Best cordless drills in the UK for DIY and renovation — tested

Cordless drills are remarkably versatile: they drive screws, bore holes, hammer into brick or stone, and even mix materials. Most consumer models run on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, and those batteries are often interchangeable across a brand’s tool range — Bosch, Makita and Ryobi among them.

For general DIY the most useful option is a combi drill, which combines drill, hammer and screwdriver modes, while SDS or SDS+ hammer drills are better suited to heavy renovation work. The drills here were evaluated in a series of practical tests. An initial group of 12 was pared back using scrap wood and breeze blocks, then nine survivors faced a timed gauntlet of drilling, screw-driving and hammer-drilling workstations — a challenge dubbed the “Drillympics”.

Winners were then used on real renovation tasks, including drilling into brick and fitting skirting boards, with performance judged on speed, comfort and battery runtime. A number of tested tools were later donated to Map Charity in Leeds.

United Kingdom, Leeds

cordless drills, diy, renovation, lithium-ion, combi drill, sds+, bosch, makita, ryobi, battery runtime