The best 12V cordless drills, compared.
Top pick: Dremel Blueprint 12V drill driver Best value: VOERJIA 12V cordless drill, two batteries – Highest value score in the set, and not the top pick: two 2.0 Ah packs and two speeds at about £29.99, with 35 Nm, after a 58-review sample and a chuck that does not feel positive. Updated October 2026.
A 12V cordless drill is the compact lithium-ion class used for furniture, plasterboard, light timber and the occasional wall plug. In the UK the same tools are often sold as 10.8V. 12V is the maximum label on that class, and the two names match only inside one maker's batteries. It is a drill driver, or a small combi, for short jobs in the house, not for a day of masonry. The clutch needs numbered steps you can set low for chipboard screws. The chuck should close on a domestic bit of about 10 mm. The charger has to have a BS 1363 plug for 230 V mains. A second pack is more useful than one large pack when this is your only drill. About 20-30 Nm is light screwdriving. About 30-50 Nm counts only when the figure is torque, not a count of clutch positions. Concrete sits outside this category. Job, chuck and plug are set out in the [12V cordless drill buying guide](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/12v-cordless-drill/sub/12v-cordless-drill-buying-guide).
A 12V cordless drill is the compact lithium-ion class used for furniture, plasterboard, light timber and the occasional wall plug. In the UK the same tools are often sold as 10.8V.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What will you use it for most?
The Dremel Blueprint DD12V is a brushless 12V multi-drill listed at £120 and 850 g, with a 2.0 Ah pack B12V20-01 and charger GAL12V-20, and the amazon.co.uk line is 5.0 from 3 reviews. One buyer says it replaced both a cordless screwdriver and a cordless drill, and describes the stud finder and laser as useful. The kit includes a 6 mm Bosch EXPERT HEX-9 bit, hex driver bits, a USB-C lead and adhesive strips for the laser. The chuck cell says 3 inches, which conflicts with those hex bits, so chuck size is not a usable figure, and the only detailed review says bits must be hexagonal. Torque, rpm and hammer mode are not stated. Two reviews have text, which is not a reliability sample, so failure patterns are not established. At £120 it is a specialist hex tool with almost no UK review trail, not the default 12V drill in this comparison.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one compact hex tool with a laser and a stud finder, and you already own hex bits.
Less suitable: You need ordinary round bits, a known torque, or a review sample larger than three.
Specifications
Common questions
What comes in the Dremel kit?
A DD12V drill driver, a 2.0 Ah battery B12V20-01, charger GAL12V-20, a USB-C lead, a 6 mm Bosch multi-construction bit, and a set of hex driver bits. Listed weight is 850 g.
Does it take ordinary round drill bits?
The chuck cell says 3 inches, which conflicts with the hex bits in the same listing, so chuck size is not stated as a usable figure. The only detailed review says bits must be hexagonal.
How many reviews does the listing show?
The listing line is 5.0 from 3. Two reviews have text. That is not a reliability sample.
The Durofix RK12136-PMG is the brushless combi in this set, listed at £99.99 with 50 Nm, 1,800 rpm, two speeds and one 4.0 Ah pack, and it shows 4.8 from 19 amazon.co.uk reviews. Reviewers describe it as compact but strong in thick wood, and some used the hammer mode in brick. The chuck is called concentric, the LED and the controls are praised, and the box includes a canvas bag, a DC charger and the drill, with no bit set. The battery is difficult to remove: buyers have used pliers or ground down the side lugs, and that complaint is repeated. One fault after two weeks needed UK support. Wood and metal capacity are both listed as 9.53 mm, the same as the chuck, and the bullet weight is 870 g against a table weight of 2 kg, so neither cell is a settled drilling diameter or mass. It is the brushless combi here with brick mentioned in reviews, and the release latch is the reason to leave it if you swap packs often.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the highest stated torque in this set for thick wood and occasional brick, and you can live with the latch.
Less suitable: You change batteries often, or you need a larger review sample before you spend £99.99.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Durofix brushless, and what torque is listed?
Yes. The listing says a brushless motor, 50 Nm, 1,800 rpm and two speeds, with one 4.0 Ah battery, a DC charger and a canvas bag.
Why do reviews mention the battery?
Several reviewers say the pack is hard to remove. One used pliers. Another ground down the side lugs. That is a repeated complaint, not a single aside.
