Photos: David Sharpe

Whether I'm snaking PEX and Cat 5e through a remodel or setting drawer runners on a custom built-in, I often find myself in tight spaces and dark places reaching for a drill. Often, my drill/drivers either don't fit or won't line up at the attack angle I need. These spots are made for compact right-angle or close-quarter drills.

Test Criteria

I tested seven 3/8-inch corded tools -- the Bosch 1132VSR, Craftsman 27996, DeWalt DW160, Hitachi D10YB, Makita DA3010F, Milwaukee 0375-6, and Sioux 8800ES. I also tested three 3/8-inch cordless models: the Hitachi DN12DY and Makita DA312DWD 12-volters and the lone 18-volt model, the DeWalt DW960K-2. I ran the tools in every cramped, hard-to-reach, and out-of-the-way place I get jammed into as a remodeler: under cabinets, working small parts in the shop, atop a ladder, in between framing, and all-around punch-out. I also gave them to my plumbers and electricians, who are experts at working in impossible spaces. I looked carefully at ergonomics and ease of use, and then examined size, power, and weight. While similarly sized and shaped, the corded and cordless versions have distinctive differences, so I compared them separately.

Corded Drills

One thing became clear early on in my test: The corded models won't become my first choice for regular drilling and driving because they lack some of the refinements of larger corded tools like keyless chucks and suitable ergonomics for all-day use, and they're more difficult to use driving screws. But I quickly found them useful in awkward or impossible spots, like drilling framing for utilities, boring out a cabinet back, and up on a ladder drilling for 3-inch soffit vents. I also noticed that the controls and grips on the corded tools are all designed for drilling more than driving.

Power. I tried hard to burn these little tools up with big-load work like blending joint compound and boring with hole saws. The good news is that I failed. All the corded tools showed the same impressive output when taxed.

I've grown so accustomed to keyless chucks that the keyed chucks on these corded tools really stood out. These little drills do mimic their big brothers' bit-bite, though. They grab and hold onto their bits even when drilling out large holes for rough-ins.

The Bosch, DeWalt, Hitachi, and Makita units have chuck shields, which prevent gouging finished pieces when working up close. The shields leave the chuck teeth somewhat exposed for engaging the key, however, so be careful. DeWalt's shield is best, housing the teeth for most of the chuck's circumference, leaving only three slots for the key. The Bosch, Hitachi, and Makita worked fine.

The Craftsman, Milwaukee, and Sioux have fully exposed chucks. These make hand-chucking easier, which is nice for getting a bit started without the key.

Controls and Grip. Designs vary widely in this category, so the controls and grips are unique to each drill. Milwaukee's small head and large body make it the "ugly duckling" of the bunch, but it's remarkably well-balanced and easy to use, even for driving screws. The tool's bulbous lower-half is much larger than any other drill in the group, but the neck is small and forms a comfortable grip location just beneath the 55-degree offset chuck. Its variable-speed trigger is a wide paddle that makes it easy to adjust speed. The reversing switch is on the back near the bottom and is easy to reach. This drill works equally well driving or drilling. Its small offset head also allowed me to work best in tight finished spaces like cabinets and medicine chests.

Makita's LED light is handy for dark spots between joists or inside a cabinet.

The Craftsman and Sioux look and feel about the same. Both are set up like larger T-grip drills with the handle offset just a few degrees from 90. They're comfortable to use and have a sensible attack angle, so you can easily get some pressure behind the bit. The triggers are good, with a nice reverse switch right above. The grip angle and high trigger position especially helped when driving screws.

Makita has a great variable-speed bar trigger with a speed-limiting knob so you can set the rpm, which is handy for drilling different materials or using bits with recommended cutting speeds. The body is easy to grip and is tapped for use with the included extension handle. Makita engineers recognized that we use these tools in dark spaces and added a bright LED light, which works great. I found this tool best for drilling and boring applications.

I also like Hitachi's trigger bar. It's the only model with a lock-on trigger, which is good for boring large, tough holes. You also can adjust speed with a thumbwheel, and the tool has a good gripping diameter. This one is another good driller, and I like its included side handle.

Bosch's trigger bar is similar to Hitachi's, but doesn't lock. There's a speed control wheel at the base and reversing switch on the back of the barrel that are easy to access and engage. The body diameter is just at the limit for good gripping. This tool is best suited for drilling only.

