The Best Cordless Combo Kits: A Drill and Impact Driver That Share Batteries
Three drill and impact driver combo kits on Amazon, for three different jobs, plus how to choose a battery platform before you buy one.
November 10, 2026 · by Nate Calder
Our pick · Best Overall
Makita XT281S 18V LXT Brushless 2-Pc. Combo Kit (3.0Ah)
Who it's for: Someone setting up a shop who wants one platform for years.
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The short answer
A combo kit is a drill, an impact driver, batteries and a charger. Buying them together costs much less than buying them separately, but it also commits you to one battery system. Choose that first.
Choose the platform before the kit
- Batteries only fit their own brand. Every tool you buy later should take the same battery, so the platform matters more than the drill.
- Already own a battery tool? Buy the kit that uses the same battery, even if another kit is cheaper this week.
- Starting from nothing? Makita 18V LXT and DEWALT 20V MAX both have wide tool ranges and are both sold on Amazon. Ryobi ONE+ and Milwaukee M18 are good systems too, but they are sold mainly through Home Depot.
Brushless or brushed
Brushless motors run longer per charge and last longer. Brushed kits cost less. For occasional DIY, brushed is fine. For a shop, buy brushless.
You may not need a combo kit
If you only hang shelves and build flat-pack furniture, a single drill-driver will do. An impact driver earns its place when you drive long screws often: decking, framing and shop furniture.
Shopping the sales? See Black Friday workshop deals.
Makita
XT281S 18V LXT Brushless 2-Pc. Combo Kit (3.0Ah)
A brushless 1/2 inch driver-drill and a brushless impact driver, with two 3.0Ah batteries. Bigger batteries than most starter kits, so you are not swapping packs mid-job. It puts you on Makita's 18V LXT platform, which has one of the widest ranges of tools to grow into.
- Who it suits
- Someone setting up a shop who wants one platform for years.
- What it does well
- Everyday drilling and driving, with enough battery to finish a job.
- The trade-off
- Costs more than the DEWALT kits, and the drill is a driver-drill, not a hammer drill, so masonry is out.
Check the link for current pricing.
DEWALT
DCK277C2 20V MAX Compact Brushless Drill/Driver and Impact Driver Combo Kit
DEWALT's compact brushless pair. Brushless motors run longer per charge than brushed ones, and the compact size suits work inside cabinets and between joists.
- Who it suits
- A DIYer who wants DEWALT 20V MAX and a lighter tool in the hand.
- What it does well
- Furniture assembly, cabinet installs and general DIY.
- The trade-off
- The 1.5Ah batteries are small. Plan on buying a larger battery if you drill a lot.
Check the link for current pricing.
DEWALT
DCK240C2 20V MAX Drill/Driver and Impact Driver Combo Kit
A brushed drill-driver and impact driver with two batteries, charger and bag. It is one of the cheapest name-brand combo kits, which is the main reason to buy it.
- Who it suits
- Occasional home repairs and flat-pack furniture.
- What it does well
- Getting a real drill and impact driver for the least money.
- The trade-off
- Brushed motors and two 1.3Ah batteries. Owners most often complain that the batteries drain quickly on heavy work.
Check the link for current pricing.
Side by side
-
Best Overall
Makita XT281S 18V LXT Brushless 2-Pc. Combo Kit (3.0Ah)
- Platform
- 18V LXT
- Motor
- Brushless
- Batteries
- 2 x 3.0Ah
-
Best Compact
DEWALT DCK277C2 20V MAX Compact Brushless Drill/Driver and Impact Driver Combo Kit
- Platform
- 20V MAX
- Motor
- Brushless
- Batteries
- 2 x 1.5Ah
-
Best Budget
DEWALT DCK240C2 20V MAX Drill/Driver and Impact Driver Combo Kit
- Platform
- 20V MAX
- Motor
- Brushed
- Batteries
- 2 x 1.3Ah
Is it worth waiting for Black Friday?
Yes, wait.
Yes. Cordless combo kits are the headline Black Friday tool deal, and kits like these are routinely discounted around Black Friday (November 27) and Cyber Monday (November 30). If you need one before then, buy it; otherwise wait and check the price history first.
Buying for someone else?
The safest pick at each budget: the one least likely to be wrong for them.
-
Smaller budget
DEWALT DCK240C2 20V MAX Drill/Driver and Impact Driver Combo Kit
A safe first kit for someone with no cordless tools.
-
Bigger budget
Makita XT281S 18V LXT Brushless 2-Pc. Combo Kit (3.0Ah)
Only if they have no battery platform yet, or already use Makita.
How these picks were chosen
We shortlisted combo kits sold by Amazon in the US from the three brands most home woodworkers choose between, and compared motor type, battery capacity and platform breadth from manufacturer and retailer specifications. Owner complaints were weighed from recurring themes in reviews. Ryobi and Milwaukee are not here because their kits are sold mainly through Home Depot rather than Amazon. Nothing was tested hands-on for this guide.