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How to use a cordless drill

Updated: 2026-10-23

The first chipboard screw is where a new kit usually goes wrong: the bit cams out, the head strips, and the clutch was still on the drill symbol. This is how to use a cordless drill for that screw and the first hole, then how to charge the pack in a UK home. Products Compared based the steps on UK tool guides, Electrical Safety First and the National Fire Chiefs Council, not on a demo of the twelve kits in the [cordless drill set comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/cordless-drill-set). A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. These steps do not rank the kits.

The first chipboard screw is where a new kit usually goes wrong: the bit cams out, the head strips, and the clutch was still on the drill symbol.

Our top picks

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40 combi, two 1.5Ah batteries, case

Best overall

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40 combi, two 1.5Ah batteries, case
8.6/10about £83.64
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FADAKWALT FADAKWALT 20V drill driver kit, two 1.5Ah batteries, green

Best value

FADAKWALT FADAKWALT 20V drill driver kit, two 1.5Ah batteries, green
8.6/10about £41.99
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Maxesla Maxesla 99-piece 21V cordless drill set, two 2.0Ah batteries

Alternative

Maxesla Maxesla 99-piece 21V cordless drill set, two 2.0Ah batteries
7.0/10about £37.99
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On this page
  1. 1.Set the collar and the gear before the trigger
  2. 2.Drive one screw
  3. 3.Drill one hole
  4. 4.Charge it, then stop

Set the collar and the gear before the trigger

The numbered collar sits behind the chuck. Low numbers are the clutch. It slips when the screw meets resistance, which is what you want in chipboard and plasterboard. The drill symbol locks that slip out so the chuck keeps turning. Use it for holes. The hammer symbol, on a combi, is percussion for a masonry bit only. Gear 1 is for screws and large bits. Gear 2 is for small bits and metal. Change gear only when the chuck has stopped. Start lower than you think. If the screw stops proud, raise the collar one number. If the head strips, you are already too high or the bit is wrong. The direction switch has a centre position that locks the trigger. Use it when you put the drill down. Take the battery off before you fit a bit. Open the chuck anti-clockwise, seat the bit, and tighten until the jaws close evenly.

Drive one screw

Most cabinet and flat-pack screws take a PZ2 bit. PZ2 is Pozidriv. PH2 is Phillips. They look similar and they do not match. If the screw has a cross with a second set of small marks, use Pozidriv. A large accessory case still fails if every cross-head bit is the wrong family. In hardwood, drill a pilot in drill mode, then switch back to a low clutch number before you drive. Gear 1 keeps the speed down. Hold the drill in line with the screw and stop when the head reaches the surface. If it stalls proud, raise the clutch one step only. Do not finish a screw in hammer mode. Hammer mode is not a torque boost. A hole means the drill symbol. The clutch number does not carry over.
Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40 combi, two 1.5Ah batteries, case

Testsieger

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40 combi, two 1.5Ah batteries, case
8.6/10about £83.64
View offer

Drill one hole

Set the collar to the drill symbol so the clutch cannot slip, and match the bit to the hole. A small twist bit in metal prefers the higher gear. A large wood bit prefers the lower gear so the chuck does not snatch. Tape on the bit marks a depth you must not pass. Know what is behind the surface before you go through. Let the bit cut. If you have to lean, stop and change the bit or the speed. For a light masonry hole, fit a masonry bit, select the hammer symbol, and use short bursts. If the bit stops after a centimetre in a UK wall, that limit is on the masonry page linked below. One Maxesla review says the chuck would not release a masonry bit. Take the pack off before you fight a stuck chuck.

Charge it, then stop

Use the charger that came with the pack, on a hard surface, with space around it. Electrical Safety First says original charger only. The National Fire Chiefs Council advice is not to charge a lithium-ion pack while you are asleep or out. A UK charger needs a BS 1363 plug and a 230 V socket. If the pack or charger swells, smells, sparks or scorches, unplug it and do not refit it. Take the pack off when you change a bit or leave the drill in the case. How many packs are in the box is in the cordless drill set buying guide. Cables and pipes you cannot locate are a professional’s job.

Common questions

How do I stop stripping a screw head?
Match the bit, keep the drill straight, and keep the clutch low. PZ2 is the usual flat-pack fix. Short bursts let you stop as the head meets the surface. If the bit jumps out of the cross, stop. A higher clutch setting or hammer mode will tear the head. In hardwood, drill a pilot first.
Is PZ2 the same as PH2?
No. PZ2 is Pozidriv and PH2 is Phillips. A Phillips bit in a Pozidriv screw cams out under load, which strips a chipboard screw quickly. Check the screw head, then the stamp on the bit. A large case still fails if the tips are the wrong family.
When do I take the battery off?
Take it off before you change a bit, when the chuck sticks, and when you pack the drill away. A released trigger is not the same as an isolated tool. A stuck masonry bit, as one Maxesla reviewer reported, is a reason to remove the pack first. Leave the pack off while it charges.
How should I charge the pack in a UK home?
Use the original charger on a hard, clear surface, and stay in the house while it charges. Do not leave it overnight or while you are out. The plug should be a UK three-pin type for 230 V. If the pack is hot, swollen or scorched, unplug it and stop using that charger. Recycle packs rather than putting them in the household bin.
What if the bit slips in the chuck?
Stop, take the battery off, and reseat the bit so the jaws close on the shank, not the flutes. If the chuck will not tighten or release, leave it rather than adding pliers with the pack fitted. Light pressure should be enough while drilling. If you must lean, the bit is blunt, the mode is wrong, or the job is no longer a combi job.

Related pages

Cordless drill set for masonry

Best cordless drill set

Cordless drill set

18V or 20V cordless drill set: what the label means

Cordless drill set buying guide: torque, chuck, packs

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. Electrical Safety First: drills (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. HSE: PUWER (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. HSE: hand-arm vibration (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. BSI: BS EN 62841-2-1:2018+A1:2022 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. GOV.UK: Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. OPSS product safety report 2511-0084 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. NFCC: lithium-ion batteries (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. Stanley Tools UK: FATMAX V20 18 V battery pack (retrieved 19 October 2026)