{"id":2610,"date":"2023-11-30T04:17:10","date_gmt":"2023-11-30T04:17:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/?p=2610"},"modified":"2024-04-05T19:16:09","modified_gmt":"2024-04-05T18:16:09","slug":"cordless-drill-buying-guide-home-and-diy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/30\/cordless-drill-buying-guide-home-and-diy\/","title":{"rendered":"Cordless drill buying guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2610\" class=\"elementor elementor-2610\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b67bc9f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b67bc9f\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dfd6579 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"dfd6579\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f02e3d0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f02e3d0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Choosing the right drill is an important decision.\u00a0 After all, a drill is a foundational tool in any collection.\u00a0 However, when you go to your local hardware store or look one up online, the options and variations are intimidating even for a seasoned professional.\u00a0\u00a0Use this guide to help you make an informed decision on your next cordless power drill purchase.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><p>This topic is quite extensive, so I do not offer specific recommendations like other buying guides.\u00a0 For those recommendations, check out the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/2023\/12\/03\/best-cordless-drills-home-and-diy\/\"><strong><span style=\"color: #333300; text-decoration: underline;\">best cordless drills<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span> and the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/2023\/12\/11\/best-compact-drills-home-and-diy\/\"><strong><span style=\"color: #333300; text-decoration: underline;\">best compact drills.<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p><h3>Why purchase a cordless drill?<\/h3><p>A cordless power drill can be used to hang a picture, build a table, or frame a house.\u00a0 A drill can be used to make a hole, drive fasteners, polish your car, or strip away paint from your next restoration project.\u00a0 There are countless applications for a power drill.\u00a0 And if you&#8217;re anything like me, you will find yourself purchasing more than one.<\/p><figure id=\"attachment_3138\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3138\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-large wp-image-3138\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Drill-into-hinge-credit.jpg?resize=1024%2C683\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3138\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freepik.com\/free-photo\/screwing-self-tapping-screw-into-metal-fastening-hole-wood-strip-using-screwdriver-work-carpenter_16772803.htm#page=2&amp;query=power%20drill&amp;position=9&amp;from_view=search&amp;track=ais&amp;uuid=58cf9c02-ffd7-44a1-ae55-72aa8477dc2f\">Image by pvproductions<\/a> on Freepik<\/figcaption><\/figure><h3>What to consider?<\/h3><ol><li>Type<\/li><li>Voltage<\/li><li>Power<\/li><li>Price<\/li><li>Warranty<\/li><li>Other<\/li><\/ol><p><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-large wp-image-2640 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Makita-drill-window.jpg?resize=1024%2C684\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p><h3>Types<\/h3><p>There are many different types of drills on the market.\u00a0 They all were created for a specific purpose and not all are the same even within the same manufacturer.\u00a0 Let&#8217;s start by taking a look at the most common types of drills for home and DIY.<\/p><ul><li><strong>Drill drivers<\/strong> &#8211; A drill driver is the most common and most versatile type of drill.\u00a0 Their defining features are a <strong>chuck<\/strong> and a <strong>clutch<\/strong>.\u00a0 A <strong>chuck<\/strong> is the adjustable front end of the drill where the drill bit is inserted.\u00a0 The two most common sizes are 3\/8&#8243; and 1\/2&#8243; chucks.\u00a0 Between the two, I would always go with a 1\/2&#8243; since it will accept a 3\/8&#8243; bit as well as pretty much everything else.\u00a0 A <strong>clutch<\/strong> is a numbered collar that surrounds the chuck.\u00a0 The purpose of the clutch is to control the amount of torque or power applied to what you are drilling.\u00a0 If you not want to over drill into something, you can reduce the &#8220;breaking point&#8221; so that the drill stops on its own. In my experience, there is very little difference between the clutch on different drills.\u00a0 And most have a clutch so it usually isn&#8217;t a significant consideration.<\/li><li><b>Impact driver<\/b>&#8211; An impact driver is my next most used type of drill.\u00a0 These are specifically designed to drill medium to large fasteners into medium to thick material.\u00a0 Compared to the drill driver, they are a brute whose sole purpose is getting hard work done.\u00a0 They do not drill holes well and they are not a good choice for light duty jobs.\u00a0 <strong>How do they work?