Best Cordless Drill for Electricians 2026 | Compact Picks | Kitd
We review the best cordless drills for UK electricians in 2026. Compact combi drills and drill drivers from Makita, DeWalt, and Milwaukee — chosen for the work electricians actually do.
Electricians don’t need the same drill as a builder. You’re not boring through concrete joists or driving 100mm coach screws into hardwood all day. Your drill spends most of its time drilling small holes through timber, plasterboard, and the occasional brick, driving terminal screws, cutting back boxes, and fitting accessories. What you need is a drill that’s compact enough to use overhead and in tight ceiling voids, light enough to carry all day without fatigue, and precise enough to not overdrive screws into plastic socket plates.
The biggest mistake electricians make is buying too much drill. A 135Nm beast designed for plumbers running 52mm hole saws is overkill for electrical first and second fix. It’s heavier than necessary, harder to control in tight spaces, and the extra power creates problems when you need finesse — like driving screws into consumer unit busbars without stripping threads. This guide focuses specifically on drills that suit the way electricians actually work.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
| Drill | Best For | Type | Torque | Weight (bare) | Price Range |
| Makita DHP487Z | Best overall for sparks | Combi | 40Nm | 1.0kg | £60–£80 |
| Makita DDF484Z | Best drill driver | Drill driver | 54Nm | 1.5kg | £80–£100 |
| DeWalt DCD796N | Best compact all-rounder | Combi | 70Nm | 1.7kg | £80–£100 |
| Milwaukee M12 FPD2 | Best sub-compact 12V | Combi | 44Nm | 1.0kg | £70–£90 |
| Makita DHP486Z | Best for heavier electrical work | Combi | 130Nm | 2.0kg | £90–£120 |
Why Electricians Need a Different Drill
Compactness Matters More Than Power
Most of your drilling happens in confined spaces — ceiling voids, under floorboards, behind partition walls, inside distribution boards, and in back boxes recessed into plasterboard. A drill that’s 200mm long fits where a 250mm drill won’t. Those 50mm make a genuine difference when you’re lying on your back in a loft space trying to drill a joist at arm’s length. Every model on this list is under 200mm in body length.
Weight Adds Up Overhead
Electrical first fix involves hours of overhead drilling — running cable routes through ceiling joists, cutting holes for downlights, and fixing clips and containment above head height. A drill that weighs 2.2kg with battery feels fine for ten minutes. After two hours overhead, your arms and shoulders are destroyed. A 1.0–1.5kg drill makes a measurable difference to your endurance over a full day of first fix work.
Clutch Control Prevents Damage
Electricians drive screws into plastic, brass, and soft metal components regularly — socket plates, consumer unit terminals, trunking, and containment fittings. Overdriving strips threads and cracks plastic. A drill with a precise, adjustable clutch lets you set the torque limit so the drill stops before the screw is overdone. Cheap drills with vague clutch settings cause more damage to electrical components than any other single issue.
1. Makita DHP487Z — Best Overall for Electricians
The DHP487Z is the drill that most UK electricians gravitate towards, and it’s easy to see why. At just 164mm long and 1.0kg bare, it’s one of the most compact 18V combi drills on the market. It fits into spaces that larger drills simply can’t reach, and the light weight makes overhead work sustainable for hours rather than minutes. The brushless motor is efficient, quiet, and responsive, with 40Nm of torque — more than enough for electrical work without being dangerously overpowered for delicate tasks.
The 21-position clutch provides fine control over screw-driving torque, and the two-speed gearbox covers both high-speed drilling and low-speed driving. The ergonomics are typical Makita — comfortable, well-balanced, and slim in the grip. It accepts all Makita 18V LXT batteries, and a compact 2.0Ah or 3.0Ah cell keeps the weight and balance optimal for electrical work. This is the drill that spends all day in your tool bag and never lets you down.
Who it’s best for: First and second fix electricians who need maximum compactness and minimum weight. The go-to drill for most UK sparks.
Worth knowing: 40Nm isn’t enough for large masonry drilling or big hole saws. If you occasionally need more power, pair this with a DHP486Z for heavy tasks and use the 487 for everything else.
2. Makita DDF484Z — Best Drill Driver
If you rarely drill into masonry and don’t need the hammer function, a dedicated drill driver is lighter and more refined than a combi drill. The DDF484Z delivers 54Nm of torque through a brushless motor with excellent clutch precision and a smooth two-speed gearbox. The aluminium gear housing is durable, and Makita’s XPT (Extreme Protection Technology) protects the internals from dust and moisture ingress — important if you’re working in loft spaces full of insulation fibres.
At 1.5kg bare, it’s slightly heavier than the DHP487Z but still very manageable for all-day use. The extra torque is useful if you do any woodwork alongside your electrical work — fixing boards, hanging cable tray, or driving fixings into timber studs. If your work is entirely first and second fix in timber-frame and plasterboard environments with no masonry, this is arguably the better choice than a combi drill.
Who it’s best for: Electricians working exclusively in timber-frame, plasterboard, and finished environments where hammer drilling isn’t needed. Rewires, new-build second fix, and domestic upgrades.
