A cordless drill and driver set is the one tool almost every home mechanic and DIYer reaches for more than any other — building furniture, fitting shelving, driving screws into plasterboard or masonry, and backing up every other job in the garage. The market ranges from £86 single-drill kits to £189 twin packs pairing a combi drill with a dedicated impact driver, and the right choice depends on how often you drill, how heavy the jobs get, and whether you’re already invested in a battery platform. We verified stock and pricing across five cordless drill and driver sets from DEWALT, Makita, RYOBI, Einhell and Clarke — checked on both Amazon UK and Machine Mart — to find the best cordless drill and driver sets UK garages can rely on in 2026.
Affiliate Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we believe in.
🔧 Related: Best Cordless Impact Wrenches UK 2026 — Pair your new drill/driver with a dedicated impact wrench for wheel changes and stubborn fasteners.
Cordless Drill and Driver Set Comparison — 5 Kits Tested
| Product | Best For | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Einhell TP-CD 18 Li-i BL Kit | Best Value Twin-Battery Kit | £86.00 |
| Clarke CON18LIC (Machine Mart) | Best Multi-Gear Versatility | £95.98 |
| DEWALT DCD778D2T-QW | Best Overall Cordless Drill Driver Kit | £129.99 |
| Makita 18V Combi + Impact Twin Pack | Best Trade-Grade Twin Pack | £182.50 |
| RYOBI R18PD3RID-213S | Best Expandable Battery Ecosystem | £189.00 |
Best Cordless Drill and Driver Sets UK 2026 — Full Reviews
1. Einhell TP-CD 18 Li-i BL Kit — Best Value Twin-Battery Kit
Best For: Best Value Twin-Battery Kit
If you want two batteries and a genuine charger in the box without paying trade-tool prices, the Einhell TP-CD 18 Li-i BL is the strongest starting point on this list. It’s built around Einhell’s Power X-Change platform — one of the broadest cordless ecosystems available in the UK, spanning garden tools as well as workshop kit — so a single battery investment stretches a long way if you already own or plan to buy other Einhell tools. The brushless motor keeps the unit compact and efficient, and two 2.0Ah PXC batteries plus a charger mean you’re never waiting around mid-job. For anyone assembling their first serious cordless drill and driver set on a realistic budget, this is the best cordless drill and driver sets UK pick to start with.
2. Clarke CON18LIC 18V Brushless Combi Drill/Driver — Best Multi-Gear Versatility
Best For: Best Multi-Gear Versatility
Available through Machine Mart rather than Amazon, the Clarke CON18LIC stands out for its 2 forward and 2 reverse gear configuration, giving genuinely useful control across a wider range of tasks than most drills in this price band offer. Variable no-load speeds of 0-400rpm and 0-1500rpm, 21 torque settings and a 13mm keyless chuck cover everything from delicate screw driving to masonry drilling with the hammer function engaged. It ships with two 2.0Ah Li-Ion battery packs, a charger, belt clip and a moulded carry case — a genuinely complete kit at a price that undercuts most branded twin-battery alternatives. Worth considering for anyone who wants a second UK retailer in the mix rather than defaulting to Amazon for every purchase.
3. DEWALT DCD778D2T-QW 18V XR Brushless Combi Drill — Best Overall Cordless Drill Driver Kit
Best For: Best Overall Cordless Drill Driver Kit
DEWALT’s XR range is the benchmark UK tradespeople reach for, and the DCD778D2T-QW earns its place through a genuinely compact, lightweight design that doesn’t sacrifice power. The brushless motor delivers strong runtime and torque for its size, and it comes complete with two 2.0Ah XR Li-Ion batteries, a fast charger and a proper Kitbox carry case rather than a flimsy bag. The LED work light and versatile drill/driver/hammer functionality make it genuinely capable across wood, masonry and metal. If you only buy one cordless drill and driver set this year and want a tool that will still be reliable in five years, this is the best cordless drill and driver sets UK pick for most buyers.
4. Makita 18V Combi Drill & Impact Driver Twin Pack — Best Trade-Grade Twin Pack
Best For: Best Trade-Grade Twin Pack
Makita’s LXT platform is the closest thing to a professional standard among UK tradespeople, and this twin pack pairs the HP457 combi hammer drill with the TD127D impact driver — giving you drilling and high-torque screw driving in one kit rather than compromising with a single tool trying to do both jobs. It’s supplied complete with two 1.3Ah Li-Ion batteries, a heavy duty carrying case and three Makita Gold impact drill bits to get started immediately. The all-metal gear construction and rubberised soft-grip handles are built for repeated daily use rather than occasional DIY. If you already run other Makita 18V tools, the battery cross-compatibility alone makes this the best cordless drill and driver sets UK Makita owners should add to their kit.
