A cordless drill is a key piece of kit for any tool box, which will be useful for a multitude of DIY jobs around the home and garden. It will drill holes in materials such as wood, masonry and metal, and can also be used for screw-driving applications, making it ideal for putting up shelves and building flatpack furniture.
We’d recommend opting for a cordless model for maximum flexibility. Choose a drill with a battery that has a short charge time and a long life, and always check the voltage, which generally ranges from 12V to 24V. Although a higher voltage doesn’t always mean higher torque and more effective drilling and driving, a high-powered drill will be necessary for heavy-duty work. Although a powerful hammer drill is ideal if you’re planning to drill into a lot of masonry, a combi drill offers more flexibility for working on less hardcore DIY jobs. For lighter DIY tasks, a good quality, lower power model will be perfectly capable of getting the job done.
Often models are sold as 'bare tools', meaning they don’t come with a battery and charger, so you will have to buy these separately. Some manufacturers use an interchangeable battery system, where one battery can be used with many of their different power tools, so this is a great way to keep costs down. All the drills we’ve tested include a battery (or batteries) and charger in the price.
When it comes to accessories, you’ll need a set of drill and screwdriver bits, which cost from around £12. Choose one with a combination of drill bits suitable for wood, metal and masonry, and a variety of screwdriver bits. Most come in a hard case with slots to keep everything organised.
We tested a selection of reasonably-priced cordless combi drills and tested them drilling and screwing into both wood and masonry. We looked at their charging times and accessories, how comfortable they were to use and their overall performance when drilling and screw-driving.
Which cordless drill is best?
Best overall - Draper D20 20V cordless combi drill kit, £78, Draper
Best for heavy duty projects - Wickes 18V cordless brushless combi drill kit, £96, Wickes
Best budget buy - Black & Decker 18V cordless combi drill kit, £49.98, Toolstation
The best cordless drills for 2024
Black & Decker 18V cordless combi drill kit
Score 6/10
Pros
- Lightweight
- Quiet when in use
- Double-ended screwdriver bit included
Cons
- Not very powerful
- Not many torque settings
We felt this would be adequate for most basic DIY jobs, but if you have heavy-duty drilling and screw-driving jobs to do, you might want a more powerful model.
What's in the box:
1.5Ah Li-Ion battery included | Charger included | Hard kit box included | Double end bit included | Keyless chuck | 18V | 40Nm max torque | Brushed motor | 2 gear speeds | 10 torque settings + drill + hammer drill
What features does the Black & Decker 18V cordless combi drill have?
This drill was light and comfortable to use. It had a comfy grip on the handle and we loved the on-board clip to keep the screwdriver bit close to hand. The battery pack is fairly lightweight and is interchangeable with other Black & Decker cordless tools. However, we found it did take longer than the other models we tested to reach full charge, at around three hours for the initial charge.
This model offers 10 torque settings, as well as drill and hammer drill settings, and has a two gear speeds. We liked that this drill came with a double-ended screwdriver bit, as well as a hard carry case, to keep everything neat and tidy
Is it any good?
When drilling into masonry, we needed to put our bodyweight behind the drill to give it some extra welly, however it performed better when drilling into wood. The tool felt well balanced when in use, but it didn’t feel like it had the greatest amount of power behind it, compared to other models we tested.
It was fairly quiet, so would be ideal if you lived in a flat and didn’t want to disturb your neighbours too much. We felt this would be adequate for most basic DIY jobs, but if you have heavy-duty drilling and screw-driving jobs to do, you might want a more powerful model.
Is it good value for money?
At £49.98 with a one-year warranty this is an affordable entry level model for novice DIYers, but it may not adequate for big drilling and screwing projects, like whole house renovations.
Erbauer 18V EXT cordless combi drill kit
Score 8/10
Pros
- Impressive performance
- Good range of torque settings
- Battery cooling tech prevents overheating
Cons
- Heavy to use
- Noisy battery charger
- Bulky battery charger
We found it performed well when drilling into both masonry and wood, and it was excellent for driving screws in quickly and accurately.
