Best Cordless Screwdrivers: Comparison Test

When it comes to drills, we like power as much as the next guy. But the bigger and stronger the tool, the heavier and more expensive it is. That's why a full-on drill isn't always best. For many jobs -- boring 1/4-in.-dia. holes and driving small screws -- cordless screwdrivers (or stick drivers) are all a homeowner needs. The big news in this category is the introduction of lithium-ion batteries. Used predominantly in heavy-hitter tools of 18 volts and more, this battery chemistry is also ideal for compact products. "There's a shift to li-ion across the board," says David Boone, a battery engineer for Milwaukee Electric Tool, "because a li-ion battery can provide almost four times more energy than a NiCd battery of the same weight and volume. By combining the lighter weight with longer run time, it's a perfect application for these tools."

In fact, our two favorites, the Hitachi and the Makita, are both li-ion drills. We felt that they best represent the potential in this class of tools, even when they were out-powered by their much larger NiCd competitors, the Ridgid and the DeWalt. In all, we tested nine stick drivers by drilling holes and driving a few thousand screws.