5. RYOBI R18PD3RID-213S 18V ONE+ Combi Drill & Impact Driver Starter Kit — Best Expandable Battery Ecosystem
Best For: Best Expandable Battery Ecosystem
RYOBI’s ONE+ system is the UK’s largest single cordless battery platform, spanning over 100 tools across home, garden and cleaning — and this starter kit is the way in. You get a combi drill and an impact driver together, powered by two 1.5Ah ONE+ batteries and a charger, so the pair share power without needing separate battery purchases. The 2-speed gearbox on the drill delivers up to 50Nm of torque with 24 clutch settings for precise screw driving, while the impact driver handles the high-torque fastening work the combi drill isn’t built for. For anyone planning to expand into RYOBI’s wider garden and cleaning tool range over time, this is the best cordless drill and driver sets UK pick for long-term ecosystem value.
🔧 Related: Best Screwdriver Sets UK 2026 — A quality bit set pairs perfectly with any of these drivers for the jobs too fiddly for a full-size drill.
Which Cordless Drill and Driver Set Should You Buy?
Match the kit to how often you’ll actually use it rather than the biggest spec sheet. For a first serious cordless kit on a tight budget, the Einhell TP-CD 18 Li-i BL at £86.00 gives you two batteries and genuine brushless performance without overspending. The Clarke CON18LIC at £95.98 is worth a look if you’d rather buy from Machine Mart and want extra gear-range versatility. Step up to the DEWALT DCD778D2T-QW at £129.99 for the best all-round single-drill kit most GTB readers will be happy with for years. If you specifically need a drill and an impact driver working together rather than one tool compromising on both jobs, the Makita twin pack at £182.50 is the trade-grade choice, with the RYOBI ONE+ kit at £189.00 a strong alternative if you’re planning to build out a wider RYOBI tool collection over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What’s the difference between a combi drill and an impact driver?
A combi drill is the more versatile all-rounder — it drills, drives screws and has a hammer function for masonry. An impact driver delivers much higher torque in short rotational bursts, making it far better for driving long screws or removing seized fasteners, but it isn’t designed for precision drilling work. A twin pack gives you both without compromise.
Q: Do I need two batteries?
For anything beyond very occasional use, yes. A single battery will run out mid-job on anything more than light DIY, and having a spare charging while you work means no downtime. All five kits in this guide include at least one spare battery.
Q: Does the battery platform matter if I only own one tool?
It matters more than most first-time buyers expect. If you’re likely to add an angle grinder, impact wrench or garden tool later, buying into a platform with a wide tool range — like Makita LXT, RYOBI ONE+ or Einhell Power X-Change — saves significant money over time versus buying a separate battery system for every new tool.
Q: Can I use a combi drill for masonry work?
Yes, provided it has a hammer drill function — all five kits in this guide do. For light-to-medium masonry drilling (wall plugs, curtain rails, shelving brackets) a combi drill’s hammer mode is genuinely capable. Heavier structural drilling into concrete needs a dedicated SDS rotary hammer instead.
Q: How long does an 18V drill battery actually last?
This depends heavily on the task and battery capacity, but as a rough guide a 2.0Ah battery will comfortably get through a few hours of intermittent DIY use — driving screws, drilling pilot holes — before needing a recharge. Continuous heavy drilling or hammer-mode masonry work will drain it faster, which is exactly why the twin-battery kits in this guide are worth the extra cost.
Our Verdict
| Category | Our Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | DEWALT DCD778D2T-QW | Compact, powerful, genuine XR Kitbox kit |
| Best Value | Einhell TP-CD 18 Li-i BL | Two batteries, brushless motor, £86.00 |
| Best Twin Pack | Makita Combi + Impact Driver | Trade-grade drill and driver together |
| Best Ecosystem | RYOBI R18PD3RID-213S | Combi + impact driver on the ONE+ platform |
| Best from Machine Mart | Clarke CON18LIC | 2+2 gear versatility, full case included |
Affiliate Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we believe in.
