The Best Cordless Drills and Impact Drivers for a Home Workshop
Two drill-drivers and two impact drivers, on the Makita and Ryobi platforms, and how to tell which tool you actually need.
November 10, 2026 · by Nate Calder
Our pick · Best Drill-Driver
Makita XFD131 18V LXT Brushless 1/2 in Driver-Drill Kit
Who it's for: Someone buying into Makita, or already on it.
Disclosure:As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This costs you nothing and never changes which tools we recommend. Read more.
The short answer
Drill-drivers
- 1 Best Drill-Driver: Makita XFD131 18V LXT Brushless 1/2 in Driver-Drill Kit
- 2 Best Value Platform: Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless 1/2 in Drill/Driver Kit
Impact drivers
- 3 Best Impact Driver: Makita XDT16T 18V LXT Brushless 4-Speed Impact Driver Kit
- 4 Best Bare Tool: Ryobi PBLID02B ONE+ HP 18V Brushless 4-Mode Impact Driver
A drill-driver and an impact driver look alike and do different jobs. Most people need the drill first.
Drill-driver or impact driver?
- A drill-driver drills holes and drives screws. Its clutch stops turning at a set torque, so small screws do not strip or snap. If you buy one tool, buy this.
- An impact driver drives screws with rapid hammer blows. It sinks long screws far faster with less strain on the wrist, but it has no clutch and is clumsy with small screws.
- Both together is where most shops end up. A combo kit is the cheap way to get both.
Choose the battery, not the drill
Batteries only fit their own brand. If you own any battery tool, stay on that platform. That is why this guide sticks to two platforms rather than listing every brand.
Shopping the sales? See Black Friday workshop deals.
Drill-drivers
Makita
XFD131 18V LXT Brushless 1/2 in Driver-Drill Kit
A brushless 1/2 inch driver-drill on Makita's 18V LXT platform, sold as a kit with a 3.0Ah battery and charger. Compact enough for cabinet work and with a chuck big enough for spade bits and hole saws.
- Who it suits
- Someone buying into Makita, or already on it.
- What it does well
- Drilling clean holes and driving screws with the clutch set so they do not strip.
- The trade-off
- One battery in the kit. A second makes it far more usable.
Check the link for current pricing.
Ryobi
18V ONE+ HP Brushless 1/2 in Drill/Driver Kit
Ryobi's brushless HP drill-driver. The point of Ryobi is the ONE+ range: one battery fits a very wide range of cheaper tools, which suits a DIYer more than a tradesperson.
- Who it suits
- A DIYer who wants many tools on one battery for less money.
- What it does well
- General drilling and driving around the house and shop.
- The trade-off
- Ryobi's range is mostly sold through Home Depot, so most future tools will not come from Amazon.
Check the link for current pricing.
Impact drivers
Makita
XDT16T 18V LXT Brushless 4-Speed Impact Driver Kit
A brushless four-speed impact driver with Makita's Quick-Shift mode, which slows the tool as a screw seats so it does not drive too deep. Sold as a kit with 5.0Ah batteries.
- Who it suits
- Someone driving long screws: decking, framing, shop furniture.
- What it does well
- Long screws driven fast without wrist strain.
- The trade-off
- More than a hobbyist needs, and priced like it.
Check the link for current pricing.
Ryobi
PBLID02B ONE+ HP 18V Brushless 4-Mode Impact Driver
Ryobi's brushless four-mode impact driver, sold as a bare tool. The cheapest way to add an impact driver if you already own ONE+ batteries.
- Who it suits
- Anyone with Ryobi ONE+ batteries already.
- What it does well
- Adding an impact driver for little money.
- The trade-off
- Tool only. With no battery and charger, it is not a starter buy.
Check the link for current pricing.
Side by side
-
Best Drill-Driver
Makita XFD131 18V LXT Brushless 1/2 in Driver-Drill Kit
- Platform
- 18V LXT
- Motor
- Brushless
-
Best Value Platform
Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless 1/2 in Drill/Driver Kit
- Platform
- 18V ONE+, shares batteries with the whole ONE+ range
- Motor
- Brushless
-
Best Impact Driver
Makita XDT16T 18V LXT Brushless 4-Speed Impact Driver Kit
- Platform
- 18V LXT
- Motor
- Brushless
-
Best Bare Tool
Ryobi PBLID02B ONE+ HP 18V Brushless 4-Mode Impact Driver
- Platform
- 18V ONE+
- Motor
- Brushless
Is it worth waiting for Black Friday?
It depends.
Drill and impact driver kits are often discounted around Black Friday (November 27) and Cyber Monday (November 30), and a combo kit with both tools is usually better value than either alone. Bare tools see smaller cuts. If you have no tools yet, look at the combo kits first.
How these picks were chosen
Picks are on the two platforms our readers most often already own. We compared motor type, chuck size, modes and what each kit includes from manufacturer specifications, and weighed recurring owner praise and complaints. Our older single-tool reviews cover discontinued and Australian-market models, so they were not used here. Nothing was tested hands-on for this guide.