Went through three cheap drills before finally buying a decent one. Should’ve just spent the money upfront. The cheap ones are fine for hanging pictures. Woodworking breaks them.
Cordless vs Corded
Cordless for convenience. The freedom is worth it for most work. Modern batteries last long enough that you won’t run out mid-project.
Corded still makes sense for workshop use where you’re drilling all day. More power, never dies on you.
What Actually Matters
Chuck quality. Cheap drills have cheap chucks. Bits slip. Infuriating when you’re trying to drill straight.
Clutch settings. For driving screws without stripping them. More settings means more control. Most cheap drills skip this or do it poorly.
Variable speed trigger. Start slow, speed up. Essential for control. Single-speed triggers are worthless for careful work.
Brands I Trust
DeWalt and Milwaukee for serious use. Bosch makes solid stuff too. Ryobi is fine for occasional work – I have their impact driver and it’s held up.
Avoid the bottom-shelf brands. You’ll buy the same drill twice when it breaks.
Impact Driver vs Drill
Different tools. Impact drivers for screws – they’re better at it. Drills for drilling holes. Some people use one tool for everything. Those people strip a lot of screws.
Get both eventually. Start with a drill if you can only afford one.
Battery Ecosystem
Pick a brand and stick with it. Batteries are expensive. Having three different charger systems is stupid. I’m all Milwaukee now and life is simpler.
