Drills, impacts and hammers: which one when
The wrong driver strips screws, snaps hardware and wrecks furniture. Here is what each one is for, plus top picks by voltage class.
Before you buy
The M12 impact: the Barbie everyone has
Everybody owns one: it is small, light, cheap (about $92 bare) and still hits 1,500 in-lb. That is why it lives in every tool bag.
When NOT to use it: furniture assembly, cabinet hardware, hinges and small screws in particleboard. An impact on speed 3 has no clutch: it strips the head, snaps the screw and blows out the particleboard.
- Use a drill/driver with the clutch on 3–5, or a low-torque brushed or multi-head driver. Ours: the M12 FUEL multi-head kit and the brushed M12 2407.
- If the impact is all you have, set it to speed 1 and finish by hand.
- Save the impact for lag bolts, deck screws and structural screws.
Which tool for which job
★ We own itDrill/driver
Best for: Holes in wood and metal, and screws where you need the clutch to stop on time (cabinets, hinges, furniture)
Not for: Concrete and block
★ We own itHammer drill
Best for: Everything a drill does plus small holes in brick, block and concrete (Tapcons, anchors)
Not for: Lots of 1/2" holes in concrete; get an SDS
★ We own itImpact driver
Best for: Long deck and structural screws, lag bolts, driving all day without wrist kick
Not for: Furniture, cabinet hardware, small screws in particleboard: it strips and snaps them
★ We own itSDS-plus rotary hammer
Best for: Anchors and 1/4"–1" holes in concrete, light chiseling tile off a slab
Not for: Wood and screws
★ We own it60V SDS rotary hammer
Best for: Bigger holes and longer chiseling runs than an 18V SDS
Not for: Overhead all day; it is heavy
★ We own itDrywall autofeed screw gun
Best for: Hanging drywall fast with the right depth every time
Not for: Anything except drywall and subfloor screws
★ We own itPaddle mixer drill
Best for: Thinset, mud, grout and paint in 5-gallon buckets
Not for: Drilling small holes; too much torque and too slow
Multi-head / low-torque driver
Best for: Furniture assembly, cabinets, tight corners (DeWalt 5-in-1, a brushed 12V drill on clutch 3–5)
Not for: Lag bolts and long structural screws
12V impact drivers
| Model | Platform | Max torque | Score / award | Price* | Buy or compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee M12 2462-20 (brushed) ★ We own it | 12V | — | Light-duty driving | See today | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt XTREME 12V DCF801 ★ We own it | 12V | — | — | See today | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M12 FUEL 3453-20 ★ We own it | 12V | 1,500 in-lb | PTR best 12V | $92 bare | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
* Street prices we saw at stores and in reviews between February and October 2026. They change daily, so the buttons show today's price. Scores: PTR = Pro Tool Reviews, TGL = TechGearLab, TBB = ToolBoxBuzz; each runs its own test, so scores only compare within one source.
18V–24V impact drivers: top 10
| Model | Platform | Max torque | Score / award | Price* | Buy or compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flex 24V FX1371A | 24V | 2,500 in-lb | PTR 96 (#1) · TBB #5 | $152 bare | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2953-20 ★ We own it | 18V | 2,000 in-lb | PTR 94 · TGL 85 · TBB #1 | $119–$179 bare | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Kobalt XTR 24V KXID 1424A | 24V | 2,400 in-lb | TGL 87 (#1) | $189 kit | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ridgid R862312K | 18V | 2,400 in-lb | PTR 88 | ~$209 kit | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi ONE+ HP PBLID04B | 18V | 2,300 in-lb | PTR 87 | $129 bare | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt ATOMIC DCF850B ★ We own it | 20V | 1,825 in-lb | TGL 83 · TBB #2 | ~$150 bare | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt XR DCF860B (3-speed) ★ We own it | 20V | 2,500 in-lb | PTR 81 | $131 bare | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt ATOMIC DCF809 ★ We own it | 20V | Compact | Our tight-space driver | $119 kit (HD promo) | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M18 FUEL SURGE hydraulic impact driver ★ We own it | 18V | Hydraulic, quieter | Less noise indoors | See today We paid $39.96 each on promo (we bought 3) | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt 20V DCF840 compact impact ★ We own it | 20V | Compact | — | See today | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Bosch GDR18V-215N | 18V | 1,900 in-lb | PTR 78 | $159 bare | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Makita XDT131 kit | 18V | 1,500 in-lb | TGL 79 | $176 kit | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Craftsman V20 CMCF830B | 20V | 1,800 in-lb | PTR 61 | $95 bare | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
* Street prices we saw at stores and in reviews between February and October 2026. They change daily, so the buttons show today's price. Scores: PTR = Pro Tool Reviews, TGL = TechGearLab, TBB = ToolBoxBuzz; each runs its own test, so scores only compare within one source.
