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Best Drill Sets

Updated July 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
PORTER-CABLE 20-Volt MAX Lithium Ion 8-Tool Combo Kit
PORTER-CABLE
20-Volt MAX Lithium Ion 8-Tool Combo Kit
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Most Comprehensive
Bottom Line

If you need top-quality drills and other power tools for almost any building, remodeling, or repair task, this is your best option. Our home improvement expert recommends this for DIYers and pros alike.

Pros

In addition to powerful drill and impact drivers, this impressive 20-volt 8-tool set includes nearly everything any do-it-yourselfer or contractor needs for serious work. Comes with 2 batteries, charger, and 2 carrying bags. A great gift for new homeowners.

Cons

It's expensive, but you also get a lot for the price. The oscillating tool is subpar compared to the other pieces of the set. The battery charger has been known to malfunction.

Best Bang for the Buck
BLACK+DECKER 20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion Drill and Project Kit
BLACK+DECKER
20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion Drill and Project Kit
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Simple Yet Solid
Bottom Line

Our home improvement expert recommends this for light to medium duty DIY. Despite some durability concerns, it's an unbeatable deal.

Pros

A huge set that's ideal for countless projects. Includes 20-volt drill/driver with lithium ion battery, 68 hand tools and accessories including bits and carrying bag.

Cons

Not contractor-quality – drill doesn't deliver as much torque as some competitors, and some of the tools aren't as sturdy as expensive models.

DEWALT 20-Volt Lithium Drill Driver/Impact Combo Kit
DEWALT
20-Volt Lithium Drill Driver/Impact Combo Kit
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Best for DIY
Bottom Line

Despite a few issues, this duo is capable of tackling nearly every job on your list from contractor work to do-it-yourself projects.

Pros

Stands out for offering 2 rugged power tools by a top name in the industry. 20-volt impact and drill drivers built to tackle tough jobs. Comes with 2 batteries, charger, and carrying bag.

Cons

Some battery issues have been documented – failure to hold charge, dead batteries upon arrival. A few complaints of loose chucks and of drills "smelling hot" during use.

WORKPRO 20v Cordless Drill Combo Kit
WORKPRO
20v Cordless Drill Combo Kit
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Best for Beginners
Bottom Line

High-quality drill and impact driver set gets the job done at a reasonable price.

Pros

This 20-volt drill and impact driver set provides powerful torque and two battery packs that recharge in only 1 hour. This set will meet the needs of any woodworker, DIY-er, or hobbyist.

Cons

Ideal for home-use, it has been noted that this drill heats up if used for heavy projects.

BLACK+DECKER 20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion Drill / Driver Kit
BLACK+DECKER
20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion Drill / Driver Kit
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Best for Everyday Use
Bottom Line

Choose it if you need a drill and bits for around-the-house projects, but keep in mind that it's not well-suited for heavy-duty drilling.

Pros

In addition to the 20-volt drill/driver, this set has everything you need for drilling including battery, charger, and a large variety of bits. It's also affordable.

Cons

Chuck may wobble, especially when drilling tough materials like solid wood. Battery life could be longer.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

62
Models
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112
Consumers
Consulted
20
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Researched
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Buying guide for Best drill sets

A good drill driver is a basic component of every homeowner and professional tool kit. You can often get great value by buying it as part of a drill set, and there are hundreds of options. Basic drill sets contain a selection of drill bits and drivers. Others are targeted at the DIY user, woodwork trades, electrical contractors, and auto engineers. These more complicated sets may contain other power tools such as circular saws, reciprocating saws, and lights.

Despite the huge variety of kits available, there are important aspects common to all — things that will impact on your decision regardless of the components included.

We’ve been looking at each of them so we can help you with your decision. Our recommendations provide a “best of breed” overview of the kind of drill sets available. In the following buyer’s guide, we look at what makes a good drill set in more detail.

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There are lots of drill sets around, and the most comprehensive might offer the best value. However, if there are components you don’t need, choosing a smaller set will save you money.

Choosing the right drill set

With the huge variety of drill sets available, you’ll want to spend some time looking at the contents to make sure you’re getting the best match for your needs.

Large kits can provide excellent value to the right person, but they’re not for everyone. If you’re never going to need a circular saw, for example, there’s not much point in buying a set that contains one. A smaller set that will save you money would more likely be the better choice.

There are myriad solutions for homeowners and professional alike, but there is still plenty of common ground. The advice here should help you choose the drill set that offers the most appropriate combination of performance and bang for your buck.

Expert tip
When buying a power tool set, invest in the best system you can afford. As your skills grow, you will not regret having more power and features in your tools, even if you have to stretch your budget a bit. Quality tools are worthwhile.
Beth Allen
BestReviews Home Improvement and DIY Expert

Voltage and amps

Volts and amps often cause some confusion, but they are important aspects of your drill or power tool purchase, so let’s clarify.

