Best Cordless Drill For Home Use

When you want the best cordless drill for home use, it’s a completely different ballgame than getting your hands on the best cordless drills that professionals use. You typically don’t need as much power and lightweight options become more attractive. Most homeowners also don’t have the budget of a professional crew. So who’s doing a good job of meeting the needs of homeowner repairs and projects?

We’re glad you asked!

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It’s rare that any tool pulls together a complete package, but as the best over drill for home use, the Skil PWRCore 20 Compact Drill Driver does. As the name suggests, it’s on the stronger 18V/20V Max battery platform with higher performance than other compact drills in its class. It tops out with 450 in-lbs of torque and 1800 RPM from its 2-speed brushless motor.

Among the competition, it’s also lighter, weighing 1.9 pounds bare and 2.5 pounds with a 2.0Ah battery. With a battery a charger, you can get this for just under $100 and we see it go on sale from time to time for even less than that.

There’s also a hammer drill version of this model if you want a more efficient concrete drilling mode.

Skil doesn’t have quite as many tools as some brands on its PWRCore 20 battery system, but it has been steadily expanding with quality tool and lawn care options. The platform is even making its entry into lifestyle products.

Price: $99.99 with a 2.0Ah battery and charger

Menards may not have as big of a presence as other retailers but don’t overlook the Masterforce Ultra Compact Drill. Its 2-speed brushless motor produces 525 in-lbs of torque and 1850 RPM, performing more like a professional drill than a DIY model.

It’s a little heavier at 3.3 pounds with a 2.5Ah battery, but it’s more compact from tip to tail, allowing you to work in tighter spaces. As the highest performer of the group, it’s no surprise that it’s at the top of the price list. However, it’s still under $100 and Menards often runs a mail-in rebate bringing your total cost under $90.

There’s a hammer drill version of this model available as well.

Price: $99.99 with two 2.0Ah batteries and a charger

If you already have a drill but you’re looking for an upgrade, take a look at Ryobi’s 18V One+ HP Brushless Compact Drill. Featuring a 2-speed brushless motor, this model hits 1700 RPM and 400 in-lbs of torque.

The form factor got an upgrade from Ryobi’s previous designs, making it more comfortable and secure to hold. The weight is a very reasonable 2.1 pounds bare and a 1.5Ah battery brings it up to 3.0 pounds on the nose.

Like Skil, there’s a hammer drill version available as well. One other thing to keep in mind is that Ryobi has more than 280 tools and lifestyle products that all work on the same 18V One+ batteries that power this drill.

The kit originally launched at $139.00, but a recent price change now has it at a more attractive $99.00.

Price: $99.00 with two 1.5Ah batteries and a charger

Black and Decker has been a staple in DIYers’ toolboxes for decades and it’s hard to ignore its popular LDX120C. It’s still one of the best lightweight drills for home use and ranked #2 overall on Amazon’s top-seller list at the time we’re writing.

While the 115 in-lbs of torque and 650 RPM top speed coming from the single-speed brushed motor aren’t going to challenge the performance of our earlier picks, this drill is still capable of handling your light-duty projects and repairs. Thanks to a 2.7-pound weight, you won’t feel like you need to hit the gym in order to use it, though. Plus, it’s very easy on your wallet compared to other options.

Price: $34.95 with a 1.5Ah battery and charger

If keeping your budget in check is your top priority, consider HART’s entry-level 20V drill as the best home use drill for the money. Its single-speed brushed motor hits up to 600 RPM and can help you work through that honey-do list in short order.

This model is a bit heavier and bulkier than the higher-priced recommendations on our list, but you get the kit for less than $40. HART has also been rapidly expanding its presence in Walmart, offering a wide range of compatible tools, lawn equipment, and lifestyle products that use the same battery.

Price: $39.88 with a 1.5Ah battery and a charger

I actually did a double-take when I saw this kit from Greenworks. For less than $100, you get a 2-speed brushless drill, a brushless impact driver, two 2.0Ah batteries, a dual port charger, and a carry case. It’s a crazy-good deal and is our clear winner as the best drill combo kit for home use.

These tools have handles that are smaller in diameter, making them very comfortable to use if you have smaller hands. Here are the stats on the tools:

Price: $99.99

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Want something with professional quality? We dug up deals from some of the top brands. Some won’t last long, so grab them while they’re still available!

Looking for something from another brand? Here are a couple of others to consider.

Craftsman balance performance and price well with its CMCD700 cordless drill. With 1500 RPm and 280 Unit Watts Out, it’s in the mid-range for performance in the DIY class. At $79.00 for the kit, it’s also in the middle of the price range. The downside is that it’s bulkier than many of our other recommendations.

Price: $79.00 with a 1.3Ah battery and charger

Worx has a fun little drill that has a rotating chuck capable of holding different bits in each. The idea is to have a drill bit in one and a driver bit in the other so you can make your pilot hole and set your fastener without having to manually switch bits or have two tools. Just keep in mind that both chucks are 1/4-inch hexes, so you need to make sure you buy bits with that shank style.

At 1500 RPM and 265 in-lbs of torque, it’s a mid-range performer that can handle your light-duty projects and repairs with ease.

Price: $179.99 with two 2.0Ah batteries, charger, and bit set

The two key performance numbers are speed and torque. These give you an idea of how fast you can drill and how much overall power the drill has. For multi-speed drills, the relationship is inverse. In low gear, you get the highest torque and slower speed. In high gear, you get lower torque and higher speed.

The numbers each drill specifies tell you the top speed and torque overall, so you won’t get them both at the same time unless it’s a single-speed drill.

For the most part, high performance typically isn’t the number one priority for most homeowners. If you’re thinking about getting into more serious projects, you may want something with more muscle, though. For less than $100, there are some quality kits that include a drill with a brushless motor that offers higher runtime, performance, and service life than brushed models.

Because you don’t need the highest performance, you have more options. Typically, the choice is between 18/20V Max and 12V systems. The higher voltage systems have higher performance, but the 12V systems tend to be more compact.

As you’re looking, consider what other tools or products you might want that work on the same battery. Some brands, such as Ryobi, are incredibly deep with hundreds of products that can all use the same battery. Others are developing and some don’t have many compatible products. The more products you can use without having to buy more batteries, the better the value for you. Plus, you won’t have a bunch of different batteries and chargers to manage.

Most of the time we want the best drill for home use, we’re talking about light-duty projects. That means we can get away with a much lighter and more compact drill than we need for heavy-duty professional jobs. These drills tend to be easier to use and more comfortable to hold.

On the homeowner side of the drill spectrum, we don’t expect a ton of features. A variable speed trigger, LED light, clutch, and belt hook are all you need in most cases. Of course, if your budget is higher, you can get more bells and whistles.

Price tends to be a high priority when you’re looking for the best drill for home use. With prices approaching $300 for professional kits, you may wonder if there’s anything worth buying for under $100. Not to worry—you have some good options.

Still, bumping up your budget can come with quality gains. Often, the best value isn’t at the bottom of the price range but in the middle.

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