What type of power tool do you use most often? Most people will say their cordless drill. Would you answer differently?
In past years, I tackled the question of “which is the best cordless drill?” in different ways. Last year, I went a little overboard, with too many recommendations. Most of those recommendations are very bit as valid now as they were then, but I wanted to pare things down a little bit this year.
This roundup reflects my opinions, based on all the drills I’ve used and tested these past few years. Every year I test more and more models, and while so many can be recommended for different user preferences, needs, and wants, I wanted to limit this year’s recommendations to the best of the best.
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Several new models just landed on my test bench, and I will revisit these recommendations in a couple of months in case anything changes. Maybe at that time I’ll have a complete roundup posted.
If you’re looking for expanded best cordless drills recommendations, check out these other roundups and recommendations:
Best Cordless Drills 2015 Edition (9 Categories, 15 Recommendations)
Best Cordless Drills under $100
Best Right Angle Drill (Comparison and Reader Opinions)
Do you agree with the following recommendation? Disagree? Please let us know in a comment!
Best 18V Cordless Drill: Dewalt DCD991 3-Speed Brushless
The Dewalt DCD991 20V Max Brushless 3-speed drill is one of the last models I had tested in time for this round of recommendations, and it quickly grew on me.
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The previous model, DCD990, was discussed last year as a special mention. So what changed since then? I went on a Dewalt USA factory tour, and went home with a new DCD995 (the hammer drill version) that I “built” myself.
I hadn’t touched the DCD995’s hammer drill functionality, but I found myself using that drill more and more, in place of any other drill unless I was purposely testing another model. Maybe I had developed an attachment to that drill because it had my name on it, or maybe it was because I had misplaced my Bosch DDS181 and was too busy to look for it.
Ultimately, I got used to the DCD995 and quite liked it.
Then the DCD991 and DCD996 came out, Dewalt’s second generation 20V Max premium 3-speed brushless drills.
The DCD991 is more powerful than its predecessor, and has a new LED worklight function that has grown on me.
I am also quite fond of Milwaukee’s 2nd generation M18 Fuel brushless drills, and perhaps if I hadn’t used my Dewalt DCD995 as a go-to for a few months, the Milwaukee Fuel would have taken top honors for 4th year in a row.
On paper, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel drill, model 2703, is the most powerful cordless drill on the market. But I have yet to come across a task that my DCD991 sample cannot handle.
And there’s also that LED worklight, which can be used independent of the drill. It most definitely has come in handy, despite my initial doubts.
With the Dewalt DCD991 brushless drill, you get a lot of power, fast drilling and driving, and great ergonomics.
If I were to have multiple “best 18V cordless drill” categories this year, Milwaukee’s newest M18 Fuel and M18 One-Key drill – with its customizable settings and torque control – would have both been runner ups. I wish I could convey how difficult it was to determine this year’s best overall cordless drill.
It took a lot of going back and forth between the Dewalt DCD991 and Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2703 before I ultimately went with the Dewalt.
Both are excellent models, but if it’s one or the other, I prefer the Dewalt a little more.
I have found that the new kit, DCD991P2, is priced the same as the previous kit, lower even at some places, and it also comes with 5.0Ah battery packs instead of 4.0. Usually I would recommend looking at the previous model to save a few bucks, but in this case it’s almost a no-brainer to go with the latest and greatest.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
See Also(Milwaukee 2703 via Acme Tool)
Read More About the Dewalt DCD991 20V Max Brushless Drill
Best 18V Compact Cordless Drill: Dewalt DCD791 Brushless
Dewalt’s DCD791 20V Max compact brushless drill/driver is the successor to the DCD790 that was my top 18V-class compact drill pick last year.
The new model is more powerful, slightly more compact, and like the premium drill it too has a new high power LED worklight that can be operated independently.
If you needed a compact drill with great power, exceptional runtime, and great ergonomics, this is the one to get. The DCD791D2 kit is the same price as for the DCD790D2 kit ($199). Maybe the DCD790 kit will drop in price at some point, but until then there’s no reason not to go with the latest and greatest model.
If I needed just one cordless drill, I would go with the Dewalt DCD991. If I knew I had a corded drill available for backup should higher power needs arise, I would go with this DCD791.
The ergonomics are just perfect.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Read More About the Dewalt DCD791 20V Max Compact Brushless Drill
Although I said I wanted to pare things down in this year’s best cordless drills recommendations, it would be unfair to not mention Milwaukee’s M18 compact brushless drill, model 2701. I like this one a lot as well, and it was last year’s runner up as well.
It’s very capable, and while not any less expensive than the Dewalt DCD791, it’s the next best choice.
Buy Now(via Acme Tool)
Shown here is the Milwaukee M18 compact brushless hammer drill, 2702, which I think would be my 18V-class compact hammer drill of choice.
Best 12V Cordless Drill: Bosch PS32 Brushless
What’s so good about 12V-class drills? They’re compact, lightweight, and capable of most light and medium duty tasks.
Without a doubt, I prefer Milwaukee’s M12 lineup over all others. They have the broadest compact cordless tool selection, great specs, decent prices, comfortable ergonomics, and thoughtful features.
