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Corded drills have more power than their cordless counterparts, making them useful for heavy-duty tasks like drilling through sheets of metal or hardwood. While you have to stay close to an outlet because of their cord, electric drills don’t have to recharge before every use.
If you’re looking to add a corded drill to your arsenal of tools, the This Old House Reviews team can help. We researched the best electric drills on Amazon and created a buying guide to help you decide what you need out of your drill. Keep reading to learn about our top electric drill recommendations, and also be sure to check our buying guide to tools for more information.
This DEWALT electric drill comes with a hard plastic case so that you can easily transport the drill. The case contains a compartment for the drill and organizers for accessories like bits and screws.
Customers were happy with the quality of this product and said that the drill was made of durable, long-lasting materials and was powerful enough to perform a variety of tasks. Some customers said that the chuck wobbled a little during use, which caused some misdrilled holes.
Built for heavy-duty tasks, this drill has a 10-amp motor that can deliver a lot of power. The drill also has a ½-inch chuck that can drill through thicker materials and handle larger fasteners.
Customers said this drill withstood heavy-duty tasks, with many saying they could drill through thick and hard materials like tree trunks and sheets of metal. However, a common complaint was that the drill started smoking when it was overloaded despite its claimed overload protection.
This BLACK+DECKER electric drill has a four-amp motor, making it a good option for the occasional project around your home like hanging a picture frame or putting together furniture. The drill has a Matrix Quick Connect System that allows for a tool-free change for a variety of tool attachments and has an 11-position clutch, providing extra levels of control to the user.
Customers were pleased with the drill’s performance considering its affordable price. They also liked how they could attach other tools to the base of the drill, making it a multi-purpose tool capable of doing more than just drilling and driving. Some customers had issues with the chuck freezing, making it impossible to adjust its settings.
This Skil drill has a second handle closer to its chuck. Both handles have a textured rubber grip, allowing you to keep the tool steady while you’re working. Not to mention, this electric drill comes with a powerful seven-amp motor and a variable-speed trigger for customized use.
Customers said this drill had a lot of torque and liked how Skil added a second handle on the drill to help with controlling the high torque. However, some customers had issues with the chuck not staying attached to the drill’s body.
Because this drill only weighs about three pounds, your arms are less likely to get tired during use. Its compact size also makes it easy to carry from place to place if you need it for different projects.
Customers complimented the trigger on this drill and liked that they could adjust the drill speed while the drill was still running. Customers also liked how the drill had a reverse function for pulling the bit or fastener back out. However, some customers received a defective drill that had a motor that made a rattling sound during use.
Before buying an electric drill, consider how you plan on using the tool. Read our guide below to see how your planned usage will affect the features you need in a drill.
This factor refers to how comfortable it is to use the drill. The handle should be rubberized to help with grip and the drill shouldn’t be so heavy that your hand and arm get tired during use.
Corded drills are measured in amperes, known as amps. A drill with eight amps is usually sufficient for household projects. However, if you only need the drill to hang the occasional picture, a four-amp model may be a better option. If you plan to use the drill regularly, you may want a drill with 10 amps or more.
Electric drills will have two speeds—a low speed and a high speed—or a variable speed lever that allows you to choose your speed. Keep in mind that lower speeds are better for driving screws because of their higher torque, while higher speeds are better for drilling holes.
Corded drills are less mobile than cordless drills because their cord needs to reach an electrical outlet. If the outlet is too far from the site, you’ll need an extension cord to extend the drill’s reach. Make sure you don’t use a standard indoor extension cord for your drilling job because it isn’t durable or powerful enough to support the tool.
Note: Each cord will have lettering that designates what it can be used for. The cord you use for your electric drill should have a “W” in its lettering for outdoor use.
The chuck is the tip of the drill that holds the bits. A chuck’s size indicates the maximum diameter a bit can have to fit into the tool.
Drills sometimes come with extra features that make them easier to use. Common built-in features include an LED light to help you see in poorly lit areas, a belt clip to free your hands, and a level to help you accurately install fasteners.
Here are some of the advantages of using a corded drill:
All of the drills in this review are from trusted manufacturers. Some other electric drill manufacturers to consider include Bosch, PORTER-CABLE, Milwaukee, and Craftsman. These companies offer high-quality drills that last a long time.
A keyed chuck requires a tool to remove the current drill bit and attach another one, while drill bits on a keyless chuck can be removed by hand. A keyed chuck does a better job of keeping the bit in place, but a keyless chuck may be a better option if you have to frequently switch between drill bits.
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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