Best Cordless Drills 2026: 18 Compared (33 Sources)

What are the best cordless drills in 2026?

Summary

This card ranks drills by agreement between independent tests rather than by any one score. The DeWalt ATOMIC DCD794 is the one drill that two broad tests published or updated in 2026 each name best overall. TechGearLab, which overhauled its lineup on September 1, 2026 and now ranks 17 drills, scores it 88 and first: "The best drill we have ever tested is the DeWalt Atomic 20-Volt Max." CNN Underscored, which tested 10 drills over several months, says it "strikes the best balance of portability, comfort and real-world drilling performance among all models in my testing pool" [src2, src4]. Consumer Reports' lab found the DCD794D1 kit "Fast at drilling holes and driving screws" and "Moderately powerful, but still capable of handling most jobs easily", and Reviewed found it kept up with the top performers it tested [src13, src8]. The tests agree on its limits: it stalled on TechGearLab's 5-inch lag screw, CNN had to bypass the clutch to sink 3-inch lag screws, and Reviewed found it weighted toward the back of the hand [src2, src4, src8].

The value and budget picks are kits that two outlets each rank highly. The Kobalt XTR KXDD 1424A-03 is third of 17 at TechGearLab — "A powerful drill that is up to almost any task thrown at it" — and one of Consumer Reports' four heavy-duty picks, which "aces our tests for power, speed, and run time" but "takes around 85 minutes to charge an empty battery" [src2, src3]. The Bosch GSR18V-400B12 is TechGearLab's best budget drill (68 points, ninth of 17) and the top pick of Bob Vila's test of six drills under $100; both found it light and compact, and both found its limit in large fasteners [src2, src7, src18]. Consumer Reports' lab tested the same Bosch drill in a two-battery kit and found it "Fast at drilling holes and driving screws" [src14].

The heavy-duty picks are hammer drills, and here the outlets split. The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2904-22 is CNN Underscored's best heavy-duty drill, "the undisputed powerhouse in my testing pool", Bob Vila's best of seven hammer drills, and Outdoor Life's best overall from a five-drill test [src4, src9, src5]. Pro Tool Reviews' head-to-head of nine pro hammer drills, each run on a high-output battery from its own brand, scores the Flex FX1271T 95, the DeWalt DCD1007 91, the Makita GPH01 87 and the Milwaukee 85; it calls the Milwaukee "the most compact" of the high-performance models and found it within half a second of the leader in three of its four tests [src1]. Bob Vila's hammer-drill test agrees about the Flex: "the Flex was easily the most powerful drill of the bunch", at about 2 lbs more than the Milwaukee with its battery [src33]. So the Milwaukee is the heavy-duty pick on agreement, and the Flex is the pick for the most power.

This revision moves three picks. The top pick moves from the Milwaukee 2904-22 to the DeWalt DCD794D1, because TechGearLab and CNN Underscored, the two 2026 tests we read that name one best drill overall, both put the compact DeWalt first, and Pro Tool Reviews ranks the Milwaukee fourth among pro hammer drills [src1, src2, src4]. The earlier version of this card said TechGearLab ranked the 2904 first and that Consumer Reports gave it top marks; neither holds today. TechGearLab ranks a different Milwaukee, the 2903-20 drill/driver, second [src2], and we found no 2904 among Consumer Reports' current picks. The Milwaukee's Amazon stock played no part in this; it keeps a pick of its own. The value pick moves from the Kobalt Next-Gen KDD 2024A-03, whose title came from Outdoor Life's five-drill test, to the Kobalt XTR, which TechGearLab ranks and Consumer Reports picks; the Next-Gen stays on the card [src5, src2, src3]. The budget pick moves from the Craftsman CMCD710C1 to the Bosch GSR18V-400B12: no outlet we read names the Craftsman a budget pick, and Consumer Reports' lab calls it "Moderately powerful" [src17]. Two drills leave the card: the Bosch GSR18V-800CN, for which we found no independent test, and the Ryobi PSBDD01K, which no outlet we read recommends.