When it comes down to 12V cordless drills, I like Milwaukee’s a lot. But I simply like Bosch’s even better.
Bosch’s PS32 brushless drill is very compact and delivers incredible runtime. It’s not the most powerful 12V-class drill, but it can still do quite a lot. And when more power is needed, that’s what 18V drills are for.
The brushless PS32 costs a little more than the PS31, which is still a great model, although I prefer the PS32’s handle ergonomics. The difference is slight, but noticeable.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Read More: Bosch Brushless Drill and Driver Launch
12V-class drills are sometimes economical alternatives to 18V drills, but not always. Here are some $100 cordless drill/driver recommendations, but keep in mind that most of the better deals and sale prices only come around winter holiday and Father’s Day shopping seasons.
Editor’s Choice Cordless Drill: Metabo BS18 Quick
My first cordless drill was a Black & Decker Firestorm 12V NiCd model, with a drill chuck that removed to reveal a 1/4″ hex driver. This Metabo BS18 18V Quick drill/driver has a similar feature. Perhaps that’s why I like it so much, or maybe it’s the compact size and affordable price point.
It’s easy to get hung up on specs. When I upgraded from my Black & Decker drill years ago, it was partly because I needed more power, and partly because I needed to upgrade to a 1/2″ chuck.
These days, when you see a 3/8″ chuck in an 18V cordless drill, that’s often a sign that it’s a budget model with dialed-down specs.
There’s nothing dialed down about the Metabo 18V BS18 Quick drill/driver. It delivers 425 in-lbs of torque, which is pretty decent for a compact 18V model. And the kit comes with (2) 2.0Ah Li-ion batteries.
While in testing and subsequent use I didn’t remove the BS18 Quick’s chuck very often, having a built-in 1/4″ hex driver did come in handy. It’s quicker to swap the chuck on and off than to swap drill bits and bit holders, and more convenient too.
Some users find it convenient to use 2 drills, or a drill and a cordless screwdriver, to avoid frequent bit changes. The Metabo BS18 Quick can in some cases replace 2 tools with just the 1.
I find it somewhat unbelievable that Metabo is selling this kit for $149, but I’m not complaining. This is one of the best professional cordless drill kit bargains out there.
Buy Now(Kit via Amazon)
Read More About the Metabo 18V BS18 Compact Cordless Drill
Reader’s Choice
Do you agree with my best cordless drill picks? Disagree? Let’s hear your recommendations!
John Miller
I do not agree. I liked the Milwaukee M18 Fuel One Key drill the best. Much more power than the DeWalt and better features.
Mike
Actually the Dewalt has more power and better features no one is going to use that gimic one key
Matt
Actually, the Dewalt is rated at 893 inch-lbs (per Stuart’s previous post on it) whereas the Milwaukee is rated at 1200inch-lbs. Milwaukee has more peak power by nearly 1/3
Forrest
More power? You mean the 657in/lbs of torque compared to the 1200 on the fuel one key? Oh by the way-it isn’t a true 20v. That’s a nominal charge. Dewalt is a thing of the past.
dave
More power isn’t the whole story. Wait a few years and compare failure rates. IF the Milwaukee can hold up as long, if the higher torque doesn’t wear it out faster, then yes that’s a good option.
If it instead has more torque than most people need in an cordless drill but they run it full steam anyway (like you know they will) and it breaks sooner, not so much.
Remember that all else equal, higher torque also costs battery life. I just don’t see myself reaching for a cordless drill when I need torque. Then again I’m no longer in a trade related to construction so I’d just as soon use my home drill press instead, when possible.
zin
I honestly find the more rhe power thing a bit of a joke now. any flagship drill on the market from a reputable brand is more than powerful enough for real world use, the numbers have got to the point of being nothing more than a dick measuring contest that means nothing. I have 2 bigger drill from 2 different brands but my go to for most tasks is an old dcd 790 just because it is light and ergonomic and it does 95% of tasks as well as my full sized drills and is nicer to use. once you are using a full sized 996, fuel top Hitachi, Makita etc you are never worries about a lack of power no matter what the numbers say. you are struggling to hold on to any of them before torque is a problem
Brian
The Dewalt can’t even change through it’s three speeds smoothly, the POS switch gets stuck.
One Key puts the Milwaukee on a whole new level. You can dial in your tool to do the job better. Smart people let the tool do the work, One Key gives you the control you need to let the tool do it’s job properly in a multitude of different applications.
Joe
I own a one key drill. Nothing on that drill compares to that second speed on the dewalt. It’s directly driven by a gear ratio. If you need more torque on the one key your only option is to drop to 525rpm…..
Forrest
Full torque is mode 3….
Brian
I currently handle all equipment and power tool maint. for a medium sized concrete company. We, at the beginning of last year switched from dewalt cordless tools to Milwaukee as all of our dewalt sets were nearing 5 years or more in age. We made this decision based upon reviews. This has turned out o be a very large and costly mistake. On average I have been making 2-3 trips weekly to the Milwaukee service center getting tools repaired. The tools are being used by the same crews, doing the same work as before. Drill chucks will not hold bits, circuit boards in ALL 1/4 impacts, hammer drills will not hold up. Over-all a poor choice. Back to Dewalt.
