Cordless power drills are quite powerful these days, so much in fact that I don’t recall the last time an 18V model was too wimpy for my drilling or driving needs. Higher torque motors, plus how Li-ion batteries have great runtimes and low self-discharge rates, means I haven’t had to plug in my corded Bosch hammer drill in years. But I still use it anyways.
There are still a number of reasons to hold onto that corded drill buried at the bottom of your auxiliary tool box.
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1. Higher Top Speeds
Corded hammer drills typically operate at higher top rotational speeds than cordless models, making them more suitable for non-drilling accessories such as paint stripping and metal buffing wheels.
Plus there are times when you might want the higher speed for smaller bits. Taking a look at a drill speed chart (PDF via Carbide Processors), you’ll see that a lot of smaller bits are supposed to be run at higher speeds than cordless drills typically offer.
2. Always Ready and Infinite Power
The power grid won’t run out of power, but your cordless tool battery might. Or rather, it will run out of power. Corded tools especially come in handy when misusing a drill for continuous-use non-drilling and driving operations, such as cleaning metal with a small wire brush attachment.
There’s also something to be said about pulling out a corded drill and knowing it will be ready to go. No charging batteries in advance, no having to check the power gauge, no having to know where your charger is at all times.
3. Ergonomics
As wonderfully ergonomic as cordless tools have become, they are also designed to be lightweight and compact. There are times when a large-handled corded hammer drill is going to be more comfortable to use. On the other hand, a long work session with a corded hammer drill is probably going to be fatiguing due to the tool’s weight.
4. Keyed Chucks
I’m a huge fan of ratcheting single-sleeve keyless chucks. They’re quick and easy to use, and despite the plastic construction of many models’ chucks, they’re pretty bombproof.
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But there’s something about keyed Jacobs chucks – or other manual chucks – that I find reassuring. They are far tougher than keyless chucks, and while I’ve never had a keyed chuck slip with smaller bits, I can’t say the same for keyless ones.
/10 out of 10 I want a keyless chuck. But for that occasional use where I want or need a drill with a stronger or more precise chuck, I pull out my corded hammer drill.
5. Long-Term Economy
If you need to use a hand drill often, cordless is almost always the better way to go. But what if you don’t use it often? Pro’s and DIYers that don’t use a cordless drill regularly can run into problems with batteries.
Last week I gave away a Porter Cable 18V drill/driver and Li-ion battery to a reader. He reported back that the battery isn’t working and is giving errors when used with his charger. It was working the last time I checked, but that was some time ago. So it appears the battery self-destructed sitting on the shelf.
My father still uses a Black & Decker corded drill from who knows when. Maybe the early 1980’s? That drill is a dinosaur, but it still serves his occasional drilling needs.
My corded hammer drill is maybe 5 years old now, and I expect it to endure periodic use for the next 5 years. And then maybe it will give me another 10 years or use. The cordless drill I bought a year ago? The batteries will eventually wear out, at which point the manufacturer will probably have already moved to a different form factor. Again.
Cordless Hammer Drills(via Amazon)
Hammer drills usually have higher speeds than rotary models. I opted for a Bosch model and don’t regret the decision one bit.
Please bear in mind that my points are in regard to common drilling operations of holes maybe 1/2″ and smaller in wood, non-ferrous or sheet metal, plastic, and even masonry, as opposed to something like drilling 7/8″ holes 6″ deep in concrete.
Peter
Yup, I have a cordless drill with a hammer function but that is really just for the ocasional hole when the big guy is buried in to deep and/or is overkill.
Another reason to keep the corded hammer drill is the chipper function,
which at least my model has.
fred
Cordless drills have come a long way since the early days when they were underpowered and homeowner only tools. We bought our first batch of cordless drills (Porter Cable 12V Magnequench #850) over 20 years ago. It was considered by some the first tradesman quality cordless drill – and was much superior to the 9.7V Makita and some others that were available at the time. It cost about $160 for the drill – 2 batteries – a charger and a steel case. For us today – 18V Makita’s and 12V (M12) Milwaukee’s are in heavy use – but not for everything. We use corded right angle drills (Milwaukee 1680-20) for large selfeed bits and (Milwaukee 1670-1) for smaller selfeed bits. Cordless tools are just not up to drilling with these – especially through ganged studs or heavy timber. We also use old corded ½ inch spade drills from Black & Decker, Milwaukee and Thor to mix mud – and our Milwaukee ¾ inch drill (1851) and/or one of our portable magnetic drill presses (Bux and Milwaukee) come out for drilling wide flanges and other heavy steel at the jobsite. In our shops corded specialty drills and air drills are in use – somewhat tied to workstations.
