Corded vs Cordless drill for me?

[Dynasty]

I could use some input regarding whether a corded drill or cordless drill would be the correct tool for my usage? The drill would see infrequent use (maybe once per month) on simple DIY projects for the homeowner. Wouldn't the batteries on the cordless drill go bad from such infrequent use? Also, I am not sure what the appropriate size drill would be? 3/8" or 1/2"? I know I could probably get by for now without a drill, but when I do need to drive screws/fasteners, having a drill is convenient.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I have a cordless drill and have never wished I had corded.

 

[chruler]

Cordless drills are so good these days that you'll be fine with one. It sure is nice to just pick it up and use it without the cord getting in the way. For small projects it will be fine.

 

[JagLite]

For infrequent use I would go for a 3/8" plug in drill.

If you have cordless, you would need to leave a battery pack in the charger all the time.
I have several of both and only get the plug in drill(s) out if I am going to do a lot of drilling.

But I have multiple battery packs and two chargers for my Ryobi cordless tools and I use them daily and always rotate the batteries in the chargers.

 

[Voi]

I know I could probably get by for now without a drill, but when I do need to drive screws/fasteners, having a drill is convenient.

If you'll be using the tool that infrequently that's a good argument for a corded version. However, if the tool is primarily for driving screws/fasteners then I'd prefer a drill with a clutch and that's pretty rare for a corded drill. I can only think of one corded drill with a clutch and even then I can't remember which brand much less if it's still made.

For what it is worth, I'd rather keep my impact driver than any of my drills, especially if driving screws is the main purpose. I have a 1/4" hex chuck I can put in it on those occasions I can only bring one tool.

I have seen corded impact drivers but I've never used one so I don't know how they compare to cordless.

I use my impact driver for socket work (with an adapter), driving anything from construction screws to lags and occasionally for drilling.

 

[pstemari]

I've had a Milwaukee 14.4 NiCd for years, works fine. The battery packs need to be rebuilt periodically—Interstate Batteries do it for about $40 each IIRC.

I bought a corded Milwaukee for heavy duty tasks like driving bulb augers or stirring mortar. They both have their strengths and weaknesses.

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[M6erfan]

I'm in the same boat as you, DIY homeowner type...

I have both, an older Porter Cable 3/8" corded and a newer Bosch 18v cordless (couple years old). I haven't used the Porter Cable since getting the Bosch. I have had no problems with batteries but I use them on my Bosch 1/2" impact and reciprocating saw also, so they get semi frequent use.

 

[Chevy-SS]

Cords??? No frakkin' way! Go cordless. Li-ion batteries are incredible nowadays. They have lots of power and hold their charge wonderfully. I am using the cordless 18v Ryobi tools from Home Depot and they rock.

 

[ez-duzit]

There is another current thread.

I use my corded drills 100:1 over my cordless.

 

[maxpower_hd]

LI-ION is a must for cordless to me. I use cordless 90% of the time. Corded or air if I am drilling a lot of thick steel or something.

Also for driving fasteners I like the 1/4" impact drive much better. It helps keeping from stripping out screws. I only use the drill for drilling holes now since I got the driver. You can also get a chuck that fits in the drive so you can use it like a drill but it can break smaller drill bits do to the impact action.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

Cordless 95% of the time (Makita LXT drill/driver and impact)... but I do have a big Milwaukee corded (less RPM, but a LOT more torque) needed when using large hole saws and spades (will break your wrist).

 

[Shiftless]

I use my corded Milwaulkee half inch drill for shooting in long hex drive framing screws. Zips them right in.
For deck screws I like a cordless impact driver.
Recently I had to drill multiple 3/4 inch holes with a Forstner bit into maple. I used the corded Milwaulkee for that.
BMW is right that the powerful corded drills are capable of breaking your wrist or throwing you off a ladder if the bit catches. Watch out!
For light weight jobs I use cordless 3/8 or half inch drill motors.

Different tools for different jobs. Right?

If you truly do only lightweight drilling, go cordless with Lithium batteries.
You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars for Milwaulkee 18 volt brushless.

 

[Ign]

I've never seen a corded 3/8" drill that has sufficient torque at low speeds.

Most of us have forgotten the days of squeeze the trigger a little....drill hums....squeeze a little more....drill hums louder.....squeeze again..... WHHIRRRR! fastener is stripped.

