If you’re thinking of doing some metalwork or woodwork, look no further. This is a guide on choosing the best corded electric drill for the money.
Basically, corded drills are used to either create holes in objects (like wood) or to drive fasteners. You’ll probably need at least one of them at home if you’re a DIY kind of person.
Here are some of the top corded drills you can get today.
Read also: Best cordless drills you can find below $100
Best Corded Drills Today
Below are seven different corded drills you can choose from. Some are from the same brand as they’re pretty well established.
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEWALT Corded Drill, 8.0-Amp, 3/8-Inch, Variable Speed Reversible, Mid-Handle Grip (DWD115K ) | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | ||
| VonHaus 10 Amp 1/2” Heavy Duty Drill Mud Mixer with Spade Handle and Variable Speeds For Drilling and Mixing | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | ||
| DEWALT Electric Drill, Spade Handle, 1/2-Inch, 9-Amp (DW130V) | Prime | Buy Now | ||
| Makita DP4000 7 Amp 1/2-Inch Drill | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | ||
| DEWALT Corded Drill, 8.0-Amp, 3/8-Inch, Variable Speed Reversible, Mid-Handle Grip (DWD115K ) | PrimeEligible | Buy Now |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
1. DEWALT Corded Drill (7 Amp, 3/8 Inch)
The first DEWALT drill featured here is one with a 7 ampere motor. Unlike some of the drills here, it comes with a compact design and it’s yellow in color.
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As it’s lightweight, it is not suitable for making huge holes as it takes a very long time. It’s a 3/8 inches’ drill and as such, you need to make sure that the shank is of that size or below to actually use it correctly.
One of the good features about the drill is that it’s actually powerful and many are comparing it with a 1/2 inch drill. This is all thanks to the 7 ampere motor.
What’s great about the DEWALT Corded Drill
- It has a keyed chuck. This is a very good feature for beginners to have. With a keyed chuck holds the drill bit in place which is safer if you’re new to drilling. For veterans, a keyless chuck is fine.
- It has impressive power. The powerful motor enables it to drill much better than the typical 3/8’s.
- Lightweight. It’s easy to carry it around and doesn’t take too much effort to hold it.
- Long lasting. Drills sold by DEWALT have a good track record in terms of how lasting they can be.
- Relatively cheap.
Negatives of this drill
- Lack of key strap.
2. VonHaus Heavy Duty Drill
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Next up is a corded drill from VonHaus and this one is an obvious heavy duty (comes with 10 amperes). Unlike the previous one above, this VonHaus drill is meant for 1/2 inches (chuck).
One good thing about this drill is that it has a variable speed. It uses a rotary dial and a rotating handle that goes 360 degrees, which makes it very flexible. Additionally, it has a no-load speed of 0 to 700 rpm.
Apart from that, the drill comes in an orange/black color which is typical of most drills.
This heavy duty drill is not the same as the one above, as this one is also used as a mixer. Drills in general can create holes but you’ll need a mixer drill if your aim is to mix concrete. This is why the motor is more powerful than usual.
Advantages of this VonHaus drill
- It’s pretty lasting. You can use it for a long time without issues.
- Suitable for mixing drywall mud or some other compound.
Negatives of the drill
- Not suitable for precision drilling. As it’s meant as a mixer, it may not be good for precision drilling.
- It’s pretty loud.
3. DEWALT Electric Drill (1/2 inch, 9 Amp)
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Another corded drill worth considering is an electric drill by DEWALT. This one’s meant for 1/2 inches and it comes with a 9 amp motor, which is pretty powerful.
One great thing about the drill is that it is a multi-purpose drill. It can be used for regular drilling or for mud mixing. With its 9 amp motor, it’s powerful enough for most jobs.
This electric drill can be used for many things, including hole saw drilling, twist bit drilling, spade bit drilling or even auger bit drilling.
Why we like this drill
- It’s great for mixing concrete or cement. If you’re in need of a mixer drill, then this is a good option. The outcome is also pretty neat.
- Beginner friendly. Some of its features are good for first-timers.
- Proven brand. DEWALT is one of the top brands in the drill industry.
Cons of the drill
- Handle-choice may not be optimal for some people.
- Expensive for some.
4. Makita DP4000 (7 Amp, 1/2 Inch)
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This corded drill comes in blue and it’s known as the Makita DP4000. Like the DEWALT drill featured above, this one comes with a 7 amp motor but it’s meant for 1/2 inch whereas the DEWALT version is meant for 3/8 inches.
