There’s an indicator on the battery to let you know when you’re running out of juice, although this bundle includes two 2.0Ah batteries, so you can keep the batteries running on rotation to extend the working time until the job’s done. The LED was one of the brightest and best positioned on test and stayed on for 20 seconds after it had been triggered, so you’re not plunged into darkness as soon as you’re finished drilling. You’d expect a tool of this competence and power to be a little unwieldy, but we found it nicely balanced, ergonomic and manoeuvrable, which further adds to its credentials as one of the best all-rounders on the market. So whether you’re hanging a mirror, or gearing up to fix some guttering there’s plenty of power on hand to see both tasks to completion. The two-speed gearbox means you can work more precisely, so that screw heads are flush and larger screws are accurately placed and positioned into harder materials. No job is off limits with this “slammer” drill from Worx as its 20V battery, 24 torque settings, and half-inch chuck means as well as working with wood and masonry, it will take on steel and concrete too. So, we were looking for our chosen drills to exhibit as much versatility as possible and for the power at its disposal to combine with all its features to put you in control of whatever task is at hand. Essentially, the more torque you have, the easier it will be for you to drill into harder materials, like masonry. No matter what the voltage, the drill will be equipped with a range of torque settings, which translates to the turning force that the tool can deliver.

So we made sure to look closely at the 12V offerings from every manufacturer. However, we’ve recently come to the conclusion that thanks to the increased quality of the brushless motors and lithium battery tools, many 12V drills pack a powerful punch to increase the range of their applications for both internal and external jobs. But for more heavy-duty applications it’s better to rely on the increased power and speed offered by the higher voltages, which are also better suited at drilling into harder materials. A 12V will be more than adequate for putting together your latest flat pack purchase or general DIY jobs around the home. Powered by 12V, 18V and 20V motors the drill you should be looking for depends entirely on how ambitious you intend to be with it. From wonky shelves to picture frames, it’s one of those indispensable powertools that can save you bags of time and effort and help you get through your household snagging list. You don’t need to have a major construction project on the go in order to justify having a decent drill at your disposal.

Impact driver bits