<\/strong>\u00a0 Impact drivers are significantly louder than a drill driver because there is a hammer and anvil behind the chuck that repeatedly hits the bit as it spins.\u00a0 So an impact drill <b>rotates <\/b>and <b>hammers <\/b>at the same time.<\/li><li><b>Specialty drills<\/b> &#8211; There many other types of drills designed for specific purposes such as <b>hammer drills<\/b>, <b>rotary drills<\/b>, and <b>core drills<\/b>.\u00a0 Your average home improvement project will not need any of them.\u00a0 In fact, some drill drivers have hammer drill settings making them a one-stop shop for all your drilling needs.\u00a0 They can be a great alternative to purchasing a dedicated hammer drill for light to medium duty work.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><\/ul><figure id=\"attachment_3131\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3131\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-3131 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/side-view-worker-using-drill-credit.jpg?resize=1024%2C683\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3131\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freepik.com\/free-photo\/side-view-worker-using-drill_35021851.htm#query=power%20drill&amp;position=37&amp;from_view=search&amp;track=ais&amp;uuid=58cf9c02-ffd7-44a1-ae55-72aa8477dc2f\">Freepik<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><h3>Voltage<\/h3><ul><li><b>12 volt<\/b> &#8211; A 12v drill is a light duty tool.\u00a0 They are great for short periods of use that do not require much torque.\u00a0 Would I use a 12v to assemble a bed or furniture?\u00a0 Sure.\u00a0 Would I use a 12v to frame a wall or bore a hole for a cement anchor?\u00a0 No way!\u00a0 I think that there is a definitely place for a light duty drill.\u00a0 However, I do not own one.\u00a0 I opt for a compact 18v or 20v and maybe turn torque down a bit with the clutch.<\/li><li><b>18 volt<\/b> and <b>20 volt<\/b> &#8211; I group these together.\u00a0 I have owned and used many different 18v and 20v drills and found that there is little to no difference between the two.\u00a0 The main power difference comes from the battery which we will cover shortly.<\/li><li><strong>Other <\/strong>&#8211; There are other drills like 14.4v and 24v that are less common and fit a specific use case but I have yet to find myself reaching for one.<\/li><\/ul><h3>Power<\/h3><p>Power and performance include many factors.\u00a0 For this guide, I will summarize things like speed and torque into three categories.<\/p><ul><li><strong>(+)\u00a0<\/strong>Sufficient power for general purpose as a home owner.<\/li><li><strong>(++)\u00a0<\/strong>Enough power to perform not only home owner tasks but is able to tackle full sized projects ranging from furniture to general construction.<\/li><li><strong>(+++)<\/strong>\u00a0Maximum power to take one the most challenges jobs in the toughest conditions.<\/li><\/ul><p>*It is important to keep in mind that one brand can have tools in all categories.<\/p><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-large wp-image-2612 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dewalt-drill.jpg?resize=1024%2C683\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><\/p><h3>Price<\/h3><ul><li><strong>($)<\/strong> Most power tools that are on the more economical side of the spectrum cost less for a reason.\u00a0 \u00a0But they can get the job done.\u00a0 Just make sure you are using the tool for its intended purpose.<\/li><li><strong>($$)<\/strong>\u00a0This is the sweat spot.\u00a0 If your budget allows, always go the at least the DIY or mid-grade version.<\/li><li><strong>($$$)<\/strong> Even though you may not be a pro, you can find pro-grade tools at DIY prices.\u00a0 Keep your eye out for sales and you will never regret having more power, durability, options, and durability.\u00a0 Even the pros drop tools off ladders.<\/li><\/ul><h3>Warranty<\/h3><ul><li><strong>Less than 3 years<\/strong> &#8211; If your tool has less than a one year manufacturer warranty, I would opt for an extended store warranty.<\/li><li><strong>More than 3 years<\/strong> &#8211; Anything more than a year shows that the manufacturer has confidence in their product.<\/li><li><strong>Limited lifetime<\/strong> &#8211; These are tough to find but still out there.\u00a0 They usually require you to register your tool within a certain time frame after purchase.\u00a0 Save your receipt and act quickly.<\/li><\/ul><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-large wp-image-3130 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/pexels-musa-ouizo-9051071.jpg?resize=1024%2C683\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><\/p><h3>Other Considerations<\/h3><ul><li><strong>Batteries<\/strong> &#8211; Batteries will say all sorts of different things on them.\u00a0 The main things you are looking for is amp hours or &#8220;AH&#8221;.\u00a0 There is a lot of science around amp hours that we could get lost in.\u00a0 For this guide, I will spell our some general parameters&#8230;<ul><li>Less than 3AH &#8211; Light duty<\/li><li>3AH to 6AH &#8211; Medium duty<\/li><li>More than 6AH &#8211; Heavy duty<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>Brushed<\/strong> or <strong>Brushless<\/strong> &#8211; If possible, always go for brushless motors.