DeWalt's paddle switch has wings wrapping around one-third of the tool body both top and bottom so you can operate it from any grip position. It works, but tends to get in the way. The large body diameter makes it hard for small and even medium hands to grip. The drill is limited to single speed and has no reverse. Again, I found this tool best suited for drilling.

Cordless Drills

Lined up, the cordless models look like a colorful colony of prairie dogs. All of the models -- thankfully -- have keyless chucks, which all worked well. Unlike the corded units, these tools are better suited for one-off work: light-duty drilling (maxing out at about 1-1/4 inch for wood boring) and driving screws. As with the corded models, output was mostly the same, with the 18-volt DeWalt at the front of the pack. The distinctions came from the design details.

Controls and Grip. DeWalt's long bar switch and medium-diameter tool body enable you to grip and operate the tool anywhere along its length. With a high and low range, this tool is nice for drilling small holes or setting screws. The 18-volt battery made it bottom-heavy and awkward to handle in tight spaces, which is a slight drawback for carpentry work; however, many of my tradesmen liked it for boring framing, and since most of them have other 18-volt DeWalt equipment, it made sense for them.

DeWalt's 18-volt tool is a little bottom-heavy, but the extra battery power provides good energy for tough holes.

The grip point, trigger, and reversing switch on the Makita are located slightly below mid-body, while the motor is located high, making the tool awkward to hold in certain applications. For example, this body configuration interferes with gripping near the head, which is necessary to apply sufficient pressure to sink a screw or drill bit easily. The motor and battery are protected by a relay breaker that prevents overloading, which I like.

I liked Hitachi's cordless model. Similar in size and shape to Makita's, it has a smaller diameter near the head, permitting both upper and lower gripping positions. The trigger is easy to reach and engage, and the tool is lightweight, well-balanced, and had just the right output for all of the drilling/driving duties we threw at it.

Batteries. Makita's tool ships with one 12-volt, 2.6-amp-hour NiMH battery and charger, which means that you have a limited power supply -- though this is not often a problem due to these tools' very specific uses. DeWalt supplies two 18-volt batteries, which keeps you going if required, and Hitachi's tool ships with two 12-volt, 2-amp-hour nicad batteries.

Winners

There are two separate winners in this group, for corded and cordless. When I need power and adaptability in a tight spot, I'll reach for the corded Milwaukee 0375-6. Its nice design makes it right for close-quarter drilling and driving. Also, it's got enormous power for punching big holes in short time. Next, I like the Craftsman and Sioux. They both offer great power for drilling and their T-handles make screwdriving possible. The Makita, Hitachi, Bosch, and DeWalt are better suited for drilling-only applications: Makita's trigger bar makes it comfortable to operate and I like its LED light. I also like Hitachi's well-designed lock-on trigger bar. The Bosch is comfortable and powerful. I like DeWalt's chuck guard, but the trigger flanges get snagged.

Corded tools like the Sioux deliver big power in a small package -- excellent for boring utility holes in cramped quarters.

On the cordless side, the Hitachi DN12DY stands tall. Great ergonomics and smart grip points make this my favorite. Next comes the DeWalt. While I found it a bit bottom-heavy for carpentry, my subs liked it best for drilling framing. The Makita performed well, too, with good power output and a smart overload-protection circuit.

Sources of Supply

Corded

Bosch Power Tools
1132VSR: $135
877-267-2499
www.boschtools.com

Craftsman
Mini-T 27996: $140
800-377-7414
www.sears.com/craftsman

DeWalt
DW160: $142
800-433-9258
www.dewalt.com

Hitachi
D10YB: $150
800-829-4752
www.hitachi.com/powertools

Makita USA
DA3010F: $219
800-462-5482
www.makitatools.com

Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp.
0375-6: $130-$182
800-729-3878
www.milwaukeetool.com

Sioux Tools
800ES: $175
800-722-7290
www.siouxtools.com

Cordless

yred">DeWalt
DW960K-2: $229
800-433-9258
www.dewalt.com

Hitachi
DN12DY: $185
800-829-4752
www.hitachi.com/powertools

Makita USA
DA312DWD: $199
800-462-5482
www.makitatools.com

-- Mike Guertin is a builder and remodeler from East Greenwich, R.I., a member of the JLCLive! Construction Demonstration Team, and a frequent contributor to Tools of the Trade.