Jim
Great info! Thanks for sharing this.
tobybul
Good to know!!
Toby
I don’t believe that for a second
Jose K Hernandez
I returned 3 M18 millwalkee drills with 5.0 amps, batteries were defective. Very disappointed.
Clayton
When I did my research over the holidays the Makita won, and I bought into their ecosystem. I love it. Fit and finish is great, power is more than enough. I recommended Milwaukee FUEL to a body (b/c of this site’s reviews) and he trashed a gearbox in a week, replaced the drill, then trashed the chuck on the next one in a week. After a bit of research, it looks like they do have consistent issues with their chuck. With a bit more research I recommended Makita. He didn’t even get their highest end, toughest drill, and it’s still going strong months later
Also, out of the pros that I know, more recommend Makita than anything else.
So yeah, I’m now a Makita fan.
Tim
Makita tools will last forever…
Batteries not so much. They were a huge problem for me and lead me to go red.
Lance
The earliest version of Makita’s 3Ah battery were known to have issues if you ran them down completely and didn’t charge them within a certain amount of time.
From what I understand this issue was rectified long ago, and reviews on Amazon seem to reflect this. Their newer “Star” protection system appears to be working well.
FWIW, my original Made In Japan 3Ah Makita packs bought in 2008 were still working great a couple years ago when I sold them with some older tools.
The only issue I’ve had with Makita was my original charger, also from 2008, had a squeaky cooling fan. I had to disassemble it every month or two and add some oil to it. It was still otherwise working well when I sold it.
fred
We bought Makita BL1830 batteries in bulk. About 8 or 9 years ago we had a few problems with some – was told that it might have been a handshaking issue between the battery and charger – but over the years the problem seems to have been rectified
pete
Thats the reason i left makita.
Joe
My early lxt fell off of a 4 foot ladder. Never really worked well again. I didn’t really like it and the sawzall was awful. I won’t be giving makita another chance. The 3 speed transmissions in early lithium ion drills were problematic, notice how they don’t have one now. You could fry motors due to a lack of overload protection.
I know a lot of people who use Milwaukee drills and aside from brushes wearing out I can’t think of any common issues.
I’m with Stuart. I prefer dewalts high end drill. I just wish that it was made better. My dcd990 developed the same throttle issue as my coworker. Everyone who I know with an m18 fuel is still going strong. I just picked up the one key but I am going to miss that dewalt 3 speed transmission.
Matt
Funny you say that, I purchased two of Makita’s top end hammer drills (the xph07) in the last year, both chucks intermittently would decide not to tighten, they would just spin and spin, so I’d have to break out my corded or my compact Milwaukee to get the job done. Now I use the Milwaukee fuels.
Joe
I just had to send my Makita out for the same chuck problem. Very disappointed, the BIG box store (HD) that I bought it from said 6 weeks for repair. WHAT??? Now looking at red or yellow drills for a go to while I wait for my Hammer Drill to reappear. Funny, when I took it back to the box store and tried to exchange it hardware guy asked me where the 2nd batt. was. Told him it only came with one, he looked at me like I was trying to scam him. LOL. I’m 58 maybe I need to change boxes from orange to blue. Oh, bought mine in early 2015 as a manager special,$99 then was told it was a 2012 model @ repair desk, WHAT???
Bill
Sometimes I wonder if it makes more sense- bang for buck wise eto get an impact driver once you get to 18v /20v range since you are not using the drilling feature as much. Not a tradesman anymore so just my 2cents. Of course you would be use construction screws if you were driving screws
RCWARD
Nice choices all. Can’t go wrong with any of this in your list.
Travis
I am invested in the DeWalt and Makita line. I really want to upgrade my dcd791 now. I have the Makita oil impulse soft impact driver which works fantastic for my carpentry needs.
Bob
I really like this site, but why is it so unfriendly to Makita? It’s not even mentioned in most “best of” posts, despite being loved by pros and reviewers all around the world.
Tim
I wouldn’t say “unfriendly” so much as indifferent but I will partially agree.
I give him credit for notifying us of new tools and stuff from makita but it seems a secondary brand choice.
You guys do a great job though. Don’t take this comment negatively. I thoroughly enjoy the site.
Stuart
There are plenty of Makita tools that I do like, and others that I don’t.
I try to stay on top of and share their latest new tool developments: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/brand/makita/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
And I don’t think I said anything that could be considered unfriendly in my last few Makita posts. In fact I’d say the tone is positive:
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/makita-12v-brushless-drills/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/makita-18v-usb-power-source/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/makita-cordless-rebar-cutter/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I’ve been critical of certain Makita tools in the past, but the same has been true of other brands’ offerings.
For what it’s worth, Makita’s 18V LXDT06 impact driver was one of my favorite cordless power tools of all time. It’s mentioned as runner up in last year’s best impact driver guide: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/best-cordless-impact-drivers/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
That post is definitely due for an update too.
bob
Tim said it better than me. Indifferent may be a better word than unfriendly. I blame it on english not being my first language..
It could be me, but I do miss makita tools in most multi-brand posts.
That being said, a love this site, congratulations!
