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How to use a Metabo cordless drill

Updated: 2026-10-23

Before driving a cabinet screw or drilling a wall plug, identify the controls on your exact drill and choose the mode while the tool is stopped. Learning how to use a Metabo cordless drill means separating three settings that are easy to confuse: the numbered screw clutch, the unrestricted drill symbol and, on SB combi models only, the hammer symbol. Remove the battery before fitting a bit, and check for concealed cables or pipes before drilling. This guide covers operation rather than product ranking. If you have not bought a tool, start with the [main Metabo cordless drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/metabo-cordless-drill).

Before driving a cabinet screw or drilling a wall plug, identify the controls on your exact drill and choose the mode while the tool is stopped.

Our top picks

Metabo Metabo PowerMaxx BS Basic

Best overall

Metabo Metabo PowerMaxx BS Basic
7.1/10about £114.67
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Metabo Metabo BS 18 LTX-3 BL Q I Metal

Alternative

Metabo Metabo BS 18 LTX-3 BL Q I Metal
5.4/10about £239.99
View offer
Metabo Metabo SB 18 L 614053580

Rank 3

Metabo Metabo SB 18 L 614053580
7.6/10about £99.99
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On this page
  1. 1.Understand what the collar is doing
  2. 2.Choose the gear before using the trigger
  3. 3.Fit the bit with the battery removed
  4. 4.Make a final safety check before drilling

Understand what the collar is doing

For screws, select a numbered clutch setting and begin low. The clutch clicks and releases instead of continuing to turn the screw. Increase the setting until the head sits flush. Test on scrap, because the right number changes with the screw, the timber and any pilot hole. The drill symbol bypasses that limit. It is not the highest numbered clutch position. On SB 18 L order 614053580, Metabo's UK page gives 0.7–5.5 Nm on the clutch and 60 Nm hard torque. The lower range protects the fixing. An SB combi adds a hammer symbol. Use it only with a masonry bit, and only inside the capacity for that order number. A BS driver has no hammer position. The pulse wheel and three-speed gearbox on the BS 18 LTX-3 BL Q I Metal do not belong to the standard SB 18 L. Read the sleeves on your own tool. For a combi against an SDS tool, use the Metabo masonry guide.

Choose the gear before using the trigger

First gear is lower speed and higher force, for long screws and larger bits. Second gear is higher speed for smaller bits. A third gear, as on the LTX metal drill, follows that model's manual. Do not copy it onto a two-speed PowerMaxx or SB 18 L. Move the selector only after the motor has stopped. If it will not seat, take the battery off, turn the chuck by hand, and try again. Start slowly so the bit stays centred. If the tool stalls, release the trigger. Change reverse only after the motor stops. On many drills the middle position of the forward/reverse button locks the trigger. Confirm that on your model.
Metabo Metabo PowerMaxx BS Basic

Testsieger

Metabo Metabo PowerMaxx BS Basic
7.1/10about £114.67
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Fit the bit with the battery removed

Remove the battery before you change a bit. Open the keyless chuck, insert the bit centrally, and tighten to that chuck's manual. On the SB family covered by one UKCA manual, the sleeve turns towards the GRIP, ZU marking until it clicks. Other chucks use different wording, so there is no universal clockwise rule. An off-centre bit wobbles. If it slips, stop and inspect the shank and the jaws. A Quick locking ring does not automatically apply to order 614053580. SDS shanks do not belong in these keyless chucks. Refit the battery only after the bit, the mode and the gear are set. A short unloaded press shows a wobble before the bit touches the work.

Make a final safety check before drilling

Before the trigger: the battery is seated and undamaged, the bit matches the material, the collar is on screw, drill or hammer, the gear was set with the motor stopped, and the line is clear of likely cables and pipes. If you cannot rule out hidden services, ask a competent professional. For masonry, wear eye and hearing protection and use hammer mode only on an SB tool with a carbide-tipped masonry bit. A combi does not chisel. If progress stops in dense brick, do not add body weight. At work, the SB 18 L page declares 91 dB(A) and 11.8 m/s² for impact drilling in concrete. Those are laboratory emissions, not a personal safe time. Do not open a swollen, damaged or hot lithium-ion pack. Pack compatibility is in the Metabo 12 V or 18 V guide.

Common questions

Which setting should I use for a screw?
Start with a low numbered clutch setting and increase it until the screw finishes flush. The correct number depends on the screw and material, so test on scrap. Do not start on the drill symbol, because that bypasses the clutch protection and can bury or damage the fixing.
What is the drill symbol for?
The drill symbol bypasses the numbered torque clutch for normal drilling. It is not a masonry hammer setting. On an SB combi, hammer mode has its own symbol; on a BS drill driver, that hammer position is absent. Check your exact collar arrangement before starting.
Should I use first or second gear?
Use first gear for lower-speed, higher-force work such as long screws or larger bits, and second for higher-speed drilling where the bit and material allow it. Stop the motor before moving the selector. If the gear will not engage, do not force it under power.
Can I use hammer mode with a wood or metal bit?
No. Hammer mode is for a suitable masonry bit in masonry. Use the ordinary drill position for wood and metal bits. Running an unsuitable bit with impact action can damage the work, reduce control and place unnecessary load on the accessory and chuck.
Does every Metabo keyless chuck tighten the same way?
No. Chuck markings and mechanisms vary between model families. Insert the bit fully and follow the direction or click instruction in the manual for your drill. Remove the battery first, and do not apply a Quick-chuck removal procedure to a model not identified as Quick.
When should I stop and call a professional?
Stop if you cannot rule out cables or pipes, the fixing is structural, the bit repeatedly stalls in dense masonry or workplace exposure needs assessment. Also stop immediately if a battery is swollen, damaged or will not charge. Do not open or attempt to repair the pack.

Related pages

Metabo cordless drill buying guide

Best Metabo cordless drill

Metabo cordless drill

Metabo 12V or 18V cordless drill: packs do not swap

Metabo cordless drill for masonry: soft-brick plugs

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 for these eight listings.

  1. Metabo UK: SB 18 L cordless combi drill 614053580 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. Metabo UK: PowerMaxx BS Basic cordless drill driver 600984500 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. Metabo UK: BS 18 LTX-3 BL Q I Metal cordless drill driver 603180840 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Metabo UK: battery solutions (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. Metabo UK: XXL warranty (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. HSE: vibration advice to employers (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. HSE: hand-arm vibration regulations (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 22 October 2026)