Volts

A volt measures the amount of power available.

  • With a budget drill set, you might only get an 8V drill/driver. It will cope with small tasks,  but it won’t have the power to drill into concrete or brick.

  • 12V drill/drivers are common and are good all-arounders. They’re often quite compact, making them easy to use.

  • 18V or 20V drills are the most powerful models currently available. These compete with corded models, and they’re the professional option.

Amps

More correctly called amp hours (Ah), amps tell you how long power can be maintained. The minimum battery size on these tools is usually 1.5Ah. Technically, that means the battery will supply a consistent 1 amp for 1.5 hours. In the real world, that doesn’t really mean much. It’s definitely not an indication of how long the tool will run before it needs recharging.

In essence, the higher the Ah rating, the longer the tool will deliver full power. Modern lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries don’t suffer the gradual drop-off in power that you get from nickel cadmium (Ni-cad). They deliver peak performance for longer, which is what you want, and then run flat relatively abruptly.

Better-quality tools come with a higher Ah battery to extend performance — perhaps 4Ah or 5Ah. The best come with two batteries, so you can keep working with one while the other recharges. Be careful, though: sometimes both are 2Ah, which we would look at as a practical minimum. Often, you’ll get a 4Ah “primary” battery, which is great, but the second might only be 1.5Ah. If you’re not expecting it, that can be a disappointing discovery.

Run times and recharge times will have a big impact if you need to work consistently. Manufacturers tend to quote figures taken under “ideal conditions,” so we’d be a little more conservative. Also bear in mind that while higher Ah batteries run longer, they also take longer to recharge.

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Expert tip
If you're working on a group project or job site, label your tools so they do not get misplaced or “walk” away. Apply address labels for quick identification.
Beth Allen
BestReviews Home Improvement and DIY Expert

Other factors to consider

  • If you’re buying a set of power tools, check the specifications of each individual unit. Some sets seem impressive at first, but think about whether every item in the set would be of value to you. The set you’re considering might contain things like drill grinders, tire inflators, or even radios. Do you really need them?

  • Lots of modern power tools have LED lamps, which are great for lighting up dark corners when you’re working but don’t have much range. If you want decent illumination, look for a kit that includes a separate torch.

  • Soft grips add comfort. They can make quite a difference if you’re using a tool all day.

  • It’s often difficult to tell tool and component quality with sets that include hammers, pliers, sockets, and so on. In our experience, you generally get what you pay for. If you’re an occasional user, a budget-priced drill set might well be all you need. If you’re going to use the tools a lot and you need to rely on them, invest in quality.

  • Two good indicators of overall performance and durability are the manufacturer’s warranty (which we feel reflects their confidence in their products) and actual user feedback.

  • Bags are often supplied with power tool sets. They aren’t always of the best quality, so it’s best to assume you’ll need an alternative at some point. If there are lots of smaller components, it’s nice to see a hard case to organize them. Having pieces rattling around in the bottom of a soft carryall can be frustrating.

Expert tip
Carry a small soft bristle brush in your tool bag for those cutting tools to keep them free of sawdust. 
Beth Allen
BestReviews Home Improvement and DIY Expert

Drill set prices

While we usually like to give some guidance on prices, it’s almost impossible to compare inexpensive, mid-range, and expensive versions because they’re seldom the same.

You could pay as little as $50 for a drill and a set of general-purpose household tools. You could pay in excess of $500 for a contractor set that contains cordless saws, impact driver, grinder, work light, and the like.

The sheer variety on offer, by everyone from budget tool makers to well-known brands, means you can pretty much specify the drill set you need and make your decision based on relative price, performance, and quality.

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You can never have too high an amp hour rating (Ah). Though 4Ah and 5Ah batteries are more expensive, they maintain consistent power and allow you to work for longer between recharges.

FAQ

Q. Is there much difference between 18V and 20V power?

A. Actually, there is no difference. 20 volts is the maximum output when you first pull the trigger. It then drops to a nominal 18 volts, the output under normal conditions. So in essence they are the same; it’s just that some manufacturers quote the higher figure.

Expert tip
Ideally, you should store your lithium battery in a climate-controlled space. A cold garage is not ideal. Keep them stored above 40 degrees for longer-lasting performance.
Beth Allen
BestReviews Home Improvement and DIY Expert

Q. Are different manufacturer batteries compatible with each other?

A. You might expect so, particularly when big-name brands are owned by the same company. Unfortunately, although the chemistry inside is largely the same, case design means they’re unlikely to fit physically. A few adapters exist, so you might be lucky, but they aren’t common.

Q. What is the drill clutch for?

A. When you’re driving a screw or other fixing, it’s easy to use too much power and damage the head. That will make it nearly impossible to remove if you need to in future. The clutch allows you to reduce the maximum power exerted. Once you reach the preset, the clutch will slip so you can’t over-tighten. It also rattles loudly to let you know!