The best drills for new homeowners

The clutch, which is the beginner-saving feature

Every drill driver has a numbered collar behind the chuck — typically 1 to 11, sometimes more. That is the clutch, and it sets how much torque the drill applies before it slips and stops turning.

It is the feature that prevents the two mistakes every beginner makes: driving a screw straight through a cabinet door, and stripping a screw head into uselessness. Set the clutch low for small screws, higher for long ones, and the drill protects you from yourself.

An impact driver — a related but different tool — has no clutch, which is why it is the wrong first purchase for someone assembling furniture. See our drill vs impact driver comparison.

The specifications, in order of how much they matter

The two that actually decide your purchase are the clutch and whether bits are included. A drill with no bits is not a usable tool, and the accessory kits bundled with budget drills are genuinely adequate.

The battery platform decision, which lasts years

Cordless tool batteries are proprietary. A DEWALT 20V battery fits DEWALT tools and nothing else. That means buying a drill is also choosing a platform, and the second tool you buy is far cheaper if it shares the battery.

Practical implications:

• If you expect only ever to own a drill, the platform is irrelevant. Buy on price and bits.
• If you can see yourself adding a sander, a circular saw or a hedge trimmer, pick a platform with a broad range — DEWALT, CRAFTSMAN and BLACK+DECKER all qualify, and bare-tool versions of later purchases cost roughly half.
• Lesser-known brands often have no second tool worth buying, which is a real long-term cost even when the drill itself is fine.

Using it without making a hole you regret

1. Find out what is behind the wall first. A stud finder with AC detection is $20 to $40 and prevents drilling into a cable or a copper pipe — the most expensive mistake available. See stud finders.
2. Mark the spot with a pencil, and mark the stud edges too so you can center it.
3. Match the drill bit to the material. Twist bits for wood and plastic, masonry bits for brick and concrete, and no drilling at all into tile without a tile bit and a lot of care.
4. Start slow, let the bit cut. Pushing hard does not drill faster; it snaps bits and wanders the hole.
5. Use the right anchor. Into a stud, a screw alone is fine. Into hollow drywall, you need a plug or a toggle rated for the weight — see hanging things without damaging walls.
6. Wear safety glasses. $8, and drilling sends debris upward.

If you rent, read this first

A drill is still worth owning as a renter — flat-pack furniture alone justifies it — but drilling into walls is a different question. Most leases permit small picture hooks and prohibit anything that needs patching, and anything into tile is effectively never acceptable.

Use the drill for assembly, and use adhesive strips for walls. Our renter-safe repairs guide covers what is yours to do and what is the landlord’s.