Only a right angle drill can allow you to drill holes with the best precision and accuracy. You can drill holes with a right angle drill completely downwards so that holes or screws that you drill into wood and metal are perfectly straight. Right angle drills are also handheld tools that can be used in any tight space or angle for maximum versatility. No crooked holes, no imperfections, no errors. No matter if your application is on a floor or into the wall, a right angle drill can do the job well.
In this review, we will take a look at ten amazing right-angle drills from companies that include Hitachi, Milwaukee, and DeWalt; a who’s who of power tool manufacturers. Each right angle drill has many features that make it great to own, and one or two things that aren’t so great. We will declare which is the best drill for your money at the end of our review.
Best Right Angle Drill – Comparison
| IMAGE | NAME | FEATURES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
| Check Price | |
 | Bare-Tool Milwaukee 2415-20 M12 |
| Check Price |
 | Makita DA3010F 4 Amp 3/8-Inch |
| Check Price |
10 Best Right Angle Drills – Reviews
1. Makita AD02W 12V max Lithium-Ion Cordless
Makita offers us this first right angle drill, in a sleek looking black and white design. This drill comes with a battery, a battery charger, and a simple carrying case. We are not too keen on using white for a power tool, as it can easily show dirt and stains. This drill has a small angle head that is 3.5 inches wide. At 2.5 pounds, this is a very lightweight tool that won’t make your arm sore over time. The LED light acts as a flashlight for your right angle drill in dark spaces.
The grip feels just as good as it looks. Soft rubber, ergonomic design, and a textured barrel grip are great characteristics of this drill when it comes to how you can handle it. It feels great to hold at any angle, no matter if you are left or right-handed. With variable speed control, you can spin this drill from zero to 800 RPM (rotations per minute). Whether you want to prioritize in speed or control, you have options for how you want to drill, which is never a bad thing.
This right angle drill comes with a three-year warranty (subject to change). If something is wrong with your tool and Makita is at fault over it, you could be eligible to get a new drill free of charge. The one thing that we do not like about this right angle drill is that it is fairly noisy to use; almost like you are using a bigger normal drill. This is one of the loudest right angle drills that you can buy, so if you cannot tolerate loud machinery, then this may not be the drill for you.
- Has a variable speed control.
- Comes with an LED light.
- Is lightweight.
- Has a comfortable grip.
- Is very loud and noisy.
2. Bare-Tool Milwaukee 2415-20 M12 12-Volt
This Bare-Tool 2415-20 M12 right angle drill from Milwaukee in their trademark red, black and silver color scheme. Unlike Makita’s best right angle drill, this is a bare tool only and doesn’t include a battery, charger or case. This is another lightweight drill that weighs just 2.2 pounds. The size of its head is 3.75 inches long.
With variable speed control, you can spin this drill from zero to 800 RPM. Like Makita’s drill, whether you want to prioritize in speed or control, you can choose which kind of drilling you need with just the control of your finger.
This drill features overload protection so that if this tool were to ever overheat, it would shut itself off and allow itself some time to cool down before starting back up again. This drill also has an electronic clutch, which comes with 11 different settings with a drill mode for excellent versatility.
This charger takes lithium ion batteries, and there is an onboard gauge to tell you how much energy is left in the battery. There is also an LED light that you can turn off and on, for working in the dark.
The warranty of this right angle drill lasts for a few years, which is a very long time for a tool like this. If something were to go wrong, then you could be eligible to have a new right angle drill delivered to your doorstep. The one nitpicks that we have about this right angle drill is the torque, which is underperforming. It doesn’t feel effective to use, and it could have something to do with the fact that it was made in China.
- Has an electronic clutch.
- Comes with a five-year warranty.
- Has a variable speed control.
- Comes with an LED light.
- Is lightweight.
- Toque lacks power.
3. Makita DA3010F 4 Amp 3/8-Inch Right
This is Makita’s second right angle drill in this review. This time around, it looks more dated and bares the official blue-green Makita is known for donning. This drill first debuted in 2001, making it a pretty old drill, but it might still work like a dream.
This is a powerful drill that has variable speed control, from zero to 2400 RPM. There is a dial that you can set to limit the RPM so that you can drill in the way you prefer and find the precise RPM easier. You can also reverse the direction of this drill. For wood, you can drill holes as nearly an inch thick. For metal, three-eighths inches thick. It has a powerful 4.3 amp motor.
