10 Best Hand Drills For Your Personal Use

The List is ordered predominantly based on reviews from company websites and users on Amazon. These drills/drivers are ranked as per their amiability in household work. The main points considered are, ease of use (i.e how easily can bits be changed, weight..etc),  Durability, Control options and value for money. Points such as warranty and support are ignored. This is done because warranty offered is almost the same for all the products.  In case of available support, there is no way of quantifying of how much of it is available and how much is enough for a particular user. It is to be noted though; almost all the brands offer some sort of rudimentary support.

Rankings in this article are by no means universal, user experiences may vary.  Classification can change based on preferences of the buyer, say for example Lithium Ion batteries are considered a Pro and LiCAD batteries are a Con, this case holds true for heavy duty persistent use and where the time of completion is paramount. On the contrary if shelf-life of the battery is more important than Lithium Ion batteries are a disadvantage as they die out in 2-3 years’ time, regardless of use. So check out this list of 10 best hand drills and pick the one that you find best.

10.PORTER-CABLE PCC620B 20V MAX Lithium Ion Hammer Drill, 1/2″,89$

• Good
  • High performance hammer drill delivers 27,200 BPMs
  • 2-Speed gear box (0-400/0-1600 RPMs)
  • 23 clutch settings
• Bad
  • Trigger does not provide good speed resolution.
  • In-consistent quality by the manufacturer leads to multiple problems such it has been documented that these machine burn out within 2-3 days of moderate use on concrete.

You can get one here

9. DEWALT DWD210G 10-Amp 1/2-Inch Pistol-Grip Drill, 119$

• Good
  • 0-1200RPM, variable speed with reverse switching.
  • Power 10-Amp, makes the drill versatile
  • E-Clutch® System shuts the tool off when a stall is detected, reducing reactionary torque in bind-up situations
• Bad
  • Although speed control mentioned is 0-1200RPM the drill starts at about 300RPM.
  • Lacks Hammer Action
  • Little expensive as it is more than 103$.

You can get one here

8. DEWALT DC970K-2 18-Volt Drill/Driver Kit (1/2”), 99$

• Good
  • Dual Speed Range 0-450 RPM /0-1500 RPM
  • Key less Chuck
  • Light weight
• Bad
  • NiCAD batteries store charge for less amount of time.
  • Low quality chuck.
  • No hammer action

You can get one here

7. Kawasaki 840110 Black 19.2-Volt(1/2”), 68$

• Good
  • 25 torque settings
  • Affordable at 66$
  • Key Less chuck
• Bad
  • Heavy
  • NiCD batteries do not hold charge for very long.

You can get one here

6. Bosch 1191VSRK 120-Volt 1/2-Inch Single-Speed Hammer Drill, 89$

• Good
  • 7amp Motor provides high power.
  • Hammer action available, 2-way switch can covert the mode to rotation only as well.
  • Affordable price (89$) as compared to other hammer drills.
• Bad
  • Chuck is not Key less.
  • Heats up far too quickly.

You can get one here

5. Bosch 1006VSR 3/8-Inch Keyless Chuck Drill, 58$

• Good
  • High powered as compared to its weight.
  • Key Less chuck results in quicker change-up of bits and tools.
  • Variable Speed
  • Affordable, 60$.
• Bad
  • Jumps from Zero to 600 RPM directly, then there is speed control from 600 to 2600 RPM. To conclude speed trigger is not good.
  • There is a Design Flaw that the drill is made from plastic right up to the collet. Using the drill in tight spaces can lead to plastic rubbing against the material thus causing plastic deposits to form.
  • No hammer action

You can get one here

4. Hitachi DS18DFLM (1/2”, 400 in-lb torque), 106$

• Good
  • Light Weight.
  • 22 stage clutch for precision and high torque.
  • 2 speed transmission.
• Bad
  • For the same type of work, more affordable options are available. This drill costs 106$.

You can get one here

3. Hitachi D13VF (1/2” chuck, 415 in-lb. torque), 79$

• Good
  • High performance 9.0amp motor provides RPM up to 850
  • Great for heavy duty work.
  • Durable Cast- Aluminum Gear Housing.
  • Speed Control Trigger.
• Bad
  • No clutch
  • Comparatively heavy for a home drill.
  • No hammer action

You can get one here

2. Makita XPH012 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Hammer Driver-Drill, 480 in-lb torque, 127$

• Good
  • Variable 2-speed design (0-400 & 0-1,500 RPM) for a wide range of drilling, driving and hammer drilling applications.
  • Key-Less Chuck.
  • Lithium-Ion batteries.
• Bad
  • A plastic chuck, which if comes in contact during the operation with any other surface erodes away and leaves deposits.
  • High price at around 119$.

You can get one here

1. Black and Decker LDX 120C (cord-less, 3/8” chuck, 115 in-lb. torque), 55$

• Good
  • Can be used on multiple materials (wood, plastic, metal).
  • Compact Light Weight
  • 11 Position Clutch provides precise control
  • Lithium Ion Batteries (Long lasting charge-1hour).
  • Speed trigger covers the entire range from 0-600RPM.
  • Key Less Chuck
  • Costs 56$
• Bad
  • Less RPM, not ideal for drilling but can be used in screwing operations.
  • No hammer action

You can get one here