3. DeWalt DCD796N — Best Compact All-Rounder
If you want one drill that handles everything from delicate second fix to occasional masonry drilling, the DeWalt DCD796 is the best compact combi drill on the XR platform. At 70Nm, it has significantly more torque than the Makita DHP487Z, which means it copes better with larger drill bits, tougher materials, and the occasional hole saw. The 187mm length is slightly longer than the Makita but still genuinely compact, and the 1.7kg bare weight is a reasonable trade-off for the extra capability.
The brushless motor is efficient and responsive, the clutch has 15 positions plus drill mode, and the all-metal gear train inspires confidence under load. The LED work light is bright and well-positioned for illuminating dark ceiling voids. If you’re a DeWalt user and want one drill for all your electrical work including occasional masonry, this is the one. It’s also the best option for electricians who sometimes cross over into general building work and need a drill that doesn’t embarrass itself in tougher materials.
Who it’s best for: DeWalt users who want a single compact drill for all electrical tasks. Good choice for electricians who occasionally need more power than ultra-compact drills provide.
4. Milwaukee M12 FPD2 — Best Sub-Compact 12V
Milwaukee’s 12V M12 platform produces some of the most compact professional tools available, and the FPD2 combi drill is a standout. At 1.0kg and just 158mm long, it’s the smallest drill on this list and fits into spaces where even the Makita DHP487Z struggles. The 44Nm of torque is impressive for a 12V tool, and the brushless motor is responsive and efficient. The M12 batteries are tiny and lightweight, keeping the overall package as small as possible.
The trade-off is the 12V battery platform. If all your other tools are 18V Makita or DeWalt, buying into M12 means maintaining a second battery system with separate chargers and cells. Many electricians accept this trade-off because the M12 drill is so much more compact than any 18V alternative. It becomes a dedicated electrical drill that lives in your tool bag while your 18V combi drill stays in the van for heavier tasks. The two-drill strategy is very common among experienced electricians.
Who it’s best for: Electricians who want the absolute smallest professional drill possible and don’t mind running a separate 12V platform alongside their main 18V system.
Worth knowing: Milwaukee’s M12 range includes other tools electricians use regularly — cable cutters, crimp tools, pipe cutters, and inspection cameras. If you adopt M12 for the drill, the wider ecosystem adds genuine value.
5. Makita DHP486Z — Best for Heavier Electrical Work
Not all electrical work is delicate. Commercial installations, industrial work, and heavy first fix can demand drilling through steel trunking, thick masonry, and hardwood beams. The DHP486Z delivers 130Nm of torque through an aluminium gear housing with Makita’s Anti-Vibration Technology, making it comfortable enough for extended use despite the higher power. At 2.0kg bare, it’s heavier than the compact options but still lighter than many full-size combi drills.
This is the drill for electricians who regularly run SWA through masonry walls, drill large holes for containment, or work on industrial installations where material thickness demands real drilling power. It pairs perfectly with the DHP487Z — the 487 handles the everyday second fix, and the 486 comes out when you need to go through something serious. Both run on the same LXT batteries.
Who it’s best for: Commercial and industrial electricians who need genuine drilling power alongside their compact everyday drill. The heavier half of a two-drill setup.
Do You Need an Impact Driver Too?
Yes, almost certainly. Most electricians carry both a combi drill and an impact driver. The drill handles hole-making and precision screw driving. The impact driver handles repetitive fixings — clip saddles, trunking screws, containment brackets, and board fixings where speed matters more than delicacy. The impact driver’s rotational hammering action drives screws faster and with less wrist strain than a drill.
The ideal setup for most electricians is a compact combi drill (like the DHP487Z) for drilling and precision work, plus a compact impact driver (like the Makita DTD172Z or DeWalt DCF887N) for driving fixings. Both tools share the same batteries, and together they cover everything an electrician encounters on a typical day.
Buying Guide — What Actually Matters for Electricians
| Feature | Why It Matters | What to Look For |
| Body length | Determines whether it fits in ceiling voids and tight spaces | Under 200mm, ideally under 170mm |
| Weight (bare) | Overhead fatigue over a full day of first fix | Under 1.5kg for primary drill |
| Torque | Enough for the job, not so much you damage components | 40–70Nm for electrical work |
| Clutch positions | Precision screw driving into plastic and brass | 15+ positions, clearly defined steps |
| LED light | Visibility in dark ceiling voids and under floors | Bright, forward-facing, auto-on |
| Battery platform | Must match your existing tools | Makita LXT, DeWalt XR, or Milwaukee M12/M18 |
| Motor type | Efficiency, runtime, and motor longevity | Brushless only at this level |
The Verdict
For the majority of UK electricians, the Makita DHP487Z is the right drill. It’s the most compact, lightest, and best-suited to the work electricians do every day. The 40Nm torque handles first and second fix without being overpowered for delicate tasks, and the 164mm body length fits where other drills can’t. Pair it with an impact driver and you’re covered for virtually everything.
If you’re on the DeWalt platform, the DCD796N is the best compact option with more power and versatility. For the absolute smallest drill possible, the Milwaukee M12 FPD2 is in a class of its own at 12V. And for electricians who regularly tackle heavy commercial or industrial work, keep a Makita DHP486Z in the van for the tough jobs while your compact drill handles everyday tasks.
Whatever you choose, resist the urge to buy the most powerful drill available. For electrical work, compactness, weight, and clutch precision matter far more than headline torque numbers. Your arms, your back, and your socket plates will thank you.
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➡ Related: Makita vs DeWalt — Full Platform Comparison
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