The head is just two-and-a-half inches long, making it even smaller than the previous two right angle drills. This drill is a little bulkier, though, at 3.1 pounds.
This drill includes an LED light so that you can work without trouble in the dark. This Makita drill includes a carrying case but does not include a battery or charger. It takes lithium ion batteries.
This drill includes a limited-year warranty, while it’s not the longest for such a powerful right angle drill, it is definitely better than nothing.
- Has a high RPM.
- Has a small head.
- Has a variable speed control.
- Comes with an LED light.
- The drill is reversible.
- Is an older model.
4. DEWALT DCD740C1 20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion
You know DeWalt from their bright yellow and black color scheme. They always have great power tools with high quality, but is this one the best? This drill also comes with a battery, a charger, and a hard, plastic carrying case.
You can select the range of variable control. You can choose for the drill to go up to 2,000 RPM, or if you want something slower, it can go up to 600 RPM. This drill, like many DeWalt tools, is powered by a brushless motor, so you know that it is built to last.
This is a bit heavy for a right angle drill; weighing nearly four pounds. Despite that, the handle is ergonomically designed and the grip feels smooth to the touch. It’s a heavy drill, but you feel both power and comfort in your hands.
The charge that comes with this right angle drill is an Energy Star approved charger for so that less emissions are used while charging the battery. The battery is rather small, but it has quite a long life each time.
The only gripe that we have about this drill is that while the power is there, the control is not so much. It starts up rather fast, even if you have it on the low setting. This could really intimidate timid workers who are looking for something a little more gentler.
- Has a high RPM.
- Has a small head.
- Has a variable speed control.
- Comes with a money back guarantee.
- Has a comfortable grip.
- Is too aggressive.
- Is a little on the heavy side.
5. Ryobi P241 One+ 18 Volt Lithium Ion 130 Inch
Ryobi’s right angle drill features a black and neon yellow design. This is a bare tool only, so it does not include any case, battery or charger.
The main feature of this right angle drill is the long neck. This is the longest right angle drill in this review, with 13 inches in length overall. This right angle drill features variable speed control, allowing you to drill from zero to 1,100 RPM. It is a pretty powerful drill with 130 inch-pounds of torque.
This drill takes lithium ion rechargeable batteries. This battery accepts 7 different types of rechargeable batteries manufactured by Ryobi themselves, so if you already own one, you should be good to go.
There is also an onboard bit tray that you can attach bits and other parts magnetically to. This way, you won’t have to fret over anything falling off. This drill includes an LED light so that you can work without trouble in the dark.
The rubber textured grip doesn’t focus much on comfort, but more on stability. No matter which angle you hold this drill in, you should have a strong and stable grip, even in wet or slippery conditions.
The long nature does make it easier to reach certain applications, but it also can work to your disadvantage, too. It is kind of big and clumsy tool to use, especially with a battery hanging off the bottom end.
- Has a high RPM.
- Has a variable speed control.
- Has an LED light.
- Has a stable grip.
- Has a clumsy design.
6. DEWALT DWD460K 11 Amp 1/2-Inch Right
This is the second right angle drill from DeWalt. It has a more industrial and heavy duty look to it, but that’s the crux of their bottom line, as you already may know. This is a stud and joist drill, so as you can tell, it can do more than just drill holes.
This right angle drill also has variable speed control. There are two-speed modes that you can switch to with this drill, but they vary greatly in max speed. One is up to 330 RPM and the other is up to 1300 RPM. You get a wide range of speed and control.
The metal gear housing and ball bearing construction ensure that this right angle drill will last a long lifetime. This is a well-constructed right angle drill that will less likely get trouble from dirt built inside later on. It has the faithful DeWalt brushless motor making it a great asset to own for years to come.
This is a powerful and expensive right angle drill. This is a right angle drill meant to last long and help you with hundreds of different projects. If you just want a drill to drill holes occasionally, there is a more affordable drill that you can buy to assist you.
Not only is it a big investment, but it is very heavy, weighing about 20 pounds. You will need to have lots of energy to spare if you want to carry this around all day.
- Has a high RPM.
- Has a variable speed control.
- Comes with a money back guarantee.
- Also applies joist drills and studs to applications.
- Costs a lot of money.
- Is very heavy.
7. Bosch ADS181-102 18-Volt Lithium-Ion
You may know of Bosch with their fancy industrial blue power tools. This right angle drill is industrial blue, bright red and black in color. Extras that come with this drill include a carrying case, charger, and battery.
