Six drills we tested, plus a whole-house standby generator for backup power.
A great cordless drill is the one tool every homeowner uses more than they expect — hanging shelves, assembling furniture, swapping a faucet handle. We tested ten popular drills across plumbing, electrical and basic carpentry tasks to find six worth your money. We also tested a 22,000-watt air-cooled standby generator with a 200-amp transfer switch for whole-house backup power.
| Pick | Award | Rating | Price | Jump to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DeWalt 20V MAX XR Brushless DeWalt | Best Overall | — | $179 – $249 | Read |
Ryobi ONE+ HP Brushless Ryobi | Best Value | — | $99 – $129 | Read |
Milwaukee M18 FUEL Milwaukee | Best for Heavy Use | — | $199 – $299 | Read |
22,000 Watt Air-Cooled Whole House Home Standby Generator & 200-AMP Transfer Switch | Best Whole-House Backup | 4.7 | $4,800 – $6,200 | Read |
Makita 18V LXT Sub-Compact Makita | Best Compact | — | $159 – $199 | Read |
Black+Decker 20V MAX Black+Decker | Best Budget Pick | — | $39 – $59 | Read |
Bosch 18V Brushless Hammer Drill Bosch | Best Hammer Drill | — | $169 – $219 | Read |
The drill we kept reaching for. The brushless motor handles everything from drywall anchors to lag bolts without bogging down, and the 1/2" chuck stays tight after months of abuse.
For under $130 with a battery, this is the easy recommendation for first-time homeowners. It's 80% of the DeWalt for half the money.
If you're renovating a whole room or building a deck, this is the one. The motor genuinely doesn't care what you ask it to do.
We tested this 22kW air-cooled standby generator with a 200-amp transfer switch through simulated outage cycles and load-step tests. It powered the HVAC, fridge, water heater and lights simultaneously without flicker, and the automatic transfer switch restored power in under 10 seconds.
Fits where full-size drills can't — under sinks, inside cabinets, between studs. Our pick for plumbing and HVAC work.
Bare minimum drill for the occasional shelf or IKEA build. We don't love it, but it works.
If you're drilling into brick, mortar or concrete more than once a year, get a hammer drill. The Bosch is precise and surprisingly quiet.
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