Best cordless drills for DIY jobs in 2026, tried and tested

The best cordless drills make DIY jobs easy, whether you're putting up a few shelves or tackling a multi-day project.

We've tested drill drivers and combi drills from popular brands such as Bosch, DeWalt, Makita and Ryobi to find the ones that are worth the price.

The best drills sailed through metal and brick, while others slowed down or had batteries that went flat surprisingly quickly.

Not sure what you need? We also explain how to choose the right drill for your DIY needs – and whether cheap drills can rival the pricier brands. 

The cordless drills we tested

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A selection of the cordless drills we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the best cordless drills from our tests.

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Black & Decker 18V Cordless Hammer Drill (BCD700)

Most recently tested August 2026

Type of drill (motor) Combination (brushed)

Battery range 18V Power Connect, sizes available: 1.5-4.0Ah

Measured no-load battery life (2.0Ah battery) Log in or join Which? to find out the battery life

Drilling capacities Keyless chuck with 10mm capacity, 25mm maximum drilling depth on wood, 10mm on masonry and steel 

Number of torque settings 10

Need to know 1.2kg (bare tool), LED light, standard 400mA wall plug charger 

Bosch Advanced Impact 18V-80 QuickSnap Combi Drill

Most recently tested August 2026

Type of drill (motor) Combination (brushless)

Battery range 18V-power for all, sizes available: 1.5-6Ah 

Measured no-load battery life (2.0Ah battery) Log in or join Which? to find out the battery life

Drilling capacities Keyless chuck with 13mm capacity, 40mm maximum drilling depth on wood, 13mm on masonry and steel 

Number of torque settings 22

Need to know 1.2kg (bare tool), LED light, AL 18V-20 standard charger

Bosch GSB 18V-55 Brushless Cordless Combi Drill

Available from Toolden (£54, body only), Screwfix (£89.99, with 2 x 2.0Ah batteries), Screwfix (£149.99, with 2 x 5.0Ah batteries)

Most recently tested February 2024

Type of drill (motor) Combination (brushless)

Battery range 18V-GBA, sizes available: 2-5Ah

Measured no-load battery life (2.0Ah battery) Log in or join Which? to find out the battery life

Drilling capacities Keyless chuck with 13mm capacity, 40mm maximum drilling depth on wood, 13mm on masonry and steel

Number of torque settings 20

Need to know 1.1kg (bare tool), LED light, GAL 18V-40 battery charger

Bosch Universal Impact 18V-60 Brushless Combi Drill

Most recently tested August 2026

Type of drill (motor) Combination (brushless)

Battery range 18V-power for all, sizes available: 1.5-6Ah 

Measured no-load battery life (2.0Ah battery) Log in or join Which? to find out the battery life

Drilling capacities Keyless chuck with 13mm capacity, 35mm maximum drilling depth on wood, 13mm on masonry and steel

Number of torque settings 20

Need to know 1kg (bare tool), LED light, AL 18V-20 standard charger

DeWalt DCD776 18V XR Cordless Combi Drill

Most recently tested February 2024

Type of drill (motor) Combination (brushed)

Battery range 18V-XR, sizes available: 2-15Ah

Measured no-load battery life (2.0Ah battery) Log in or join Which? to find out the battery life

Drilling capacities Keyless chuck with 13mm capacity, 30mm maximum drilling depth on wood, 13mm on masonry and steel

Number of torque settings 15

Need to know 1.3kg (bare tool), LED light with delay feature so it stays on after you've stopped drilling, DCB107 battery charger

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DeWalt DCD778 18V XR Brushless Cordless Combi Drill

Most recently tested February 2024

Type of drill (motor) Combination (brushless)

Battery range 18V-XR, sizes available: 2Ah to 15Ah

Measured no-load battery life (2.0Ah battery) 50 minutes

Drilling capacities Keyless chuck with 13mm capacity, 30mm maximum drilling depth on wood, 13mm on masonry and steel