Read every price and spec with its configuration attached: "kit" means the drill comes with at least one battery and a charger, and "bare tool" means the drill alone. The table at the top carries today's price for each listing we link; prices quoted in the sections below are the outlets' list prices and say whose they are.

Top 18 Models Compared

Torque, speed, length and kit contents are the maker's figures unless a cell names an outlet; weights say whether they include a battery. DeWalt rates its drills in unit watts out (UWO) rather than inch-pounds, so its figures do not compare directly with the others.

Spec sources: DeWalt for the DCD794D1, DCD703F1, DCD1007WW1 kit, DCD800D2 and DCD801B [src21, src29, src28, src30, src31]; TechGearLab for its measured weights of the DCD794D1, DCD703F1, Bosch GSR18V-400B12 and Kobalt XTR, the Kobalt's length, and the torque and speed it lists for the Kobalt XTR and the DCD703 [src10, src2, src11]; Bosch for the GSR18V-400B12 [src22]; Pro Tool Reviews for the Milwaukee 2904, Flex, DeWalt DCD1007, Makita GPH01 and Ryobi [src1]; Milwaukee for the 2904-22 and 3602-22CT, with Outdoor Life for the 2904-22 kit's two batteries and hard case [src23, src24, src5]; Makita for the GPH01D kit and the XFD131 [src27, src25]; CNN Underscored for the Ryobi kit's 4.0Ah battery [src4]; Outdoor Life and Consumer Reports for the Kobalt Next-Gen [src5, src15]; Consumer Reports for the Kobalt XTR kit, the Craftsman and the Makita GFD02D [src12, src17, src3]; Bob Vila for the Bosch GSB18V-65B12 [src6]; Pro Tool Reviews for the Ridgid [src20]. A dash means no source we read gives the figure.

Best for Each Use Case

Best Overall: DeWalt ATOMIC 20V MAX DCD794D1 (kit) — See at DeWalt

The DCD794D1 is DeWalt's compact ATOMIC 1/2-inch drill/driver sold with one 2.0Ah battery and a charger. DeWalt rates it at 404 unit watts out and up to 1,650 RPM, with a 5.88-inch head, its shortest 20V MAX drill/driver, and a three-year limited warranty [src21]. TechGearLab's review lists this kit as the one it tested; it ranks the drill first of 17 with 88 points and says "If we could only own one drill, it would be" this one. It punched a 1/4-inch bit through 16-gauge steel in 1.1 seconds, cut through a solid door with a 5-inch hole saw in 21 seconds, and completed 8.5 cycles of TechGearLab's endurance test, which it calls better than average [src2, src10]. CNN Underscored's verdict: "for a single do-it-all drill that balances comfort, portability and performance better than anything else I tested, the DeWalt Atomic 20-volt DCD794 is an easy winner" [src4]. Consumer Reports' lab rates the DCD794D1 fast at drilling and driving, moderately powerful and moderately long-running per charge [src13]. The limits: TechGearLab says it "stalled while driving a 5-inch lag screw, leaving the head ¼-inch proud", CNN had to bypass the clutch for 3-inch lag screws and found its plastic chuck less solid than Milwaukee's metal ones, and Reviewed, which counts it among the best drills it tested, found it weighted backward in the hand [src2, src4, src8]. TechGearLab measured 3.2 lbs and a 5.9-inch length [src10]. If you drive lag bolts or bore big holes every week, choose one of the heavy-duty picks below. We link DeWalt's own page for this kit.

