Drills: The Basics
Whether you're a homeowner or just renting, chances are that at some point you'll need a drill. One of the most important tools in any DIYer's arsenal, a drill is used to drive screws and drill holes into material. (Pretty obvious, right?) If you're shopping for drill deals, here are a few handy tips to help you find the perfect drill at the perfect price.
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Corded vs. Cordless Drills
Want to buy the best electric drill for you? The first question you'll have to answer is corded or cordless. Both options offer an array of advantages:
Corded
The biggest benefit of a corded drill is that you'll never have to charge it — no downtime between projects, so long as you have an outlet or extension cord handy. Additionally, corded drills tend to be lighter (lacking the heavy battery pack), and they often have lower total costs, since you won't have to purchase extra batteries or chargers.
The trade-off? You'll sacrifice mobility and be tied to projects near outlets, or lengthy messes of extension cables.
TIP: If shopping for a corded drill, look for a drill with a variable speed trigger — or even better, a torque clutch. These features ensure you ' re always using the correct amount of speed and torque for a project, all but eliminating the nuisance of stripped screws and bits.
Cordless
On the hunt for cheap cordless drills? The biggest advantage of a cordless drill is mobility — you're free to use your drill wherever you please, provided you've remembered to charge the battery. The only stipulation here is that you'll need to have the correct type of drill for your use. Drills with batteries of 10 volts or less tend to be best suited for smaller, lighter-duty crafts around the house, while 12V to 18V (and higher) are appropriate for heavier-duty tasks, including most home improvement projects.
The downside is that you'll likely have to buy a kit — they typically include at least one battery and a charger — and even more importantly, you'll have to remember to keep that battery charged, or have a spare ready to go.
TIP: Look for the best cordless drill deals to be found in combo kits, which usually include a drill/driver, impact driver, a battery (or two), and a charger. Even better, you'll often find other useful gear included, such as a contractor bag and LED work light.
Drill Glossary
Brushless motor: You'll see this mostly on cordless drills, and without diving into the nitty-gritty of how a brushless motor differs from the more traditional brushed motor, the benefit here is that a brushless motor will only draw as much current as the current resistance requires. This tends to mean that the battery will last longer between charges.
Chuck: A drill chuck is the business end of a drill. It securely holds the bit (whether a drill or driver) into the drill itself. You'll see three common sizes: ¼", ⅜", and ½". Generally speaking, a larger chuck will correspond to a more powerful drill, since the larger bit sizes will need more power to work efficiently.
Additionally, you may see "keyed" or "keyless" chucks. This simply differentiates whether or not you'll need a key to change bits.
Impact driver: This high-torque tool is used primarily to drive longer fastening screws or lag bolts. Impact drivers also tend to be lighter than drill/drivers.
Hammer drill : This high-torque tool utilizes an internal percussive mechanism to drill into harder materials, such as concrete or masonry.
Torque : Simply put, it's the rotational force applied to the drill bit. The more torque a drill has, the more twisting force it will have. (This allows the drill to perfor
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top drill brands?
Some of the top brands include Black + Decker , Bosch , Makita , DeWalt , and Milwaukee . The majority of these brands offer strong discounts on their factory-refurbished tools and "bare tools." A bare tool is the tool itself without a battery or charger — a low-price way to fill in any gaps in your collection, if you previously bought a multitool kit or battery and charger separately.
Where can I buy cheap drills?
As you may imagine, your local home improvement store, such as Home Depot or Lowe's , will often have a selection of cheap drills. Also be sure to look for factory-refurbished drills at eBay and CPO Outlets .
What should I know about buying drill bits?
Make sure to look for deals on drill bits. You'll need to use the correct type of drill bit for the project you're working with. Wood, metal, and concrete/masonry all have different requirements for drilling. You'll often find large drill bit kits with many types of bits for an array of projects.
William has been a part of the DealNews team since 2014. He started as a content writer, and has worn hats in a myriad of roles ever since - eventually becoming the head of the Travel team. In that role, he researches airfare, cruise, hotel, and vacation deals galore, and keeps tabs on industry trends. When he’s not sharing travel tips, William is the DealNews resident audio expert — often helping coworkers find the perfect set of headphones or speakers.