We find that cordless roto-hammers of the 18V (we have Makita BHR241) and hammer drills (we have a few different Makita models and some M12 tools) are OK for light-duty work – especially when working from staging or ladders where the cord (or air hose) would be a real nuisance. We have not bought into anything else yet (e.g. 36V Hilti’s, Bosch etc.) – but may be willing to give them a try (we like 36V Dewalt saws for roofing work) Corded rotohammers (we have a few different brands) meet most of our other medium-duty needs – but even these are really not up to pavement breaking – where we roll one of our IR or Copco compressors (unless a hoe ram is needed) and switch to pneumatic breakers.
rob
I own the the drill you have pictured, got a great price on it via Amazon. I like having the corded drill for the reasons you mentioned. I also like it because more than once I have reached for the cordless drill only to find out the battery is dead. Nice to have the power ready to go when you need it.
Steven B
I bought a corded drill for drilling pocket holes for use with dust collection. I have a switch that turns on the vacuum with the tool and have hooked up dust collection to my Kreg jig. It’s awesome….was super cheap, very powerful, lighter, and very clean and convenient. Also, the bit and jig seem to overheat less with the additional airflow.
Allen
My shop isn’t very large, I’ve gotten rid of the cordless stuff. I have one just for emergencies.
Greg W.
Still, I am tempted by Makita’s 18×2 for 36 volts. I am just not sure whether it will go through steel deck before the concrete.
Ethan@OPC
Most tile contractors I know only have corded drills, and that’s because they’re mixing thinset and other mortars with big mixing paddles. Cordless drills just can’t do the job (yet).
Robert
I am not, nor have I ever been a fan of cords. Nobody needs to make a case with me for cordless tools. That said, I agree with Stuart. A cordless tool is only as good as the batteries that power them. In spite of even the best technology, the worst thing you can do to any battery is to leave them unused for extended periods.
The question of corded or battery operated has as much to do with frequency of use as it does the specific application. Another factor is the frequency of certain tasks. For example, I might do “simple” drilling on a frequent enough basis to justify a decent cordless drill. On the other hand, I may only occasionally need a hammer drill. I therefore don’t want to lug the excess weight and bulk of a cordless hammer drill. That’s especially true when I can get as much torque out of a much lighter basic cordless for “routine” drilling.
For that reason, I wouldn’t invest the money in a cordless hammer drill. I’ve got a simple lightweight cordless, but I reach for my corded whenever I’m faced with the need for a hammer drill. If I have to leave it on the shelf for months at a time, so what? It works without a hitch every time I plug it in. For more serious applications, I can get by with a lighter corded hammer drill that would otherwise require a substantially heavier cordless.
My advice is always the same with people who are looking for a “basic” drill. I tell them that if they intend to have only one drill, pick up a corded hammer drill. For all the reasons in this article and others, the advantages sometimes outweigh the inconveniences.
Robert
DK
I’m tired of battery drills and am looking for a corded drill. Your input would be appreciated. I do a lot of home projects and need reliability, power, durability till I die (65 yrs. old). 1/2 ” or 3/4″ and 8-10 amps.
In brousing Lowes online, I noticed they have a few drills that are corded, but include a charger, – Why would a corded drill need a charger ?
Stuart
I don’t know of any corded drill that requires a charger. Are you sure they’re not cordless?
Do you mean 1/2″ or 3/8″? I’d go 1/2″. I went with a Bosch hammer drill a while back, and it’s still kicking, although I rarely use it anymore. Modern cordless drills are more compact, lighter, adequately powerful, and their torque clutches come in handy for driving fasteners.
I own the predecessor to the Bosch HD18-2.
Regarding drill size, I looked around a little, and I see a Makita drill advertised as 3/4″, but it has a 1/2″ chuck.
I already had a cordless drill, and the corded hammer drill provided masonry drilling benefits as well as faster speeds than the non-hammer models.
If you work on a lot of projects, a good cordless drill might provide huge benefits over a corded one for you. It might be a good idea to consider a corded drill (if you’re insistent on it) and a lighter duty cordless drill, which can range from $69 (Skil 12V) to $99 (Dewalt, Milwaukee, Metabo HPT during holiday seasons).