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Brushless vs brushed cordless drill

Updated: 22 October 2026

You are about to pay extra because the title says brushless, or you wonder whether the brushed drill in the cupboard is finished. This page is that decision for light DIY, not a trade day. Every drill in the [Brushless cordless drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/brushless-cordless-drill) is listed as brushless, so this page compares the motor type. A brushed twin was not measured beside them. Which?’s guide, the listings from 19 October 2026, and the seller lines were used. No minutes were invented. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are about to pay extra because the title says brushless, or you wonder whether the brushed drill in the cupboard is finished. This page is that decision for light DIY, not a trade day.

Our top picks

WORX WORX WX355.1 20V brushless combi, 55 Nm

Best overall

WORX WORX WX355.1 20V brushless combi, 55 Nm
9.1/10about £89.00
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LEEIKOO LEEIKOO 21V brushless hammer drill, two 2.0 Ah batteries

Best value

LEEIKOO LEEIKOO 21V brushless hammer drill, two 2.0 Ah batteries
9.2/10about £32.20
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Ginour Ginour 21V brushless combi drill, two 2.0 Ah batteries

Rank 3

Ginour Ginour 21V brushless combi drill, two 2.0 Ah batteries
9.6/10about £55.99
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On this page
  1. 1.What the motor actually changes
  2. 2.Light jobs and long jobs
  3. 3.What these listings claim
  4. 4.When brushless is the sensible buy

What the motor actually changes

A brushed motor passes current through carbon brushes on a spinning commutator. Those brushes wear, spark a little, and make dust. A brushless motor switches the coils electronically, so that wear part is absent. Shopbam’s account is less friction in the motor. The energy you can spend is still the watt-hours in the pack. A UK supplier quotes about 30 to 200 hours for brushes in power tools, depending on use. That is a parts-trade range, not a measured life for a LEEIKOO, a Ginour, a Bosch GSB or a WORX here, and not a reason to throw away a brushed drill that still runs.

Light jobs and long jobs

Which? found brushed and brushless drills similar on lighter DIY, and brushless benefits more apparent on longer, heavier projects. The timed runs sit behind a login, so no minute count is invented here. Flat-pack hinges, a few cabinet screws and a light shelf are the light end. If that is all the drill does, the badge is a weak reason to replace a tool you own. The heavier end is repeated weekends, long screw runs, and brick under load. Which? says cheap drills can do light jobs, and that brick is where spending more showed up. Those tests were not these ten ASINs. A 40–50 Nm rule of thumb for shelves, on the buying guide, is still a torque line on the listing. Brushless does not grant it.
WORX WORX WX355.1 20V brushless combi, 55 Nm

Testsieger

WORX WORX WX355.1 20V brushless combi, 55 Nm
9.1/10about £89.00
View offer

What these listings claim

The Ginour bullets claim five times the life, twice the torque and 50% less noise versus a brushed motor. The WORX Nitro bullets claim 50% longer runtime, 25% more power and 10 times the motor life. Both are seller copy, not a measurement of this set. Other pages, including a Makita line Shopbam quotes, talk about gains in a 25–50% band. None of that is a UK runtime for these listings. Do not treat a brushless kit as 50% longer, and do not turn the 30–200 hour brush range into a verdict on an ASIN here. KickBack Control is a feature name without a vibration figure. Soft included bits are a bit problem, not evidence about the motor. Who each listing is for is on the best brushless cordless drill page.

When brushless is the sensible buy

If the drill only hangs shelves a few times a year, a brushed drill you already own is reasonable to keep. The Which? split says the light jobs look similar, and a new badge will not change the clutch or the bit. Dead packs are a platform problem, not proof that brushless was the missing ingredient. For repeated weekends, or ordinary brick with a stated hammer, this set is built from brushless listings. You still check the hammer, the box and the watt-hours. A bare brushless body at about £208.15 can be a worse buy than a complete kit. Carbon brushes are a reason to expect maintenance on a brushed tool that works hard, not a reason to bin one that comes out twice a year. Collar, gear and charging are the same on the how to use page.

Common questions

What is the mechanical difference?
A brushed motor uses carbon brushes on a commutator. Those brushes wear. A brushless motor switches the coils electronically. The pack still holds the watt-hours. It is not a torque figure and not a year count.
Do you feel it on flat-pack and light shelves?
Which? found them similar on lighter DIY. A hinge and a light shelf are that kind of job. If a brushed drill already does them, the badge is a weak reason to replace it.
When does Which? say the difference shows up?
On longer, heavier projects. Brick is where their spending advice showed up, in tests that were not these ten listings. The timed figures are behind a login.
Are the 50% and five-times claims on these listings measured?
No. Ginour claims five times the life, twice the torque and 50% less noise. The Nitro claims 50% longer runtime, 25% more power and 10 times the motor life. Both are seller copy.
Do carbon brushes wear out, and is that a reason to bin a working brushed drill?
Brushes are a wear part. A UK supplier’s range is about 30 to 200 hours depending on use. That span is not a life test of any drill here. A brushed drill you use a few times a year is reasonable to keep.
Does brushless add torque by itself?
No. Torque is the newton-metre line, and some pages print two. An 18 V 5.0 Ah pack and a small 21 V pack still differ in watt-hours. The motor type does not settle a 55 Nm field beside a 65 Nm bullet.
If every drill in this set is brushless, what are you actually comparing?
The motor type, using Which? and the seller lines. There is no brushed control drill in the display file. Use the comparison once you have decided the badge is worth paying for.

Related pages

Cordless drill for brick

Brushless cordless drill

Best brushless cordless drill in this UK comparison

Brushless cordless drill buying guide: kit and torque

How to use a cordless drill: clutch, gears and charge

Sources

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 display file.

  1. Which?: how to buy the best cordless drill (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. BSI: BS EN 62841-2-1 hand-held drills and impact drills (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. GOV.UK: Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. HSE: hand-arm vibration responsibilities (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. NFCC: lithium-ion batteries (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. London Fire Brigade: batteries and chargers (retrieved 19 October 2026)