Best Value: Kobalt XTR 24V KXDD 1424A-03 (kit, Lowe's) — See at Lowe's

The KXDD 1424A-03 is Kobalt's XTR 1/2-inch brushless drill/driver, sold with one 4.0Ah battery and a charger and covered by a five-year warranty; Consumer Reports lists it as a Kobalt (Lowe's) model [src12]. TechGearLab ranks it third of 17 with 81 points — "A powerful drill that is up to almost any task thrown at it" — and lists 1,200 in-lbs and 0-550/0-2,000 RPM; its review weighed it at 4 lbs 1.4 oz with a 7-inch length [src2, src11]. TechGearLab ran its tests with a 2.0Ah battery rather than the kit's 4.0Ah one; on that battery it drove 144 3-inch deck screws and bored 26.5 1-inch holes before the battery ran out, and took 85 minutes to recharge [src11]. Consumer Reports picks it among its heavy-duty drills: it "aces our tests for power, speed, and run time", and the lab notes "Extremely long run time per battery charge", but "it takes around 85 minutes to charge an empty battery" [src3, src12]. TechGearLab's cons are "Heavy, flimsy bit holder" [src2]. A battery warning before you buy: in July 2026 Greenworks, which makes certain Kobalt products, recalled yard tools that use 24V Kobalt batteries with a USB-C charging port, after reports of batteries smoking, sparking or catching fire while charging through that port. Consumer Reports now warns customers not to use Kobalt 24-volt batteries that have a USB-C port, and the CPSC advises against charging through the USB-C port while a battery is in a yard tool [src12]. Check whether the battery in your kit has a USB-C port; if it does, follow the CPSC notice. TechGearLab lists the kit at $189 [src2].

Best Budget: Bosch GSR18V-400B12 (kit) — See at Bosch

The GSR18V-400B12 kit pairs Bosch's compact brushless 1/2-inch drill/driver with a 2.0Ah battery, an 18V charger, a belt clip and a bag. Bosch rates the drill at 400 in-lbs and 0-500/0-1,900 RPM, with 20 clutch settings, a 6.3-inch head and 1.95 lbs bare, and covers 18V tools for five years [src22]. TechGearLab names it its best budget drill, 68 points and ninth of 17: "The Bosch 18V Compact hits that sweet spot" for household repairs and routine DIY, and it measured 2.8 lbs with its battery and a 63-minute recharge [src2]. Bob Vila's under-$100 test of six drills names a "Bosch 18V Compact Brushless ½-Inch Drill/Driver Kit" its best overall — the lightest it tested at 2.8 lbs and "the only drill of the bunch with an all-metal chuck" — and its full review says it "ranked number one on my list of the top six cordless drills under $100" [src7, src18]. Bob Vila does not print a model number; the drill it describes, with 400 in-lbs, 1,900 RPM, 20 clutch settings, a 6.3-inch head and a 2.0Ah kit, matches Bosch's own listing for the GSR18V-400B12 [src7, src18, src22]. Consumer Reports' lab tested the same drill in Bosch's two-battery GSR18V-400B22 kit and rates it fast at drilling and driving, "Moderately powerful, but still capable of handling most jobs easily" [src14]. The limits: in TechGearLab's driving test it stalled "with over an inch and a half remaining on a heavy lag screw", its chuck made it "easy to clamp smaller drill bits off-center", and Bob Vila found it slower than some rivals at boring large holes and driving lag bolts [src2, src18]. TechGearLab lists it at $125 [src2]. We link Bosch's own page for this kit.

Best Heavy-Duty Hammer Drill: Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2904-22 (kit) — Check price

