Buying Guide for Drills & Electric Screwdrivers!

Do you love doing DIY projects, do you simply want a tool for the small repairs around the house, or are you a professional looking for a drill driver or electric screwdriver? Let’s take a look at their main features and which ones you should pay more attention to, based on the use you want to make of them.

Type

Let's take a look at the different types you will encounter in this category and how each one will help you, depending on the task you want to perform.

Drill Driver: This is a tool suitable for screwing and unscrewing, as well as for drilling holes in wood, metal, and various building materials.
Screwdriver: An electric screwdriver is ideal for simple tasks such as assembling furniture, where you will need to screw and unscrew.
Impact Driver: This tool is recommended for quick screwing and unscrewing, even in the hardest building materials.
Drywall Screwdriver: Finally, this screwdriver - as its name suggests - is ideal for drywall tasks. What sets it apart is that the screw stops at the right point, so it does not penetrate the working surface.

Cordless Drill Screwdriver Impact Driver Drywall Screwdriver

Power Supply

Power supply plays an important role when choosing an electric tool, as it determines several factors - with autonomy and the range of tasks that can be performed being the standout factors.

Corded drill drivers & electric screwdrivers

These are tools that connect directly to the mains and have a cable. They offer unlimited autonomy and can perform demanding, long-duration tasks. Their disadvantage is that they do not give the user a wide range of movement and freedom.

They are suitable for use in areas with easy access to a power outlet or for long-duration projects that require greater power.

Cordless drill drivers & electric screwdrivers

The majority of tools have a rechargeable battery for easier and more comfortable use. Portability is the number one advantage of this category of tools, as they offer flexibility and can perform tasks even in hard-to-reach places or areas without access to electricity. A cordless tool requires the battery to be charged before each job and, depending on the size of the tasks, the same battery may also need to be changed or recharged.

They are suitable for areas where there is no immediate or any access to outlets and electricity, or for tasks that require constant movement.

Voltage

One of the most important features of an electric tool is its voltage, which is measured in Volt and indicates the force the tool can exert on a material. The higher the voltage, the more energy the device can deliver. This makes it ideal for heavier and more demanding tasks. Indicatively, an electric tool with the following values is suitable for different tasks:

Drill drivers & electric screwdrivers with voltage up to 16.8V are ideal for smaller tasks mainly around the home, such as hanging frames or decorations and assembling furniture.
Drill drivers & electric screwdrivers with 18V voltage make up the majority and are intended for use by hobbyists and professionals for both medium-sized tasks and more demanding ones. For example, drilling into hard materials and screwing/unscrewing larger screws, which are necessary in a renovation or construction projects.
Drill drivers & electric screwdrivers with voltage of 20V and above are required for heavier tasks and for professional use. In particular, tools with voltage of 36V and above are mainly used by professionals, such as builders, for very demanding projects.

Speed & torque adjustment

Maximum motor speed

This refers to the maximum rotational speed of the motor in revolutions per minute (RPM). For drilling tasks, a speed of up to 1500rpm is perfectly satisfactory, since above that there is a risk of the drill bit breaking due to the increase in temperature, while for screwdriving tasks higher speeds can also be used, especially if the material is soft such as wood or drywall.

Torque

Torque expresses the maximum force that the drill driver or electric screwdriver can deliver, with which it can turn a screw, and is measured in Nm (Newton meters). Higher torque values (68 Nm and above) are suitable for heavier tasks, while medium (34 - 68 Nm) to low (22 - 34 Nm) values make the tool an ideal choice for everyday and general use. More specifically:

Up to 20Nm is enough to screw/unscrew small screws that do not require much force to turn.
From 20 to 60Nm in addition to screwdriving you can also perform drilling tasks.
More than 60Nm is mainly found in impact drivers, which can screw/unscrew screws that require very high force to turn, such as bolts.

The speed adjustment, as well as the torque adjustment allow the selection of the corresponding values, making a drill driver and an electric screwdriver respectively suitable for carrying out more and different tasks, depending on the needs.

Do you know the use? We know what you need!

See the features you should pay the most attention to, based on the use you plan to make of it.

Very basic tasks at home

If you are looking for an electric screwdriver, for fairly simple tasks at home, such as assembling furniture, choose one with a voltage from 10.8V to 18V and torque up to 20Nm.
If you also want to drill holes in the wall or other building materials, an electric screwdriver with torque up to 60Nm is an ideal choice.

Choose a cordless electric screwdriver, so you can easily move it anywhere!

DIY projects

If you love projects with wood and metal, and need a tool that can handle any creative idea that comes to mind, then choose a drill driver with torque of about 60Nm and voltage of at least 18V.

Choose a drill driver with interchangeable head, speed adjustment and ideally impact!

Professional use

If you are a professional, the tool you choose must be able to handle every kind of building material and condition, so a impact screwdriver may be a good choice. Make sure it has a voltage of at least 20-24V and torque of at least 60Nm.

Buying Guide for Drills & Electric Screwdrivers!

Don't forget that there can often be a difference in a product based on its overall characteristics and construction. Before you decide, read the reviews of other users to see their opinions as well!

You can also take a look at the guide to the best drill drivers and electric screwdrivers on the market , where you will find the best options based on user feedback, for both hobbyists and professionals.