Black and Decker 20V Drill Does the Job for Less than Two Jacksons
The Black and Decker 20V Drill has racked up some serious sales over the years, and though we’re aware that it doesn’t find its niche in the Pro market, we feel like there is a place for drills that market themselves to the homeowner that just needs a drill around the house. Is this the kind of tool you could use when you want to avoid dragging out the heavy hitters? We put it through our best cordless drill testing to see what you can expect.
Features
Most every budget drill keeps the price down by checking off just the basics on its feature set. The Black and Decker 20V Drill comes with a brushed motor and an 11-position drill clutch. It also has an LED light that gives you a fighting chance to see what you’re doing in a dark corner. An onboard storage clip allows you to keep one other fastening bit handy.
Beyond that, you’re looking at a plastic keyless chuck that will fit up to a 3/8″ shank. This drill has one speed to work with and you can feather the variable speed trigger for speed control.
Performance
To see how we test speed and torque, check out our Best Cordless Drill head-to-head review.
Using a Milwaukee Shockwave Red Helix Titanium 1/2″ twist bit to test the drill’s speed under load, it averaged 402 RPM. That’s about as large a twist bit as you’ll see and the motor ran at 76% of its tested no-load speed.
Next, we tried out 3/4″ Bosch DareDevil High-Speed Auger Bits. This time, the 20V drill managed an average speed of 379 RPM at 72% efficiency.
The takeaway from these two tests is really about efficiency. By driving at better than 70% efficiency, it can handle a bit more load than we put on it. That means your entire range of twist bits are on the menu and we feel comfortable drilling with auger bits or spade bits up to 7/8″. For most homeowners, that covers almost everything you need for basic projects and repairs.
Finally, we hooked up the Black and Decker BCD703C1 to our soft torque rig. It was able to generate a consistent 96 in-lbs of torque. That’s enough to drill through most wood and metal around the house. The only area it might struggle is on the larger end of its bit range in hardwoods.
Weight and Footprint
This Black and Decker 20V Drill is lightweight at just 2.6 pounds with a battery. It’s the lightest in the Budget class by 0.3 pounds and more than a full pound ahead of most other models.
The 7.5″ height and 7.5″ head length isn’t quite as compact as some of the models in this class. That might hamper your ability to house it in a kitchen drawer, but it’s not an obnoxious size.
Overall, it’s a very easy drill to handle thanks to its lighter weight and it’s something every member of the family can use.
Price
The Black and Decker BCD702C1 is one of the best-selling drills around and you can pick it up for about $41. If you want more features, performance, or fit and finish, the price starts climbing quickly and you’re crossing the $100 price point before you know it.
Conclusion
We love that the Black and Decker 20V Drill gives you the option to cut the cord and still spend well under $50. It has the performance to tackle furniture assembly, picture hanging, shelf installation, and a multitude of light drilling and fastening jobs around the house. On top of that, it’s light and compact enough for anyone in the family to use. It’s not designed to compete with Pro and Prosumer drills, but for knocking out your to-do list around the house, it’s tough to beat.
Black and Decker 20V Drill Specs
- Model Number: Black and Decker BCD702C1
- Power Source: Black and
- Chuck Size: 3/8″
- Chuck Type: Keyless
- Product Weight: 2.6 pounds
- Dimensions: 7.5″L x 3″W x 9″H
- Warranty: 2-Year Limited
- Price: $41.19
