How to choose a drill or driver

If you are trying to drill a hole or drive a screw, you will want a drill/driver. These are versatile tools that accept a wide range of round and hex-shank drill and driver bits. Use them for basic jobs, such as drilling holes for cord organization, hanging pictures and installing new door hardware.

For drilling through masonry like stone, brick, and cement, use a hammer drill with an appropriate drill-bit based on the material. Turn on the pounding hammer action to tackle the toughest jobs. These tools also pull out the dust and debris as you drill, making jobs like hanging a new mailbox or hanging shelves on a concrete wall easier.

For a more efficient way to drive fasteners into wood, metal or more, you will want an impact driver. Don’t let the name scare you, these compact, lightweight tools have a quick-change chuck and added impact energy. So they’re great for replacing deck or fence boards, assembling a bbq, or fixing a downspout eavestrough connection.

For high-torque fastening jobs, choose an impact wrench. Instead of all the work involved in a manual wrench set, you can fasten a bolt or a nut at the press of a button. This tool gives you a lot of power with minimal exertion and is great for auto applications or lawnmower maintenance.

If you’re doing small, lightweight jobs around the home, like assembling furniture or changing a switch-plate cover, a cordless screwdriver is the perfect tool.

Corded drills and drivers give you a constant source of power and generally cost less than cordless models. 

Cordless drills and drivers offer the convenience of mobility, since the power source is attached to the tool, but that convenience comes with a higher price. You can, however, choose tools within the same battery family, so one battery can power several tools.