Can the capacity figures be used?
Wood and metal are both listed as 9.53 mm, the same as the chuck. Those two cells are not a usable drilling-diameter claim. The bullet weight is 870 g and the table weight is 2 kg.
The green FADAKWALT 8212, listed at £24.99, is the drill reviewers on amazon.co.uk use for shelves, a curtain pole and flat-pack furniture, with 20 Nm, a 9.53 mm chuck and one 1.3 Ah pack. Across 1,204 reviews at 4.4, people often call it light enough for those short household jobs, and several say the battery lasts longer than they expected. The included list is a charger, wood and masonry bits, a flexible shaft, an extension bar and a screw anchor set, so it arrives as a kit. The title's 21+1 torque settings are clutch steps; the table's 650 rpm and 22 speeds are not a two-speed gearbox. Included screwdriver bits have broken on a shelf job, and the single pack means you stop while it charges. A repeated fault is the chuck losing grip within a year, or the bit slipping once the hole is deeper than about 2 cm. It is the top pick in this set for occasional home screws, with that chuck wear as the limit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You assemble furniture and hang the odd shelf, and you can wait while the single pack charges.
Less suitable: You need a second battery, a hole deeper than about 2 cm in one go, or a day of masonry.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this 12V drill include a charger?
The green FADAKWALT listing includes an electric drill, a 1.3 Ah lithium battery and a charger, plus wood bits, masonry bits, a flexible shaft, an extension bar and a screw anchor set.
What torque and speed does the listing state?
The specification table states 20 Nm and a maximum of 650 rpm. The title says 21+1 torque settings. The table's 22 speeds are that clutch count, not a two-speed gearbox.
Is a second battery included?
No. The included components list one 1.3 Ah battery. Reviewers note you have to charge it before you can use the drill again.
The blue FADAKWALT is listed at £20.99 with a 0.38 inch chuck, 750 rpm and a weight of 1.44 kg, but its 4.4 from 1,204 reviews is the same text as the green 8212, so those stars are not a second sample. The shared comments still describe light home use, furniture and a battery that lasted longer than expected on short jobs. This listing does not state torque or battery amp-hours, and the included-components line does not repeat the charger the title names. Wood and metal capacity are both given as 0.38 inch, the same figure as the chuck, so that is not a drilling diameter. The table's 22 speeds follow the clutch-count pattern from the green listing rather than showing a two-speed gearbox. The same complaints travel with the pool: some people find it heavy for the size, bits can break, and the chuck loses grip under pressure. The £4 difference is a colour and a thinner specification, not 1,204 extra opinions.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheaper FADAKWALT colour and you already accept the limits in the green listing's reviews.
Less suitable: You need an independent review sample, a stated torque, or a second battery confirmed in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a separate review sample from the green FADAKWALT?
No. This listing repeats the same review text as B0CCL462YB and the same count of 1,204. Treat it as one shared pool.
What does the specification table say?
12V, 750 rpm, a 0.38 inch chuck, 1.44 kg, and dimensions 20 x 20 x 6 cm. Wood and metal capacity are both listed as 0.38 inch. Torque is not stated.
Does the title include a charger?
The title names a Li-ion battery and a charger. The included-components line does not repeat that list.
The orange FAHEFANA is a 1.29 kg 12V combi listed at £20.99 with a 2.0 Ah pack, a 10 mm chuck and 250 inch-pounds of torque, showing 4.4 from 372 amazon.co.uk reviews. Reviewers use it for shelves and flat-pack, and several mention a quick charge and a comfortable grip in smaller hands. The included list is ten drill bits, ten screwdriver bits, screws, wall anchors, an extension bar, a flexible shaft, a fast charger and one 2.0 Ah battery. Several of those reviews say it will not drill concrete or brick, although the listing calls it a combi and states no masonry diameter. One buyer received no charger and found no socket on the tool, and another says the pictured battery LEDs are empty holes. The middle forward and reverse selector is reported to fall out of position, and bits loosen in use. The pack is only described as adequate, so this stays a light indoor drill.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap first kit for chipboard furniture, and you will check that the charger is in the carton.
Less suitable: You need reliable brick plugs, hardwood or thick metal.
Specifications
Common questions
Will this combi drill masonry?
The listing calls it a combi drill but states no masonry diameter. Several UK reviews say it will not drill concrete or brick. Others report light house jobs only.
