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How to use an Einhell combi drill

Updated: October 2026

Knowing how to use an Einhell combi drill starts with one small test: set the clutch low and drive a screw into scrap timber before you touch the finished work. That shows how the numbered collar, the gearbox and the trigger behave. Controls vary across Power X-Change, so keep the manual for your exact model beside you. The [Einhell cordless drill comparison](/hub/screws-and-accessories/einhell-cordless-drill) shows which saved listings have one or two gears and which state a hammer mode. Listings were saved on 16 October 2026. This is not a lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Knowing how to use an Einhell combi drill starts with one small test: set the clutch low and drive a screw into scrap timber before you touch the finished work.

Our top picks

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/2 Li-i +22

Best overall

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/2 Li-i +22
9.0/10about £89.95
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Einhell Einhell TC-CD 18/35 Li

Rank 2

Einhell Einhell TC-CD 18/35 Li
8.0/10about £43
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Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/44 Li-I

Best value

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/44 Li-I
8.6/10about £44
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On this page
  1. 1.Set the clutch before driving a screw
  2. 2.Use low gear for force and high gear for holes
  3. 3.Fit and check a bit in the keyless chuck
  4. 4.Charge safely and know when to stop

Set the clutch before driving a screw

Remove the battery before you fit a bit. With the bit seated and the battery refitted, turn the numbered clutch ring to a low setting. Hold the drill square, squeeze the trigger gently, and let the bit seat before you add speed. If the clutch clicks before the screw is flush, raise the setting by one or two steps and try again on scrap. On the TE-CD 18/44 manual, that click means the torque setting has operated. It does not by itself mean a broken gearbox. The numbers are clutch limits, not 21 speeds. Drill and hammer symbols change that control for holes. Start low on small screws and hinges. A pilot hole often beats turning the collar to maximum. Clamp a small piece so the drill cannot spin it. The Einhell cordless drill buying guide is where you choose a tool with those controls.

Use low gear for force and high gear for holes

On a two-speed combi, select gear one while the tool is stopped for long screws and a controlled start. Select gear two, again only while stopped, for higher-speed drilling in wood or metal. The trigger still varies speed inside that range, so begin slowly until the bit has a centre. The TC-CD 18/35 highlight states one speed, so there is no second gear. Its numbered ring is still a clutch. If a selector will not move, release the trigger, remove the battery, and turn the chuck slightly by hand. Do not force a half-engaged gearbox under power. Mark the centre in wood and support the exit side. In metal, use the correct bit and the maker’s lubrication. Hammer mode is a separate collar on combis that state it. It is not gear two, and a combination-drill field does not create it. Use the Einhell drill for brick page before masonry, especially where a wall may hide cables or pipes.
Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/2 Li-i +22

Testsieger

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/2 Li-i +22
9.0/10about £89.95
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Fit and check a bit in the keyless chuck

With the battery removed, open the keyless chuck wider than the shank, seat the bit centrally, and close the jaws so all three grip. Tighten the sleeve as the manual describes. Refit the battery, point the tool somewhere safe, and run it briefly at low speed. Reseat a bit that wobbles. Match the driver bit to the screw recess. A worn bit will cam out. A wood bit is not a masonry bit, and a masonry bit does not turn a drill driver into a hammer drill. Many TE-CD and TP-CD listings state 13 mm. The TC-CD 18/35 models use 10 mm. Keep the shank inside that capacity. If the chuck slips, check that the shank is clean and central. If the bit jams, release the trigger, remove the battery, and free the work without using the drill as a wrench. Smoke, a burning smell or repeated slip under a modest load is a stop. Move reverse only after the chuck has stopped. Keep sleeves, hair and gloves clear of the chuck.

Charge safely and know when to stop

Let a hot battery cool, then put the original charger on a stable, ventilated surface. A UK household charger should suit a BS 1363 socket. Three extracted reviews of one TE-CD 18/40 kit report a European two-pin charger without an adaptor. Do not improvise a connection. Ask the seller for the correct UK equipment. Follow the charger’s own indicators. Store the pack away from moisture, metal and heat. Stop if it swells, smokes, leaks or has damaged terminals. Electrical Safety First advises the original charger and stopping on those signs. One saved review says a TE-CD 18/48 arrived without an English manual. HSE guidance expects safety information in English. Get the correct instructions from Einhell or the seller before you guess at the controls. If the box had no battery, the solo or kit page says what else the body needs.

Common questions

Which gear should I use for screws?
Use gear one on a two-speed model for controlled low-speed torque, then start with a low clutch setting. The TC-CD 18/35 listing states one speed, so check your exact drill rather than searching for a second gear that is not present.
What are the numbered torque settings?
They are clutch limits for screwdriving, not gearbox speeds. A low number lets the clutch slip sooner. A higher number allows more torque. Test on scrap timber and increase gradually until the screw finishes flush without damaging the head.
When should I move the collar to hammer?
Only when your exact model states a hammer or percussion mode and you are using an appropriate masonry bit in brick or similar material. Do not use hammer mode for ordinary screws, and do not assume a TC-CD 18/35 has it.
The clutch is rattling. Is it broken?
Clicking while driving can mean the selected clutch torque has been reached. Release the trigger and check the screw. Grinding, smoke, a burning smell, or noise that continues outside normal clutch operation, means you stop and inspect the tool.
How should I charge a PXC pack?
Use the original compatible charger on a stable, ventilated surface and follow its indicators. Do not use an improvised two-pin connection in a UK socket. Stop if the pack is damaged, swollen, leaking or smoking.

Related pages

Screws and accessories

Einhell cordless drill

Best Einhell cordless drill for a kit, box or solo

Einhell cordless drill buying guide for hammer and kit

Einhell drill for brick and when you should hire an SDS

Einhell drill solo or with a battery already at home

Sources

Public UK sources on cordless drills, machinery supply, hand-held drill standards and charger safety. Listing prices, stars and review counts are from the amazon.co.uk extracts kept for these twelve ASINs on 16 October 2026. Prices move.

  1. Which?, cordless drills for DIY (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  2. Einhell UK, TE-CD 18/44 Li-i (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  3. Einhell UK, cordless drill drivers (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  4. BSI, BS EN 62841-2-1:2018+A12:2022 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  5. GOV.UK, Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  6. HSE, INDG271 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  7. Electrical Safety First, drills (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  8. GOV.UK OPSS 2511-0084 (retrieved 16 October 2026)