Cordless Drill Features
A cordless drill is an important tool for any handyman to have. It's user-friendly, versatile, and convenient. While a corded drill has more power in general, it can't match all the features that a cordless drill can offer. When you shop for a cordless drill, you will come across a wide range of ones to choose from. A common approach is to buy the most expensive or the most powerful model you can afford, but this may not result in getting the best drill. With cordless drills, it's the little things that count.
One of the downsides with cordless drills was having to charge batteries. With corded drills, you plug them in and begin working. However, the efficiency of today's cordless drill batteries has improved significantly. Also, most drills now come with two batteries so one can charge while the other is used for operation. DeWalt and Craftsman are two brands that utilize lithium-ion batteries, though many others are now switching over from nickel cadmium. Brands will also allow you to buy a drill and other power tools without a battery or charger, in case they already have them. Many times, you can plug batteries from one cordless drill into another that are made from the same brand.
A important feature is charge time. Makita drills have batteries that charge in 15 minutes, while other brands take 45 minutes to an hour. This can make all the difference if you work for extended periods of time, and have a number of drills operating at once. DeWalt's batteries generally charge in 30-45 minutes. As mentioned, charge times aren't as big of an issue as they once were, especially when two batteries are included in most kits nowadays. But it's still nice to have quick charging batteries.
Many drills now have variable speed. The low speed will generally have more torque for driving screws, and a higher speed to drill faster. Clutch settings with vary, with many mid-range drills having 20 or more. This allows the user to have more control, as they can reduce or increase torque depending on the task. All drills come with a reverse/forward switch to use when driving out a screw.
Chuck size should never be overlooked. The keyless chuck is now standard, which means they are tightened without a key. The standard chuck size is 3/8, but the heavy-duty models are 1/2 to suit larger drill bits. The larger the chuck, the more versatile the drill is.
One of the downsides with cordless drills was having to charge batteries. With corded drills, you plug them in and begin working. However, the efficiency of today's cordless drill batteries has improved significantly. Also, most drills now come with two batteries so one can charge while the other is used for operation. DeWalt and Craftsman are two brands that utilize lithium-ion batteries, though many others are now switching over from nickel cadmium. Brands will also allow you to buy a drill and other power tools without a battery or charger, in case they already have them. Many times, you can plug batteries from one cordless drill into another that are made from the same brand.
A important feature is charge time. Makita drills have batteries that charge in 15 minutes, while other brands take 45 minutes to an hour. This can make all the difference if you work for extended periods of time, and have a number of drills operating at once. DeWalt's batteries generally charge in 30-45 minutes. As mentioned, charge times aren't as big of an issue as they once were, especially when two batteries are included in most kits nowadays. But it's still nice to have quick charging batteries.
Many drills now have variable speed. The low speed will generally have more torque for driving screws, and a higher speed to drill faster. Clutch settings with vary, with many mid-range drills having 20 or more. This allows the user to have more control, as they can reduce or increase torque depending on the task. All drills come with a reverse/forward switch to use when driving out a screw.
Chuck size should never be overlooked. The keyless chuck is now standard, which means they are tightened without a key. The standard chuck size is 3/8, but the heavy-duty models are 1/2 to suit larger drill bits. The larger the chuck, the more versatile the drill is.
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