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How to use an Einhell cordless combi drill

Updated: 2026-10-23

The drill is on the bench, the Power X-Change pack is in the slide, and the collar has more than one mark. This is how to use an Einhell cordless combi drill for a first hole in a UK house: collar for the material, then the gear, then the clutch, and a look at the charger plug before you blame the technique. Products Compared used the amazon.co.uk kit listings and Einhell's UK warranty page, read on 21 October 2026. There was no filmed drill and no lab test of a clutch. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Model differences sit on the [Einhell cordless combi drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/einhell-cordless-combi-drill).

The drill is on the bench, the Power X-Change pack is in the slide, and the collar has more than one mark.

Our top picks

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/40 Li-i, 2 x 2.0 Ah

Best overall

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/40 Li-i, 2 x 2.0 Ah
9.2/10about £110.00
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Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/44 Li-i, 1 x 2.5 Ah

Best value

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/44 Li-i, 1 x 2.5 Ah
9.2/10about £44.00
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Einhell Einhell TP-CD 18/50 Li-i, 2 x 2.0 Ah

Rank 3

Einhell Einhell TP-CD 18/50 Li-i, 2 x 2.0 Ah
9.0/10about £75.00
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On this page
  1. 1.Collar
  2. 2.Gears
  3. 3.Clutch, chuck and the light
  4. 4.Charger plug and when to stop

Collar

One collar covers three jobs. Screwdriving uses the numbered clutch. Drilling wood or metal uses the drill mark, so the chuck keeps turning. Hammer mode is only for masonry, and only with a masonry bit. Currys' UK guide puts it the same way: drill for wood and metal, clutch for screws, hammer only for brick. Bosch's UK DIY note says leave percussion off for wood and metal. Hammer left on in a timber batten rattles the bit. A low clutch number while you drill makes the chuck click, and the hole never finishes.

Gears

The gearbox is a separate switch. Low gear is the slow, higher-torque range for larger bits and for driving screws. High gear is for small bits in softer material. A 6 mm pilot in softwood can sit in high gear. A 10 mm hole, or a long screw into a joist, belongs in low gear. Do not quote 24,000 rpm as chuck speed. On Einhell's pages for the 18/44 and the 18/40, that class of figure is the gear-2 stroke rate. The 18/44 listing also prints 1,250 rpm. Move the gear switch before the trigger, with the chuck stopped.
Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/40 Li-i, 2 x 2.0 Ah

Testsieger

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/40 Li-i, 2 x 2.0 Ah
9.2/10about £110.00
View offer

Clutch, chuck and the light

The clutch is doing its job when it clicks and the screw stops. Start low on a brass screw in softwood, and move up one number if the head is still proud. The £44 listing prints 21 torque levels, and the speeds cell also says 21. That is the clutch count, not 21 gears. If it never clicks, you are near the drill setting. The chuck is keyless. On the £75 kit the lock ring is small and close to the body, so grip the ring. If the bit walks, reseat it. Spec clashes stay on the Einhell cordless combi drill buying guide.

Charger plug and when to stop

Before the first charge, look at the pins. Regulation 35 expects a BS 1363 fit, including in Northern Ireland. Two UK reviews of the £110 TE-CD 18/40 say the charger had a European two-pin plug and no adaptor. Do not use a shaver socket. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives a 30-day right to reject faulty goods. Stop if you cannot tell where cables or pipes run, if the chuck jams, if a pack will not charge, or if the hole needs an SDS. Toolstation warns that forcing a stalled motor can burn a combi. Register within 30 days for the three-year total Einhell states, on 0151 649 1500. The 10-year line on article 4513940 is the motor only. Long screws are on the Einhell combi drill vs impact driver page.

Common questions

Which collar position is for screws, holes and brick?
Screws use the numbered clutch. Holes in wood and metal use the drill mark, with hammer off. Brick uses the hammer symbol and a masonry bit. Set the collar, then the gear, with the chuck stopped.
When do you use gear 1 and gear 2?
Gear 1 is for larger bits and for driving. Gear 2 is for small bits in softer material. A 6 mm pilot can sit in high gear. A long screw into a joist belongs in low gear. On the 18/44 and 18/40, 24,000 rpm is a stroke rate, not spindle speed.
What should happen when the clutch is set low?
The chuck should click and stop the screw while the motor runs. That click is the limit. If the head is still proud, move one number higher. If it never clicks, you are too close to the drill setting. There is no single number for every screw.
How do you tighten a keyless chuck?
Seat the bit straight and turn the lock ring by hand until it cannot slip. On the £75 kit the ring is small and close to the body, so grip the ring. If the bit walks, reseat it. A click on the £110 kit means the bit has located, not that the collar is right.
What do you do if the charger has two round pins?
Stop. Two UK reviews of the £110 TE-CD 18/40 report a European two-pin plug and no adaptor. Do not use a shaver socket. A domestic charger should fit a BS 1363 socket. If it does not, that is a supply fault, and the 30-day right to reject is the route.
When do you stop and call someone?
Stop if you do not know where cables or pipes are, if the chuck is jammed, if a pack will not charge, or if the hole is concrete a combi will not finish. Hire an SDS for lintels and hard concrete. Leaning on a stalled motor is how these drills get cooked.
Does registering the tool change the warranty?
Einhell's UK warranty page asks you to register within 30 days for a three-year total. Listings often show a one-year or two-year spare-part field if you do not. The 10-year line on article 4513940 covers the motor only. Registration does not turn a two-pin charger into a UK plug, and it does not add an SDS function.

Related pages

Einhell cordless combi drill for brick

Einhell rotary hammer

Einhell cordless combi drill

Best Einhell cordless combi drill for light UK DIY

Einhell cordless combi drill buying guide for the UK

Einhell combi drill vs impact driver for long screws

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures captured for this comparison, not a live scrape on 21 October 2026.

  1. Einhell UK, TE-CD 18/44 Li-i (4514287) (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. Einhell UK, TE-CD 18/48 Li-i (4513935) (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. Einhell UK, TE-CD 18/40 Li-i +64 (4513992) (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Einhell UK, 18V twinpack (4257214) (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. Einhell data sheet, article 4513940 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. Einhell UK product warranty (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. HSE, Hand-arm vibration L140 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35 (retrieved 22 October 2026)