12V drills
| Model | Platform | Max torque | Score / award | Price* | Buy or compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee M12 FUEL multi-head drill kit ★ We own it | 12V | 4 heads incl. right angle and offset | Our furniture and cabinet driver | See today We paid $100 | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M12 2407-20 drill/driver (brushed) ★ We own it | 12V | Low torque, clutch | Furniture assembly without stripping | See today | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M12 2415-20 right-angle drill ★ We own it | 12V | Right angle | Between joists and studs | See today | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt XTREME 12V DCD701 drill/driver ★ We own it | 12V | Compact | — | See today | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M12 FUEL 3497-22 hammer drill + impact kit ★ We own it | 12V | Kit | Two of these on the trucks | See today We paid $156.18 each | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt XTREME 12V DCD703F1 5-in-1 | 12V | 182 in-lb | TGL 74 | $156 kit | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M12 FUEL 3404-20 (hammer) ★ We own it | 12V | Compact hammer | Ours | See today | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
* Street prices we saw at stores and in reviews between February and October 2026. They change daily, so the buttons show today's price. Scores: PTR = Pro Tool Reviews, TGL = TechGearLab, TBB = ToolBoxBuzz; each runs its own test, so scores only compare within one source.
18V–24V drills and hammer drills: top 10
| Model | Platform | Max torque | Score / award | Price* | Buy or compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flex 24V FX1271T-2B (hammer) | 24V | 1,400 in-lb | PTR 95 (#1 hammer drill) | $249 kit | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt DCD1007WW1 (hammer) | 20V | 1,530 UWO | PTR 91 | $268 kit | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2904-22 (hammer) ★ We own it | 18V | 1,400 in-lb | PTR 85 | $285–$329 kit | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt ATOMIC DCD794D1 ★ We own it | 20V | 404 UWO | TGL 88 (#1 drill/driver) | $119 kit (HD promo) | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt 20V XR DCD806 hammer drill ★ We own it | 20V | — | — | See today | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt 20V XR DCD801 drill/driver ★ We own it | 20V | — | Consumer Reports pick | $117.99 | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt 20V DCD708 compact drill/driver ★ We own it | 20V | — | — | See today | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Kobalt XTR KXDD 1424A | 24V | 1,200 in-lb | TGL 81 | See today | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Bosch GSR18V-400B12 | 18V | 400 in-lb | TGL 68 | See today | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Bosch GSB18V-65B12 (hammer) | 18V | 575 in-lb | Bob Vila top pick | $199 kit | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Makita XFD131 kit | 18V | 440 in-lb | Reviewed pick | $179 kit | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi ONE+ HP PBLHM102K1 (hammer) | 18V | 850 in-lb | PTR best for the money | See today | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Craftsman V20 CMCD710C1 | 20V | — | Consumer Reports pick | $128 kit | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
* Street prices we saw at stores and in reviews between February and October 2026. They change daily, so the buttons show today's price. Scores: PTR = Pro Tool Reviews, TGL = TechGearLab, TBB = ToolBoxBuzz; each runs its own test, so scores only compare within one source.