As with most drill-drivers, the battery is a separate unit that slides onto the bottom of the handle. It’s charged by its own charger and can take up to six hours to charge. This and the sheer size means it’s not as convenient a tool for basic household DIY, but it’s a brilliant and affordable option when you have something more ambitious in mind. The objective tests were task-orientated and specifically focused on sinking screws to a 2x4 piece of lumber. For inserting screws in a 2x4 piece of lumber, an inch-long Robertson head lumber screw was used at an angle (roughly 45 degrees) as well as straight-on to get a sense of the screwdriver’s torque. Additionally, we tested the screwdriver’s ability to insert or remove screws from pre-drilled holes. The Wen 49036 has almost all of the features on my electric screwdriver wish list: a grip that converts from a pistol orientation to straight, an LED for lighting your work area, a detailed charge indicator, and adjustable torque. Unfortunately, it’s just not all that powerful. I found it slow to use and underpowered, even when performing the most basic tasks. The screwdriver’s torque is comparable to tools that are marketed with contractors in mind, such as the DeWalt DCF682N1 and the Milwaukee M12. Having this oomph allows it to complete tasks that would be beyond less powerful electric screwdrivers intended for home users. During testing, I found that I was able to sink or remove longer screws into hefty material with relative ease. Key specs – Power: 18V; Speeds: 10; Max speeds: 650rpm; Max torque: 30Nm; Battery: 1,500mAh lithium-ion; Charger: 18Vproprietary; Accessories: 1 bit; Weight: 750g

Dremel Cordless 4V USB Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Powered Dremel Cordless 4V USB Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Powered

Another offering from DEWALT is the DCF682N1, which is a slightly different model of the previously mentioned DEWALT cordless screwdriver kit. This electric screwdriver is very lightweight, just like the other version, meaning you can carry it around freely. It also has the same LED light features that the other model uses. You can monitor the status of the lithium-ion battery through the indicator on the tool, and you can use the flashlight function to see when you use the screwdriver in dark corners. The DeWalt 8-volt MAX cordless screwdriver was the very first of the screwdrivers we tested, and we were not yet familiar with its gyroscopic technology. At first, it seemed counterintuitive, but now, it’s one of our favorite features.As well as the high speed, it also boasts an 11 position clutch. This means it can be adjusted to match the needs of the job. This is a drill, rather than a simple screwdriver product, so it is built to work on a range of materials, as well as screws. It also comes with a charger to give it the 20 volts of power it uses to get the job done. Testing was divided into objective and subjective tests. I made sure that each screwdriver was charged for at least 24 hours before each segment of testing began.

Parkside - Lidl GB

Like the DeWalt DCF682N1, the Metabo DB3DL2 comes with two removable batteries and a charging station, allowing one battery to be used while another is charging. The battery is a bit fussier than the one used in the DeWalt. however, as the Metabo battery can only be inserted into the tool, one way. Most lower-powered electric screwdrivers either have no speed settings at all or only have a low/high-speed switch. More heavy-duty tools, however, often have a variable speed setting, which lets you tailor the speed to your needs—go fast when driving smaller screws, or slow it down when driving large screws that require more force. The Milwaukee 2401-22 is a professional-level tool, with a 12-volt battery that's compatible with other Milwaukee tools and up to 500 rpm of speed. There are 16 clutch settings for up to a powerful 175 inch-pounds of torque; not many screws are going to resist that kind of force. Pistol-grip cordless screwdrivers resemble drill/drivers, and are pistol-shaped like the SKIL Rechargeable 4V Cordless Screwdriver, as the name suggests. These are easy to hold and control, and are especially comfortable for people who are used to doing a lot of work with power drills. Consumers have come to expect a lot from national brands such as DeWalt, Milwaukee, and Bosch, but we wanted to expand our testing to cordless screwdrivers from a variety of manufacturers. All manufacturers list their tools’ strong points, but unless the products are personally tested, it’s difficult to know if they live up to the claims. With the larger drill/driver models, you will usually need to remove the battery and slot it into a separate charger. That said, even some of these are now charging through micro-USB.Whether you want a driver or a drill, there is a lot of research you can do to find the best one for you, and nobody really has that sort of time. To help you save your time, and hopefully a bit of your money too, we have put together this buyer’s guide with some main features you need to be looking for when buying a new power tool. Versatility The clutch in fastening tools regulates the amount of torque applied to a fastener. Once the set torque is reached, the clutch will start to “slip,” preventing the tool from driving the fastener or drilling any deeper. Just adjust the clutch according to the type of fastener and the type of material. Since this is situation-specific, the rule of thumb is to set the clutch to a low setting and increase slowly as needed.