This drill comes with 150 inch-pounds of torque. There is no max RPM to be found, but it comes come with variable speed control and it sounds very powerful, regardless.
This is another lengthy right angle drill that is similar to Ryobi’s. It has a compact head length to make it work in tight, small and complicated places.
Included with this drill is a pure white LED light to make you see in the brightest of details through the darkness.
The handle is ergonomically designed to be slim enough to wrap your entire hand around. Left-handed or right, it feels super comfortable and allows you to have total control over your right angle drill.
Even though this right angle drill includes a battery, other Bosch batteries that you may already own can also work with it.
This is another heavy right angle drill to use. While it isn’t as heavy as the previous DeWalt drill, it still weighs a lot; seven pounds, to be precise. You can still get a decent workout just by holding this drill.
- Has a high RPM.
- Has a variable speed control.
- Has a comfortable grip.
- Is very heavy.
8. Bosch PS11BN 12-Volt Max Lithium-Ion
This is the second of two Bosch right angle drills. Is there a difference between the two of them? This is a smaller, newer right angle drill that still brings the power. This is a light drill that only weighs fewer than three pounds.
The max RPM from this right angle drill is 1,300. It has 115 inch-pounds of torque, which is less than the other Bosch drill.
This Bosch drill doesn’t come with a case, a battery or a charger. It does, however, include a plastic tray with a designated spot for various parts to go, such as a battery, charger and the drill itself. Included with this drill is a pure white LED light to make you see in the brightest of details through the darkness.
This drill can be a little clumsy to use. Primarily, any screws won’t hold in place with the drill bit, and this drill was only made in mind to make holes going completely downwards or at 90-degree angles.
- Is lightweight.
- Has a high RPM.
- Has a variable speed control.
- Has a comfortable grip.
- Screws do not hold well in place.
9. Hitachi DN18DSLP4 18 Volt Cordless Lithium-Ion
Hitachi offers us this affordable, green right angle drill. It does not come with a case, charger or battery, unfortunately. This Hitachi drill has variable speed control. Drill as speeds from zero to 1800 RPM, which is blazing fast for a hand tool.
A unique feature of this drill is a belt hook. You can attach this drill to an article of clothing and keep it on you when you do not have the time to use it. This drill also comes with an LED light, so any dark areas that you might be working in can easily be illuminated.
Because this is a tool that accepts lithium-ion batteries, this drill has an excellent lithium-ion battery. If by chance the tool no longer accepts any batteries or has any other problems with it, you can possibly get a free replacement.
Surprisingly, we have not found any issues with this Hitachi right angle drill. It is a simple drill, and what you pay for is simply what you get. It isn’t an impressive product, but one that can get a small job done.
- Is affordable.
- Is lightweight.
- Has a high RPM.
- Has a variable speed control.
- N/A
10. Milwaukee 2615-21CT M18 Cordless Right Angle
Our last right angle drill is another from Milwaukee. It is a different right angle drill from the other Milwaukee drill, even though they have similar features. This drill includes a carrying case, battery, and charger.
This drill has 125 inch-pounds of torque, and while we do not have an official max RPM, we can say that it is pretty decent. It also has an electronic clutch, which comes with 11 different settings with a drill mode for excellent versatility.
The length of the head is 3.75 inches long, making it great to use in tight, small spaces. It is designed with an ergonomic handle that feels comfortable for all of your fingers in addition to your hand.
The warranty of this right angle drill lasts for a few years, just like the other Milwaukee drill. This is a very long time for a tool like this. If something were to go wrong, then you could be eligible to have a new right angle drill delivered to your doorstep. The drill overall, however, is not the best designed. You cannot freely toggle the reverse switch on the fly if you need to, and you will have to stop using the drill and hold the drill with both hands if you need to adjust something.
- Has an electronic clutch.
- Comes with a five-year warranty.
- Has a variable speed control.
- Has a comfortable grip.
- Adjustments are poorly located.
Final Verdict:
For the best right angle drill that you can buy today, we have chosen the Hitachi DN18DSLP4 18 Volt Cordless Lithium-Ion 3/8-Inch Right Angle Drill.
This is a cheap drill that doesn’t include any other parts, but if you buy this along with a compatible charger, case, and battery, you have a true value on your hands. We haven’t had any problems with this right angle drill. It drills fast, it works without any problems, and our projects all finished without any setbacks. Furthermore, that smart warranty on the lithium-ion battery is another attractive draw for this tool. That is why Hitachi’s right angle drill is the best for your money.
