4 ms·

I don't know how often you drive/remove screws with a drill, but a cordless model is far superior. All of the corded drills I've used put out far too much power

by tcdent 16y ago

I don't know how often you drive/remove screws with a drill, but a cordless model is far superior. All of the corded drills I've used put out far too much power and have limited throttle control. A DeWalt drill, like the article recommends, and like the one I have in my toolbox, will give you adjustments for torque (so you don't over-tighten screws or drive them too deep) and power output (so you don't strip the heads). They also stop spinning as soon as you remove your finger from the trigger, unlike a corded drill which can continue driving the screw in with the built-up inertia. The torque setting really is what makes it so versatile; I regularly use mine to assemble furniture and work on the car, both applications where a corded drill would either damage the part I'm working on, or wreck my wrist when the fastener tightens.

jtbigwoo 16y ago
If you're serious about home improvement and can afford it, I'd suggest getting both a nicer cordless and a medium-priced corded drill. The cordless drill will get used ten times as often as the corded drill because it's so much easier to use and easier to control. The corded drill will do a better job on the heavy duty jobs like drilling through floor joists, plus the corded drill will be lighter, smaller, and more powerful. One other note: we just replaced our Makita 12 volt drill with a Dewalt 18 volt drill. The added power and battery life are nice, but my wrists definitely feel the weight difference after a day of work. If you're shopping around, consider the weight of the cordless drill and what it would feel like to lift that weight a hundred times over the course of a project.
- Vivtek 16y ago
  A corded drill is also useful when you go to make an Afghan lathe.
- tesseract 16y ago
  And if you need a hammer drill but only occasionally, make it the corded one and get a non-hammering cordless drill, as the latter will be quite a bit lighter which is an advantage for everyday use, the hammer drill will be more powerful, and you will probably come out ahead on cost to boot.
- mturmon 16y ago
  This is good advice. A not-too-heavy, high-quality cordless drill is excellent for driving screws, turning bolts, etc., as well as drilling small holes. If you ever have to get into tight spaces or work in attics, crawl spaces, or outdoors far from an outlet, it's great. And often, especially in tight quarters, you don't even want all the torque a good-quality plug-in drill develops -- it can smash your hand if it catches on something. And having a plug-in, high-power drill (preferably with a hammer feature if you might be going thru block, stucco, or concrete) is an excellent complement.

by tcdent 16y ago

jtbigwoo 16y ago

If you're serious about home improvement and can afford it, I'd suggest getting both a nicer cordless and a medium-priced corded drill. The cordless drill will get used ten times as often as the corded drill because it's so much easier to use and easier to control. The corded drill will do a better job on the heavy duty jobs like drilling through floor joists, plus the corded drill will be lighter, smaller, and more powerful. One other note: we just replaced our Makita 12 volt drill with a Dewalt 18 volt drill. The added power and battery life are nice, but my wrists definitely feel the weight difference after a day of work. If you're shopping around, consider the weight of the cordless drill and what it would feel like to lift that weight a hundred times over the course of a project.

Vivtek 16y ago
A corded drill is also useful when you go to make an Afghan lathe.
tesseract 16y ago
And if you need a hammer drill but only occasionally, make it the corded one and get a non-hammering cordless drill, as the latter will be quite a bit lighter which is an advantage for everyday use, the hammer drill will be more powerful, and you will probably come out ahead on cost to boot.
mturmon 16y ago
This is good advice. A not-too-heavy, high-quality cordless drill is excellent for driving screws, turning bolts, etc., as well as drilling small holes. If you ever have to get into tight spaces or work in attics, crawl spaces, or outdoors far from an outlet, it's great. And often, especially in tight quarters, you don't even want all the torque a good-quality plug-in drill develops -- it can smash your hand if it catches on something. And having a plug-in, high-power drill (preferably with a hammer feature if you might be going thru block, stucco, or concrete) is an excellent complement.