Brushless Drills: An Incredible Addition To Your Toolbox

Modern drills are equipped with multiple features and offer several variations, which might make it slightly tricky to choose the one that suits your requirements and needs. This guide covers everything, from the benefits of a drill to choosing the best brushless drill in 2021, which will make the purchase process easier for you.

Why do you need a brushless drill?

Brushless motors are the latest breakthrough in the segment of cordless drills. The brushless technology improves the performance of drills and makes them more reliable, as well as durable. Here are the benefits that the brushless technology has, over a regular cordless drill.

More portable

To begin with, drills with brushless motors are usually more portable. Compared to conventional technologies, brushless motors are less heavier and more compact in size, due to which the entire drill can be packed into a smaller body. 

Enhanced portability significantly improves the convenience with which you can carry the tool and operate it, which is why brushless technology is gaining popularity at a very quick pace.

Easy maintenance

Brushed drills require carbon brushes to create movement and the downside of this method is that the brushes would need to be replaced. On average, carbon brushes can last for about 50 hours of use, after which they will need to be replaced. 

On the other hand, brushless motors, as suggested by the term itself, do not use brushes, hence you will not have to replace them. This makes drills with brushless motors easier, as well as cheaper, to maintain.

More durable

As discussed above, brushed motors use carbon brushes to create friction, movement, and heat, which increases the pace of wear and tear. The excessive heat causes damage to both the motor and the battery. Moreover, brushed drills also require air vents to keep the heat from accumulating within the drill, making them vulnerable to dirt and debris, which can also cause damage to the motor and decrease its efficiency.

On the contrary, cordless drills with brushless technology do not generate excessive heat, nor do they require air vents, which keep the motor, batteries, and other parts protected. With reduced exposure to heat and dirt, brushless motors are more durable and would last much longer.

More Efficient

Given the lack of mechanical limitations caused by carbon brushes, drills with brushless motors are more energy-efficient, as they’re able to translate input into more power. The inherent efficiency advantage of brushless motors would also reduce the energy consumption, improving the battery life of your cordless drill.

Better speed, power, and torque.

Brushless motors are designed to create more power, speed, and torque. Brushless technology does not use brushes to create friction, which means that there’s nothing in the drill that is going to slow it down and make it difficult for the motor to generate torque and power.

What are the features that you need to look out for?

A cordless drill with a brushless motor comprises multiple components and can include multiple variations for most of the components. Here is everything that you need to know about the components and features before you can buy a cordless drill with a brushless motor

Clutch

The clutch in cordless drills is supposed to disengage the drive shaft upon reaching a preset level of resistance. By adjusting the torque, the clutch is there to make sure that you don’t overdrive or snap a bolt/screw.

Ideally, you should go for a drill that offers at least 24 clutch settings, in order to accurately adjust the power that the drill operates with. This will help you protect the screws, as well as the motor of your drill.

Speed/RPM

The speed of a cordless drill is measured in RPM or revolutions per second. The speed at which you should operate your drill depends on the material that you’re drilling on. Higher RPM would be suitable for harder materials and vice versa.

You should look for a drill that allows you to adjust the RPM to at least 2 different levels. Most drills allow you to switch between 300 RPM and 800 RPM, depending upon the task at hand.

LED light

Some drills come equipped with an LED light, to help you operate your tools with accuracy and precision. Working in the dark without adequate light can also be a cause of injuries or damages, which can be avoided by using drills that come with LED lights.

Chuck

The component that holds the drilling bit onto the drill machine is known as the chuck and it is placed at the front of the drill. Firstly, the chuck that comes with your drill should properly fit onto the drill and should not be wobbly/loose at any cost. Secondly, chuks are usually size-specific and can only be attached to specific-sized bits. You need to consider the nature of the tasks that you’ll be doing with your cordless drill and choose the size of the chuck accordingly. Most cordless drills are equipped with a chuck size of either 10mm or 13mm

Which voltage rating is the best for drills with brushless motors?

The power that cordless drills generate is measured in volts. A higher voltage rating means that the drill is capable of generating more power; however, a more powerful drill would also be heavier and would consume more battery. Consequently, going for the most powerful drill out there with the highest voltage rating is not always the best idea.

Cordless drills with brushless motors can usually be found within the range of 12V to 34V, with exceptions. The choice of voltage rating depends entirely on what you intend to use the drill for. If you cannot anticipate your needs for drill power, you can opt for an 18V or a 20V cordless drill, to be on the safe side.

Which are the best batteries for cordless drills?

As far as the batteries for cordless drills are concerned, Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) and Lithium-ion (li-ion) are the two most popular choices. 

NiCad batteries are relatively cheap and durable, with the ability to withstand around 1000 charge cycles. The downside of these batteries is they’ve got a poor energy density, which means that they will need to be recharged more often. Moreover, there are concerns regarding the disposal of these batteries as they’re not considered safe for the environment.

On the other hand, Li-ion batteries have been gaining more popularity because they are more powerful, lighter, and safer for the environment. These batteries can also hold a charge for longer periods of time, making li-ion batteries the best choice for a lot of people out there.