Each year, we bring in and review more than 250 individual products. Our team will put our hands on hundreds of additional tools at media events and trade shows throughout the year. If you want to go compact without leaving the 20V Max battery system, take a look at the DCD799 as the best DeWalt 20V Max Atomic compact hammer drill. Its 552 UWO power level is significantly higher than the previous Atomic hammer drill and even beats out the excellent DCD797. Keep in mind—these careful picks come after hours and hours of testing and real-world use. The Drill/Driver has you covered featuring an LED light to help improve visibility in dark work areas.
The DeWalt DCD771C2 offers tons of control, letting you set the screw head to the perfect depth. If you need a drill to perform smaller jobs around the house, then a 12-volt drill is the way to go. If you’re planning on completing bigger carpentry projects, then it’s a good idea to go with an 18-volt or 20-volt drill. When shopping for a DeWalt cordless drill, choose one that meets your needs without overpaying for one that has more power than you’ll ever use.
The hammer function can also be turned off in order to be used like a drill driver for projects requiring less power. These bits work great in your drill and are impact-rated to handle the hard-hitting action of an impact driver. Better yet, that 1/4-inch hex shank on the bits also fits into many multi-bit screwdrivers and cordless screwdrivers. DeWalt is expanding its Max Fit system into impact-rated driver bits, but at the moment, we’re sticking with the FlexTorque ones.
It felt like I had to pull the trigger farther back to reach max power than on other drills. If you’re stuck on the kind of drill to buy, the answer can be complex. For starters, if you own other cordless tools, the best cordless drill for you is the one you could share batteries with. That’s a great reason to stick with the brand and voltage you already own, unless you specifically need different features or you’re looking to switch brands.
These typically activate once you pull the trigger and go off either when you release the trigger or with a small delay. The placement of the LED is either at the base of the tool near the battery, or above the trigger on the main barrel of the tool. In 18-volt drills, Bauer, Ryobi and Bosch all have the lower-placed LED, and Ridgid is the only model dewalt tool without any LED. Running the low-torque tests takes longer than the high-torque tests, so there’s more time to get the feel of the tools themselves. Generally speaking, the drills all feel like you’d expect, but there were a couple of features that stood out. This may actually be a benefit for some people, but for me, it was a little off-putting.
Plumbing, cabinet installation, and other projects that take place in tight spaces demand a drill that can fit into nooks and crannies. DeWalt’s take on this specialized power tool makes it one of the best. With a head that measures just 4 inches long, it can get into tight areas that standard cordless drills can’t reach. Despite packing quite a punch, the DeWalt Atomic 20-Volt MAX is surprisingly compact at just 6.3 inches from front to back with a total weight of just 2.4 pounds. Other handy features include a built-in LED work light and a tool belt clip. These cordless pistol-grip drills are powered by DEWALT batteries of a compatible series and matching voltage.
Based on the specs, this cordless drill lands somewhere in the middle. It’s aptly powered for DIY purposes but not so powerful that it’s married to a cumbersome set of internals that limit it to specialty dewalt circular saw uses. When I consider what the best drill is in any lineup, I immediately gravitate toward the highest performing. For DeWalt, the best 20V cordless drill is the DCD999 FlexVolt Advantage hammer drill.