills, impacts, 18V, 12V.
We need deals on TOOLS. Saws, blades, power tools. At this point drills are so boring and mundane, “dime a dozen.” Looks as if this year the deals are going to be blah. Companies need to up their game. We need better holiday deals on batteries.
Stuart
Keep in mind that some people are buying their first tools, such as new homeowners or apprentices, and others give them as gifts to first-time homeowners, DIYers, etc.
And, a lot of contractors and tradesmen are rocking older and heavier brushed drills. Upgrading to one of the $99 kits could give them a smaller, lighter, more powerful, and longer running brushless drill, depending on what they’re coming from.
I try to cover deals of broad and specific interests alike. If you want something on my radar, let me know and I’ll be on the lookout for deals.
mattd
I would love more “build your own” kits so that i can grab some of those off tools at deal prices.
Dominic S
I’m with John. I understand that the drills/drivers are homeowner essentials and the “gateway drug” to getting folks on board with your battery system but after that, then what? I buy mostly Milwaukee bare tools because there are hardly ever any good deals on anything besides the drill/drivers and the giant kits, and let’s be honest, paying full price even for a bare tool is lousy.
On the other hand, they are more or less the #1, so I guess you can do what you want when you’re out in front?
Jared
Fellow Canadians: Lowes is advertising a Porter Cable 20v drill and impact driver kit for $99 with a BONUS 2ah battery (see flyer).
I.e. you get a drill, impact driver, charger, two 1.3ah batteries and one 2ah battery for $99 – sign up for the email newsletter and you can also save an extra $10. An excellent value for a drill driver combo in my opinion.
Aaron Kreamer
Just FYI. Rural King has some nice Milwaukee and DeWalt deals in their Black Friday ad this year. I’m in the market for a new drill/impact combo. They have a few of them listed.
Stacey
Just saw this Hitachi KC10DFL2 12-Volt Peak Cordless Lithium Ion Driver Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit (Lifetime Tool Warranty) $90
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N3W70UK/
What do you think Stuart? Are the pro brands (DeWalt/MilwaukeeMakita) much better bang for the buck? I already have a 18v Ryobi combo and wanted something lighter…
Stuart
At $89, that Hitachi kit looks good.
There will be a Bosch kit for $99 that I’d describe as a better buy. Milwaukee and Makita kits will be $119 this year, but maybe that means they’ll be discounted in December as deals of the day.
I haven’t tried the Hitachi, but I have tried the other mentioned platforms, and do have good things to say about them. The Hitachi seems competitive in terms of on-paper specs.
For just a drill and impact, there’s no reasonable hesitation I can think of.