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Cordless drill buying guide

Updated: 2026-10-23

You are looking at a flat-pack cabinet still in the box, or at a shelf that needs two plugs in brick, and the table in front of you is volts, bit counts and stars. This cordless drill buying guide puts the material first, then the kit, the chuck and a torque figure that agrees with itself, and the price last. The twelve listings ran from about £20.99 to £76.50 on 22 October 2026. Each row sits in the [Drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/drill). Figures are those amazon.co.uk listings, not a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are looking at a flat-pack cabinet still in the box, or at a shelf that needs two plugs in brick, and the table in front of you is volts, bit counts and stars.

Our top picks

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 1.5 Ah

Best overall

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 1.5 Ah
9.4/10about £64.97
View offer
BLACK+DECKER BLACK+DECKER BCD700S1K-GB

Alternative

BLACK+DECKER BLACK+DECKER BCD700S1K-GB
9.2/10about £65.99
View offer
Terratek Terratek TD18, 1.3 Ah

Best value

Terratek Terratek TD18, 1.3 Ah
8.6/10about £26.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What to check before the price
  2. 2.Chuck size and a torque figure you can use
  3. 3.12 V, 18 V, and a 20 V label
  4. 4.What the box must actually contain
  5. 5.When to stop shopping in this set

What to check before the price

Start with the material in your hand. Chipboard, timber, plastic and plasterboard need a drill that spins and a clutch. Brick or block needs bullets that state hammer mode or impact drilling, plus a carbide masonry bit matched to the plug. A title that says combi is a label. It is not that statement. The Terratek TD18 at £26.99 says it is not for brick or masonry. The FAHEFANA 12 V at £20.99 puts combi in the title and then describes wood, metal, drywall, plastic and screwdriving. The kit is the second check, because a drill without a battery and a charger cannot start on the day it arrives. Read the included line, then the bullets, and notice when they disagree. Who each stronger row is for sits on the best cordless drill in this set.

Chuck size and a torque figure you can use

About 10 mm is the chuck on the budget rows. A 13 mm chuck is the usual size on an 18 V combi. The Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40 bullets print 40 Nm and 13 mm. The EasyImpact 18V-38 prints 38 Nm and a 10 mm chuck, and those bullets do not mention masonry. A 10 mm chuck will not seat a 13 mm shank. The BLACK+DECKER at £65.99 states hammer mode, then prints 1 in-lb in both torque cells. That cell is not a torque you can use. The FAHEFANA 20 V prints 3.8 inches in the chuck cell. Ignore that figure. The Rivlox prints 42 Nm and 30 Nm. Until the listing picks one, you do not have a torque.
Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 1.5 Ah

Testsieger

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 1.5 Ah
9.4/10about £64.97
View offer

12 V, 18 V, and a 20 V label

The 12 V kits here are light tools for screws and small holes. Bosch’s EasyImpact rows are 18 V, on PBA packs and the AL 18V-20 charger. If you already own those packs, stay on that platform. A no-name 20 V or 21 V title does not accept a Bosch, Makita or DeWalt battery. In the UK a five-cell lithium pack is sold as 18 V nominal. In the US the same class of pack is often sold as 20 V max, a fresh-off-the-charger peak. The Rivlox title says 21 V with a 1,500 mAh pack. That is not twice an 18 V Bosch.

What the box must actually contain

Read the included line as the packing list. On the Terratek, the bullets say one battery and a charger, and the included line only names the 13-piece kit. On the FAHEFANA 20 V, the battery is a bullet. If the battery appears only in a bullet, open the carton before you plan the job around it. A case that exists only in the title, as on both FADAKWALT 7720 colours, is something to check on arrival. A count of pieces is not a grade of steel. The charger should be a UK three-pin plug to BS 1363, and the charger that came with that pack.

When to stop shopping in this set

Hard concrete, chasing a channel for a cable, and a long run of large holes sit outside these keyless chucks. These hand-held drills and impact drills fall under BS EN 62841-2-1. Rotary hammers sit under IEC 62841-2-6. Stop treating a combi around £65 as a breaker. Stars do not prove a hammer. The score on each row is the amazon.co.uk star rating times 20. A 4.4 on a kit whose bullets never mention masonry is still a spin-only tool.

Common questions

What should I check before the price on a cordless drill?
Check the material, then whether the included line names a battery and a charger, then a chuck printed once at about 10 mm or 13 mm, then a torque figure that does not contradict itself. Price comes after those four. A kit around £21 can be enough for chipboard screws. It is the wrong basket when the bullets never state hammer.
Do I need hammer mode if I only build flat-pack and fix plasterboard?
Flat-pack, timber, plastic and plasterboard need rotation and a clutch. Hammer mode is the tapping action for brick and block. The Terratek bullets say the drill is not for brick or masonry, which matches a screws-only house. Leave hammer off for wood, plasterboard and tile.
Is a 13 mm chuck worth it over 10 mm?
It is worth it when your bits have a thicker shank. The EasyImpact 18V-40 prints 13 mm and 40 Nm. Most kits under about £42 print about 10 mm, or 9.53 mm on the FADAKWALT 12 V. A 10 mm chuck will not take a 13 mm shank you already own.
Is a 20 V or 21 V kit more powerful than an 18 V Bosch?
A no-name 20 V or 21 V title is not more powerful because of the number on the carton. UK 18 V is the nominal voltage of a five-cell pack. A US 20 V max sticker often describes the same class at a peak. The Rivlox does not take a Bosch PBA 18 V battery.
Why do the included line and the bullets disagree on the battery?
They are different fields. The Terratek included line is the 13-piece kit, while the bullets say one battery and a charger. Treat the included line as the packing list, and confirm a battery that appears only in a bullet when you open the carton.

Related pages

Combi drill vs drill-driver

Drilling into brick

Drill

Best cordless drill UK: the named picks in this set

How to use a drill clutch without stripping screws

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file.

  1. Toolstation — Drill buying guide (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. Homebuilding & Renovating — Types of drill (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. Which? — How to buy the best cordless drill (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. HSE — Assessing hand-arm vibration risks (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. BSI — BS EN 62841-2-1 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. Electrical Safety First — Drills (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK — UKCA and CE marking in Great Britain (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 22 October 2026)