BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX drill driver kit review

The hundred accessories are the point

A bare drill is not a usable tool. You need drill bits in several sizes for wood and masonry, driver bits in Phillips, Pozidriv, slotted, Torx and hex, and ideally a few sockets. Bought separately that is $25 to $35 and a trip to a store.

This kit includes all of it, which means the drill works the afternoon it arrives. For someone setting up a first home that matters more than any specification on the tool, because the alternative is a drill in a box waiting for a second purchase.

The bits are not premium — the masonry bits in particular will dull on anything harder than soft brick. They are entirely adequate for drywall, timber and the occasional hole, which is the work a first home has.

The clutch, which is the beginner-protecting feature

Eleven clutch positions on the collar behind the chuck. Set it low and the drill slips before it over-drives a screw; set it higher for long screws into timber.

This is the feature that prevents the two mistakes everyone makes with their first drill: driving a screw straight through a cabinet panel, and stripping a screw head into a useless crater. It is also exactly what an impact driver lacks, which is why an impact driver is the wrong first tool — see our comparison.

A reasonable starting rule: clutch at 4 or 5 for furniture screws, 8 or above for long screws into studs, and the drill symbol (clutch off) only for drilling holes.

The battery platform, which matters later

This is a POWERCONNECT 20V MAX battery, which fits BLACK+DECKER’s 20V range — a sander, a circular saw, a hedge trimmer, a leaf blower, a strimmer. Those are available as bare tools at roughly half price because you already own the battery.

That is a real advantage over a drill from a brand with no second tool worth buying. It is worth a thought at purchase time even though it will not matter for a year.

Note the kit includes one battery. For occasional home use that is fine; if you find yourself stopping mid-job, a second is around $40 and worth buying then rather than now, since lithium cells degrade on the shelf.

The honest limitations

• Not enough for repeated masonry work. It will drill a few holes in brick with the included masonry bits and then the battery is flat. If you have a brick house and ongoing exterior mounting, rent a hammer drill — see corded vs cordless.
• Plastic chuck. It holds bits fine; over years of constant bit changes it wears and bits can sit slightly off-center. A metal chuck (the DEWALT) is better if you use a drill weekly.
• One battery. You stop when it is flat.
• Lower torque than the DEWALT. Irrelevant for shelves and furniture; it shows if you are driving 3-inch deck screws all afternoon.

When to buy the DEWALT instead

Step up to the DEWALT DCD771C2 (about $119, two batteries, metal chuck) if:

• You are buying a house you intend to work on, rather than furnish.
• You have decking, fencing or a shed in your plans.
• You expect to use a drill weekly rather than monthly.
• You want two batteries so you never stop mid-job.

Note the DEWALT does not include bits, so budget $25 more. The comparison is roughly $65 all-in against $145 all-in.

Before you drill into anything

1. Check for cables and pipes with a stud finder that has AC detection. This is the most expensive mistake available and a $20 tool prevents it.
2. Wear safety glasses. $8, and drilling sends debris upward.
3. Match the bit to the material. Twist bits for timber and plastic, masonry bits for brick. Nothing without a tile bit for tile.
4. Use the right anchor for the weight. See hanging things without damaging walls.
5. If you rent, check what your lease permits before putting a hole in anything.