What torque is listed?
250 inch-pounds. No rpm figure is in the specification block. Voltage is 12V in the title and bullets.
Is a charger in the box?
Included components list a fast charger and a 2.0 Ah battery. One reviewer says none arrived and there was nowhere to plug the pack in.
The VOERJIA LSD-A01 is listed at £29.99 with two 2000 mAh packs, 35 Nm, 1,600 rpm and two speeds, at 900 g, and it shows 4.4 from 58 amazon.co.uk reviews. Reviewers use the second pack to keep going on furniture, shelves and long screws in light timber, and several call it a lighter drill to keep beside a heavier one. The title also says 18+1 torque settings and a 32-piece set. The included line names a charger and a drill attachment, and reviewers confirm two packs and no hard case. It is a basic drill, so hammer mode is not part of the listing. Included bits are described as weak and prone to snap, and some buyers cannot tell the two speeds apart. One chuck would not release, one battery was faulty on arrival, and one reviewer still found it a poor drill after fitting a better wood bit. The spare pack is why it is the best value here, if you accept a 58-review sample and a chuck that does not feel positive.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a spare pack so a flat-pack session does not stop for a charge.
Less suitable: You need hammer mode, a case, or a chuck you can trust on the first day.
Specifications
Common questions
How many batteries are in the box?
The title says two 2000 mAh batteries. The specification battery capacity is 2000 mAh. Included components name a charger. Reviewers confirm two packs and no hard case.
Does it have hammer mode?
The drill type is a basic drill. Special features list an LED, a keyless chuck and variable speed. Hammer mode is not stated.
What torque and speeds are listed?
35 Nm, 1,600 rpm and two speeds. The title also says 18+1 torque settings. Wood capacity is listed as 0.38 inch and metal as 0.25 inch.
The grey DEKOPRO DKCD12XL02G-S2-new is a basic 12V drill at £23.99, with 12 Nm, 800 rpm and one speed, and it shows 4.3 from 521 amazon.co.uk reviews. Reviewers describe it as light enough for pictures, flat-pack and smaller hands, and they like charging from a USB or Type-C lead. The title says 1.65 lb. Battery capacity is not stated, and the included line lists a magnetic bit holder, six screwdriver bits and six twist bits, not a charger brick. Hammer mode is not claimed, and reviews say it is not for stone or heavy DIY. The case keeps small bits together, though the window is called flimsy and some bit holders arrived broken. A battery that would not charge after a few months in a cupboard is a practical limit, and included bits are described as plastic, easy to break, or left stuck in the wood. For a short picture-hanging session it matches the job.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You hang pictures and build flat-pack, and a USB lead is how you want to charge.
Less suitable: You need a stated amp-hour pack, masonry, or bits you can trust on a long screw.
Specifications
Common questions
How does this DEKOPRO charge?
The title says Type-C charging. Reviews describe a USB lead. The included-components line lists bits only, not a separate charger brick. Battery capacity is not stated.
How much torque and speed are listed?
12 Nm, 800 rpm and one speed. The drill type is a basic drill, so hammer mode is not claimed.
What is the stated weight?
The title says 1.65 lb. The specification table does not give a kilogram weight, so the two figures are not compared here as the same unit.
Seven 12V cordless drills on amazon.co.uk were scored from listing facts and review notes, not from a lab test. Stars, review sample, fit for light home use and value are weighted 40, 25, 25 and 10. A duplicated review pool is not counted twice. Each star line stays the amazon.co.uk figure. The 0-100 score is not the stars times 20. Prices were taken from the listings used in this comparison.
Stars
40%Amazon.co.uk star rating divided by 5, then multiplied by 40, and rounded. The star line is the UK listing figure, not a lab score.
Sample
25%1,000 or more independent reviews score 25, 200 or more score 20, 50 or more score 12, 10 or more score 6, and fewer than 10 score 2. A listing whose review text is the same pool as another ASIN scores 4, and the count is not added twice.
Fit for light home use
25%Repeated furniture, shelf or picture jobs, with a torque you can read and a known wear limit, score 20. The same jobs on a basic drill with weak bits score 16. Light jobs where reviews say a claimed combi will not drill masonry score 14. Thick wood or brick in reviews, with a battery that will not release, scores 12. The duplicated review pool scores 10. Three reviews and hex-only bits score 6.