They're fine for drilling wood at WOT, that's it. Or 1/8" bits in steel

 

[losvre]

Cordless drill to work around and stand drill for metal working.

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[Mark in Indiana]

Dynasty,
Why not have both kinds?

I have 3 vintage corded drills:
(1) Milwaukee 3/8", (1) Milwaukee 1/2" & (1) Black & Decker Heavy Duty 1/2" hammer drill.

I have (1) Dewalt 3/8" cordless drill.

IMO:
The cordless drill is unbeatable for field work or very quick jobs.
However, the corded drills are best for long jobs and jobs that require a lot of torque ( like installing drywall). Also, used, quality brand, corded drills are very - very cheap in my area.

 

[jd_1138]

Did you need an impact driver too? They have about 1,500 in-lbs of torque to drive larger fasteners. The 2 drill kits (1/4" impact driver and a regular drill with 2 batteries/charger/bag) are only $99 at Home Depot.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-18-Volt-ONE-Drill-Driver-and-Impact-Driver-Kit-P1832/207092155

That's a lot of bang for the buck. Plus it has batteries to get you started in the Ryobi world with like a gazillion of their tools. The oscillating multi-tool is great. Also, the little Ryobi radio can be used as a garage radio or a party radio to keep your batteries from sitting in between uses of the tools. I play Pandora on mine.

 

[GirchyGirchy]

I resisted cordless for a very long time....luckily, long enough for Li-ion batteries to become the norm! Last holiday season, I gave in and bought one of the DeWalt 20V combo kits, the cheaper US-assembled version with a drill and impact.

Since then, I've used them for most of the jobs I've done around the house. The batteries they come with are a little lacking IMO, so I bought a 2-pack of the 4.0 AH batteries to use as well. Otherwise, I love them, and highly recommend them. They're light, have LEDs to see what you're doing, the Li-ion batteries have a very long shelf life so you don't need to leave them on the charger, etc.

I do still break out the other corded drills sometimes - a high-torque Makita for metal, DwWalt hammer drill for masonry, and a standard 3/8" Craftsman.

 

[DFB]

Oh man I don't know...for me the future is in cutting the cord.

Its a shame in a way since I do have 6 very nice Makita corded tools that I rarely to never use at all any more it seems. a DP3720 3/8VSR, drill that I recently replaces the switch/speedlock, a 6302 1/2" drill (really nice) with 550 RPM, an HP1500 9/16 hammer drill, and 6821 drywall screwdriver...along with hundreds of feet of heavy duty extension cords, and several halogen lamps. All the drills have steel keyed chucks too. Plus there's a JR3000recip and the 5007NB 7 1/4 circular

Obviously you can get a lot of corded drill for pretty reasonable costs these days and many people need a lower rpm high amp drill usually for mixing. My pal just got a big RYOBI side handle hammer drill for like less than $50 and about the only cordless platform for that money might be smaller Ryobi or a Black an Decker tool like found at Wally World. Kind of funny though watching him try to use that to drive screws and as a makeshift nutdriver...like its been mentioned no clutch option

And then of course who can beat HF for a corded keyless 3/8 drill what are they...something like $12 with coupon

If occasional light use is all you ever ask a small corded tool will probably never fail you and probably won't break the bank account either but overall the convenience of cordless is priceless to me.

 

[RodneyW]

For infrequent use that you describe you could probably get away with a cheap HF cordless. If you can't hardly stand the thought of that, treat yourself to a nice Milwaukee.
I've had an 18V version for years and abuse the heck out of it. It's more than paid for itself.
Cordless is so much handier as long as the batteries are charged and charge cycles are much faster than they used to be.
Rodney

 

[bcradio]

Cheap corded first, then get you a cordless setup

 

[wolf_from_wv]

My first drill was a 600rpm Craftsman 1/2" corded drill with a side handle. It has been used to drill holes in vehicle frames, used with hole saws, and recently to stir up buckets of drywall compound.

My cordless drill and impact driver have seen much more use.

 

[Davefr]

The drill would see infrequent use (maybe once per month) on simple DIY projects for the homeowner.

For what you describe go corded and here's why:

- As long as you have 120 VAC and a cord you'll always be able to use your drill.
- With cordless you could be faced with batteries that need recharged or batteries that are past their shelf life. Even batteries that are rarely used start to degrade the minute they leave the factory. Even Li Ion.
- If you do need new batteries after 5 years or so they'll cost you a bundle or may even be obsolete. That can make your drill a throwaway tool.

