If you search about cordless drill in amazon or other eCommerce website, you will find tonnes of options to chose from. If you are not familiar about this tool, you will find it really difficult to choose between various models. Drills of various shape and sizes have been in use since many decades now. Not so long ago, the cordless variants of drills were not considered as a practical choice due to various reasons-
1) It was not able to produce enough torque
2) It did not have much speed (RPM)
3) The battery life was not good enough.
Although, the cordless drills were not that powerful, they had one big advantage over the AC drill. The cordless variants were portable and were easy to carry from one place to another. The drill operator was no more required to worry about the availability of power outlet at the place of work. And, it was this advantage of a cordless drill that motivated the manufacturers to improvise the tool and make it more usable.
Now, the cordless drills are more powerful, they come with high RPM and thanks to lithium-ion batteries; they have very good battery life. Brands like Dewalt, Milwaukee, Makita, Porter Cable, Bosch offer numerous varieties of drill/driver in 12 volt, 18 volt and 20 volt range.
Buying GuideIf you are out in the market to buy a new cordless drill, you can check reviews on sites like thetoolguides.com(
http://thetoolguides.com/best-20v-cordlessdrill-reviews-2016/) or Amazon.com. Below are some of the factors you should consider before buying a cordless drill-
1) Volts – As stated above, you can buy a 12v, 18v or 20v cordless drill. The 20v drill will be more powerful and heavier as compared to 12v and 18v. The 20v variants will be able to produce more torque and will allow you to drill on harder surfaces. Depending upon your requirement, you can chose between these variants.
2) Size and Weight – It is always advisable to buy a drill which is light in weight and compact in size. The light weigh tool makes sure that the operator does not get tired too early before the completion of the job. The compact size allows you to use the drill in tight and confined spaces easily. The compact drills are also easy to carry to different places.
3) Battery – The
lithium ion batteries are light in weight, they help to reduce the overall weight of the drill. These batteries offer approx. 33% more run time in comparison to Ni-Cad batteries. When you have these batteries on your drill, you will get the benefit of retaining the charge on this tool for approx. 18 months. Many variants come with fast charger for li-ion batteries, which allows you to completely charge the batteries with in minutes.
4) Ergonomic design – If a cordless drill features ergonomic design, you will be required to put in less effort to keep the drill straight and pointed towards the target surface. The ergonomic design also mkes operating a drill more comfortable.
Apart from these, you should try to chose a drill which comes with feature like-
a) LED Lights – These help to illuminated the surface ahead if you are working in dark areas
b) Sleeveless Ratcheting chuck – These chucks hold bits more securely and allow you to change bits with one hand while working on the job
c) Battery Gauge – This feature helps you to monitor the battery usage so that you can plan your job accordingly.
d) Manufacturer Warranty – This proves to be very useful if something goes wrong with the drill soon after the purchase.