Value in this set
10%Two 2.0 Ah packs and two speeds under £35 score 10. A single-pack kit under £26 with 200 or more reviews and a charger described scores 8. One 1.3 Ah pack, so you stop to charge, scores 6. A cheaper colour of a duplicated listing scores 4. About £100 with a battery-release fault scores 3. £120 with three reviews scores 2. The top pick does not also take this award.
Start with the job, then the voltage class, then torque, chuck, battery and plug. A clutch count is not a gearbox, and a 12V combi is not a rotary hammer. The notes below follow that order for these seven amazon.co.uk listings. None of the scores is a lab test.
A 12V cordless drill, for this comparison, is the compact lithium-ion class UK shops also sell as 10.8V. You buy it for furniture, plasterboard, light timber and the odd plug hole, not for a day of masonry. Bosch Professional treats 12V as the maximum label for a 10.8V system, and those packs match only inside that system. A 20V MAX listing is usually a nominal 18V pack. An 8V or 4V tool is not this category.
20V MAX is usually a nominal 18V pack. 12V maximum and 10.8V nominal are the compact class, and only inside one brand's batteries. An 8V or 4V tool is smaller again.
A 21+1 line is clutch positions. On the green FADAKWALT the table's 22 speeds are that count, with 650 rpm, not a two-speed gearbox. Two speeds are a separate claim on the VOERJIA and the Durofix.
BS EN 62841-2-1 covers drills and impact drills, not rotary hammers. FAHEFANA reviews say that claimed combi will not drill brick. A watt figure on a 1.3 Ah pack is not continuous motor power.
Match the drill to the hole. Flat-pack and plasterboard need a drill driver and a low clutch, so you do not strip chipboard screws. Ordinary brick plugs need a combi that states a masonry diameter. Concrete and engineering brick are rotary-hammer work. 12V maximum and 10.8V nominal are one compact class inside one system. Do not mix in 18V or 20V MAX listings, and do not treat packs as interchangeable across brands. About 20-30 Nm is light screwdriving.
A 3/8 inch chuck, 9.53 mm and sold as 10 mm, covers almost all domestic bits. The green FADAKWALT states 9.53 mm. Several other listings state 0.38 inch. The Dremel chuck cell says 3 inches, which conflicts with the hex bits in the same kit, so chuck size is not a usable figure, and the only detailed review says bits must be hexagonal. Wood and metal capacities that both copy the chuck are not drilling diameters. A 1.3 Ah pack stops you for a charge.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You assemble furniture and hang the odd shelf, and you can wait while one pack charges. The green FADAKWALT, model 8212, is about £24.99, with 20 Nm, a 9.53 mm chuck and 4.4 from 1,204 reviews. Some chucks lose grip within a year.
You want a spare battery so a flat-pack session does not stop for a charge. The VOERJIA LSD-A01 is about £29.99, with two 2.0 Ah packs, 35 Nm and two speeds, and 4.4 from 58 reviews. Included bits snap, and there is no hard case.
You want the highest stated torque in this set and you can live with the battery latch. The Durofix RK12136 is about £99.99, brushless, 50 Nm, one 4.0 Ah pack, with 4.8 from 19 reviews. Reviewers used it in brick. The pack is hard to remove.
In this set of seven amazon.co.uk listings, the top pick is the green FADAKWALT 12V drill, model 8212, about £24.99, with 4.4 from 1,204 reviews. The listing states 20 Nm and a 9.53 mm chuck, and reviewers use it for shelves, a curtain pole and flat-pack. The single 1.3 Ah pack means you stop to charge, and some chucks lose grip within a year or once the hole is deeper than about 2 cm. The best value is the VOERJIA LSD-A01 at about £29.99, with two 2.0 Ah packs, 35 Nm and two speeds, and 4.4 from 58 reviews. Included bits snap, and the chuck does not feel positive. The other five have no award. The blue FADAKWALT repeats the same review text as the green listing, so those 1,204 reviews are one pool. None of these scores is a lab test.
VOERJIA 12V cordless drill, two batteries
Highest value score in the set, and not the top pick: two 2.0 Ah packs and two speeds at about £29.99, with 35 Nm, after a 58-review sample and a chuck that does not feel positive.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 19 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the product display for this comparison.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the UK listings used in this comparison, checked on 19 October 2026. We did not lab-test these 12V cordless drills.
