Drill Buying Guide

Drill drivers, simply put, ‘drill’ holes and ‘drive’ screws without any hammer action. This makes them suitable for wood, plastic, thinner metal, and other soft materials. They tend to have a two-speed gearbox – with the faster speed for drilling, and the slower speed for more controlled and precise screwdriving.

Drill drivers are lightweight and usually more budget friendly compared to other types of drills. They're perfect for smaller DIY jobs such as hanging pictures or installing shelves, but they can also be used in various trade applications like kitchen fitting. They’re versatile too – with their chucks accepting a range of drill and screwdriving bits to help you tackle different tasks and materials.

Because they don’t have a hammer impact setting, drill drivers aren’t suitable for drilling into masonry. They also have lower rotational power (torque) than other drills and impact drivers – so you’ll need to apply more pressure when drilling or screwdriving.

Impact drivers are mainly used to drive in and remove screws, bolts and other fasteners. They feature a ¼” hex bit holder instead of a standard chuck for use with small screwdriver bits. Impact drivers offer high levels of rotational force (torque), and use bursts of power when they feel resistance – allowing them to drive long, wide screws into tough materials.

Impact drivers are lightweight, and there's minimal kickback because the high torque can overcome resistance from the motor – meaning less risk of wrist injuries than when using a traditional drill. They’re also very compact, reducing their weight and allowing you to get into tight spaces.

Impact drivers are only recommended for driving. They can be used for drilling, but they’re not as effective as traditional drills. Some impact drivers have a single high torque level – meaning smaller, delicate screws could get damaged. Their high-power can also wear down regular screwdriver bits quickly, meaning you’ll want to consider specific impact driver bits.

Combi drills offer three functions in one. Like drill drivers, they have driving and drilling modes for smaller jobs, as well as a hammer drilling mode for heavy-duty work and masonry.

Combi drills have high-power motors and robust gearboxes, making them great all-rounders for both DIYers and tradespeople. Because of their powerful motors, they’re also suitable for use with larger accessories such as flat bits and wood auger drill bits, further increasing their versatility.

However, the highly versatile combi drill can fall short when drilling into really hard surfaces like concrete. You’ll also find they’re noisier and heavier than standard drill drivers because of their greater functionality.

Percussion drills, also called hammer or impact drills, use a forward hammering action while rotating to make thousands of beats per minute (BPM) – allowing them to drill through tough materials like masonry and brick with ease. Like regular drills, this rotating hammer action reduces the chance of stress cracks forming in the surface.

They’re effective for masonry drilling, such as into stone and brickwork, and have variable speeds so you can drill slowly and precisely when you start drilling. Hammer drills are high-powered and durable, but can also be small and light – making drilling in confined spaces easier.

As percussion drills only have a hammer drill setting, they’re not as versatile as combi drills or drill drivers, which can also be used for driving in screws and regular drilling into soft or delicate materials.

SDS drills, also known as Slotted Drive System drills, use a piston-driven hammer action to fire the bit backwards and forwards in a concentrated motion. This piston-driven hammer action delivers far more power than percussion drills, allowing SDS drills to tackle the most difficult jobs – including drilling through brick, masonry and concrete.

Not only can SDS drills make precise holes in concrete, they can also be used for chiselling into hard surfaces. This makes them an ideal demolition tool that can work quickly to remove layers from masonry.

Their power is reflected in their higher price tag, and as SDS drills are mainly designed for drilling masonry, they’re often only used by tradespeople. When using an SDS drill, you’ll need to use specific SDS drill bits, because standard drill bits cannot be safely or effectively used.

Diamond is the hardest material in the world – so it makes sense why you’d want to use diamond core drills for heavy-duty jobs. They make large, precise cylindrical holes, such as for ducts, wiring or pipework. They make quick and easy work of drilling through hard materials such as concrete, brick or ceramic tiles.

Compared to other high-powered drills such as combi and SDS drills, they’re quieter and often compact. Because of the strong diamond core, they can cut really precise holes into any material without much mess.

Be aware that, if you hit some resistance, kickback when using a diamond core drill can cause injury. Additionally, specific core drill bits are more expensive than traditional bits because of the strength from the diamond.