Cordless is best for frequent use when you want freedom from a cord.

Corded is best for infrequent use when you know you'll always have easy access to 120VAC

 

[JJThrasher]

I gave up on cordless because I rarely use them. Seems like I'd use it 4-5 times and would need new batteries. I have air powered drills and corded drills.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Modern Lithium Ion batteries hold their charge for a very long time. Will it be 100% 6 weeks after taking it off the charger ? NO ! But a NiCad or even a NiNh will probably be dead.

For the AVERAGE DIYer. a standard, brushed, non-hammer, 3/8" drill is fine for a first drill. Will it do everything ? NO, but it will be reasonably priced and do 90-95% of what you want done. I am not really impressed by drill/drivers. If you have a lot of screws to do, buy a 1/4" hex impact. It is the right tool for the job.

I have always said, a person needs 2 drills. A decent 3/8" battery operated drill and a good heavy duty, triple gear reduction CORDED 1/2" drill. Some people will tell you to get a hammer drill. In my 50+ years of using tools, there was probably less than 10 time when I really need a hammer drill. A "star drill" and BHF worked every time.

 

[Markfothebeast]

I also have the Dewalt 20v impact and drill. The more expensive models. Brushless I believe. They have taken a beatin. The chucks are real wobbly, though. I use the impact for working on cars to just about everything. It could probably please a woman with the right adapter.

I also have the 18v Dewalt drill and it is a total turd compared to the 20v. But when i need to drill 1" holes through joists the 20v drill struggles. I have the 3AH batteries in addition to the standard batteries. The 20v angle grinder lasts about 4 minutes with 3ah batteries. And the 1/2" impact eats them up real quick too. Home Depot was about half the price for a pair of 3ah batteries over most other local stores.

I bought my dad the Milwaukee M18 on sale at HD's website for $89 and it definitely has a power advantage. It feels tough and durable. The battery also charges much quicker. But they drain quick. The Milwaukee I wanted would have cost much more with the additional batteries and such. I'm still happy with my Dewalt 20v tools. I have people calling me to bring them over to fix something all the time.

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[Markfothebeast]

If I have any power issues I pull this old beast out. I've used it to turn engines over. It will twist an arm or wrist off.

 

[jd_1138]

If I have any power issues I pull this old beast out. I've used it to turn engines over. It will twist an arm or wrist off.

You could take that motor out of it and power a golf cart with it.

 

[Kev442]

I think the OP would be happy with a Black Friday cordless deal on whatever lithium is on ad.
I do raise my eyebrows at the guys who insist on never owning a corded drill, that their $3-400 investment in big red or whatever will haul the mail no matter what comes up.
I have used a corded 1/2" drill to do things that a cordless might have done, but when a corded 1/2" drill is getting mighty warm from the project, I shudder to think what kind of abuse that would be on the cordless.
Most recently drilling out spot welds, about 60 of them at a time.

 

[Hybridss]

Get decent cordless drill with the Lithium batteries. I have some Ryobi 18v Lithium batteries that are 4-5 years old now and they keep right on going.

Then search Craigslist or Estate sales for a corded drill. Typical corded drill can barely be given away unless they are some kind of specialty corded drill. I see them all the time for $10-25

I LOVE my cordless 18V Ryobi and use it 5 or more times a week. Heck...I use it to start half of my lawn equipment...lol.

 

[losvre]

If you want a very powerful one look for the METABO 18V which has the collar so it can be attached on the a drill stand.

Make sure it is made in Germany, mine is and after 4 years using occasionally with two batteries you can get a days work almost.

It has 110 Nm torque enough to start your car[emoji4]

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[mbshop]

I have a corded rockwell I got in the early 70s and used the heck out of it for nearly 30 years. Got a snap on cordless which was mediocre. 3 years ago I got a bosch cordless drill driver. That bosch never seaces to surprise me. Love it's small size and crazy power. But for long drilling or cleaning sessions I always use the corded drill. So if you are looking at occasional use but I'm sure a long life expectancy then get the bosch. But do look for a good old corded drill at a cheap price afterwards.

 

[Teenager with old tools]

I prefer my corded. Of course I don't know the cost on it it's a hitachi it's drill or hammer drill option. Drives screws amazingly


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[wrenchMONKEY_]

I've made due with my Makita cordless drill/driver/hammer drill. Tho I blew the brushes about a year ago and had it rebuilt.