This drill comes with a variable speed of 0 to 900 rpm which makes it suitable for usage on most types of materials. With a bigger chuck, it doesn’t need as high an RPM compared to those smaller ones with 3/8 inches.
It also has a retractable belt clip and grips that were ergonomically made.
Like some other drills mentioned here, it has a side handle that moves 360 degrees making it flexible and easy to control. The side handle is even removable if you don’t want to use it.
Why we like this Makita DP4000
- It has a comfortable grip for long usage.
- Flexibility of the side handle which makes it much easier to control.
- Multi-purpose. Due to its motor and variable speed, it is suitable to be used with many types of materials.
- Cheaper than some other drills.
Cons
- This brand is not as widely known as some others here.
5. DEWALT Corded Drill (8 Amp, 3/8 Inch)
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We featured a 7 amp DEWALT earlier, and this one comes with an even more powerful motor of 8 amps. Also, it’s meant for 3/8 inch instead of 1/2 inch.
One good feature of this corded drill is that it has a 0 to 2,500 RPM VSR trigger which makes it versatile.
This corded drill comes with a mid grip instead of the usual pistol grip, and it’s actually great for stability. As your hand will be closer to your drilling target, it should be more stable and beginner friendly.
Advantages of this corded drill
- The speed. It has one of the best RPMs in this range of drills, making it suitable for metal and many other materials.
- Good grip positioning. With the mid grip, it’s more suitable to be used for stability reasons.
- Sufficient power. For a 3/8 inch drill, this one has more power than needed. Even the 7 amp DEWALT would have been sufficient.
Cons of the drill
- Many people had issues with the chuck.
- No trigger lock, making it slightly less user-friendly.
6. Black + Decker Corded Drill
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This is the only Black + Decker product featured here but it’s still a well established brand. This drill is meant for 3/8 inch and comes with a noticeably lower motor power of 5.2 Amp.
It has the usual orange and black color scheme that you see with Black + Decker products. If there’s an advantage to this drill, it has got to be its lightweight factor. It’s small, light and suitable for ladies as well.
Like the other drills, this one also comes with a variable speed which is convenient when drilling.
In short, this drill is well-suited for lightweight drilling you typically do inside a home, and probably not for mixing concrete or other heavy duty stuff.
Advantages of this drill
- Compact and lightweight. Due to its size and weight, it’s suitable to be used at home for regular household drilling purposes.
- Very cheap. In fact, it’s the cheapest on this list.
- Comes from a reputable brand.
- Beginner friendly.
Cons
- Not suited for heavy duty work. You probably shouldn’t use this for mixing concrete or other materials.
- Limited in its purpose.
7. Hitachi HPT (3/8 Inch, 7 Amp)
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Last on this list is a corded drill from Hitachi, a renowned Japanese brand. Unlike the other drills here, this one’s green and black in color.
This Hitachi corded drill comes with a 7 Amp motor and it’s meant for 3/8 inches. It’s probably the fastest drill here, with a 0 to 2,700 rpm, even exceeding the DEWALT Corded Drill.
One good feature about this drill is that it’s light yet powerful.
Why buy this Hitachi HPT?
- Lightweight. It’s compact and light, and it’s easy to use.
- Decent price. It’s towards the lower end of the price range.
- Highest speed. Comes with 2,700 rpm which exceeds the others here.
Negatives of the drill
- Some have complained about a rattling sound when using the drill, but doesn’t apply to all.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are some of the questions normally asked when deciding which drill is actually suitable for your usage.
Why Use A Corded Drill Over Cordless?
The main reason one prefers a corded drill over a cordless drill is power. A corded drill usually comes with more power as it’s able to draw more electric supply from the building, giving you better torque.
A cordless drill uses a battery with much less volts, thereby giving less torque.
People prefer cordless drills only in situations where they need it for portability.
What does no-load speed mean?
A no-load speed refers to how fast the drill can move when it’s not going through a load. This means turning on the drill when it’s not drilling through any object represents the no-load speed (how fast it goes).
What is RPM in drilling?
RPM refers to rotations per minute. The more rotations a drill can do per minute, the faster it can supposedly drill through an object. Also, the smaller the chuck size, the faster you want the RPM to be.
An analogy can be made with cars. The bigger the wheels, the less rotations it needs to make to cover the same distance as a vehicle with smaller wheels.
Difference between electric and corded drills?
They are the same thing. Corded drills rely on power from an electric source (e.g. building), just like how cordless drills rely on the battery as a power source.
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