Number of torque settings 15

Need to know 1.15kg (bare tool), LED light with delay feature so it stays on after you've stopped drilling, DCB107 battery charger

DeWalt DCD803 Brushless Drill Driver

Available from Tool Station (£229.99, body only), DVS Power Tools (£282.95, with 2 x 2.0Ah batteries), ScrewFix (£289.99, with 1 x 4.0Ah battery)

Most recently tested August 2026

Type of drill (motor) Combination (brushless)

Battery range 18V-XR, sizes available: 2Ah to 15Ah

Measured no-load battery life (2.0Ah battery) Log in or join Which? to find out the battery life

Drilling capacities Keyless chuck with 13mm capacity, 30mm maximum drilling depth on wood, 13mm on steel

Number of torque settings 15

Need to know 1kg (bare tool), LED light, 18V XR multi-voltage charger 

Makita DHP453 18V Cordless Combi drill

Most recently tested February 2024

Type of drill (motor) Combination (brushed)

Battery range 18V-LXT, sizes available: 2-6Ah

Measured no-load battery life (2.0Ah battery) Log in or join Which? to find out the battery life

Drilling capacities Keyless chuck with 13mm capacity, 36mm maximum drilling depth on wood, 13mm on masonry and steel

Number of torque settings 16

Need to know 1.34kg (bare tool), no LED light, DC18SD battery charger

Makita DHP485 18V Brushless Cordless Combi Drill

Most recently tested February 2024

Type of drill (motor) Combination (brushless)

Battery range 18V-LXT, sizes available: 2-6Ah 

Measured no-load battery life (2.0Ah battery) Log in or join Which? to find out the battery life

Drilling capacities Keyless chuck with 13mm capacity, 38mm maximum drilling depth on wood, 13mm on masonry and steel

Number of torque settings 21

Need to know 1.1kg (bare tool), LED light with delay feature so it stays on after you've stopped drilling, DC18SD battery charger

Ryobi R18PD3 18V Cordless Combi Drill

Most recently tested February 2024

Type of drill (motor) Combination (brushed)

Battery range 18V-ONE+, sizes available: 2-9Ah

Measured no-load battery life (2.0Ah battery) Log in or join Which? to find out the battery life

Drilling capacities Keyless chuck with 13mm capacity, 38mm maximum drilling depth on wood, 13mm on masonry and steel

Number of torque settings 24

Need to know 1.25kg (bare tool), LED light, RC18115 battery charger

More cordless drills from our tests

Here are the rest of the cordless drills we've tested, listed in alphabetical order.

How we test cordless drills

We buy the bestselling cordless drills and put them through our tough tests. We don't accept freebies from product manufacturers or retailers.

We regularly revisit the cordless drills on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing, and when we find them, we do.

Drilling and screwdriving performance

• A panel of DIY enthusiasts and novices use each drill to bore holes into wood, steel sheet and brick
• They also sink 25mm and 75mm screws into wood
• The same drill bits are used in every drill
• Each drill is rated for how easily it carries out each task – the best get through even hard materials like a knife through butter, the worst struggle with metal and brick
• Everyone agrees on their favourite drills, and these are our Best Buys

Speed efficiency

• We use a tachometer to measure the no-load speed each drill rotates at and the speed when drilling large holes in wood and brick
• The more a drill slows down while performing heavy-duty tasks, the lower its speed efficiency and the harder the drill is being worked in these tasks
• A lower speed efficiency indicates that a drill may handle larger drill bits less easily
• All drills the we've tested can do the tasks, but the best barely slowed (by only a few per cent), while the worst slowed down by 13% when drilling large holes in wood.

Battery life

• Each drill is tested with a compatible 2.0Ah battery
• Each drill is run with no load to see how long the battery lasts (ie we weren't drilling anything). This gives a maximum run time for each drill 
• The no-load battery life is measured off a five-minute charge
• The time to recharge an empty 2.0Ah battery back to full is measured 

Ease of use

Our testers rate each drill for weight, comfort, how easy the battery is to remove and insert, how easy controls are to adjust and how much the drill vibrates when in use.

Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.

Are cheap cordless drills any good?

The cheapest drill drivers start from as little as £40, but you can pay more than £150 for a pricey combi drill. Combi drills generally cost more because you're paying for the added hammer mechanism and the other components needed for them to tackle heavier tasks.

Our tests have found that cheap drills can get simple DIY jobs done, so if you're putting up the occasional shelf or picture hook, this may be all you need.

However, if you're doing meatier projects or drilling into tough surfaces like brick walls, our tests found it's generally worth spending a bit more. 

You can save money by getting drills with smaller battery capacities, though you'll need to charge them up more often. Drills are primarily sold in three ways:

• Bare Just the drill, no battery or charger. The cheapest way to get a drill, but only really useful if you already own compatible batteries
• Standalone Comes with one or more batteries and a charger 
• Collection As part of a larger set that may contain cordless power tools and accessories. Pricier, but usually cheaper than buying all the tools separately

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What's the best cordless drill for my DIY job?

There are many different drill types and accessories available, so finding the right one for your DIY jobs can feel a bit daunting.

Cordless drill types

Drill drivers A versatile option for small jobs. They are designed to drill holes in wood and metal as well as to be a 'driver' to tighten and loosen screws. They're good for hanging shelves and picture hooks and to construct flat-pack furniture. 

They tend to be cheaper than other drill types and easy to use, but can struggle with tougher materials such as brick.

Combi drills A brilliant all-rounder. As well as having all the features of a drill driver, combination (or combi) drills have a hammer (or impact) setting for drilling into brick, concrete or other hard materials.

Combi drills can be used on a variety of surfaces. They're typically more expensive and heavier than drill drivers.

We've only tested drill drivers and combi drills, but there are other types of drill aimed at more specific, heavy-duty tasks.

Impact drivers For larger projects that require a lot of screwdriving. They look like a drill, but aren't designed to drill holes. 

They use a mechanism that helps to reduce the impact on your hands and wrist. They can also effectively tighten bolt heads and nuts.

Due to their high torque, impact drivers are good for driving screws through hard materials and are less likely to damage screw heads compared to a drill driver or combi drill. 

Hammer drills These are powerful drills that are useful when you need to get through hard surfaces. Sometimes called impact drills or percussion drills, they allow you to control the torque settings while keeping the hammer action you find on combi drills.

This allows you to adjust the power while keeping the rotation speed low, making this type of cordless drill suitable for drilling into hard materials without damaging the surface. 

SDS hammer drills They are similar to a hammer drill, but have a slotted drive system (SDS) that uses a piston to fire the drill bit forward and backward.

It reduces friction and gives a stronger hammer action, making it the ideal drill for heavy-duty projects with tough materials. 

You can turn off the rotation of the drill, allowing you to do chiselling tasks.

Cordless drill features

Voltage In theory, a higher voltage will tend to be more suitable for heavy-duty DIY work. However, it doesn't always translate to a higher-torque drill or more effective drilling. We've predominantly tested 18V drills, but voltages can range from around 12V to 24V.

Battery capacity Measured in Amp hours (Ah), the more Ah a battery has, the heavier it is but the longer it will last. Capacities tend to range from 1.5Ah to 5.0Ah, but some brands' batteries go even higher.

It's good practice to have at least two batteries for your drill, so one can recharge while you carry on working with the other.

Motor type Drills tend to come with either a brushed or brushless motor. The latter is designed to reduce friction and resistance, leading to drills with a higher power, speed and control – but they are usually more expensive. 

Our tests found that brushed and brushless drills perform similarly in lighter DIY tasks, but the benefits of brushless drills may be more apparent in longer, heavier projects.

Gear (speed) selector Most drill drivers and combi drills have a selector switch for you to change between two speeds.