Chris
Sadly I have to say the Milwaukee is better than the Dewalt for compact 18V drills. Having used my Dewalt a lot this past year, I got to use the Milwaukee on another job and found the smoothness, throttle control, clutch and chuck all better on the Milwaukee ! My Dewalt clutch goes hanking every now and then, the chuck has this hard to release / turn thing going on with it, and the electronic braking and startup control is horrible. The Milwaukee was smoother. I do like the Dewalt batteries and chargers better for their size and design.
Seb
I use both m18 and m12 Milwaukee (m18 bpd, m12 cpd & cid) those are the references here and I don’t know the US equivalent.
Anyway the M12 cpd is simply miles ahead of anything else we have used at work (over the years we have had makita, Dewalt, hilti before switching to Milwaukee), for 95% of what we do its more than enough (electrical and security systems). One of my workmate use the m12 rotary hammer, and stated that it was the most adapted tool of its class for the work we do that he has used in the last 20 years. The weight to power ratio of those m12 is brilliant if like us you work on construction sites and work at height.
Ryan
Scandalous. How can you rank the Bosch ps32 12v drill above the m12 fuel drill? The m12 fuel beats the Bosch in almost every category including chuck size (1/2″ vs 3/8″), torque (350 vs 265 in. lbs), max speed (1700 vs 1300 rpm), warranty (5yr vs 1yr), and more. The Bosch is more compact, granted, but is that the single most important factor when determining a winner in this category? On top of that, the 2 battery kits (2403-22 and Ps32-02) are priced only $10 apart at Home Depot, and the Milwaukee includes one 4ah battery and one 2ah, where as the Bosch is just two 2ah batts. The m12 is hands down the winner!
Side note, I agree with previous posters that it appears your site tends to underrepresent Makita.
Stuart
I had great experiences with Milwaukee’s M12 Fuel drills. There’s no argument that they’re fantastic tools.
But I see them more as 18V drill replacements. For my own use, I find myself preferring as small and light a 12V-class drill as possible, a role the Bosch fills nicely.
Everything I said last year about the Milwaukee M12 Fuel brushless drill still stands true:
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/best-cordless-drills-2015-edition/#best-12V-overall%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
But in the past few months, I found myself preferring the Bosch a lot more.
Lance
I agree with Stuart completely on this one, and I just switched from 12v Bosch to M12 Milwaukee.
My one real gripe about the M12 lineup is the size and weight of the M12 Fuel drills. Absolutely the M12 is more powerful than the Bosch, no question! But outright power is not the reason I have a set of sub-compact tools (12v tools are supposed to be smaller than 18v compact tools, no?).
Adding to the problem, Milwaukee doesn’t make a smaller version of the non-hammer M12 Fuel drill. This is the one I have, the regular drill/driver, and when I put it beside the Bosch PS32 it’s absolutely HUGE and very heavy.
The Bosch grips are not as nice as the M12 grips, especially the revised Fuel style grips. Bosch puts two cells forward, one back, in their battery pack. This makes the front of the handle wider and harder to wrap your fingers around.
The M12 batteries have one cell forward, two back, in the handle which makes the front of the handle thinner and easier to grip. The revised narrow “waist” at the top of the M12 handle is also mic nicer to hold than the Bosch. Combine all this with how Bosch cheaper out by limiting the amount of rubber over old in their grips, and the M12 grips have a huge advantage.
All of that is wasted on the drill, though, when you consider the size. The PS32 is tiny and light, a joy to use in tight spaces. This is what should define the sub-compact tool market, in my opinion.
This is coming from a guy with relatively large hands, too. I wear size XL Mechanix gloves.
I switched to the M12 line because their selection of tools is so superior to the Bosch 12v lineup. If Milwaukee can compress the size of their Fuel drill, even just the non-hammer version, it will be a much more useful sub-compact option. Bosch makes a longer bodied drill to offer a hammer function (PS130), I see no reason Milwaukee can’t do the same.
Ryan
So if a 12v drill is designed so well as to give it near 18v capability, you would count that as a negative when competing in the 12v category? The less capable Bosch is top dog, not because of data, but because you find yourself preferring the smallest 12v drill possible. Is this meant to be a buyers guide of the best drills or just a list of the drills you happen to prefer? Your biggest justification for choosing the dewalt, despite it having less torque and speed customization than the m18 one-key, is that you’ve just found yourself using it more- perhaps because you assembled it yourself. That hardly seems like an objective defense for the “best cordless drill” of the year. Why doesn’t data drive the winners? Subjective categories like ergonomics, aesthetics, and overall feel should certainly be factored in, but at the end of the day shouldn’t those things take a back seat to things like speed, power, and control while drilling?
Big fan, by the way. I love the site.
Stuart
My use of the Dewalt drill I assembled myself isn’t any justification for choosing the newer model as my top pick.
I started using it more because of its immediate availability and the kicks I got out of using a built-in-USA drill that I partially assembled myself. But I’d say its ergonomics, performance, and features led me to develop a greater preference for it.
Last year, there was a sliver of a gap between my feelings towards the Milwaukee Fuel and Dewalt 3-speed models.
