The 5 Best Cordless Drills Under $50 [Updated for 2022]
For the heaviest drilling jobs, most contractors opt for corded drills for the sheer power of the machines and to avoid the inconvenience of having to charge it.
However, you may not be looking for industrial-grade equipment. As someone interested in remodeling or renovating, convenience may be your number one concern, so long as it packs enough power to get the job done.
For these cordless drills, you don’t sacrifice as much versatility as you might think. For light repairs and woodworking, these cordless models from the best brands may be just what you’re looking for.
Here’s our top picks for the best cordless drills under $50 to buy in 2020.
Black & Decker is an obvious first choice for any drilling equipment, as the company has been dominating the construction and remodeling enthusiasts’ playbook for decades. This compact cordless drill is one of the very best you can buy for under $50.
For lighter tasks at your worksite and for just about any job you have going in terms of home repairs, redecorating, or garden work, this Black & Decker cordless drill can lend a helping hand. It has enough torque to work with plastic, metal, or wood (about 115 in./lb.).
You get up to 650 RPMs of speed and an 11-position clutch that lets you customize the control you have over this drill.
Best of all, it sits comfortably in your hands (at only 6.5 lbs. it’s one of the heaviest in this range, but still light). This makes it perfect for drilling in cramped spaces in the attic or at awkward angles from a ladder on the side of your house. Reaching into a crawlspace or into a wall, you’ll be happy that you have a drill with enough power to do light work and none of the cords to tangle you up.
The 20V ion battery holds a charge for 18 months, meaning that you can charge it when you’re done, put it away, and it’ll be ready for you on the next job.
It even comes with an LED light on the front so you can see without using a phone or flashlight, which is essential for a drill designed to work in cramped and awkward spaces.
To supplement its already generous price, the Black & Decker 20V cordless drill comes with 30 accessories. Explore options for these attachments on Amazon listings and at hardware stores to get everything you need in one package.
The availability of these items at a low cost makes this already beginner-friendly compact drill a perfect choice for those that need the whole package to get started on their first remodeling job.
Pros
- Compact design makes it easy to use in cramped spaces
- Low weight helps with fatigue and with drilling one handed
- Impressive 18-month lifespan on its rechargeable battery
- Useful LED light on the front
- Options for packaging in a full drill bit set at little extra cost
- 11-position clutch for greater control
Cons
- Chuck on the drill is not too tight so bits can slip out sometimes
- One battery, so you'll have to pause and charge it first when it gets drained
- Not enough power to drill through some types of materials
Our Verdict
In terms of the best cordless drills under $50, Black & Decker’s 20V LDX120C is a keeper. It’s been the best-selling drill in its class for a long time and we can see why. Its compact design makes it perfect for awkward positions in crawl spaces or attics. Its comfortable grip, built-in LED light, and incredible battery life add up to a convenient tool to have handy for any light DIY projects you may want to get started.
Our Rating
This Avid Power cordless drill is built for convenience. It’s one of our best cordless drills under $50 because of how it accommodates even the most novice DIYer in getting their jobs done efficiently and without a ton of hassle.
In the first place, it has a convenient multifunction battery, meaning that its 20V lithium-ion pack can be charged at a USB port compatible with phone charging. It has a real-time light indicator to tell you how much juice it has left (it appears right on your phone). You just have to plug it in with the included cord.
Its 15+1-position clutch gives you a ton of control options depending on what project you’re tackling. It can handle wood projects up to 20mm, steel plates, drywall, and even ceramics. Its variable speed trigger allows you to adjust its handling up to 550 RPMs.
It has other features designed for your convenience as well, such as a built-in LED light. This may not be a required feature on a cordless drill, but you’re probably getting one because you’re willing to sacrifice power for versatility. When you take the Avid Power cordless drill up to your attic or down beneath your house, you’ll be happy they thought to include a light.
This is also the second lightest drill on this list, coming in at a weight of 2.2 pounds, making it easily handled by anyone with one hand. It’s ergonomically designed with a fitted rubber grip, complimenting the low weight for those one-handed drilling jobs.
