The Best lithium ion cordless drill for everyday usage:
Don’t care for long meandering wires cluttering up your workspace? Cordless drills have been making the life easier for a lot of DIYers for some time now.
These amazing machines not only free you from cables but also make it possible to work on locations where there are no power sources.
Now
There are a few varieties of cordless drills to choose from depending on the type of battery they use. We highly recommend buying drills that draw power from Lithium-Ion batteries.
Even though, lithium ion batteries are slightly more expensive than nickel cadmium or nickel metal hydride, they make up for it by being lightweight and having a high charge storage capacity.
What this basically means is Lithium Ion cordless drills are lighter and come with a longer battery life.
However, that’s not the only thing you should look for when selecting a cordless drill for regular usage.
When buying a cordless drill you need to tread carefully because there are a lot of models that suffer from poor battery life, insufficient power, or both.
These cheap models are good for light assembly work but often fail when they have to drill surfaces like hardwood and concrete.
This is why finding the best lithium ion cordless drill for home improvement projects and household fixes can be a bit confusing.
To help you through the process, we went ahead and picked 5 best cordless drills that are available in the market now.
All of the 5 drills deliver great performance and come packed with practical features. In this review, we aim to draw an honest picture about each of these products by listing their advantages as well as limitations.
Top 5: Best Lithium Ion Cordless Drill
The Hitachi DS18DSAL:
When it comes from a company like Hitachi you can rest assured about the quality and performance of the product. Nonetheless, we did some research to find what the Hitachi DS18DSAL has to offer and what are its limitations.
The Hitachi DS18DSAL measures just 7.7inches in length and weighs a mere 3.5 pounds. What’s even more impressive is that Hitachi did not sacrifice on power and performance in an attempt to shrink the size of the drill.
The Hitachi DS18DSAL has a 2-speed setting one from 0 to 350RPM and the other one for 0 to 1500RPM.
The 1500RPM speed coupled with a torque figure of 460in/lbs translates into great drilling power and is adequate enough for concrete and metal surfaces.
The DS18DSAL is powered by a lightweight 1.5Ah lithium-ion battery which stores in a decent charge to complete multiple drilling chores.
The highlight of the battery has to be how fast it charges. It goes zero to full charge in an unbelievable 15 minutes. This is a great advantage as there is nothing more boring than waiting for the battery to charge.
As a bonus, Hitachi packs in a powerful LED flashlight with the drill kit. This is a clever add-on as it makes working in dark conditions a whole lot easier.
Hitachi is confident about their build quality and covers the DS18DSAL with a 10-year warranty. The entire kit which including the flashlight, drill, and battery charger packs neatly inside a sturdy carrying case, which is included in the price.
Overall, if you are looking for a combination of all-around performance and compact size then the Hitachi DS18DSAL is the best lithium ion cordless drill in the market today.
Advantage: The DS18DSAL is very compact and performs surprisingly well.
Disadvantage: The drill tends to get a bit hot after prolonged use.
DEWALT DCD771C2:
When it comes to built quality and performance, there is no questioning a Dewalt tool. The Dewalt DCD771C2 certainly lives up to its name by delivering amazing drilling performance.
Armed with a powerful 300-watt motor, this drilling beast is built for heavy-duty home improvement chores. The DCD771C2 has a 2-speed setting and can go up to 1500RPM.
Dewalt does include 2 battery packs in this kit so you can alternate between the two and work without interruption. Apart from the slightly less battery life, the DCD771C2 outshines its competitors in almost all other departments.
The drill has a small LED light built in above the trigger, which is powerful enough to light up a dark corner.
Dewalt also gets the basics right by fitting the DCD771C2 with a very responsive variable speed trigger, which makes it super-easy to control the RPM on the fly.
The entire kit complete with the drill, 2 battery packs and charger comes packed inside a typical Dewalt black and yellow contractor bag.
If you are looking for a model that has a legendary built quality and is also affordable then the DCD771C2 is probably an obvious choice.
The DCD771C2 is one of the most affordable Dewalt drill kits available in the market today.
The company has managed to pack in some practical features and give the DCD771C2 a typical Dewalt built-quality.
Advantage: One of the most affordable Dewalt cordless drill kits.
Disadvantage: The 1.3ah battery capacity is slightly low compared to the competition.
PORTER-CABLE PCCK600LB:
Porter Cable has been dishing out a range of value-for-money tools that come riddled with practical features. The Porter Cable PCCK600LB is certainly not any different and comes packed with a long list features.
This particular drill is powered by a 1.5ah lithium ion battery that packs in enough juice to last a full working day and also fully charges in as little as 15 minutes.
This kit includes 2 battery packs which mean you can alternate between the two and never run out of power.
The overall design of the tool is also pretty cool and typical red and black elements give it a Transformer-like look.
The drill is very compact and weighs just 3.5lbs with the battery attached. The compact size and lightweight also makes it an ideal tool for working in space-restrictive areas.
This cordless drill comes equipped with a great motor that can deliver a power output of 330 unit watts out. This makes the tool perfect for a variety of drilling and fastening chores.
