At a glance
The cordless drill market in the UK has never been more competitive or more confusing. Five major brands, dozens of models and specification sheets that make every drill sound exceptional. The reality is that the right drill depends almost entirely on what you actually need it for – and the differences between a budget brushless drill and a premium one matter far more in some applications than others.
We tested five of the most relevant cordless drills available in the UK across a consistent range of tasks – timber drilling and driving, metal work, masonry where applicable and sustained use sessions. Every drill was tested on the same tasks with the same materials. Here is what we found.
How we tested. Every drill in this comparison was tested across the same task range: driving 80mm and 100mm screws into softwood and hardwood, drilling 25mm holes through 90mm timber with an auger bit, flat-pack assembly, precision screw driving using the clutch, and a sustained 2-hour use session. Drills with hammer function were additionally tested on brick and medium density concrete. All scores reflect real-world UK conditions.
Quick verdict summary
All 5 drills ranked
The DeWalt DCD796 is the drill we would recommend to most UK homeowners as their first or only cordless drill. It combines a compact 180mm body with 74Nm of torque, a hammer function that handles brick and block confidently, and the full DeWalt 18V XR battery platform. The hammer function is the key differentiator over its sibling the DCD778 – in a country where almost every home has masonry walls, the ability to drill into brick for fixings without a separate hammer drill removes a meaningful limitation at a modest price premium.
Build quality is solid throughout, the brushless motor is efficient with battery charge and the 15-setting clutch handles the full range of screw driving tasks confidently. The DeWalt XR platform is one of the most widely stocked in the UK, making batteries easy to find and competitively priced.
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The Makita DHP486 is the most powerful drill in our comparison at 130Nm – nearly double the DeWalt DCD796. That power advantage is real and apparent in sustained heavy use: large diameter holes in timber, dense masonry, sustained drilling sessions where compact drills slow and heat up. It is a full-size professional combi drill at 210mm and 1.9kg with a 3Ah battery, and the additional bulk is the price of that capability.
For existing Makita LXT owners it is the obvious upgrade. For first-time buyers not already in the Makita ecosystem, the battery investment needs careful consideration alongside the DCD796’s lower entry cost.
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The Milwaukee M18 BLDD2 is the most compact drill in our comparison at 169mm and earns its place through build quality, the best-in-class 5-year warranty and full compatibility with the M18 professional tool ecosystem. Performance in timber and driving is excellent – the 60Nm torque is competitive with the DeWalt DCD778 in everyday tasks. Its limitation is the absence of a hammer function, which makes it less versatile than the DCD796 at a comparable price point for buyers starting fresh.
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The Bosch GSR 18V-55 has the finest clutch control in our comparison with 25 settings versus the standard 15-16 on most competitors. This makes it the best tool in this group for precision screw driving – kitchen fitting, joinery, chipboard assembly where torque control is critical. At 55Nm it is the lowest-torque drill here but its build quality and ergonomics are excellent throughout. It earns its fourth place on refinement rather than raw capability.
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The Ryobi RCD18-0 finishes fifth but is the most interesting value proposition in our comparison – it handles all standard domestic DIY tasks competently at a fraction of the cost of the premium alternatives. Flat-pack assembly, shelf brackets, light timber work are all well within its capabilities. The 40Nm torque shows its limits on demanding tasks but for light domestic use the gap versus the premium alternatives is narrower in practice than the specifications suggest.
The Ryobi ONE+ platform covering 100+ tools on the same battery is a genuine additional argument for anyone building out a tool collection on a budget. No other platform in this comparison offers the same breadth at this price point.
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Head to head comparison
| Model | Torque | Hammer | Length | Warranty | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeWalt DCD796 | 74Nm | Yes | 180mm | 3 yr | 4.5 / 5 |
| Makita DHP486 | 130Nm | Yes | 210mm | 3 yr | 4.4 / 5 |
| Milwaukee M18 BLDD2 | 60Nm | No | 169mm | 5 yr | 4.3 / 5 |
| Bosch GSR 18V-55 | 55Nm | No | 167mm | 3 yr | 4.2 / 5 |
| Ryobi RCD18-0 | 40Nm | No | 173mm | 3 yr | 3.9 / 5 |
What to look for when buying a cordless drill in the UK
Torque is the most important performance specification but not the only one. Higher torque numbers handle demanding tasks more easily and maintain pace where lower-torque drills slow under load. However, for the majority of domestic DIY tasks – flat-pack assembly, shelf fixings, light timber work – even the lowest-torque drill in our comparison performs adequately. Paying for torque you will never use is common and avoidable.
A combi drill is not a substitute for an SDS drill in hard aggregate or reinforced concrete. The hammer function on combi drills handles everyday UK masonry – brick, block, soft concrete – very capably. For heavy sustained drilling into dense aggregate or reinforced slabs, an SDS+ drill remains the correct tool. For most UK homeowners a combi drill handles everything they need from masonry drilling without an SDS, but it is worth understanding the distinction before purchase.
Final verdict and recommendations
For most UK homeowners the DeWalt DCD796 is the right choice. It is compact, powerful, hammer-equipped and backed by the widely available DeWalt 18V XR platform – the one drill most homeowners actually need, covering all domestic tasks from flat-pack assembly through to fixing into brick. The brushless motor, solid build quality and widely available battery ecosystem make it a reliable long-term choice.
For heavy users and Makita LXT owners the Makita DHP486 is the performance choice – 130Nm of torque handles everything a compact drill struggles with, including sustained large-diameter drilling in timber and dense masonry. The Milwaukee M18 BLDD2 is the natural choice for existing M18 users: the most compact drill in our comparison with a best-in-class 5-year warranty. For precision-focused work the Bosch GSR 18V-55 has no equal in this group for clutch control and is the right tool for kitchen fitting, joinery and chipboard work. For value buyers the Ryobi RCD18-0 handles domestic DIY competently at a fraction of the premium alternatives, and the ONE+ platform covering 100+ tools gives it long-term value the others cannot match at the same price level.
For most UK homeowners: DeWalt DCD796. The best all-round cordless drill for UK domestic use. Compact, hammer-equipped, DeWalt 18V XR platform.
For heavy users and Makita LXT owners: Makita DHP486. 130Nm handles everything a compact drill struggles with.
For existing Milwaukee M18 users: Milwaukee M18 BLDD2. Most compact in our group, best warranty at 5 years.
For precision work and Bosch users: Bosch GSR 18V-55. Best clutch control in class for kitchen fitting, joinery and delicate chipboard work.
On a budget or building a broad tool collection: Ryobi RCD18-0. Capable of everything most domestic users need, with the ONE+ platform’s 100+ tool compatibility as a long-term bonus.
The DeWalt DCD796 is the best cordless drill for most UK homeowners – compact, hammer-equipped and backed by one of the best battery platforms in the market. For heavy users the Makita DHP486’s 130Nm torque is in a different class. For budget buyers the Ryobi RCD18-0 is honest value that handles domestic DIY confidently.
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