What's in the box:
2 x 4.0Ah Li-Ion batteries included | Charger included | Hard kit box included | Keyless chuck | 18V | 50Nm max torque | Brushless motor | 17 torque settings + drill + hammer drill | 2-speed ABS gearbox
What features does the Erbauer 18V EXT cordless combi drill have?
This drill is quite heavy to use, mainly due to its bulky battery pack, but it felt sturdy and well made. It boasts a powerful 50Nm torque and comes with two gear speeds, 17 torque settings plus drill and hammer drill settings.
We like the bright LED work light made it easy to see what your doing, which is especially useful if you’re working in a dark, enclosed space, such as a cupboard or under the stairs. It also has a built-in battery charge level indicator, which is a handy feature.
This drill comes with two powerful 4.0Ah batteries and the battery charged in just 50 minutes. However, we felt the charger was quite bulky and it emitted an irritating hum during charging. The batteries are interchangeable with other Erbauer EXT and EXT Elite Cell compatible tools and having two included in this kit means you’ve always got a charged battery ready to go. As well as two batteries and the charger, this kit included a hard case and a sturdy metal belt clip.
Is it any good?
This drill is equipped with a brushless motor for extra power, higher torque, longer life and run time. It boasts Keep Cool battery technology which actively manages temperature, so cells do not overheat, giving more power, longer run time and battery life. We found it performed well when drilling into both masonry and wood, and it was excellent for driving screws in quickly and accurately.
The heavy, bulky battery meant it was a little more awkward to work with in tight spaces and it made our arm ache after a while. It was also quite noisy when in use.
Is it good value for money?
This drill set costs £129.99 and comes with an impressive three-year guarantee. Although it’s at the top end of our price range, we felt it offered great value for money considering it’s powerful performance, range of functions and that it comes with two batteries.
Mac Allister 12V cordless drill driver kit
Score 6/10
Pros
- Compact and lightweight
- Quiet to use
- Comfortable to use for long periods of time
Cons
- Not very powerful
- Only has one gear
- No hammer drill function
It also did a great job when screw-driving into wood, which would make it ideal for building flatpack furniture etc.
What's in the box:
1.5Ah Li-ion battery included | Charger included | Nylon kit bag included | Keyless chuck | 12V | 10Nm max torque | 16 torque settings + drill | 1 gear speed | Variable speeds | Brushed motor
What features does the Mac Allister 12V cordless drill driver have?
This compact drill driver is lightweight and comes with a slimline battery pack which makes it perfect for working overhead and in tight spaces. The battery takes just an hour to charge, and it’s a lot less bulky than others we tested. This drill has 16 speeds and a drill setting, but with a max torque of just 10Nm, it’s the least powerful of the drills we tested. It comes complete with a charger and a nylon kit bag.
Is it any good?
With a torque of just 10Nm and no hammer function, this didn’t perform well when drilling into masonry, however it performed much better when drilling into wood. It also did a great job when screw-driving into wood, which would make it ideal for building flatpack furniture etc.
It was lightweight and compact, which made it very comfortable to use for long periods of time, especially when working overhead. It was also very quiet to use, so ideal if you don’t want to disturb your neighbours.
Is it good value for money?
Priced at just £30 with a two-year guarantee, this drill would be ideal for lightweight DIY jobs around the house, but if you’ve got a big building project on the horizon, you might need something more powerful.
Wickes 18V cordless brushless combi drill kit
Score 9/10
- Buy now from Wickes, £96
Pros
- Very powerful
- Quite quiet to use
- Battery charge indicator light
Cons
- Heavy to use
With an impressive 60Nm torque, this powerful drill performed really well when drilling into both masonry and wood.
What's in the box:
2 x 2.0Ah Li-ion batteries included | Charger included | Hard kit box included | Belt clip included | Double end bit included | Keyless chuck | 18V | 60Nm max torque | 21 torque settings + drill + hammer drill | Brushless motor | 2 gear speeds
What features does the Wickes 18V cordless brushless combi drill have?
Once its battery pack is attached, this drill is quite heavy, however it has a good grip and it’s comfy in the hand. It boasts a powerful 60Nn torque, has two gear speeds and an impressive 21 torque settings plus hammer drill and drill settings. There’s a bright LED work light built in which makes it easy to see what you’re doing in dark spaces, plus there’s a handy battery level indicator light so you know how much charge you have left.