I was using it to power my tubing notcher and it was not cutting it. Eating batteries.
I spent $100 on a corded 1/2 Dewalt DW235G 8.5 AMP Metal Gear Box drill. Its nice to have the corded option. Torque and power for days.

I had to drill some 1/2 holes I 1/4 steel the other day, and it was smooth and easy.
I am happy to have both. But, for just one, I'd take a cordless if your not gonna go too big. Some companies have battery programs where you can swap em out easily enough.

 

[KMdef9]

Get the cordless. I only use corded for big projects or drilling out hardened bolts.

Batteries will be just fine, charge them up after use, leave off charger once fully charged. I still have some ****** nicd dewalt batteries at home from years ago that still work.

 

[Markfothebeast]

You could take that motor out of it and power a golf cart with it. [emoji106]

Or a Toyota Prius. It says it's only 3.5 amps. That's considerably less than the newer Black & Decker I have that's about a third as powerful.

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[Markfothebeast]

Has anyone tried the 20v Dewalt framing nailer? Is there a corded framing nailer out there? I haven't used anything other than pneumatic.

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[GirchyGirchy]

Cheap corded first, then get you a cordless setup

Why go cheap corded? If you're going to buy one first and then another, at least make the corded useful...hammer drill, heavy duty, etc.

 

[bcradio]

Why go cheap corded? If you're going to buy one first and then another, at least make the corded useful...hammer drill, heavy duty, etc.

By cheap I mean get a used one to save some $. If OP isn't on a budget then go all out and get a high end corded and cordless by all means.

Do not get a corded hammerdrill instead of a corded non-hammerdrill as the hammerdrills typically have a much higher RPM than non-hammerdrils (corded). You want something that is under 1000 RPM preferably as this is a better speed for general drilling. I would get the hammerdrill as a feature in your cordless drill or as a second corded drill after the non-hammer version is purchased.

 

[Dynasty]

Did you need an impact driver too? They have about 1,500 in-lbs of torque to drive larger fasteners. The 2 drill kits (1/4" impact driver and a regular drill with 2 batteries/charger/bag) are only $99 at Home Depot.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-18-Volt-ONE-Drill-Driver-and-Impact-Driver-Kit-P1832/207092155

That's a lot of bang for the buck. Plus it has batteries to get you started in the Ryobi world with like a gazillion of their tools. The oscillating multi-tool is great. Also, the little Ryobi radio can be used as a garage radio or a party radio to keep your batteries from sitting in between uses of the tools. I play Pandora on mine.

I checked these out at my local Home Dept today.

For the money and non pro work will it handle around the house tasks without being outdated in a few years?

Will it handle removing lug nuts to rotate tires and complete a deck project without any trouble?

Or is it better to pass on these tools and spend the extra money on a Dewalt, Milwaukee, or Makita tool?

 

[DFB]

I checked these out at my local Home Dept today.

For the money and non pro work will it handle around the house tasks without being outdated in a few years?

Will it handle removing lug nuts to rotate tires and complete a deck project without any trouble?

Or is it better to pass on these tools and spend the extra money on a Dewalt, Milwaukee, or Makita tool?

Ryobi is a lot of bang for the buck, You certainty will lay out more much money for other brands of tools.

Now If your looking to do lugnuts in the the Ryobi lineup the P1890 impact WRENCH may be more the type of tool you need than a typical 1/4 hex shank impact DRIVER.

I personally don't think Ryobi will be leaving anytime soon and interestingly they are one brand that actually retrofits their battery to earlier tools with that One Plus system. (And that has been a past issue with some of the other brand names).

Ryobi does seem to offer a version of just about most everything from hammer drills, and impacts to work lights, radios, reciprocating saws, lawn tools, garden sprayers and even water transfer pumps. It is slightly amazing to me how they can do it. They are many happy Ryobi owners in the world so guess they can get jobs done.

If you are interested in more about Ryobi, Real Tool Reviews has published test videos on numerous Ryobi products and you can usually find other youtube vids on many products these days along with written tool reviews like from Pro Tool, Workshop Addict, Concord Carpenter, Tool Craze, and a few others.

My best advice would be compare the tool to its counterpart from other manufacturers. Things like weight, size, power, ergonomics along with certain advancements like brushless motors and compact sizing can all play a factor in your final decision as does the battery package, amp hrs, charge rates and even the warranty.