They’re pricier than standard drill drivers and not as powerful as a high-end hammer or SDS rotary hammer, though. These cope with basic everyday drilling and screwdriving tasks, but often offer improved torque for more demanding jobs and also add a basic hammer function that can break through harder materials. This can seriously save you time and effort when you’re working on a major project.Ĭombi drill: If you need to drill into tougher materials such as metal or concrete, and also drive screws, your first port of call should be a combi drill. On softer wood or where there’s less precision needed, you might even be able to get away without the pilot hole. Where you might need to drill a hole for screws with a traditional drill, then swap between drill and driver bits, you can get away with a smaller pilot hole then use the impact driver to drive the screw in. They normally use hex-shank driver bits, and while you can theoretically use specific impact-ready drill bits (standard drill bits may break due to the combination of rotation and concussive force), this isn't what they’re designed for, and they’re not as suited to millimetre-precise jobs. They’re traditionally much more compact than the other tools here, and since there’s no back-and-forth motion (unlike hammer and SDS drills), they’re also less hard on the wrists. Impact driver: These might look like a standard drill, but impact drivers are specifically designed to drive screws, not drill holes – they use a combination of huge spinning torque and percussive blows against the back of the driver bits to power screws into the toughest surfaces. They will struggle with tougher jobs, however, as they don’t have the powerful motors or high-torque designs of the other tools below. They’re lighter than the more powerful drills below, which makes them more manoeuvrable for awkward-to-reach jobs. The most common type of drill, these can be used to drill holes in everything from walls to wood to masonry, and drive screws, too. Below, you’ll find a quick summary of the main types and how they differ from each other.ĭrill driver: If you want a no-frills drill you can use for a variety of tasks around the home, consider a drill driver. There are quite a few different types of drill out there, most of which look pretty similar to the untrained eye.
How to choose the best cordless drill for you What type of drill should I buy? Best all-in-one-drill set: Makita CLX202AJ Combi and Impact Driver.Best lightweight drill-driver: Bosch EasyDrill 1200.Best SDS rotary hammer: DeWalt 18V XR Lithium-Ion SDS.Best budget drill driver: Terratek 13 Piece 18V Cordless Drill Kit.Best combi drill under £100: Bosch PSB 1800 Combi Drill.The illegal Taylor Made R510 drivers have no etched score marks in the center of its club face. Inspection of the club head will provide identification. Taylor Made, another manufacturer with multiple non-conforming clubs, produces the R510 driver, which can create lofts of 7.5, 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5 degrees. The legal Ignite+460 does not have the + sign. The non-conforming version of the driver has a small “460” etched into the top left corner of the face followed by a + sign. The Nike Ignite+460 leads the way, capable of yielding lofts of 9.5 and 10.5 degrees.Įxamining the Ignite+460’s club face determines its legality. The official equipment manufacturer for golf superstar Tiger Woods, Nike, makes illegal drivers such as the X-Face, Ignite and SQ. Other Mizuno illegal drivers include the Grand Monarch Royal Cresta, Intage X3, JPX E300 and Presage Navigator. The non-conforming model has “Mizuno BlueFire,” a line, and the model’s flame logo displayed on the club’s sole. The Mizuno BlueFire driver delivers lofts of 8, 9, 10 and 11 degrees. Six small circles etched into the sole identify the non-conforming club from its legal variations. The Diamond Pit Viper PV/427 hits lofts of 8, 9, 10 and 11 degrees. The illegal version has a dash within the body of the “B” in “Big Bertha” and a dash and a dot in the “4” in “460.” Diamondĭiamond Tour Golf produces several illegal drivers in its Grand Hawk, Pit Viper and Turner lines. The way to distinguish the illegal club from the conforming version is to inspect the “Big Bertha 460” logo on the club’s sole. The Callaway Big Bertha 460 HT driver delivers a 13-degree loft. One of the biggest names in golf club manufacturing, Callaway caters to recreational golfers with a variety of non-conforming drivers from its Big Bertha and E.R.C.