The Best Cordless Drills of 2026: DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, Bosch and Ryobi
Quick answer: the best cordless drill for most people in 2026 is the DeWalt 20V MAX XR brushless drill/driver kit: compact, powerful, on the deepest battery platform in the aisle, with two batteries in the box. If you will buy more tools, start with the DeWalt drill and impact driver combo instead. For maximum power, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel hammer drill. For a drill that lives in a drawer, the Bosch 12V Max. On a budget, the Ryobi ONE+ HP at $99 is a real brushless drill.
Our picks at a glance:
- Best Overall: DeWalt 20V MAX XR Brushless Drill/Driver Kit
- Best Combo Kit: DeWalt 20V MAX Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit
- Most Powerful: Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2 in Hammer Drill/Driver
- Best Pro Combo: Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hammer Drill and Impact Driver 2-Tool Kit
- Best Balance: Makita XFD131 18V LXT Brushless Drill Kit
- Best 12V: Bosch 12V Max 3/8 in Drill/Driver Kit
- Best Budget: Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Compact Drill Kit
- Best Budget Brushless: Craftsman V20 Brushless RP Compact Drill/Driver
- Best Compact for Pros: DeWalt Xtreme 12V Max Brushless 3/8 in Drill Kit
A cordless drill is the first tool in every garage and the one that decides which batteries you will be buying for the next fifteen years, so we ranked these two ways: how good the drill is, and how good the platform behind it is. Every pick is brushless (if you do not know why that matters, our brushless vs brushed explainer covers it, along with why 20V Max and 18V are the same thing), every kit includes at least one battery and a charger, and we tested with the jobs that actually come up: deck screws, hole saws, lag bolts, drywall anchors, and a 2x4 with a spade bit.
Prices here are for kits with batteries. Bare tools are cheaper if you are already on a platform.
| Drill | Platform | Max torque | Chuck | Weight with battery | What is in the box | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeWalt 20V MAX XR Brushless Drill/Driver Kit | DeWalt 20V MAX | ~600 in-lb | 1/2 in ratcheting | 3.4 lb | Drill, 2 batteries, charger, bag | $249 |
| DeWalt 20V MAX Drill and Impact Driver Combo | DeWalt 20V MAX | ~450 in-lb drill, 1,400 in-lb impact | 1/2 in and 1/4 in hex | 3.6 lb | Drill, impact driver, 2 batteries, charger, bag | $239 |
| Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2 in Hammer Drill/Driver | Milwaukee M18 | 1,400 in-lb | 1/2 in all-metal | 4.5 lb | Bare tool (add battery) | $329 |
| Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hammer Drill and Impact 2-Tool Kit | Milwaukee M18 | 1,400 in-lb drill, 2,000 in-lb impact | 1/2 in and 1/4 in hex | 4.5 lb | Both tools, 2 batteries, charger, bag | $460 |
| Makita XFD131 18V LXT Brushless Drill Kit | Makita 18V LXT | 440 in-lb | 1/2 in | 3.9 lb | Drill, 1 battery, charger, bag | $179 |
| Bosch 12V Max 3/8 in Drill/Driver Kit | Bosch 12V Max | 265 in-lb | 3/8 in | 2.1 lb | Drill, 2 batteries, charger, bag | $149 |
| Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Compact Drill Kit | Ryobi ONE+ | 400 in-lb | 1/2 in | 2.7 lb | Drill, 1 battery, charger, bag | $99 |
| Craftsman V20 Brushless RP Compact Drill/Driver | Craftsman V20 | ~500 in-lb | 1/2 in | 3 lb | Drill, 1 battery, charger | $119 |
| DeWalt Xtreme 12V Max Brushless 3/8 in Drill Kit | DeWalt 12V Max | ~300 in-lb | 3/8 in | 2.2 lb | Drill, 2 batteries, charger, bag | $169 |
1. DeWalt 20V MAX XR Brushless Drill/Driver Kit: Best Overall
DeWalt's XR line is the professional tier, and this compact drill is the one to own: a brushless motor that puts out around 600 inch-pounds, a two-speed gearbox to 2,000 RPM, a half-inch ratcheting chuck that never lets go of a bit, an LED that lights the work instead of the wall, and a body short enough to fit between studs. The kit includes two batteries and a fast charger. Behind it is the biggest 20V tool catalog in America, so the batteries will still be useful in a decade. $249 at The Home Depot.
2. DeWalt 20V MAX Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit: Best Combo Kit
The two-tool combo is the smartest purchase in the tool aisle: a drill for holes and control, and an impact driver that sinks a 3-inch deck screw or a lag bolt without wrist strain, sharing two batteries and a charger, for less than two bare tools would cost. This DeWalt version uses the compact DCD771 drill and the DCF787 brushless impact. The drill is brushed, which is fine for a homeowner, and the impact driver is the tool you will reach for more than you expect. $239 at Amazon (US).
3. Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2 in Hammer Drill/Driver: Most Powerful
The M18 Fuel hammer drill is the drill that contractors argue about and then buy: 1,400 inch-pounds of torque, a Gen 4 Powerstate brushless motor, an all-metal chuck and gear case, Autostop that shuts it down if it binds and tries to break your wrist, and a hammer mode that drills concrete anchors like a dedicated rotary hammer used to. It is heavy and it is bare-tool priced, so add a 5 Ah battery. If you build things, this is the one. $329 at The Home Depot.
