The Best Drills of 2024: Drilling Made Simple

The Ultimate Buying Guide to the Best Drills

If you’ve ever walked into a hardware store, you may have noticed the enormous variety of drills on display. From cordless to corded and battery-powered to electric, there are endless options. However, not all drills are created equal. To find the best drill for your needs, you should make sure you consider what you’ll be using it for as well as some other factors. This buying guide will answer some frequently asked questions about drills and help you decide which type of drill you should buy. First, let’s take a closer look at eight types of drills, including air, corded, cordless, combination, cranial, hammer, brace, and reversible. 

Types of Drills

Air drill

Air drills are pneumatic tools, which means they’re powered by compressed air instead of battery or electric power. They come in straight and angled designs, differentiated by the angle and direction of their drill bits. 

Corded drill 

These drills are powered by an electric cable plugged into an electrical power outlet. As a result, they’re typically lighter and more powerful than cordless units in terms of torque. Additionally, they don’t come with the disadvantage of running out of battery in the middle of a project. However, corded drills are limited by their need for a nearby power source. 

Cordless drill

In contrast to corded drills, cordless drills are powered by an internal battery source that can either be charged or swapped out as needed. These drills lack cords, making them more portable and flexible than corded units. While it is true that cordless drills are often less powerful, some of these portable drills are designed to offer just as much torque as their corded counterparts. 

Combination drill

Combination drills can execute both drilling and hammering functions, hence the name. Also known as combi drills, these tools are more versatile than regular drills, making them suitable for a wide range of operations on metal, wood, and other solid materials. 

Cranial drill

The cranial drill has applications in medicine and surgery. Essentially, it is used to drill holes in the skull for surgical procedures, like craniectomies. They’re also deployed to reduce cranial pressure, which would otherwise cause neurological complications. High-end cranial drills are designed to stop drilling when they contact soft tissues so that they won’t cause brain damage.

Hammer drill

Hammer drills get their name from the hammering movements their drill bits use as they create holes in solid materials. This speeds up the drilling process, making it less tiring. As such, these hammer drills are well-suited for masonry projects that typically involve hard materials, like concrete, stones, and bricks. 

Brace drill

Brace drills feature two spindles, the first of which is a U-shaped spindle to manually crank the tool for more torque. The other spindle is located at the top. It’s used for handling and setting the tool for precision purposes. Brace drills are very handy when it comes to woodworking operations, and they can be used with a wide variety of drill bits. 

Reversible drill

These drills are designed to work in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, making them ideal for both fastening and loosening screws. 

Buying Drills for Construction Operations: Factors To Consider

Many factors affect the quality and use cases of drills. Keep reading to learn more about these factors. 

Type of activity

Drills come with different functions, and each drill is suited for specific activities. Because of this, it would be reckless to buy a drill without considering what you need it for. For example, if you need to work in tight spaces, it’s in your best interest to choose drills with angled bits or flexible shafts. If you’re working on concrete, then a hammer or a combination drill is your best option. Alternatively, if you want to work on an off-grid job site, cordless drills are your go-to. You’ll also need the right drill bits for the situation as some drill bits are best suited for metal or stone. 

Power

The power of a drill will be determined by the amount of force it exerts at its highest speed, a quantity also known as the torque rating. You must choose a machine that is powerful enough to drill through the toughest materials, especially if you’re in the construction or masonry industries. With this in mind, you should consider drills with at least 300 UWOs. Another factor that impacts a drill’s power is its voltage rating. This value ranges between 10 and 20 volts for cordless drills, while the range is between 450 and 1,500 volts for corded units. Remember that, in terms of voltage, the higher the voltage, the better the drill. 

The chuck

A chuck is the hollowed end of the drill where you insert and set different drill bits. The chuck is vital to consider because it determines the drill’s power, safety levels, and versatility. There are three types of drill chucks: slotted drive system (SDS), self-tightening, and conventional. Also known as keyed drill chucks, conventional drill chucks are probably the most powerful of the bunch. However, the key must be manually removed and inserted again each time you need to change a drill bit. 

Conventional drill chucks typically have a diameter range between 10mm and 13mm. In contrast to conventional drill chucks, SDS drill chucks enable you to change bits multiple times without breaking a sweat. Self-tightening drills also allow for swift drill bit change, and they are typically found on many corded or cordless handheld drills. However, while they have a 10mm to 13mm diameter range like conventional drill chucks, self-tightening drills do not boast the same power, precision, or safety levels. 

Motor type

Drills generally come with two types of motors: brushed or brushless. For better, seamless operations and efficient drilling, you should go for brushless motors. Unlike brushed motors, these motors are designed to apply a force equivalent to the material you’re trying to burrow. In other words, these drills will apply varying forces on concrete, wood, and cardboard because these surfaces all have different densities. This makes brushless motors more efficient and durable than brushed motors in the long run. 

Disengaging mechanism

The function of a drill’s disengaging mechanism is to detach the chuck from the drill if a drill bit gets jammed while drilling. Unfortunately, not all drills come with this function, so you have to be intentional about it when making a purchase. 

Variable drilling speed

In simple terms, your drill must be able to go from zero to fifty, then to one hundred, and then back again. That way you’ll be able to control drilling speed, which is vital when you’re working on delicate materials. Additionally, drilling strong materials, like concrete and metal, at ultra-fast speeds can damage the drill or the drill bit. Because of this, you must be able to reduce the drilling speed to avoid this undesirable outcome.