Top 5 Best Cordless Drill Under $50 (2024 Guide)

Top 5 Best Cordless Drill Under $50 (Quick Summary)

In a rush, no problem. See below a list of the Best cordless drills under $50. For more detailed information on each please keep reading.

1. BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Cordless Drill (LDX120C)
2. GOXAWEE Electric Cordless Drill
3. DEKO 20V Brushless Cordless Drill
4. EnerTwist 20V Max Cordless Drill
5. GALAX PRO 20V Cordless Drill

Why this guide for the best cordless drill under $50

A handy cordless drill is a definite must have in your tools arsenal.

This very versatile tool often allows you to run the tool at various torques with high level of precision. Making it super useful for everything from fastening screws to driving through wood or masonry at high torque.

However, as you are very well aware. A simple search for the best cordless drill under $50 can often leave one very confused.

Especially when searching for a budget tool, you never want to sacrifice on quality.

That is why I created this guide. I will combine my own personal experience with a wide range of research, product reviews and datasheet analyses to ensure that you do not have too.

I have spent hours making sure that the information in this guide is suitable and that you get to find the best cordless drill under $50 without having to do any of the heavy lifting yourself.

Also, I keep this guide periodically updated, to ensure that you are only getting the best.

What Are The Important Features Of The Best Cordless Drill Under $50

When looking to purchase a cordless drill, especially a budget option under $50 dollars, there are a number of different parameters that are key to understand before you commit any of your money. I will describe these for you below

A look at the ergonomics

Most cordless drill manufacturers nowadays are really dialed in.

The tools look great, they fit into you hand seamlessly and they allow for great trigger control.

All the cordless drills in this guide are ergonomically designed so you do not need to worry. However if you decide to go on your own and try and purchase one from the market look for the 3 items listed below: 

1. Light weight design and can be comfortably held in one hand.
2. Easy trigger control, either using a single or two finger trigger mechanism; and lastly
3. Make sure the battery pack fits seamlessly into the base of your cordless drill.

If you can cover you bases on these items, then rest assured you will have a great cordless drill under $50 that you will love.

Read More:>>> Learn how to sharpen your drill bits

Understanding the voltage rating

Typically on any cordless drill packaging, you will find a voltage rating. This rating is often in bold on the packaging and not hidden at all.

The reason manufacturers make this number clearly visible is because the voltage of your cordless drill is related to the rotational power (torque) that you will be able to get out of your machine.

Most cordless drills have voltage ratings of 12V, 18V or 20V. The higher the voltage the more powerful your cordless drill.

This is something to consider when making a purchase decision. For me I would recommend going for the highest torque as possible simply because this will give you more options on how you can use your tool.

You will not believe how many times people buy undersized tools thinking they will only ever use their cordless drill to fasten screws and then realize that in fact they need it for much more high torque applications such as drilling through wood or metal.

Also as I will explain next, most modern cordless drills have the ability to vary and limit the torque using a movable collar called a clutch control or slip clutch.

Clutch control or slip clutch 

This movable collar is the one that typically has many numbers on it. Now the purpose of this clutch control is that it acts as a limiter on torque.

So you might think why would anyone ever need that?

Well let me explain. Often when undertaking delicate jobs such as fastening screws you want your cordless drill to have the ability to stop precisely at a specific point.

This point is usually when the screw has been tightly fastened. The slip clutch/clutch control facilitates this, and basically prevents you from overdriving screws.

Interestingly this feature only exists on cordless drills. Typically you will not find it on corded drills.

Although it does take a bit of practice to fine tune it precisely.

Once you get it right it will save you so much time and will make your screwing jobs neater and more professional.

Without this feature – you will basically be camming out and overdriving, which makes it impossible to remove screws at times without causing damage to the surrounding screw area. 

View the video below to understand the importance of clutch control on your cordless drill. 

What to avoid when looking to buy the Best Cordless Drill Under $50

To make your buying experience even better I have created a list of a couple of things I believe you should look to avoid when purchasing a cordless drill under $50.

No interchangeable battery

This is often overlooked, but the battery is probably the most important piece of your cordless drill as it is the source of power.

Make sure that when you purchase a cordless drill that it comes with a very easily interchangeable battery, that you can just move out, charge and further replace.

Read More:>>> Learn how to drill holes into ceramic pots

Poor product information

This item is key, always make sure when purchasing a cordless drill  that the manufacturer gives you a user manual and a product list.

This should also typically include any warranty information with clear contact details of the relevant service and customer care departments in your area.

All the best cordless drills under $50 in this guide do take this into consideration, however this needs to be mentioned. Especially if you are going to be purchasing your cordless drill through other avenues.

Please do not ignore this.

I cannot tell you how often even seasoned DIYers overlook this, and when something goes wrong they inevitable are stranded with a tool they can no longer use effectively or interchange.

Deep Dive Review Of The 5 Best Cordless Drill Under $50

Additional Tips When Using Your Cordless Drill Under $50

Here are some really cool extra tips that will really get the most out of you cordless drill under $50.

Punch a hole before you drill

Cordless drills nowadays are pretty powerful, but I would always recommend that before you drill into any material you create some sort of pilot hole. You can either use a punch or you can use sharp edge to create an initial dent.

With this in place, you can start you cordless drill and create super accurate holes, without having to worry about slippage due to the initial lack of friction between drill bit and material.

Relax and keep the force steady

The cordless drill is designed to bring the necessary torque into the wood or metal. Do not overly exert pressure as you are drilling. Let the drill do all the work.

I often see even experienced weekend warriors or woodworking professionals making this error. Steady force with the right torque always wins. You do not need to apply further force. It does not make the drilling go faster so relax and save you energy.

Remove the swarf

Swarf is just a really technical word for the debris that comes out of your hole, it was a term used back in the day and it has just stuck. As you know the flutes of your drill bit are expertly designed to remove debris from your drilling hole.

What can often happen however, especially if you are drilling into dense hardwood or softwood that has moisture, the swarf can often cling onto the bit and not detach itself.

This is a problem because it basically renders your drill bit as a huge cylinder incapable of removing debris and hence drilling further through material.

To remove swarf is not very complicated at all – just use your finger or fingernails when the bit is stationery and remove the clingy debris. Alternatively you can use a sharp ended piece of metal or a chisel.

Read More:>>> Learn how to drill into a brick with your new cordless drill

Ninja hack: Use tape on to avoid cracking

This last tip is a ninja hack, when you are drilling through softwood, what can often happen is that it will chip around the area in which you are applying force.

 This can often cause holes that look fairly untidy and if you were fastening a screw it can create points of weakness and potential failure.

To avoid this all you will need is to take a piece of tape, strap it onto the area of wood you wish to drill and then slowly drill your hole, upon completion remove the piece of tape and you will find a hole that is without and cracks or damage.

My Overall #1 Pick: BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Cordless Drill (LDX120C)

All of the cordless drills in this guide are fantastic tools, they offer great versatility and are super value for money.

However for me the best of them all is the Black+Decker 20V Max Cordless Drill (LDX120C). 

It has a fantastic 2 year warranty, this combined with a powerful motor capable of generating 1500W makes this the overall top pick.

Check out the price on Amazon here.

Final Thoughts On The Best Cordless Drill Under $50

Hopefully after reading this guide you are much better equipped to find a budget cordless drill under $50. I made sure that simply because you want something cheap you should never ever sacrifice the overall quality.