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How to use a cordless drill

Updated: October 2026

The shelf bracket is marked, the drill is out of the box, and the numbered ring behind the chuck looks like a power dial. It is not. Most stripped screws come from that ring, the gear slider, or a bit that was never seated. Knowing how to use a cordless drill means setting the chuck, the direction, the gear and the collar before you pull the trigger. This page is that first hour for the drills in our comparison, not a ranking. The [cordless drill comparison](/hub/screws-and-accessories/cordless-drill) is where the twelve listings sit. Products Compared has not stood over your workpiece. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The shelf bracket is marked, the drill is out of the box, and the numbered ring behind the chuck looks like a power dial. It is not.

Our top picks

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40

Best overall

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40
9.4/10about £75.23
View offer
BLACK+DECKER BLACK+DECKER BCD001C1-GB

Rank 2

BLACK+DECKER BLACK+DECKER BCD001C1-GB
9.2/10about £35
View offer
JYGMPRO JYGMPRO DZL00010

Best value

JYGMPRO JYGMPRO DZL00010
8.6/10about £42.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Fit the bit and lock the trigger first
  2. 2.Gear 1 for screws, gear 2 for small holes
  3. 3.The numbers are a clutch, not a power score
  4. 4.Holes use the drill symbol, not a number
  5. 5.Kit bits, and when to put the drill down

Fit the bit and lock the trigger first

Charge the pack before you need it. A 1.5 Ah battery that arrives half empty will die on the third screw and feel like a fault. Fit the pack until it clicks, then centre the forward-reverse slider so the trigger cannot run while your fingers are on the chuck. Wonkee Donkee’s bit guide is the short version: stop, open the chuck by hand anti-clockwise, seat the bit in the centre of the jaws, and tighten clockwise by hand. Do not use the motor to close the chuck. A screwdriver bit should be held on the hex shank, not the tip.

Gear 1 for screws, gear 2 for small holes

Where the drill has two speeds, gear 1 is the slow range, for screws and larger bits. Gear 2 is the fast range, for small holes in timber and thin metal within the listed capacity. Core Service says never to slide the gear lever while the motor is running. If the lever will not move, stop, rock the chuck a fraction by hand, and try again. The BLACK+DECKER BCD001C1-GB lists one speed, 600 rpm, and no second gear. You still have the clutch, and you still start a screw gently. Set the gear before the clutch.
Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40

Testsieger

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40
9.4/10about £75.23
View offer

The numbers are a clutch, not a power score

The numbered ring is a clutch. At a low number the clutch clicks and the bit stops while the motor is still running. That click is the tool refusing to bury the screw. BuildWiz says to start lower than you think. The bands, about 1–5 for small screws, about 8–14 for wood screws, and the teens and twenties for larger fixings, are a rule of thumb. The Bosch EasyImpact models list 20 torque levels. The BLACK+DECKER drills list 10. The JYGMPRO listing prints 25+3. Setting 7 on one collar is not setting 7 on another. Pozidriv screws, marked PZ, are the common UK wood screw. A Phillips bit climbs out of that head. Match the stamp, which is the point of mixing up Pozidriv and Phillips. The drill symbol locks the clutch out. Use it for holes, not for screws.

Holes use the drill symbol, not a number

Turn the collar to the drill symbol, past the highest number, before you start a hole. On a numbered setting the clutch clicks as soon as the bit bites. Keep the pressure light and let the bit cut. Withdraw it part-way on a deep hole so the flutes clear. The Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40 lists a 13 mm chuck and a 30 mm wood capacity. Stay inside the capacity on your own listing. The brick job is on the cordless drill for brick page.

Kit bits, and when to put the drill down

Returning a drill because a kit bit snapped is a mistake this comparison sees often. Rivlox reviewers describe bits that bend and snap. JYGMPRO owners replaced the masonry and metal bits and kept the drill. The Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40 lists a double screwdriver bit, and reviewers say drill bits are not included. Buy a Pozidriv bit before you judge the gearbox. Stop if the drill smells of burning or the charger smokes. If you have not bought yet, the cordless drill buying guide is the order of choices.

Common questions

Which gear for screws, and which for a small hole?
Use gear 1, the slower range, for screws and larger bits. Use gear 2 for a small hole in timber or thin metal. Stop the chuck before you move the lever. The BLACK+DECKER BCD001C1-GB lists only one speed, 600 rpm, so you cannot make that change. On that drill, keep the work light and use the clutch.
What do the numbers on the collar do?
They set the clutch, which clicks and stops the bit when the screw meets that resistance. A low number slips early. A high number drives further before it slips. The drill symbol bypasses the clutch for holes. BuildWiz’s bands are a rule of thumb, and a 7 on a 10-position BLACK+DECKER collar is not the same place as a 7 on a 20-position Bosch collar.
How do you change a bit in a keyless chuck?
Stop the drill, centre the direction slider so the trigger is locked, and open the chuck anti-clockwise by hand. Seat the bit in the middle of the jaws and tighten clockwise by hand. Do not run the motor to clamp the bit. If the bit slips, open the chuck and reseat it rather than clamping harder while it spins.
Why does the clutch click before the screw is flush?
The number is too low for that screw and that timber. Stop, raise the collar by one or two positions, and drive again. If you are on the drill symbol by mistake, the screw sinks without clicking. Start lower than you expect. A pilot hole helps a long screw more than maximum clutch does.
Can you change gear while the drill is spinning?
No. Core Service and Ultimate Handyman both say to stop before you change gear, direction or the collar. Sliding the gear lever at speed is a common way to damage the gearbox. If the lever sticks, stop fully, turn the chuck a little by hand, and move the lever again.

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Sources

Public UK sources on machinery marking, drill standards, chargers and battery disposal. Listing prices, stars and review counts are from the amazon.co.uk extracts kept for this comparison on 15 October 2026. Prices move.

  1. Which?, How to buy the best cordless drill (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  2. BSI, BS EN 62841-2-1:2018+A12:2022 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  3. GOV.UK, Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  4. GOV.UK, UKCA and CE by sector (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  5. HSE, INDG271 Buying new machinery (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  6. HSE, Hand-arm vibration regulations (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  7. Electrical Safety First, Chargers (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  8. Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35 (retrieved 15 October 2026)