About a year ago, I bought a 18v Coleman cordless drill for about $10 after some discounts from HSN. What I did quickly find out was that if you are planning on doing light and occasional drilling or screwing, a Coleman or other basic duty cordless drill will probably get you by. But a big problem with cordless drills is the batteries usually only last 2-4 years, even if you don't use them. So, you probably want to think of a cordless drill as disposable, and expect to replace it every 3-4 years. Using cordless drills improves convenience, safety, and speed for most of my jobs, and unless I'm drilling large-diameter or very deep holes, my cords stay in the van. Whether you are building a deck,drilling through steel and concrete or putting together the swing set for the kids, I would say that a cordless drill is right for you. Most cordless drills features an optimized cooling system, a spindle lock and a soft grip on the trigger for comfortable drilling use which all goes towards making that sometimes arduous DIY task a little more bearable.



Cordless Drills in Use

With the Dewalt cordless combi drill with a single touch, you can shift quickly and easily "drill" to "driver" mode, locking out the clutch for superior drilling. After owning this drill for six months and using it on a number of projects, I couldn't be happier. Powerful and rugged Ive used the 12v version of this drill for years and got this as a 2nd to have a drill and driver without swapping bits all the time. But if you plan on having your batteries last all day, boring holes in a variety of materials, sinking a variety of lengths of screws into limitless materials, then buy a quality drill like this or perhaps a Makita. Though this Makita drill costs significantly more, the power and endurance of the battery is amazing. My test is to hold the drill as though you're using it just above eye level and see how long you can hold it there.

Cordless for the weekend DIY'er

I think a good combination for the weekend putterer is to get a light drill like the Hitachi (or the Makita I mentioned if you can find it) for routine stuff, and apply any money saved toward a good corded drill for meatier jobs. Manufacturers can make lighter cordless drills with the same power as earlier models, or make more powerful drillsat the same weight as earlier models. One drill has a dual charger that charges two batteries at once. Remember though - high voltage isn't the only mark of a capable drill.

What others are saying

While reviews say most pro-level cordless impact drivers work well, they praise this innovative Panasonic impact driver because it adds a clutch to keep it from stripping screw heads. But you may not want to pay the $200 or more which is typical for most cordless drills with that feature if your home to-do list doesn't include larger projects or heavier-duty drilling. If you're looking for a drill that even the professionals would envy, set your sights on Bosch's 38636-01 36-volt Brute Tough cordless drill/driver kit. This is especially nice on this powerful cordless, which has a bit of kick to it. Even low-end cordless drills can drive most screws. A must for the avid handyman, if you haven't already then I would definitely say look in the cordless section next time you are buying hardware.