Best Cordless Drills
Updated How we research
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1/2 in Cordless Drill/Driver Kit 18V Brushless with Auto Stop
Milwaukee's M18 FUEL 1/2 in brushless 18V drill driver kit with Auto Stop, a premium drill for heavy garage use.
DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill Driver Set, Brushless 1/2 In 2 Speed, 2.0 Ah Battery and Charger Included, LED Light (DCD777D1)
DEWALT's DCD777D1 brushless 20V MAX 1/2 In 2 speed drill driver with a 2.0 Ah battery, charger and LED light.
A cordless drill is the first power tool most garages need, handling everything from driving screws into wall studs to boring pilot holes and mixing small batches of filler. It suits DIYers, weekend mechanics, and anyone tackling assembly, mounting, or repair work without dragging a cord around. When choosing one, look at voltage for raw power, the number of clutch settings for control, and chuck size (most jobs are fine with a 1/2-inch keyless chuck). Battery platform matters more than the drill itself, since sharing packs across tools saves money. Also weigh brushless motors for longer runtime, a comfortable grip, and a built-in LED so you can see into dark corners.
The short version
We compared 6 picks. Our scores range from 7.8 to 9.2 out of 10.
- Best overall:Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1/2 in Cordless Drill/Driver Kit 18V Brushless with Auto Stop. Highest overall score in this guide at 9.2/10.
- Also great value:DEWALT 20V Max Cordless Drill Driver Set, 2 Speed, Includes 2 XR 1.3Ah Li-Ion Batteries, Charger and Contractor Bag (DCD771C2). Value score of 9/10, overall 8.6/10.
- Solid build:DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill Driver Set, Brushless 1/2 In 2 Speed, 2.0 Ah Battery and Charger Included, LED Light (DCD777D1). Build and materials score of 9/10, overall 8.8/10.
- Feature-rich:DEWALT DCD771B 20V MAX Cordless Lithium-Ion 1/2 inch Compact Drill Driver - Bare Tool. Features score of 7/10, overall 8.0/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1/2 in Cordless Drill/Driver Kit 18V Brushless with Auto Stop9.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill Driver Set, Brushless 1/2 In 2 Speed, 2.0 Ah Battery and Charger Included, LED Light (DCD777D1)8.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.DEWALT 20V Max Cordless Drill Driver Set, 2 Speed, Includes 2 XR 1.3Ah Li-Ion Batteries, Charger and Contractor Bag (DCD771C2)8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.DEWALT DCD771B 20V MAX Cordless Lithium-Ion 1/2 inch Compact Drill Driver - Bare Tool8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill, 1/2-Inch, Tool Only (DCD777B)8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill/Driver Kit with Battery and Charger Included (DCD777C2)7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1Milwaukee's M18 FUEL 1/2 in brushless 18V drill driver kit with Auto Stop, a premium drill for heavy garage use.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 10/10 · Value 7/10
- + M18 FUEL brushless motor delivers pro-level power and runtime
- + Auto Stop feature helps reduce wrist strain if the bit binds
- + Kit format includes what you need to start drilling
- - Premium price is high for occasional home projects
- - Heavier than compact drills for overhead or tight work
#2DEWALT's DCD777D1 brushless 20V MAX 1/2 In 2 speed drill driver with a 2.0 Ah battery, charger and LED light.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + Brushless motor delivers better runtime and longer tool life
- + 2.0 Ah battery gives more runtime than smaller compact packs
- + LED light illuminates work inside cabinets and dark corners
- - Single battery means downtime while it recharges
- - Costs more than brushed DEWALT kits with similar features
#3DEWALT's DCD771C2 20V Max 2 speed drill driver set with 2 XR 1.3Ah batteries, charger and contractor bag, ready to use.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Complete kit includes 2 batteries, charger and bag out of the box
- + 2 speed gearbox handles both fast drilling and driving screws
- + Two batteries let you swap packs without waiting to recharge
- - 1.3Ah batteries run down faster on large projects
- - Brushed motor offers less runtime than brushless upgrades
#4DEWALT DCD771B 20V MAX compact 1/2 inch cordless drill driver, sold as a bare tool for owners of DEWALT batteries.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Bare tool is a low-cost pick if you already own 20V MAX batteries
- + Compact body fits into tight spots between studs and cabinets
- + 1/2 inch chuck accepts larger bits for general garage drilling
- - No battery or charger included, so new users must buy them
- - Brushed motor is less efficient than DEWALT brushless models
#5DEWALT's DCD777B 20V MAX 1/2-Inch brushless cordless drill, sold tool only for existing 20V MAX battery owners.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Tool-only pricing keeps cost down for DEWALT battery owners
- + 1/2-Inch chuck handles hole saws and larger drill bits
- + DCD777 model is a brushless upgrade over entry DEWALT drills
- - Battery and charger are sold separately
- - Not ideal for first-time buyers without a DEWALT battery
#6DEWALT's DCD777C2 20V MAX cordless drill driver kit with battery and charger included for everyday garage projects.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Kit includes battery and charger so you can start right away
- + DEWALT 20V MAX platform shares batteries with many other tools
- + Well-suited to furniture assembly, shelving and small repairs
- - Check the battery capacity suits longer projects
- - Check whether a carrying bag or bits are included
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Premium price is high for occasional home projects (Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1/2 in Cordless...)
- Single battery means downtime while it recharges (DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill Driver Set,...)
- 1.3Ah batteries run down faster on large projects (DEWALT 20V Max Cordless Drill Driver Set, 2...)
- No battery or charger included, so new users must buy them (DEWALT DCD771B 20V MAX Cordless Lithium-Ion...)
- Battery and charger are sold separately (DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill, 1/2-Inch, Tool...)
- Check the battery capacity suits longer projects (DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill/Driver Kit with...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among cordless drills?
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1/2 in Cordless Drill/Driver Kit 18V Brushless with Auto Stop is our top overall pick. Milwaukee's M18 FUEL 1/2 in brushless 18V drill driver kit with Auto Stop, a premium drill for heavy garage use. It earns our score of 9.2/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill Driver Set, Brushless 1/2 In 2 Speed, 2.0 Ah Battery and Charger Included, LED Light (DCD777D1) is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. DEWALT's DCD777D1 brushless 20V MAX 1/2 In 2 speed drill driver with a 2.0 Ah battery, charger and LED light.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Garage Setup Hub independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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