This year, both brands have new and improved models. Greater use of the previous generation 3-speed, plus the greater power, and the LED worklight, made me more partial towards the design and features.
I like a lot of things about the Milwaukee One-Key and second generation M18 Fuel drills. But ultimately I had to pick just one drill as an overall recommendation.
Last year there were 15 drills that I recommended. This year, I wanted the recommendations post to be more concise.
Yes, this post reflects my opinions of what are the best of the best cordless drills from among those I tested. It says that near the top of the post.
There are reasons I could recommend nearly every cordless drill I have ever tested. But I didn’t want a repeat of last year’s post, where things grew out of control as I added category after category.
What I might do is create a rolling buying guide with details and recommendations about every drill I’ve tested and used. I think that something like that would complement this post nicely.
But for this post, I forced myself to limit the discussion to the few drills I would personally choose above all others.
Travis
The Bosch PS32 is actually rated at 179 in/lbs!
The PS31 is rated at 265 in/lbs. Going brushless lost power in the Bosch lineup and didn’t really lose any size . These numbers are the same for the PS22 vs PS21 screwdriver. these are the numbers directly from the Bosch websites.
I love my Bosch 12v tools but these numbers, if true, are a bit baffling.
Milwaukee tool Steve
I disagree Stuart There is Absolutely no way DeWalts 3 speed brushless drill is better than Milwaukee’s one-key drill even though it has three speeds the torque can’t cut it and i will explain this later when i have time…
Second their is no way bosch’s 12V line is better than Milwaukee’s m12 fuel line torque, power, clutch, chuck, and EOB which is significally better than bosch’s dewalts combined… again i will explain this when i have the time.
Chris
We don’t need your biased Milwaukee koolaid explanations, your the most biased guy here… Keep them to yourself
Stuart
Everybody is allowed to share their opinions, experiences, and insight. You can disagree, but please don’t be nasty about it.
If you cannot be civil and respectful of others, perhaps you should refrain from participating in the discussion.
Nathan
name not withstanding right?
so you have actual direct comparison specs and test results of an independent 3rd party?
Mike
To be fair, you can’t really test(in any objective, data-driven sense) for a quality or characteristic categorized as “better”. FWIW I will add a few points not mentioned so far:
1) the Bosch ps32 vs. M12 Fuel and others: size, comfort, weight is sort of the whole point for these sub-compact tools. Vibration as well is often overlooked. In these areas(minus the drill handle diameter, perhaps) Bosch is strong. Sure, M12 Fuel claim big specs on paper, but they ARE fairly large tools, more like M18 Jr really.
2) many Milwaukee users display an open bias even if they don’t own up to it. Phrases like “oooh I hope [insert new item] comes in red” or “to match the rest of my tools” are common. They often have poor-man’s Snap On-itis.
3) the Metabo drill that Stuart picks as Editor’s choice or whatever is literally the weakest, low end offering from Metabo. Their top-line models have been picked by (independent, third party) Mafell to be rebadged in Mafell red. NONE of these companies sell tools that are Mafell-grade quality. Hilti included.
4) speaking of Hilti—if someone wants to think their Milwaukee stuff is as tough as Hilti, or as smooth as Festool or as refined as Panasonic…that’s OK. Milwaukee does spend an enormous amount on marketing. More than Hilti, Festool, and Panasonic combined actually.
5) I had a friend from Germany visit last year and it took me twenty minutes to convince him that a first gen M18 Fuel hammer drill was not from “the Harbour Freight” that he had read about. Apparently in Germany, Bosch and Wiha are basically ‘supermarket tools’.
Randy
This made me chuckle. Thanks for the post!
Hugh
The Festool drills really aren’t that nice. I’ve sent my PDC 18 back twice now for repare. There supposed inner protection isn’t that good. The 4 mode switch still sticks really bad from hammer drilling 3/16 holes in concrete.
I highly doubt Metabo is day and night superior to Milwaukee if at all.
There are a lot of Makita products that easily out perform Milwaukee, Metabo, and Festool cordless tools.
BikerDad
I’ve been using cordless drills for a LONG time, in construction, woodworking, and assembly, including having used the early Makita 9.6v long packs that jump started the whole segment. Frankly, when looking at the premium offerings of each of the Big 4 (DeWalt, Bosch, Makita, Milwaukee) as well as The Others (Panasonic, Porter-Cable, Hitachi, Metabo, Fein, Hilti, Festool, Rigid, etc – i.e. no consumer grade brands), I think it really comes down to “the ecosystem” and comfort in YOUR hand. Given the 15-60 minute charging times, 2.0 (compact)-5.0ah batteries, and wrist twisting power of ALL of the premium drills, it pretty much comes down to “Coke or Pepsi?”, “Ford or Chevy”, “AR or AK”, “Veritas or Lie-Nielsen?”, “Mac or Cornwell?”, “Boeing or Airbus?” (Okay, on most of those, there’s only one TRUE AND HONORABLE ANSWER, but in my awesome benevolence, I will silently tolerate the poor deluded fools who are in error.)
