There’s a certain excitement in the air on head-to-head testing days in our shop. It’s the payoff from all the hours we spend designing experiments to mimic real-world conditions and build rigs to help control variables. And there are almost always surprises along the way.
Testing cordless drills is one of my favorites. It’s a competitive field, and nearly everyone can use a drill in their life, so it’s an effort that has a wide appeal. Our full results take into consideration ergonomics and features to calculate the final scores, but what if you’re only concerned about performance?
In our testing, four models set themselves apart with a pace the rest of the group couldn’t hang with. I’ll show you how we tested, how these models performed, and which one is the best of the best. But first, let’s meet our superstars… in alphabetical order—I don’t want to spoil the ending for you.
Read
Best Cordless Drill Head-to-Head Review
DeWalt 20V Max XR DCD1007
- Speeds: 0 – 450/1,300/2,000 RPM (0 – 500/1,500/2,250 RPM in hammer drilling mode)
- Max Hammer Rate: 38,250 BPM
- Max Power: 1530 UWO
- Length: 7.5 inches
- Bare Weight: 4.2 lbs
- Tested Weight: 6.3 lbs w/ 8.0Ah PowerPack battery
- Price: $249 bare, $349 kit
Key Features
- Kickback Control: Automatically stops the motor in the event of a bind-up
- Hammer Drilling Boost: Steps up in speed when using hammer drilling mode
- Three-Speed Gearbox: More options to match the application
- LED Light Control: Pivot the light where you want it and leave it on up to 20 minutes
Read
DeWalt 20V Max XR Hammer Drill DCD1007 Review
Flex 24V Brushless FX1271T
- Speeds: 0 – 700/2500 RPM
- Max Hammer Rate: 40,000 BPM
- Max Torque: 1,400 in-lbs
- Length: 7.1 inches
- Bare Weight: 3.7 lbs
- Tested Weight: 6.0 lbs w/6.0Ah Stacked Lithium battery
- Price: $149 bare, $249 – $279 kit
Key Features
- Kickback Control: Automatically stops the motor in the event of a bind-up
- Turbo Mode: Steps up to a higher speed and torque level, effectively creating four working modes
Read
Flex 24V Brushless Hammer Drill FX1271T Review
Makita 40V max XGT GPH01
- Speeds: 0 – 650/2,600 RPM
- Max Hammer Rate: 39,000 BPM
- Max Torque: 1,250 in-lbs
- Length: 7.1 inches
- Bare Weight: 3.7 lbs
- Tested Weight: 5.8 lbs w/4.0Ah High Power battery
- Price: $259 bare, $524 kit
Key Features
- Kickback Control: Automatically stops the motor in the event of a bind-up
- Electronic Clutch Settings: 41 settings for dialing in higher depth driving precision
Read
Makita 40V max XGT Hammer Drill GPH01 Review
Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2904
- Speeds: 0 – 500/2100 RPM
- Max Hammer Rate: 33,000 BPM
- Max Torque: 1,400 in-lbs
- Length: 7.0 inches
- Bare Weight: 3.2 lbs
- Tested Weight: 5.6 lbs w/8.0Ah Forge battery
- Price: $229 bare, $329 kit
Key Features
- Kickback Control: Automatically stops the motor in the event of a bind-up
- One-Key Option (model 2906): Add smart tracking, management, and tool control
Read
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hammer Drill 2904 Review
How We Tested
To get the most accurate times, we video the tests so we can see the exact start and finish times.
For each test, we start with a fully-charged battery and run the drill three times. If we encounter an error or outlier result, we repeat the test to ensure we have three quality runs.
Test 1: Driving Structural Screws
How We Tested
- Material: Stacked and glued OSB subfloor
- Fastener: 3/8 x 8-inch rugged structural screw (RSS)
- Bit: T40 driver bit
- Battery: Fully recharged
- Mode: High-speed drilling
To make sure the screw gets a straight start and doesn’t spin as it tries to bite into the wood, we set it into a 1.5-inch pilot hole. We begin with a full trigger press and finish once the head is flush with the wood.
Results
| Model | Average Speed | Overall Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Makita GPH01 | 2.03 sec | 1st place |
| Flex FX1271T | 2.22 sec | 2nd place |
| DeWalt DCD1007 | 2.42 sec | 3rd place |
| Milwaukee 2904 | 2.49 sec | 4th place |
For most of our test drills, this was not a particularly challenging test. However, our group of four included the only ones to average less than 2.5 seconds per hole. Realistically, several others were in the ballpark, so this test didn’t definitively set them apart on its own.
Test 2: Boring Holes with a Spade Bit
How We Tested
- Material: Stacked and glued OSB subfloor
- Bit: 1-inch self-feed spade bit
- Battery: Fully recharged
- Setting: High-speed drilling
The spade bits we use have self-feed tips. Starting with a full trigger pull, we maintain a straight drive, and apply only enough downforce to keep the drill under control.
Results
| Model | Average Speed | Overall Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Flex FX1271T | 2.42 sec | 1st place |
| DeWalt DCD1007 | 2.54 sec | 2nd place |
| Makita GPH01 | 2.62 sec | 3rd place |
| Milwaukee 2904 | 2.62 sec | 4th place |
With the load of a spade bit, we saw even less overall separation, and it was tight among our top four. They were the only ones to finish with an average of less than three seconds, though. Considering last place was only 3.88 seconds, this test still didn’t wow us compared to the rest of the drills.
Test 3: Rough-ins with a Self-Feed Bit
How We Tested
- Material: 2×4 pine stud
- Bit: 2 9/16-inch self-feed bit
- Battery: Fully recharged
- Setting: High-speed drilling
The process for this test is very similar to the spade bit test. We start with a full trigger pull and simply control the drill as the motor and bit do the work.