The 2904 is Milwaukee's fourth-generation M18 FUEL hammer drill. Pro Tool Reviews lists 1,400 in-lbs, 0-500/2,100 RPM and 33,000 BPM, and measured a 7.0-inch head and 3.2 lbs bare [src1]. Milwaukee adds AUTO STOP, which stops the drill from over-rotating in a bind-up, and an all-metal ratcheting chuck [src23]; Outdoor Life's 2904-22 kit came with two batteries and a hard case [src5]. CNN Underscored names it its best heavy-duty drill, "the undisputed powerhouse in my testing pool": nearly 5 lbs, but "substantially more compact than the similarly functional DeWalt 20-volt hammer drill" [src4]. Bob Vila tested seven hammer drills and says the 2904-22 "outperformed virtually every other hammer drill I tested in its ability to drill through concrete, brick, and wood and drive in large fasteners"; the one that edged it in power and speed, a Flex hammer drill, weighed 2 lbs more with its battery [src9]. In Outdoor Life's five-drill test it was fastest at drilling five holes through a 6x6 (36 seconds) and drove a lag bolt deepest (3 inches) [src5]. Pro Tool Reviews ranks it fourth of nine pro hammer drills with 85 points, behind the Flex FX1271T, DeWalt DCD1007 and Makita GPH01, and says that "In three of our four tests, it was within a 1/2-second of the leader"; it lists $229 bare and $329 as a kit [src1]. Availability: when our price checker looked on 2026-10-09, the Amazon listing we link for the 2904-22 kit had no purchasable new offer, for the third check in a row. The Flex FX1271T and the DeWalt DCD1007WW1 below both beat it in all four of Pro Tool Reviews' timed tests, and both had Amazon offers when our checker looked on 2026-10-09.

Most Powerful Hammer Drill: Flex 24V FX1271T (kit) — Check price

The FX1271T is Flex's 24V hammer drill with a Turbo mode. Pro Tool Reviews lists 1,400 in-lbs, 0-700/2,500 RPM and 40,000 BPM, with a 7.1-inch head and 3.7 lbs bare, kickback control, and a lifetime warranty with registration [src1]. Its head-to-head of nine named it the best cordless drill with 95 points: first in the spade-bit and concrete tests, second on structural screws and fourth with the self-feed bit, for the "Highest overall performance", though "Heavier than average" [src1]. Bob Vila's test of seven hammer drills made the "Flex ½-Inch 2-Speed Hammer Drill With Turbo Mode" its upgrade pick: it drove a 3-inch lag bolt in under 2 seconds and "the Flex was easily the most powerful drill of the bunch", but it weighed just under 7 lbs with its battery and handle, 2 lbs more than the Milwaukee [src33]. Bob Vila does not print a model number; the Turbo mode, 2,500 RPM and 1,400 in-lbs it describes match Pro Tool Reviews' figures for the FX1271T [src1, src33]. Pro Tool Reviews lists $149 bare and $249 to $279 as a kit [src1]. Choose it over the Milwaukee if speed under load matters more to you than weight, and you are not already on another battery platform.

Best Compact 12V: DeWalt XTREME DCD703F1 (kit) — Check price

The DCD703F1 is DeWalt's 12V MAX 5-in-1 drill/driver. The kit includes four heads — a 3/8-inch ratcheting chuck, a 1/4-inch hex right-angle head, a 1/4-inch hex quick-release head and an offset head — plus one 2.0Ah battery and a charger, and DeWalt lists the bare tool at 1.6 lbs with two speeds and 15 clutch settings [src29]. TechGearLab names it its best compact 5-in-1 drill (74 points, sixth of 17): with a 5-inch hole saw it cut through a solid-core door in 40 seconds, "faster than any other 12V model we tested", and it drilled 16-gauge steel with a 1/4-inch bit in 1.5 seconds [src2]. Consumer Reports picks it among its general-use drills, with strong ratings for speed, handling, charging time and noise, "plus a stellar rating for power" [src3]. The limits, from both: a single battery, a 3/8-inch chuck, and short run time — TechGearLab's battery test ran out halfway through its fifth round, and a full recharge takes almost an hour [src2, src3]. TechGearLab lists it at $155 [src2].

