What Is the Best Drill for Home Use?

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What Is the Best Drill for Home Use?

Best budget drill:

Bosch PSB 1800 LI-2

Best mid-range drill:

Makita HP457DWE10

Best top of the range drill:

Bosch PS31-2A

If you’re a homeowner, owning a power tool drill is something you need to be considering, as you can never know what emergency quick repairs may just suddenly pop up around the house.

And you don’t need to be a DIY enthusiast to find it essentially handy to have this tool once you encounter those needed quick fixes

So then, what is the best drill for home use? Read on and take these pointers as a practical guide to things you need to know in deciding the best cordless drill for your own particular use.

What to Look for in a Cordless Drill for Home Use

The following questions are what professional trade and DIY enthusiasts would consider in making a choice. So it would be prudent to think these over as you determine the best cordless drill for your particular home use:

How compact and lightweight is it?

f you’re not used to handling heavy tools, it would be good to have one that you can carry with ease, especially if your task would take a few hours. Make sure you can hold and grip it securely with ease. Having a soft and ergonomic handle is also key here.

How comfortable and easy is it to use?

If you’re not used to power tools, you will need one that is user-friendly. Make sure the switches and controls are easy to understand and convenient to use.

Does it have other useful functions?

In buying a tool, it’s always best to purchase one with a multi-tool version. Always consider a versatile product that can also be used for other functions rather than just one. For a cordless drill, check if you would prefer a Drill Driver (one that drills holes and drives screws) or a Combi Drill (one that has an additional hammer function that makes it easier to drill through concrete, aside from the drill driver function).

Does it have enough practical features?

Having additional features like, multi-speeds, pre-set torque settings, forward ; reverse rotation, built-in work light, and other useful features, can be very helpful. Having these can help you pre-set the mode and settings you need without the hassle of having to determine and adjust while you are drilling or driving.

Does the battery hold enough power for the task?

The higher the Ah and the voltage, the better. For the usual DIY tasks around the house, a lithium-ion battery with 1.3-2.0 Ah is good enough. Lithium-ion batteries are most ideal as they are more reliable, give better power, and last a lot longer.

How long does it take to recharge the battery?

It would be best if the drill comes with a rapid charger. It’s always good to check on the charge to use ratio when considering battery-powered tools, as you wouldn’t want your work delayed for having to wait for a full charge for your battery.

Some drills, including the ones that we reviewed come supplied with two battery packs. That way, you can charge one, if the other runs out, in order that you can keep using the drill, even when the battery is drained.

7.How much will it cost me?

Alongside the questions above, check to see the affordability of the product. Look for kits also that may include accessories that may cost you much more if you have to buy them separately.

There is not one product out there that can satisfactorily get a perfect score in all these questions, but try to see which comes the closest and which one suits your preferences.

Comparison of Three Excellent Cordless Drills

To help you be guided better in determining what is the best drill for home use, here is a comparison chart of the best power drills in the categories named below:

Swipe the table!

Specifications	Best Budget Drill	Best Mid-Range Drill	Best Top of the Range Drill
Brand / Model:	Bosch PSB 1800 LI-2	Makita HP457DWE10	Bosch PS31-2A
Image:
Type:	Cordless Combi Drill	Cordless Combi Drill	Cordless Drill/Driver
Chuck Size:	10mm	13mm	3/8-inch (10mm)
Power Source:	Battery Powered	Battery Powered	Battery Powered
Voltage ; Li-ion Battery:	18V 1.5 Ah	18V 1.3 Ah	12V 2.0 Ah
Maximum Speed:	1350 RPM	1400 RPM	1300 RPM
Maximum Torque:	38 Nm	42 Nm	29.9 Nm
Dimensions:	10 x 38.4 x 34.2 cm	42 x 14 x 31.5 cm	7 inches in length
Weight:	1.3 kg	1.7 kg	1.8 lbs
Features
Keyless Chuck:	Yes	Yes	Yes
Forward /Reverse Rotation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Multiple Torque Settings:	20+2	16	20+1
2-Speed	Yes	Yes	Yes
Trigger Controlled Variable Speed:	Yes	Yes	Yes
Impact/ Hammer Mode:	Yes	Yes	No
Built-in LED Work Light	Yes	No	Yes
Battery level indicator:	Yes	No	Yes
Items Included:
2 Lithium-ion batteries:	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fast Battery Charger:	Yes, 60 mins	Yes, 60 mins	Yes, 85 mins
Accessories:	Double-ended screwdriver bit	74-piece Accessory set	Screwdriver bits
Carry Case	Yes, plastic case	Yes, plastic case	Yes, bag
Online Registration Warranty:	3 years	3 years	3 years
Check the price on amazon:

Bosch PSB 1800 LI-2

Weighing in at only 1.3kg, this drill is the lightest in our selection here. This makes it perfect for light duties around the house.