One exciting but subtle feature is a slightly pliable bit shaft, meaning the end of the drill has a little give when it comes to squeezing the bit into a tight space. You’ll be thankful for that extra give when you’re screwing in boards at an angle in a crawlspace or reaching around inside a wall while doing some electrical work.
Pros
- USB-compatible, meaning you can charge it directly from your phone if you want, with a convenient indicator telling you how much time it has left
- Versatile clutch gives you a lot of options in terms of control for different jobs
- LED light
- Incredibly lightweight at only 2.2 pounds, perfect for anyone to work one handed
- Pliable shaft that bends at slight angles to give a little more functionality in cramped spaces
- Ergonomic handle to promote ease of use for beginners
- Comes with 10 drill bits
Cons
- Drill speed is a bit slow
- Battery life could be improved
- Can be tricky to remove battery
Our Verdict
This 2-pound drill from Avid Power hardly sacrifices anything in terms of power, making it ideal for novice DIYers who want a lot of function and versatility in a tiny package. With a ton of conveniences packaged in like a phone-compatible battery charger, this is a perfect drill for odd-jobs around the house or very light repair work, particularly for beginners and those with small hands.
Our Rating
For no extra cost, the GOXAWEE Electric Screw Driver Set comes with a 100-piece accessory bundle that boosts the practicality of this little machine by quite a bit.
Even more impressively, this drill outclasses the competition in terms of power for these tiny cordless drills. It contains a 2-speed drill, with the first setting giving you 0-350 RPMs for the smallest tasks (like putting up a towel rack) and the second setting getting up to 1350 RPMs, putting it in the power range of the smaller corded drills under $50.
To complement this impressive range of speed, the GOXAWEE cordless driver also comes with a unique rotary hammer function, making it possible to drill boreholes into wood, tile, or metal with the right bit attachment. A Masonry Drill Bit that comes in the included toolkit is specifically designed for drilling through concrete.
This versatility gives the GOXAWEE an edge over other cordless drills in its price range. Its battery also comes with an impressive 1-hour charging time and an extra battery right in the kit, ensuring you’ll never be without a charged one.
With the incredible versatility of its three modes – hammer, driver, and drill – this cordless screwdriver also has an 18-position adjustable clutch and enough torque for any DIY project, no matter the material.
Additionally, like the Avid Power model, this one also features a flexible shaft for drilling in awkward places, which may be the reason you bought a cordless model in the first place.
This particular model has a range of functions none of the others can boast, with a drill brush attachment for buffing out stains and the aforementioned hammer and driver heads. At six pounds, it’s one of the heavier models in this range, but with that weight comes a ton of versatility.
Pros
- 2-speed controls offer incredible power for the size, with RPMs approaching the range of corded models
- Huge included accessory kit with over 100 bits and an extra battery
- Unique functions like the drill brush head
- Hammer, driver, and driller modes for maximum functionality
- Flexible shaft for use in cramped spaces
- No load speed
Cons
- A bit difficult to remove batteries
- Drill bits sometimes break easily
- Smell of chemical while operatiing
Our Verdict
This may not be the lightest or most comfortable drill to hold in this price range, but for less than $50 you can hardly expect to find more versatile functions in one compact package. With over 100 bits, 3 drilling modes, and 2 speed options, the GOXAWEE electric screwdriver can handle even moderately heavy-duty drilling tasks. For those that know what they’re doing and want to be able to switch on the fly between a ton of control options, materials, and drilling patterns, you can’t go wrong with this model.
Our Rating
Another option from Black & Decker, this cordless drill comes with much less firepower than the previous, pulling only 12V at maximum. However, its compact design and numerous attachments could make it a viable alternative for people looking for that quality company name at an affordable price.
The main draw for this model is that it’s 35% more compact than other Black & Decker drills. It only weighs 2.9 pounds, so it will be easy for even amateur DIYers to handle its modest motor with one hand.
While it doesn’t have a lot going for it in terms of power, this cordless drill still manages to hit our list because of its versatility in terms of the average homeowner’s (or home remodeler’s) needs.
This model isn’t going to tackle a heavy-duty woodworking project or help you build a new deck. However, it can be purchased with a bit set that contains up to 109 accessory pieces for any of the smaller challenges around the house. This includes hanging a towel rack, putting up pictures, drilling through lighter wood and metal, and even doing work in plastics.