Pro Tool Reviews' Runner-Up: DeWalt DCD1007WW1 (kit) — Check price

The DCD1007 is DeWalt's 20V MAX XR three-speed hammer drill. Pro Tool Reviews lists 1,530 unit watts out, 0-450/1,300/2,000 RPM (faster in hammer mode), 38,250 BPM, a 7.5-inch head and 4.2 lbs bare [src1]. The DCD1007WW1 kit adds an 8.0Ah battery, a charger and a side handle, and DeWalt rates it at 2,100 in-lbs of maximum torque and "up to 275 holes per charge" [src28]. Pro Tool Reviews scored it 91, second of nine and faster than the Milwaukee 2904 in all four timed tests, but says "To get the most from the DCD1007, you need to use a PowerPack battery", and with the 8.0Ah PowerPack it weighs over 6 lbs, tied for the heaviest [src1]. Bob Vila names the DCD1007WW1 its best heavy-duty drill: it "drilled ½-inch holes in wood faster than any other drill we tested" and drove its half-inch lag bolts flush without a pilot hole [src6]. CNN Underscored found it drove 3-inch lag screws in about 4 seconds and drilled 20 anchor holes in brick in a few minutes, but gave its heavy-duty title to the Milwaukee for being lighter and less bulky [src4]. Pro Tool Reviews lists $249 bare and $349 as a kit [src1].

Third at Pro Tool Reviews (Discontinued): Makita XGT GPH01D (kit) — Check price

Pro Tool Reviews scored Makita's 40V max XGT GPH01 hammer drill 87 points, third of nine: first on structural screws and with the self-feed bit, sixth in concrete. It lists 1,250 in-lbs, 0-650/2,600 RPM and 39,000 BPM, with a 7.1-inch head, 3.7 lbs bare, kickback control and 41 electronic clutch settings in low gear; its complaint is that the chuck "tends to slip when you ratchet down hard on a bit" [src1]. Pro Tool Reviews ran it on a 4.0Ah High Power battery; the GPH01D kit comes with a 2.5Ah battery [src1, src27]. Makita now lists the GPH01D as discontinued (checked 2026-10-10) [src27], and when our price checker looked on 2026-10-09 Amazon had no offer for the kit we link. Pro Tool Reviews lists $259 bare and $524 as a kit [src1]. Buy one only at a clear discount, and only if you are on Makita's 40V XGT batteries.

Ryobi ONE+ Owners: Ryobi ONE+ HP PBLHM102K1 (kit) — See at Ryobi

This is Ryobi's second-generation ONE+ HP brushless hammer drill. Ryobi rates it at up to 850 in-lbs, 0-700/0-2,150 RPM and 0-34,000 BPM [src32]. Pro Tool Reviews named it Best for the Money in its pro hammer-drill test, with 65 points: eighth on structural screws but third in concrete, with a 7.5-inch head and 3.1 lbs bare. It calls the drill "Not as powerful as other drills in this test" but a very good choice for maintenance crews and handymen, with more than 400 Ryobi products on the same battery [src1]. CNN Underscored says it "punches well above its price point"; it sank 8-inch deck screws, and weighs 4.5 lbs with its 4Ah battery [src4]. Pro Tool Reviews lists $129 bare and $179 as a kit [src1]. We link Ryobi's own page for this kit.

Outdoor Life's Best Value: Kobalt Next-Gen KDD 2024A-03 (kit, Lowe's) — See at Lowe's

Outdoor Life's five-drill test made the Kobalt Next Gen its best value at $99: second fastest at drilling five holes through a 6x6 (39 seconds), fourth on its lag-bolt test (2.5 inches) and the longest running of the five (26 minutes at full speed), with 850 in-lbs on Kobalt's 24V battery. Its downside is a single battery [src5]. Outdoor Life links the same Lowe's listing that Consumer Reports' page for the KDD 2024A-03 links, which is how we match the two [src5, src15]. Consumer Reports' lab, which lists it with one 2.0Ah battery, 2,000 RPM, 24 clutch settings and a five-year warranty, rates it "Very fast at drilling holes and driving screws" and "Very powerful, capable of driving even the largest screws", with long run time per charge [src15]. The same Kobalt 24V battery warning applies as for the XTR above [src15]. It ranks below the XTR because its value title comes from Outdoor Life's small test of 2024 [src5], while the XTR has a TechGearLab ranking and a Consumer Reports pick behind it (see above).