Shop the M18 Fuel hammer drill →
4. Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hammer Drill and Impact Driver 2-Tool Kit: Best Pro Combo
The same hammer drill above, plus Milwaukee's M18 Fuel Surge or standard impact driver depending on the kit, two 5 Ah batteries, a rapid charger, and a bag. It is the kit we would buy if the garage were going to see a deck, a fence, a shed, and a few hundred lag bolts in the next few years, and the M18 platform behind it, from lights to chainsaws to a fan, is the deepest in the business. Watch for Home Depot's frequent free-battery promotions. $460 at The Home Depot.
5. Makita XFD131 18V LXT Brushless Drill Kit: Best Balance
Makita's compact brushless drill is the one professionals who value their elbows choose: 440 inch-pounds from a motor that is smooth rather than violent, a 7-inch-short body that gets into cabinets, a 3 Ah battery that charges in 30 minutes on Makita's fast charger, and build quality that outlasts everyone else's. The 18V LXT platform is enormous and the batteries are the most reliable we have used. It is the drill for a homeowner who wants professional quality without the professional weight. $179 at Amazon (US).
6. Bosch 12V Max 3/8 in Drill/Driver Kit: Best 12V
Bosch's 12V drill weighs two pounds with the battery, fits in a kitchen drawer, and drives every furniture screw, drywall anchor, and cabinet hinge in a house without complaint. The 265 inch-pounds of torque and a 3/8-inch chuck are the limits, and they are the right limits for a tool that will do 90 percent of what most people use a drill for. The two-battery kit is the one to get, and the Bosch 12V line includes a great impact driver and an oscillating tool that share them. $149 at Lowe's.
7. Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Compact Drill Kit: Best Budget
Ryobi's HP line is where the brand got serious: a brushless motor with 400 inch-pounds, a half-inch chuck, a compact body, and a 2 Ah battery and charger, for $99. The plastic is thicker and the chuck is not as tight as the DeWalt's, and it does not matter for a homeowner. What matters is the ONE+ platform: 300 tools from a string trimmer to a tire inflator to a fan that all run on this battery, and a lifetime of Home Depot end caps. $99 at The Home Depot.
8. Craftsman V20 Brushless RP Compact Drill/Driver: Best Budget Brushless
Craftsman is owned by the same company as DeWalt and the V20 brushless drill shares a lot of the engineering at a lower price: a brushless motor with real torque, a two-speed gearbox, a half-inch chuck, and a 2 Ah battery with a charger, for around $119. The V20 platform is smaller than Ryobi's but covers the basics. It is the drill for a first apartment, a first house, or a gift for a son who is about to need one. $119 at Amazon (US).
9. DeWalt Xtreme 12V Max Brushless 3/8 in Drill Kit: Best Compact for Pros
DeWalt's 12V Xtreme line is what the Bosch would be if it were built for a job site: a brushless motor with around 300 inch-pounds, a variable-speed trigger with excellent low-speed control, a three-LED work light, and DeWalt's 12V batteries, which are compatible with a growing line of compact tools including an excellent impact driver and a right-angle drill. Two batteries and a bag in the box. For an electrician, an installer, or anyone working overhead, it is the pick. $169 at Lowe's.
The Bottom Line
Buy the DeWalt XR kit or the Makita XFD131 for a garage drill you will keep for a decade, the DeWalt combo if you have a deck in your future, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel if you build for real, and the Bosch 12V for the drawer in the kitchen. Then put a real flashlight next to it, because the LED on the drill is never enough.
Keep reading: Brushless vs brushed drills explained | Best plug-in solar gear | Solar generators 101 | Best EDC flashlights
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cordless drill for home use?
The DeWalt 20V MAX XR brushless drill/driver kit is the best cordless drill for most homeowners in 2026: compact, about 600 in-lb of torque, two batteries in the box and the largest battery platform available. The Makita XFD131 is a close second and the Ryobi ONE+ HP is the best under $100.
Is DeWalt or Milwaukee better?
Milwaukee's M18 Fuel drills are more powerful and slightly better built; DeWalt's 20V MAX XR drills are lighter, a little cheaper and on an equally deep battery platform. For a homeowner either is excellent. Buy whichever platform your friends and family already own so you can share batteries.
Do I need an impact driver as well as a drill?
If you will drive long screws, deck screws or lag bolts, yes. An impact driver adds rotational hammer blows under load that sink fasteners a drill struggles with, with far less wrist strain. Two-tool combo kits from DeWalt, Milwaukee and Ryobi bundle both with shared batteries for close to the price of one tool.
Is a 12V drill powerful enough?
For furniture, cabinets, drywall, shelving and most home repairs, yes. A modern 12V brushless drill such as the Bosch 12V Max delivers about 265 to 350 in-lb of torque in a two-pound tool. Choose an 18V drill for hole saws, spade bits, lag bolts, masonry or all-day use.
Is 20V Max the same as 18V?
Yes. Both describe a five-cell lithium-ion battery: 20V is its maximum voltage off the charger and 18V is its nominal voltage under load. DeWalt and Craftsman use the 20V Max label; Milwaukee, Makita, Bosch and Ryobi use 18V. Compare torque and RPM, not the voltage on the label.
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