As for me, I’m on DeWalt’s 20vMax XR platform and Bosch’s 12v platform. If somebody were to give me the Latest And Greatest from any of the Big 4 as a replacement for what I have, I wouldn’t turn it away, although my preference would be for the Latest And Greatest of the two platforms I have, especially if the L&G included Bosch’s 12v Brushless line available in Europe.
(Okay, so The Best is my Skil, 7.2 volts of dead Ni-cad powwwah and a keyed chuck!!)
Robert Tripp
I went from HF 12v to Milwaukee 12v fuel. Just cannot imagine anything better than the red.
Tom
The whole ecosystem is what most people are going to pick. If money and space were unlimited then sure get a best of each tool. Most people are going to pick a brand and go with it so they can reuse batteries.
Dan
One of the things I think is sorely lacking in most tool reviews (not just on this site) is a closer look at ergonomics and and “feel.” One of the things that made me quickly and easily choose the DeWalt 18/20V system is the detail of their grip — I find it far and away more comfortable than Milwaukee or other manufacturers. The curves of the DeWalt fit my hand better. On the other hand, I find Milwaukee’s black rubber covering to be slightly “stickier” than DeWalt’s, making it easier to keep a good grip on without actually holding it tightly. Both DeWalt and Milwaukee use easily-grippable chucks; compare the grip pattern to the Bosch and Metabo (and most other brands) and it’s easy to see that your hand will slip less when tigtening those. I would love to see more detail about that kind of stuff when choosing a “best” of something, and less fretting over the most torque or run time.
Stuart
The thing about feel is that it is highly subjective.
What feels comfortable in my medium-sized hands might not be as comfortable for someone with extra large hands, and vice versa.
None of the selections above were chosen because they’re the most powerful or longest running. I chose them because they offer the best combinations of attributes that I look for and recommend in cordless drills.
Dan
You’re right, any discussion of “feel” is very subjective and going to require further subjective description of your own needs, preferences, etc. But that’s also exactly why it’s so valuable to readers who don’t have the option to put their hands on the tool (or anything, really) before buying.
Nathan
I have to say – wow. I’m mildly surprised to see a change in the top slots. And oddly it also happens to agree with my assessments. Don’t get me wrong I like the one key milwaukee tools and they are very solid.
but I wouldn’t buy one for my use at home. I also won’t be buying the dewalt BT battery setup either.
But feature vs useage – for me at home I’d nod to the dewalts with the lights also – which I will probably go out and purchase this year as I need a newer drill. Mildly surprised in the review wasn’t at least a honorable mention or runner up paragraph dedicated to either a milwaukee or bosch or ________ product in the testing.
Stuart
I debated whether or not to include an honorable mention, but I couldn’t narrow it down to just one model.
It was down to a tie between Bosch’s wireless charging dock and drill combo, Milwaukee’s One-Key drill, and several other models from last year’s recommendations that I still wanted to mention.
But as mentioned, I had to draw a line and keep this post more focused on what I felt to be the best of the best drills.
John
Missing category for right angle drills. In that arena Dewalt has the best “regular” right angle drill which is saying something as if you saw my garage the amount of red/black would be blinding. When it comes to heavy duty right angled drill though, no other cordless drill maker can even step into the same arena with the Milwaukee Hole Hawg and Super Hawg.
I would have to say that the gen 2 fuel whether one key or not is the top drill. If you go the one key route it has all of the capabilities of the dcd991 and then some and it does this while being 1.3 lbs lighter and and more compact.
Stuart
I don’t have a strong favorite when it comes to right angle drills. If it helps, there is a separate post discussing several notable models and asking for reader opinions:
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/best-right-angle-drill/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Thanks for the reminder! I added a link towards the top of the post.
Jay
I’m not smart enough to know which is the best drill. I suppose one could disassemble each possible candidate for an in depth examination and score strengths and weaknesses to determine which drill scores highest.
All I have to go on is experience. Have used DeWalt, Milwaukee, Skil and Makita cordless drills. Of those the one that I like the best is the Makita XPH03Z I picked up a few months back to replace a broken DeWalt cordless drill.
As far as the brushless tools are concerned I still think that the brushed tools are more robust. I mean all you need is a tool that will turn with plenty of torque. Why then does a drill require a dc motor with lots of electronics just to turn and have torque? When those delicate electronics go out then guess what? So does your tool.
Tool companies depend on marketing to sell lots of stuff to us rabble. Wonder how many guys with perfectly good brushed tools put them on a shelf just so they can go out and buy the latest greatest brushless thingamabob. Bet the tool companies marketing departments are working overtime to make that happen.
Ryan
The potted electronics in modern drills are anything but delicate. They as robust as any other part. A mechanical failure would likely occur before an electrical one, in most cases. And your post suggests you don’t understand the benefits of brushless technology. No brushes means increased efficiency due to less physical contact between rotor/stator which means less friction therefore less heat generated and less power wasted.
Mike
No they are not I work in Hi e Depot and we get back more brushless back but we sell more brushed so you don’t know what your talking about
Ryan
You’re right, working at Home Depot makes you an expert at comparing results of power tool reliability testing. Your anecdote isn’t evidence sir.