DeWalt 20V MAX Owners: DeWalt DCD801B (bare tool) — Check price

The DCD801 is DeWalt's 20V MAX XR brushless 1/2-inch drill/driver, without a hammer mode. DeWalt rates it at 0-650/0-2,000 RPM and sells the DCD801B as a bare tool with a three-year limited warranty [src31]. Consumer Reports picks the same drill, in its DCD801QQ2 kit with two 4Ah batteries, as "one of our best performers across all three drill types, snagging top ratings for power, speed, and run time", and notes that its 4Ah battery makes it heavy, though it handles well [src3]. Buy the bare tool if you already own DeWalt 20V MAX batteries; no second outlet we read tested it.

Makita 18V LXT Owners: Makita XFD131 (kit) — Check price

Reviewed calls the XFD131 "the best cordless drill we've tested": "In all of our timed tests, it was either fastest or tied for fastest", and it praises the drill's balance [src8]. Makita rates it at 440 in-lbs and 0-500/0-1,900 RPM, 6-5/8 inches long and 3.8 lbs with a battery, in a kit with a 3.0Ah battery and a charger [src25]. Reviewed last updated its guide in December 2024, and no other outlet we read tested this model [src8].

Bob Vila's Top Pick: Bosch GSB18V-65B12 (kit) — Check price

Bob Vila tested 13 drills and named the GSB18V-65B12 its best overall cordless drill "because of its compact build and outstanding performance in the widest range of drilling and driving tasks". It lists 575 in-lbs, 2,100 RPM and 2.5 lbs, lighter and more compact than every other 18V drill it tested, in a kit with a 2.0Ah battery, a charger and a bag [src6]. Its one complaint: a straight-shank bit slipped in the chuck three times while drilling concrete [src6]. No second outlet we read tested this model.

Compact DeWalt Kit: DeWalt DCD800D2 (kit) — Check price

The DCD800 is DeWalt's 20V MAX XR compact brushless drill/driver: 0-650/0-2,000 RPM and a 6.37-inch head, half an inch shorter than DeWalt's DCD791, sold as the DCD800D2 kit with two 2Ah batteries, a charger and a bag [src30]. Consumer Reports' lab rates it "Very fast at drilling holes and driving screws" and "Powerful, capable of handling any size job", with moderately long run time per charge [src16]. No second outlet we read tested it.

Compact M18 Hammer Drill: Milwaukee M18 3602-22CT (kit) — See at Milwaukee

Pro Tool Reviews names the 3602 its best compact Milwaukee 18V drill — "the 3602 delivers up to 550 in-lbs of torque and 1700 RPM" — and says it "may be all you need if you work in the MEP, MRO, and similar disciplines"; it lists $149 for the tool and $219 for the kit [src19]. Milwaukee lists it at 5.8 inches long and 3.2 lbs with a battery, and the 3602-22CT kit with two compact 2.0Ah batteries, a charger and a contractor bag [src24]. Pro Tool Reviews' guide is a roundup of Milwaukee drills rather than a head-to-head, and we found no second test. We link Milwaukee's own page for this kit.

Ridgid 18V Owners: Ridgid R87012K (kit) — See at RIDGID

Pro Tool Reviews tested Ridgid's second-generation 18V SubCompact drill/driver, the R87012: 500 in-lbs, 0-450/0-1,750 RPM, 6 inches long and 2.9 lbs with a 2.0Ah battery. The R87012K kit comes with two 2.0Ah batteries, a charger and a carrying case, is sold at The Home Depot, and registering it within 90 days adds Ridgid's lifetime service agreement [src20]. Its verdict: "neither drill is designed to compete against the best of the best. For the compact class, though, they do an excellent job." [src20] Pro Tool Reviews lists the kit at $149 [src20].

