From powered screwdrivers to drill drivers, hammer drills, breaker drills and more – the wide world of drill choices is confusing enough, and that’s without getting into the subject of whether cordless or corded drills are right for you.

Nevertheless, at MAD4TOOLS we know that many of our customers find themselves torn between drills they can take anywhere and those that are tethered to the nearest power outlet.

Though ultimately identical in purpose, both corded and cordless drills have their own distinct advantages which make them better at some jobs than others, so, which should you choose?

Corded Drills: Advantages and Disadvantages

As the name implies, Corded drills won’t function effectively unless they’re tethered directly to a power outlet. That’s because, unlike cordless drills, they don’t have an inbuilt battery pack they can draw power from.

Whilst this might strike you as inferior to a cordless drill, such a configuration actually boasts several distinct advantages which make the corded drill perfect for serious drilling jobs. Those advantages include:

  • Lighter, more compact bodies, owing to a lack of inbuilt battery
  • Higher power and more consistent torque
  • More reliable drilling and driving action

For professional usage, corded drills are vastly preferred for these reasons. However, they do have disadvantages, which include:

  • Must be plugged into a power outlet at all times
  • Cables can create a tripping hazard

Cordless Drills: Advantages and Disadvantages

Cordless drills, on the other hand, run entirely by battery power. This is advantageous for a number of reasons, which we’ll go into below, many people consider cordless drills to be just that bit more convenient than their corded counterparts.

Some of the major advantages include:

  • Portability; cordless drills can be taken anywhere, provided you’ve got a full charge
  • Rechargeable batteries; you can recharge the batteries at the end of the working day. Plug the battery in for a few hours to recharge and this will save you money in the long run.
  • Greater adaptability means that for hard-to-reach drilling jobs, cordless drills are better

Those advantages mean that the cordless drill makes a lot of sense for the hobbyist or person with lower requirements from their drill. With that said though, they do have their downsides, which include:

  • Lower power levels and less consistent delivery than corded drills
  • Batteries can deplete, leaving you twiddling your thumbs whilst you wait for them to recharge. Tip: Having more than one battery allows you to use a fully charged one while the other charges
  • Cordless drills are generally heavier than corded ones

However, Cordless drills make a tremendous replacement for a hand-powered screwdriver and are more than capable of doing smaller jobs on-site or are often used for DIY around jobs around the house.

Still undecided? Take a look at our extensive range of cordless or corded drills on our site.

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