Speed is measured in revolutions per minute (RPM). Each setting will have a maximum speed, and most drills have a pressure-sensitive trigger – squeeze less for slower rotation, and more for faster speeds.

A low speed is ideal for driving screws and drilling in soft material, while a higher speed is ideal for drilling into hard materials.

Torque adjustment collar Allows you to adjust the torque (rotational force) to sink a screw to the correct depth.  

• High torque (low speed): for tasks that require more force, such as drilling through hard materials or sinking long screws. If this is what you'll mostly be doing, a drill with a higher maximum torque will work better for you.
• Low torque (high speed): for drilling into softer materials like wood or plaster, where excess force could cause the material to split or be damaged at the surface.

Speed and torque are a trade-off: the faster the drill spins, the lower the torque it has, and vice versa. High speed is good for light jobs, while lower speeds give you maximum force needed for heavy jobs. Because different jobs need different settings, having smooth, adjustable speed controls matters far more than just high maximum torque.

Drill modes Drill drivers have screwdriving and drilling modes, while combi drills have an additional hammer/impact drilling mode.

• Screwdriving – a mode that allows you to control the torque level (by the adjustment collar) to screw slowly and effectively.
• Drilling – a mode that sets the drill to full power (max torque) to bore holes.
• Hammer/impact drilling – a mode very similar to drilling, but additionally thrusts the drill bit forwards and backwards to ‘hammer’ hard material as you drill. It penetrates materials such as masonry more quickly and with less effort.

Chuck The hole into which you slot the drill bits or other accessories. Most cordless drills have a chuck size of either 10mm (3/8 inch) or 13mm (1/2 inch). 

Forward/reverse switch Lets you change the direction the drill rotates, allowing you to tighten and loosen screws. The reverse mode is also useful for backing the drill bit out of a hole after you've drilled it.

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What size drill is best for home use?

A drill bit is a detachable, pointed metal tip that fits into the front of your drill. They come in various shapes and sizes, but the most important thing is to have the correct type for the material you're drilling into.

Most drills have a chuck that fits a 10mm bit (3/8 inch). This size accommodates a wide range of drill bits, making it suitable for various DIY tasks such as assembling furniture, hanging shelves, or drilling into wood, drywall and light metals.

If you anticipate tackling heavy-duty tasks, such as drilling into thick timber, a drill with a 13mm (1/2 inch) chuck offers more power and can accommodate larger bits.  

Most are keyless, which lets you tighten and loosen the chuck without the need for extra tools, making swapping bits quick and easy.

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7 things we learnt testing cordless drills

1. Controls are very similar across cordless drill brands We found some more comfortable to hold, with less stiff controls, but overall there are only minor differences in how easy the cordless drills are to use.
2. Battery life differs All cordless drills were tested with a 2.0Ah battery. The worst lasted 30 minutes with no load (which means without drilling anything). The best lasted 67 minutes (no load).
3. None of the drills got hot after our battery test We ran the drills continuously until the battery died, and found that none were hot, but some drills' casings got warm while others stayed cool to touch.
4. They all get through wood, brick and metal sheet eventually but some drills can bore through brick and metal more quickly and easily than others. Drill drivers (which don't have a hammer drilling setting) struggled more.
5. Some drills struggle to sink longer screws While all the drills we tested could sink a short 25mm screw into wood, the best could also sink longer 75mm screws just as easily. The worst struggled to do this.
6. We measured a difference in how much the drills slow down when doing load-intensive tasks While all the drills we tested could complete these jobs, some drills had more left to give, and others were starting to show early signs of struggling. If you're going to be drilling large holes frequently, the drills with better speed efficiency will handle these tasks better.
7. It's important to buy the correct drill and drill bit for your job We've seen some negative reviews elsewhere that say a drill struggled to complete a job that it isn't designed for. For example, you can't expect a drill driver to make lots of half-inch holes through thick iron sheets without feeling the strain more than a combi or hammer drill. Think about the tasks you'll be doing, and read our expert reviews and advice to find the right drill for the job.

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