There are precious few quality cordless drills for under £100, but they do exist. The main thing you want from a cheaper drill is quality parts. With more expensive tools, that generally comes as standard - but that isn't always the case with cheaper ones.
However, that’s good news for you because it keeps the list of quality sub-£100 cordless drills brief and concise. Of the options below, there’s bound to be one suitable for your DIY tasks.
Although a cordless drill will hold less power than a corded one, they still pack a punch and provide more than enough power for any DIY tasks that need to be done, which can include woodworking, assembling furniture, etc.
What you will find below are all 18V drills. While there are 10.8V, 12V, and 14.4V drills around, sticking with 18V in this price range is best for two reasons. Firstly, they give you a reasonable amount of power for a wide range of jobs; secondly, their batteries are compatible with the brands’ other cordless tools.
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The best cordless drills under £100:
Best drill driver
For a simple, well-made drill driver, look no further. Boschu2019s PSR 1800 drill kit comes complete with two batteries, a charger, and a hard case. The 18V drill itself is of typical Bosch standard. It has a two-speed gearbox and powerful motor which is perfectly happy to undertake any drilling job within its capability: up to 30mm drilling diameter in wood, and 10mm in steel.
To help give the optimum power for a job, there are 20 pre-selectable torque settings. It’s light to handle – which makes its capabilities all the more surprising. It also comes with an extendable two-year warranty.
Pros:
Two batteries and hard case supplied
Bosch quality
Cons:
No impact drive
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Reliable cheap drill for light DIY use
www.homebase.co.uk
If you want a drill for putting up the odd shelf, putting together flat-pack furniture, and other light-duty projects, this is your best bet. This drill from Black+Decker offers a reasonable 40Nm of torque, which via its two-speed gearbox, translates into effective performance. It has a 10mm chuck and can handle drilling into wood up to 25mm and steel or masonry up to 10mm. It comes with a small 1.5Ah li-ion battery that is light but does not give a large run time. The inclusion of a hard case is excellent.
Pros:
Two year warranty
Hard case included
Battery and charger supplied
Cons:
Limited performance beyond light tasks
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www.ffx.co.uk
The PSB 1800 has a two-speed gearbox and has a hammer drill option for light drilling into masonry. However, this still only has a 10mm chuck. As such, the PSB 1800 is rated for a drilling diameter into wood of up to 30mm, and steel and masonry up to 10mm.
While it isn’t as powerful as some of the drill beyond the £100 price tag, it is certainly good enough for all but serious DIY jobs. A big plus point it does have is the inclusion of a hard case. Its battery charger is fast too. As with the PSR 1800 above, the batteries are compatible with all of Bosch’s Green 18V tools.
Pros:
Drill and hammer drill settings
Hard case included
Cons:
No bit set supplied
uktoolcentre.co.uk
For those insistent on sticking to a budget option, the Einhell TC-CD is one of your best bets. A basic but fairly well-made little drill with a 10mm chuck that is great for medium and light-duty DIY tasks, such as putting up shelving brackets or building a birdhouse.
It’s supplied with a single 1.5Ah Li-ion battery and charger. It’s light to handle, weighing a mere 1.37kgs, and 18 torque settings allow you to make use of the respectable 38Nm of torque. Like the others, it too features an LED light for illuminating low light work areas.
Pros:
Price
Cons:
One battery only
No hard case
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The best cordless drills under £150:
If you frequently undertake DIY jobs, some of which may be a bit more intense than hanging a heavy painting, you can get a real step up in drills for less than £150.
www.ebay.co.uk
This Worx drill is in a different league to the drills above. It's solid and heavy-duty and packs a much bigger punch - 60Nm in fact. It has a full-size 13mm chuck and is capable of up to 40mm in wood and 13mm in steel. The only drawback here is that there is no hammer function for masonry drilling.
At a tad over 1.5kgs, it's a little heavier than the others, but it's not an issue and is thoroughly worth it if you need a drill with a lot of extra grunt. Another major bonus you get with this drill is its brushless motor. That means it is both more reliable and more energy efficient than drill with brushed motors. Come with two 2.0Ah batteries, charger and hard case.
Pros:
Reliable brushless motor
Three year warranty
Lots of power
Cons:
No hammer function
www.diy.com
Ryobi's answer to the Worx drill. Similar price, similar weight and size, different colour. It isn't quite as powerful at 50Nm; and it can't quite match the Worx's 40mm wood drilling diameter (32mm for the Ryobi). But...the Ryobi has a hammer function for masonry. The Ryobi is also brushless, and the kit also comes with a case, a charger, and two 2.0Ah batteries.
Therefore, you simply need to decide if occasionally drilling into masonry is something you're likely to undertake. It's certainly good piece of mind to have a drill with that function.
Pros:
Brushless motor
Three year warranty
Great for serious DIY
Cons:
Not as powerful as the Worx