Craftsman V20 Owners: Craftsman CMCD710C1 (kit) — Check price

Consumer Reports' lab tested the CMCD710C1, a 20V brushless 1/2-inch drill sold with one 1.5Ah battery and a charger, and rates it "Fast at drilling holes and driving screws" and "Moderately powerful, but still capable of handling most jobs easily", with moderately long run time per charge; it lists 1,900 RPM, 16 clutch settings and a three-year warranty [src17]. It was this card's budget pick until this revision; no outlet we read names it a budget pick, and no second outlet we read tested it.

Discontinued 40V Compact: Makita GFD02D (kit) — See at Makita

Consumer Reports picks the GFD02D among its heavy-duty drills: "above-average power", fast to drill and drive, "fast to charge and offers exceptional run time", at 4.2 lbs, with two 2.5Ah batteries and a three-year warranty [src3]. Neither Makita nor Amazon sells it new: Makita lists the GFD02D as discontinued and names the GFD03SU1 as its replacement, and we found no Amazon listing for it when we checked on 2026-10-10 [src26]. We have not found two independent tests of the GFD03SU1, so it is not on this card.

Key Market Trends (2026)

• Compact drills win the all-round tests: TechGearLab and CNN Underscored both rank the compact DeWalt ATOMIC above the larger drills they tested; CNN says it "doesn't have the brute force of the beefy hammer drills I tested, but for the vast majority of home improvement, DIY and repair projects, this is the drill I'd recommend". [src2, src4]
• Kickback control is now on most pro hammer drills: Pro Tool Reviews found it on seven of the nine it tested, including the Flex FX1271T, DeWalt DCD1007, Makita GPH01 and Milwaukee 2904, and notes that Milwaukee added it to the 2904 for the first time; it does not list kickback control for the Ryobi PBLHM102. [src1]
• The battery changes the result: Pro Tool Reviews ran each pro hammer drill on a high-output battery rather than the kit battery — 8.0Ah for the DeWalt and Milwaukee, 6.0Ah for the Flex — and TechGearLab tested the Kobalt XTR on a 2.0Ah battery rather than its kit's 4.0Ah one, so a kit can perform differently from these results. [src1, src11]
• 24V value platforms rank with the big brands: the Kobalt XTR is third of 17 at TechGearLab, ahead of the Ryobi, Makita and Bosch drills it tested, and one of Consumer Reports' four heavy-duty picks. [src2, src3]

Important Caveats

• Every drill on this card is listed as a kit except the DeWalt DCD801B, a bare tool. The table at the top shows today's price for each listing we link; the prices in the sections are the outlets' list prices, named as such.
• Scores do not compare across outlets. Pro Tool Reviews says its scores "are based on how each drill performed and compared in this specific group and this set of tests only", and TechGearLab scores out of 100 across drilling, driving, ease of use, battery life and weight. [src1, src2]
• DeWalt rates its drills in unit watts out rather than inch-pounds, so its figures do not compare directly with other brands' torque ratings. [src1, src21]
• Kobalt batteries: in July 2026 Greenworks recalled yard tools that use 24V Kobalt batteries with a USB-C charging port, and Consumer Reports warns customers not to use Kobalt 24-volt batteries that have a USB-C port. This applies to both Kobalt drills here; check your battery and the CPSC recall notice. [src12, src15]
• Makita lists the GFD02D and GPH01D as discontinued (checked 2026-10-10). [src26, src27]
• Kobalt is a Lowe's brand, so the Kobalt links go to Lowe's. Ridgid kits are sold at The Home Depot; the Ridgid link goes to Ridgid's own page, as do the links for the DeWalt ATOMIC, Bosch GSR18V-400B12, Ryobi, Milwaukee 3602 and Makita GFD02D. [src12, src20]
• A hammer drill handles brick, block and occasional concrete. For large holes in poured concrete, use a rotary hammer, which this card does not cover.