The built-in LED light is also a nifty little addition which is now becoming a standard feature in almost all cordless drills.
It does have a battery fuel gauge which is a feature that a lot of manufacturers, including Dewalt, fail to include in their cordless products. If you are someone who has to work with a lot of different tools then you would not regret buying the PCCK600LB.
For starters, it takes very little space and measures just 8inches in length.
On top of that, the tool also comes fitted with a clip that fits any standard-sized belt and lets you free your hands for other things.
Overall, Porter Cable manages to get everything right with the PCCK600LB and it should definitely be one of your top choices when out buying a cordless drill.
Advantage: The PCCK600LB has a nice blend of power and compactness.
Disadvantage: When compared to other 20V cordless drills, the Porter Cable PCCK600LB can seem a bit pricey.
Black & Decker BDCDMT120:
When it comes to introducing quality products at an affordable price nothing beats a Black & Decker.
One of the most affordable 20V cordless drills in the market, the BDCDMT120 is everything you expect from a Black & Decker.
The drill packs in a 20V motor that churns out enough power to take on any kind of fastening or drilling task. Before we list any other feature, it first needs to be mentioned that the BDCDMT120 is part of Black & Decker’s Matrix system.
What this means is that the front end of the drill can be detached and you can attach other Black & Decker pieces such as a sander or a jigsaw attachment.
The base unit remains the same and you can attach the compatible drill, sander, or jigsaw front attachment as and when you need it.
This is a great advantage as you longer have to carry 3 full-sized tools when working on a major project. This technology alone makes the BDCDMT120 the best lithium ion cordless drill when it comes to versatility.
When it comes to performance the drill has a maximum speed of 800 RPM and has a single speed setting. Black & Decker also does not reveal the torque figures anywhere in the manuals or in the box.
According to most customer reviews, the BDCDMT120 does surprisingly well even when drilling on tough surfaces such as hardwood and metal.
This particular kit comes with a single battery pack, which means you would need to buy an additional pack if you want uninterrupted power. Buying the second battery pack also becomes compulsory because the BDCDMT120 takes hours to charge up fully.
Overall, these are all acceptable compromises when you consider that fact that you get the convenience of transforming your drill into a sander in a matter of seconds.
Advantage: The Matrix technology is a unique feature that gives you the convenience of carrying compact tool-heads and interchange them as per requirement.
Disadvantage: The BDCDMT120 has a low RPM figure and only a 1-speed setting.
Black & Decker LDX120C:
We have been saving the best for last and it’s the Black & Decker LDX120C. Being the most compact and the most functional drill in the market, the LDX120C is the ultimate tool for everyday usage.
In fact, it’s so light that you can perform any drilling or fastening chore using one hand.
This particular model also comes with what Black & Decker calls Autosense Technology.
This technology allows the machine to automatically shut down the motor when the screw head nears the surface. This again is a great innovation from Black & Decker as it prevents you from overdriving the screws or accidentally damaging the surface you are working on.
The drill has single speed setting that takes it up to a maximum speed of 650RPM and has 115in/lbs of torque.
Now, these figures may look low on paper but in reality, the LDX120C can drill plastic, metal, and hardwood surfaces with absolute ease. The Black & Decker LDX120C is also equipped with a built-in LED work light that automatically turns on when you press the trigger.
This drill is powered by a lithium ion battery which almost takes 4 hours to charge completely.
The great thing about the battery pack is that it can hold its charge for as long as 18 months making the tool perfect for people who plan to use it occasionally. To sum up, we think the Black & Decker LDX120C is one of the best lithium ion cordless drills under $100 on the market.
Advantage: This is the most lightweight and compact cordless drill, which is built for everyday usage.
Disadvantage: The Black & Decker LDX120C has low torque and RPM figures.
3 Tips & Closing Shop
If we had to pick one from all the drills we reviewed above, then it has to be the Black & Decker LDX120C as the best lithium ion cordless drill. Its small size and lightweight design make it amazingly practical for everyday chores such as furniture assembly and fixing stuff on the wall…
If you seek something that delivers a little bit more power without being too bulky we suggest you go for the Hitachi DS18DSAL.
On the other hand, if you want raw driving power, the Porter Cable PCCK600LB is the clear winner.
No matter what you pick
Make sure the drill matches to your project needs. Before we conclude our review we want to leave you with 3 valuable tips on using cordless drills that will keep you safe and help you work more efficiently.
- Keep The Bit Secure: The drill and screw bits are choking hazards and thus should always be kept in a secure location away from the curious hands of your children. Get into the habit of putting the bits back in the box as soon as you are finished using them.
- Understand The Importance of Pilot Holes: Always drill pilot holes as opposed to boring screws directly on flat surfaces. They keep the screws from snapping or you accidentally damaging the surface.
- Put One Battery On Charge Before You Start Working: If you have 2 battery packs, then it makes sense to put one on charge before you start working. This ensures you always have replacement battery if your drill runs out of juice.
Hope this best li-ion drill reviews article was helpful… which li-ion drill fits you the most?