A cordless drill is an important tool for any handyman to have. It's user-friendly, versatile, and convenient. Despite the fact that corded drills contain more power, they are not able to offer the multitude of features that cordless ones do. When you shop for a cordless drill, you will come across a wide range of ones to choose from. A common approach is to buy the most expensive or the most powerful model you can afford, but this may not result in getting the best drill. With cordless drills, it's the little things that count.

Charging batteries is a necessary evil with cordless drills. When you use a corded drill, you never have to worry about batteries going out. Today's cordless drill batteries however are far more efficient than in years past. Also, most drills now come with two batteries so one can charge while the other is used for operation. DeWalt and Craftsman are two brands that utilize lithium-ion batteries, though many others are now switching over from nickel cadmium. Brands will also allow you to buy a drill and other power tools without a battery or charger, in case they already have them. Many times, you can plug batteries from one cordless drill into another that are made from the same brand.

A important feature is charge time. Makita cordless drills for instance can be fully charge in under 30 minutes, while others can take up to an hour. The charge time for DeWalt batteries are typically 30-45 minutes. As mentioned, charge times aren't as big of an issue as they once were, especially when two batteries are included in most kits nowadays. But quick-charging batteries are nice to have.

Many drills now have variable speed. The low speed will generally have more torque for driving screws, and a higher speed to drill faster. Clutch settings with vary, with many mid-range drills having 20 or more. This allows the user to have more control, as they can reduce or increase torque depending on the task. All drills come with a reverse/forward switch to use when driving out a screw.

Chuck size should be considered. The standard is now a keyless chuck, meaning a key isn't needed to tighten them. The typical size for cordless drills is 3/8, and the heavy-duty versions usually have 1/2 chucks because of the need for larger bits. The larger the chuck, the more versatile the drill is.