Jay
Yes the electronics are usually fully potted. However, plastics do absorb moisture. Moisture and electronics don’t go together. Have replaced many a potted part repairing refrigerators so they obviously do fail. One of my co-workers dropped his new brushless driver a few feet onto concrete and it has never worked since.
As far as wasted power goes I have not compared battery life between the two but I’d bet the difference is minuscule.
To each his own. Here in Texas summertime temps often push above 105° and have never had a brushed tool stop working due to heat. Have read online several complaints where brushless tools get hot and just quit working until they cool down. Could be battery related, can’t say for sure, but the bottom line is they will stop working. The complaints were pertaining to Makita brushless tools. Since I like Makita and work here in the “burning lake of fire” that is West Texas, I only buy their brushed tools. So far so good.
Dwain (oztooltalk)
Well articulated thoughts Stuart. I am about to test the DCD996 / 796 / 791, so will be interesting to see if I come to the same conclusion.
Brian Auerbach
Moral of the story, any current 18v drill is going to be awesome.
I think the most important factor is the ecosystem, though there are quite a few good choices still.
Flip a coin, pick your favorite color, buy whatevers on sale, dealers choice.
cody
You know I’m still using my Makita 7.2 as my main drill everday. Love it still works great.
Jerry
I miss the best value and best budget categories. I know it is more hassle, but not everyone needs the best at any price.
Scott K
I totally agree. My tools are for homeowner/diy purposes so cost has a big impact on my decisions.
Stuart
There’s a whole separate post about $100 drill kits: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/best-cordless-drill-kit-for-100/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Many of those 18V kits will likely be going on sale again soon, for Father’s Day. They’re all reasonably good values other times of year, but the best prices come around the winter holiday shopping season and then again Father’s Day.
In terms of 12V-class, the Bosch PS31 and Milwaukee M12 2407 kits are often great values. Around the holidays, the M12 kit goes on sale, and sometimes there are great bargain bonus combo kits.
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/best-diy-drill-bosch-milwaukee-brushless-2014/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Then there’s also Ryobi, which would be my sub-$100 drill brand of choice.
Kent
I just picked up the new Dewalt dck299p2, with the 996 and the new 887 impact driver. The drill is incredible. It has a ton of power and built well, also it’s built in the U.S. which is cool. The impact is the best thing I have ever used. I love it. The light on the drill is awesome, nice bright work light. This set is the kind of quality that made Dewalt great before they slacked off a few years, glad to see them building good stuff again. And I can not wait for there pipe press machine to hit the market
Scott K
The “Bosch DDB181-02 18-Volt Lithium-Ion 1/2-Inch Compact Tough Drill/Driver Kit with 2 Batteries, Charger and Contractor Bag” just dropped to $99 and was mentioned in last year’s cordless drill roundup
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N8I29X2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_tt-ixbP051G7D
BOZ
Good review and always an eye opener with the model numbers and the fact that they still may have old models on the shelf or Amazon..its confusing as can be.
I have always had Ryobi drills and yard equipment but this year decided to upgrade.
Picked up the Dewalt 20v brushless trimmer and planning on getting one of the Brushless drill driver combo kits and yard blower…. My decision was based on reviews like this and the tools that they have available that suit my needs . Decided that the 40volt line was overkill for my yard. My biggest decision now is to figure out if I should go with the hammer\reg or compact kit and figure out the newest model numbers as well!
My electrician still uses the old 18volt Dewalt system and my plumber had all new Milwaukee fuels 18/12 …both guys used and abused these tools all day long!!
Mr. X
Funny how tool users, like pickup truck owners, get very passionate about the brands they use. The fact is, you just can’t buy a bad pickup truck today. Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Toyota, and even Nissan all make pickup trucks that have features that will appeal to different buyers. And all the major manufacturers make a high quality product these days. Cordless tools, and Drills/Drivers in particular are much the same. Personally, I prefer Milwaukee products based on the longevity and durability I have experienced. (My V28 debacle a few years back is one exception) I did, however, come very close to buying an 18 volt Makita drill/driver last summer. It came down to price, saving a few dollars because the new Milwaukee Fuel was out and Home Depot was closing out “last years model” Milwaukee 18 volt Fuel. The combination 18v/12v Milwaukee charger was also a plus as I have quite a few 12v red tools.
Kenny ken
Stats are stats… Just because the Milwaukee looks better on paper doesn’t mean it works better on site. The new dewalt offering is a dream to use and everyone who has used it wouldn’t disagree. Having said that I also like the Milwaukee and I think Stuart has had a good old game of splitting hairs to come to his conclusion.