Not all drills can complete this test in high speed. If the drill stalls repeatedly, we’ll kick it into the next gear down and start over.
Results
| Model | Average Speed | Overall Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Makita GPH01 | 1.59 sec | 1st place |
| DeWalt DCD1007 | 1.73 sec | 2nd palce |
| Flex FX1271T | 1.84 sec | 4th place |
| Milwaukee 2904 | 1.89 sec | 5th place |
The rough-in test was revealing. Six of our nine test drills averaged less than two seconds per hole, but it started to expose those who didn’t have as much muscle to deal with the heavier load.
Test 4: Drilling in Concrete
How We Tested
- Material: 4000 PSI concrete
- Bit: 3/8-inch concrete
- Battery: Fully recharged
- Setting: High-speed hammer drilling
It would be great if every hammer drill included a depth rod, but they don’t, so we put a tape flag on our bit at exactly 3 inches to make it easy to see in the video when it hits the target depth.
As before, we start with a full trigger pull and maintain a steady, consistent pressure that we try and match for every drill we test.
Results
| Model | Average Speed | Overall Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Flex FX1271T | 5.66 sec | 1st place |
| DeWalt DCD1007 | 6.39 sec | 2nd place |
| Milwaukee 2904 | 6.84 sec | 4th place |
| Makita GPH01 | 7.56 sec | 6th place |
In concrete drilling, the duration was longer, and only Flex managed to finish in less than size seconds. DeWalt and Milwaukee managed to stay under seven seconds, but Makita had a noticeable drop in ranking for this one. Fortunately, its previous results helped it stay among the elite part of the group.
Performance Analysis
You may look through those results and wonder if these hammer drills are really so much better than the competition that they deserve such high praise. Let’s consider their results as a whole, though.
Their combined average was 33% faster than the average of the remaining drills. Even if we toss out the last-place drill (Hercules), they were still 22% faster on average. Those are very real productivity gains.
As a group, here’s how our top four compare test-by-test to the rest of the group minus Hercules:
| Test | Top Four Advantages |
|---|---|
| RSS Screw Driving | 36% faster (2.29 sec vs 3.56 sec) |
| Spade Bit Boring | 19% faster (2.55 vs 3.13 sec) |
| Self-Feed Bit Boring | 30% faster (1.76 sec vs 2.53 sec) |
| Concrete Drilling | 14% faster (6.61 sec vs 7.67 sec) |
The Best of the Best
So, which model ends up having the best overall performance?
The Flex FX1271T. Adding the times from all four tests, its total of 12.14 seconds was the best of the best.
| Model | Combined Time |
|---|---|
| Flex FX1271 | 12.14 seconds |
| DeWalt DCD1007 | 13.08 seconds |
| Makita GPH01 | 13.80 seconds |
| Milwaukee 2904 | 13.84 seconds |
Among the rest of our test group, no other drill broke the 15-second mark, which created a clear separation that proves these four drills are performing at a higher level.
We want to hear what you think—drop us a comment below!
Why not list the rest of the drills, I did my own tests to mimick your tests and my Kobalt xtr 24v hammer drill performed better than my buddy’s Flex, just saying the XTR KOBALT are a beast of a kit as I have thr Xtr impact / hammer drill kit
Interesting. We’ll have to see if we can set something to compare those two side-by-side.
This article was intended to highlight just the top performers, but all the data and results are available in the full head-to-head article:
https://gift-bloom1.shop/best-cordless-drill-reviews/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I agree. My Kobalt XTR is a beast. I have Makita, Rigid and Porter Cable as well but my Kobalt is whati use for the toughest jobs
No such thing as 20 volt max, Dewalt just made it up to make themselves look better. I got rid of all my
Dewalts after that. Thank you so much.
The Flex is a 24V tool, the Makita a 40V(36V) tool. Only the Dewalt and Milwaukee are 18V/20V tools-which use the same number of cells. Your article repeatedly states a fully charged 20V/8Ah battery, which is wrong. Watt/hours is a better measure of capacity, as it accounts for the battery voltage and ampere rating.
Thanks for the catch! We’ll get that updated.
This was a good review of performance, rating speed of completion for these tasks, but I really would like to find out how long these drills would last mechanically.
How are they constructed? Do they use plastic or metal gears? Bronze bushings vs ball bearings? Heat dissipation abilities?
Which of these will last in a high-use, long-term environment?
How well do the batteries last? What is their failure rate? What good is the tool if the battery fails more frequently than another brand? Seems like the battery is the most expensive part of these tools nowadays.
Those are excellent questions, Alan!
I can’t give you definitive answers for them, and some things, like failure rates, are protected information we don’t have access to.
I can say that all four of these are built for the everyday, high-hour use that professional contractors demand and are backed by solid warranty programs. Milwaukee and Flex are the most confident with 5-year warranties.
From a quality standpoint, Makita feels the most refined. It’s a little smoother under load and seems to have less runout.
Of these four brands, we haven’t experienced many true battery failures, using the battery’s warranty period as a signal of the expected service life. As for the percentage of batteries we still have in service beyond that period, I’d say Makita leads that as well. But even that is subjective, as we tend to use Milwaukee tools the most on a day-to-day basis, so they’re going through more charge cycles.
Anyone else have some experience that can chime in?
Pretty high battery failure rates for Milwaukee
Seems like ever since being a Chinese company, they’ve gone down hill.
China bought Milwaukee in 2005
Milwaukee manufactures in America and other countries. Part of TTI. Very easy to blame China.