Whether you are assembling flat-packed furniture, or drilling into a concrete wall, with it’s additional torque setting, this drill can tackly most DIY jobs around the house.

With it’s light weight, non-slip, soft-touch, easy grip handle, it fits into the hand comfortably and is a joy to use.

With it’s additional battery, you will never run out of charge either!

Owners also love the integrated light which allows you to see what you are drilling/screwing, even in the darkest of corners.

Check the latest price on the Bosch PSB 1800 LI-2

Makita HP457DWE10

Like the other tools on test in this review, this drill comes with a 3 year warranty and a spare battery, meaning that you will never run out of charge.

Of all of the drills that we tested here, this one has by far the highest torque, which means that drilling into bricks and concrete is a breeze. It also has a larger 13mm chuck meaning that it will accept larger drill bits. Along with it’s 3 modes, drill, hammer action and screwdriver mode, this is a great all-round drill for the money.

We were very impressed with the quality, which is typically what you would expect from Makita – this is a top quality drill.

On top of the drill, charger and batteries, this set also comes complete with a large selection of drill bits, screw driver attachments and other accessories meaning that you will be able to tackle most DIY jobs around the home without needing to purchase any other equipment.

Check the latest price on the Makita HP457DWE10

Bosch PS31-2A

In our tests, this drill/driver has some pretty amazing features. For it’s compact size and with only a 12v battery compared to the other’s 18v batteries, this little drill packs a punch with a lot of torque relative to it’s size.

It is small enough to get into the tightest of spaces and light enough that you will not get fatigued whilst drilling for extended periods. We feel it would also be good for those suffering with arthritis or those who aren’t quite so strong.

Given that the batteries in this kit are 2ah’s compared to the others being 1.5 and 1.3ah’s, the batter life is amazing and you will rarely need to recharge them.

With it’s additional LED light, we feel that this drill would make a great all-rounder for DIY jobs around the home.

Check the latest price on the Bosch PS31-2A

Conclusions

All three drills compared here are lightweight and comfortable to hold and grip for long hours of work.

All have keyless chucks that make it easier to quickly change drill and driver bits. All have controls; switches for torque settings, modes, speeds, and directions that are easy to understand and convenient to use.

All have preset torque settings that give you ample options for various tasks. All of them are small and compact enough for use in tight spaces. This is why any of these three can easily handle most DIY jobs around the house.

Pro’s & Con’s

They may not be the best in drill and battery power in their respective categories, but they make up for it in other aspects. Here are a few more pros and cons of these products that you can consider:

Brand ; Model	Bosch PSB 1800 LI-2	Makita HP457DWE10	Bosch PS31-2A
Pros	Very affordable for its range	Impact ; hammer function is an excellent option for quick heavy tasks	Very compact, light and easy to carry
	LED light is very useful for dark task spots	One-hour quick charging time	LED light is very useful for dark task spots
	Impact ; hammer function is an excellent option for quick heavy tasks	The 74-piece accessory set is an excellent addition, as it saves you from having to spend for drill ; driver bits.	Battery level indicator is a plus for planning your runtime
	Compatible with other 18V Bosch power tool batteries	Excellent for quick DIY projects around the house.	Excellent for light DIY projects and all sorts of household quick fixes
	An excellent multi-purpose power tool to have around the house
Cons	No drill bits included	Low-powered batteries are not ideal for heavy brick or cement drilling	Driving power is not for long medium-to-heavy tasks.
	Not the best in battery capacity in its range	Compatibility with other 18V Makita power tool batteries is limited only to the G-Series range	Some have complained of the plastic chuck becoming wobbly after some time of use
	Lacks driving power for heavier tasks. Struggles to drill through bricks or cement

Final thoughts

Your preferences on certain features like size and weight determine what is the best drill for home use.

Budget-wise, you can choose among the three features here depending on the amount you wish to invest.

The best budget drill is Bosch PSB 1800 LI-2 while the best mid-range drill is Makita HP457DWE10. If you plan to go for the top range drill, check out Bosch PS31-2A.

If you would like to know much more about Electric Drills, please see my other article, Electric Drill Ultimate Guide: Everything You Want To Know About Electric Drills.

References

lithium ion batteries:

https://www.cei.washington.edu/education/science-of-solar/battery-technology/

Warranties available for registering your purchase with the manufacturing company