\u00a0 They are more durable and last much longer.<\/li><li><strong>Belt clips<\/strong> &#8211; I really enjoy the belt clips.\u00a0 I use them all the time.\u00a0 I am always trying to reduce the the amount of bags and holsters on my tool belt.\u00a0 So when I can just hook the drill directly on the belt, it is a huge plus.<\/li><li><strong>Bit holders<\/strong> &#8211; Usually these are just one little slot for a single extra bit of average length.\u00a0 I use these regularly because I find my self switching back and forth between a couple bits.<\/li><li><strong>Work light<\/strong> &#8211; The work light on a drill is tricky when making a decision.\u00a0 For me, any light is better than no light.\u00a0 I have noticed that the angle and position of some lights make them almost useless.\u00a0 However, a poorly positioned light won&#8217;t stop me from purchasing a specific tool that checks all my other boxes.<\/li><li><b>Compact vs standard <\/b>&#8211; Most brands are offering a compact or even a sub compact version of their power tools.\u00a0 A <strong>compact<\/strong> drill performs the same functions as a <strong>standard<\/strong> sized drill.\u00a0 However, it may not have all the same settings and less power.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Kits<\/strong> &#8211; Many times, you can find a drill in a kit for not much more that the actual drill by itself.\u00a0 Look for holiday sales or special deals that includes a battery, charger, and bag.\u00a0 You can never have too many batteries, chargers, or bags.<\/li><\/ul><h3>Final thoughts<\/h3><p>This buying guide is not an exhaustive list of technical specifications.\u00a0 There are additional data points largely around power and performance that you might want to consider.\u00a0 In my experience, the above factors and considerations are the most relevant for the average home buyer and DIY individual.<\/p><p>Make sure to review my recommendations of the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/2023\/12\/03\/best-cordless-drills-home-and-diy\/\"><strong><span style=\"color: #333300; text-decoration: underline;\">best cordless drills<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span> and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/2023\/12\/11\/best-compact-drills-home-and-diy\/\"><strong><span style=\"color: #333300; text-decoration: underline;\">best compact drills<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span>\u00a0in various categories and price ranges.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Choosing the right drill is an important decision.\u00a0 After all, a drill is a foundational tool in any collection.\u00a0 However, when you go to your local hardware store or look one up online, the options and variations are intimidating even for a seasoned professional.\u00a0\u00a0Use this guide to help you make an informed decision on your &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/30\/cordless-drill-buying-guide-home-and-diy\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Cordless drill buying guide<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2613,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[44],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dewalt-impact-drill-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dewalt-impact-drill-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dewalt-impact-drill-scaled.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dewalt-impact-drill-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dewalt-impact-drill-scaled.jpg?fit=768%2C512&ssl=1",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dewalt-impact-drill-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1",1024,683,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dewalt-impact-drill-scaled.jpg?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dewalt-impact-drill-scaled.jpg?fit=2048%2C1365&ssl=1",2048,1365,true],"mailpoet_newsletter_max":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projecthammercentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dewalt-impact-drill-scaled.jpg?fit=1320%2C880&ssl=1",1320,880,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"projecthammercentral.com","author_link":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/author\/projecthammercentral-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":1,"uagb_excerpt":"Choosing the right drill is an important decision.\u00a0 After all, a drill is a foundational tool in any collection.\u00a0 However, when you go to your local hardware store or look one up online, the options and variations are intimidating even for a seasoned professional.\u00a0\u00a0Use this guide to help you make an informed decision on your&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2610"}],"version-history":[{"count":117,"href":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5306,"href":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610\/revisions\/5306"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projecthammercentral.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}