The 2.0Ah battery pack is interchangeable with other Wickes 1forAll® compatible cordless tools and it charges up in just an hour. This tool comes with two batteries, so you can always have a spare charged up and ready to go, which is ideal if you’ve got a lengthy DIY job on the go. As well as two batteries and a charger, this drill comes with a hard carry case, a handy belt clip and a double-ended screwdriver bit.
Is it any good?
With an impressive 60Nm torque, this powerful drill performed really well when drilling into both masonry and wood. It also made light work of driving in screws. Considering its power, we also found it relatively quiet to use, which was a bonus. Although it was quite heavy, we felt it offered good control and was well balanced so our hand didn’t tire when using it.
Is it good value for money?
This model comes with a two-year guarantee and costs £96, which we felt was good value for money considering its excellent performance and sturdy build.
- Buy now from Wickes, £96
Draper D20 20V cordless combi drill kit
Score 10/10
Pros
- Great performance
- Comes with a set of 13 bits
- Fast charge time
Cons
- 28Nm max torque
This drill costs under £100 and comes with a two-year warranty, which we feel represents very good value for money considering how pleased we were with its performance and the amount of extras you get with it.
What's in the box:
2.0Ah Li-ion battery included | Charger included | Hard kit box included | 13-piece set of screwdriver/drill bits with bit holder: | 6 x screwdriver bits: | 1 x 5mm Slotted | 1 x 6mm Slotted | 1 x PH1 | 1 x PH2 | 1 x PZ1 | 1 x PZ2 | 6 x drill bits: 1.5, 2.5, 3, 4, 5 and 6mm | Keyless chuck | 20V | 28Nm max torque | 20 torque settings + drill + hammer drill | 2 gear speeds | Variable speed control
What features does the Draper D20 20V cordless combi drill kit have?
This combi drill features a two-speed gear box with variable speed control, forward/reverse, 20 torque settings and max torque of 28Nm. It is fitted with a soft-grip handle and belt clip for ease of use, and it’s not too heavy in the hand. It comes with a 2.0Ah battery which only took around 40 minutes to charge up. The battery is part of Draper’s D20 interchangeable battery system, which allows you to combine the same battery/batteries with any of the tools within the D20 series.
This drill not only comes with a battery, charger and hard case, it also includes an impressive 13-piece selection of drill and screwdriver bits, allowing you to get going on your DIY projects straight away without having to buy extra bit sets.
Is it any good?
This powerful 20V drill made light work of drilling into both masonry and wood and it drove screws in like a dream. It felt comfortable and well balanced when in use and it wasn’t too noisy either. The powerful work light made it easy to see what we were doing and the battery charge indication light made it easy to see how much ‘juice’ we had left to work with at glance.
Is it good value for money?
This drill costs under £100 and comes with a two-year warranty, which we feel represents very good value for money considering how pleased we were with its performance and the amount of extras you get with it.
How to use a cordless drill
FAQs
What to look for in a cordless drill
Look for a drill with a battery that has a short charge time and a long life, and always check the voltage, which generally ranges from 12V to 24V. Although a higher voltage doesn’t always mean higher torque and more effective drilling and driving, a high-powered drill will be necessary for heavy-duty work. For lighter DIY tasks, a good quality, lower power model will be perfectly capable.
How much are cordless drills?
You can expect to pay from as little as £30 to around £250 for a high-end model. Bear in mind that many models are 'bare tools', meaning they don’t come with a battery and charger, so you will have to buy these separately. Some manufacturers use an interchangeable battery system, where one battery can be used with many of their different power tools, so this is a great way to keep costs down.
What drill accessories do I need?
When it comes to accessories, all you’ll need is a set of drill and driver bits, which cost from around £12. Choose one with a combination of drill bits suitable for wood, metal and masonry, and a varied selection of screwdriver bits. Most come in a hard case with slots to keep everything organised.
What to find out more? Check out our features about the best cordless power tools in the UK, the best tool kits: 6 tool sets that will see you right for all house repairs and10 of the best painting tools.For practical advice, read our guide on how to hang shelves, mirrors and cabinets with confidence.