Its ion battery holds its charge for a year and a half so you can be sure it’s ready for you if you charge it before storing it. Like many on this list, it has variable speed control (as much as it can manage) and features an extra comfortable soft grip on the handle that reduces fatigue when drilling for extended periods of time. This is useful for those who plan on using this little model one-handed.
For an amateur homemaker that wants the minimum in terms of drilling power for odd jobs around the house or in the garden, this is a well-constructed alternative to bigger tools.
Pros
- Anti-slip grip is convenient for working in the bathroom or just for staying steady out in the garden
- Versatile tool kit with over 100 bits for different jobs
- Hefty battery life, with a charge lasting 18 months
- Compact design, weighing less than 3 pounds
- 11-position clutch for a variety of functions
- Convenient LED light for seeing in cramped spaces
Cons
- Battery life could be better
- Chuck sometimes doesn't stay in place and bits detach especially when in slow and reverse settings
- Not powerful enough to drill through concrete or bricks
Our Verdict
The Black & Decker BDCDD12C 12V cordless drill is one of our picks for the best drills under $50 because of its solid construction owing to its manufacturer and its handiness for a very specific brand of customer. If you’re a complete novice that wants nothing in terms of drill power and simply needs a handy, compact tool for doing things around the house that requires a quiet screwdriver, this affordable, ergonomic tool could be a match for you.
Our Rating
The final listing for the best cordless drills under $50 is one more Black & Decker model, this time coming it at the cheapest drill on the list, going for less than $20 on some online retailers.
For that price, it’s hard to complain that the little 8V motor doesn’t pack enough power, especially when you’re getting this versatile little tool with all the Black & Decker functionality promises in a package that weighs only 1.3 pounds, by far the lightest on this list.
Its keyless chuck provides quick bit changes, which is good since the driver comes with 109 accessories (for more money). This model has a mid-handle grip, meaning you hold it close to the body of the drill rather than on the end of the handle.
So if you know that fatigue is a problem for you and want a mid-handle drill with as little weight as possible, this could be the model you’re looking for.
Pros
- Tiny design, weighing only 1.3 pounds
- Mid-handle grip to help with fatigue during prolonged onehanded drilling
- Form-fitting rubber grip
- Balanced for novice drillers
- Easy bit changes
Cons
- Doesn't have a variable speed option
- Not enough power to drill through strong materials
- Battery could be better
Our Verdict
If you don’t need any drilling above 400 RPMs, this light, compact drill from Black & Decker could be right for you. Realize that you’re buying the minimum in terms of force, but for fixing a cabinet hinge or a wall display, this record-low price packs a lot of modest quality.
Our Rating
How to choose a cordless drill
Certain aspects of cordless drill models are variable and others should remain constant. Any drill model you consider should have a form-fitting grip, multi-position clutch, and a long-lasting battery.
At this price range, you can also expect to find accessories included, so look for those as well.
The most variable options when choosing a model are in power and speed. Some of these drills draw almost nothing and are suitable only for the lightest household tasks. Others like the GOXAWEE can compete with their corded counterparts.
Additionally, you can find a lot of options in terms of weight and size. Depending on your experience, the size of your hand, and your susceptibility to fatigue, you may want to seek out a model that won’t tire you out.
Since you’ll be using the cordless drill in a lot of tight spaces, you may also look for a flexible tip and an LED light attachment for just a little added convenience.
The Takeaway
Searching for the best cordless drills for under $50 inevitably leads you to Black & Decker, and that leads you to their 20V cordless drill and driver, the best selling tool on this list and for good reason.
It packs as much power as you would need in this price range, comes compact and comfortable, and has plenty of options in terms of attachments and speed functions. Best of all, it has competitive power output and enough speed to get these light drilling tasks accomplished in even the most cramped spaces.
You don’t have to sacrifice versatility with cordless drills so long as you accept their power limitations and opt into all their convenient features and handy household uses. For novice DIYers doing light renovations or home redecorating, one of these cheap, compact tools could be the perfect fit.
I have an unhealthy obsession with contracting and renovation. I’ve been a contractor for over 15 years and I love tackling challenging projects to make them look amazing.