For me I’m a dewalt guy ever since the xr platform came to market, the advance it battery tech by the top brands is breath taking. Fortunately for us tools freaks
we have an option of 2 brilliant platforms in dewalt or Milwaukee. If you don’t like the dewalt then that’s fine but don’t get upset when they win ‘best drill’ as I’m sure Milwaukee and dewalt are going to be head to head for a few years yet. Both companies have put a lot of work into their power tools as of late and it’s really paying off, which for us (as consumers) can only be a good thing.
dri
10,8/12V line Bosch PS32 / GSR 10.8V- EC Lightweight robust and powerfull drill. Excellent handling,smooth running motor+gearbox.
mario
i own 2 brushless bosch comby drills dynamic series , the old model and the new one, form me i think is the best choise, they have enought power that i need, i can wait to upgrade to the new robust series gsb 18ve-ec rs, i heard people complining about makita bettery, i want to say that bosch has the best battery becouse they never get hot even after hard using,
Bestcordlessdrillpro
If you have a hunger for Perfection and Competence, Dewalt is your tool, and Makita is next. These 2 tools have got everything a professional or a regular DIYer would want in a cordless drill. #From a professional reviewer’s point of view
garrick
My most commonly used tool is the Bosch PS31, used as a number two Robertson (square) screwdriver. I prefer the drill bit chuck to the driver bit chuck of the PS21, because it grips the bit tightly, which allows for better control when driving the screws. I also like the extra length of the chuck… I may be old-fashioned on that.
Brad
Hey guys,
Question, for the 12v drills, how would the Milwaukee Fuel 12v Screwdriver fair against the 12v Bosch and 12v Milwaukee Fuel drill?
Stuart
The M12 Fuel drill and screwdriver should share similar internals, with the main difference being the chuck.
Compared to Bosch, the M12 Fuel, according to my memory, is larger but also more powerful. The drill has a bigger chuck – 1/2″ for the M12 Fuel, vs. 3/8″ for the Bosch and most other 12V-class drills.
Maxx
Why no reviews of the cordless Panasonic drills? That is all I used / use for the last 15 years. (Journeyman carpenter ) . Lith Ion batteries work great, electronic trigger controls are fabulous. Give them a shot.
Stuart
We talked with them a few times, but Panasonic wasn’t interested in supplying a test sample, answering technical questions, supplying press information, or anything else. There have been very few reader requests for Panasonic power tool reviews in the past few years, so I’ve left them out of our test sample budget and gave up on trying to talk with our Panasonic Power Tool contacts. They’re of such small reader interest that I eventually lost interest and usually forget all about Panasonic.
Mark
Panasonic reliability and quality is unassailable-
My Pansonic is over 23 years old now, used & abused everyday. Except for one internal cleaning I did myself after watching a video, an oem replacement switch purchased off eBay for $27 and a set of aftermarket batteries from Amazon it continues to kick ass and has all the power I need for most on-site tasks.
Balance and feel still betters or equals new drills I’ve asked to test on job sites.
Refusing to review Panasonic threatens credibility when a real test would be to compare the latest offerings you judge the best against used or even slightly older versions of the Panasonic. This is like saying that Mafell is of so little interest that you will only review Festool garbage when they have stolen so much from Mafell while offering inferior quality.
Stuart
I’m not refusing to review Panasonic. I’m personally not interested in buying one, as there are many other higher-priority tools that I’d rather spend our finite tool review budget on.
Quite frankly, I don’t think I’ll ever buy a Panasonic tool until they increase their USA efforts.
If you feel so strongly about it, you’re welcome to buy one for us to review – there’s still time to consider it for this year’s Best Cordless Drills update.
Flotsam
I haven’t seen Panasonic tools in the US in ages! So i went online to Amazon and EVERYTHING I found was ridiculously priced.
Here is a 15.6v drill kit for $398 ! https://www.amazon.com/PANASONIC-EY6535-Cordless-battery-charger/dp/B00UG7RQ0O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1531162195&sr=8-3&keywords=panasonic+drill&dpID=41vzM0RVfML&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Are they really selling anything to the US market right now??
GARY RICCELLI
I BOUGHT AN ALLEN WRENCH KIT (3/8″ – 1/16″) ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO FROM LOWES. THE WRENCHES ARE OK BUT THE HOLDER (RED PLASTIC) SEEMS TO HAVE BECOME BRITTLE. 6 OF THE TEN( HOLDERS ?) BROKE. I WENT TO LOWES WITH THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THEY DON’T MAKE THIS STYLE ANY LONGER AND COULD NOT BE REPLACED. THE EMPLOYEE TOLD ME TO CALL DIRECTLY (HE DIDN’T HAVE A #). I GOT A # ON THE INTERNET FOR KOBALT AND FOUND THAT IT WASN’T KOBALT JUST A COMPANY THAT TAKES CARE OF THEIR COMPLIANTS. THEY SAID TO GO BACK TO ANOTHER LOWES STORE AND MAYBE THEY COULD HELP. NO HELP.
Matt Bennett
Hope not too late to get reply before sales run out. Long story short, come from long line of American patriots (Dad was WWII Vet, his father WWI Vet). Have very limited income, but my last drill broke and they no longer make the replacement part. Number 1 priority for me, need to buy as American as possible – even if costs more for same quality (I just read your article on DeWalt built in the USA). I use drill to fix and build things around the house. I am somewhat disabled, so having drill versus doing “by hand” (which is what I have been doing last 6 months) makes BIG difference.
What are recommendations for best all around drill WITH as much American made as possible. Since this review was for 2016, hoping for a 2017 update.
Many thanks!
Deksinjo
Now is 2018 and this is from 2016, love to see is something changed. How Makita XPH07 stand up against yellow and red team because you can buy now on ebay for under 100$ (tool only) and that is really low price.