Do you love doing DIY projects, need a tool for small home repairs, or are you a professional looking for a drill driver or electric screwdriver? Let's take a look at their main features and which ones you should pay more attention to, based on the use you want to make of them.

Type

Let's take a look at the different types you will encounter in this category and how each one will help you, depending on the task you want to perform.

• Drill Driver: This is a tool suitable for screwing and unscrewing, as well as for drilling holes in wood, metal, and various building materials.
• Screwdriver: An electric screwdriver is ideal for simple tasks such as assembling furniture, where you will need to screw and unscrew.
• Impact Driver: This tool is recommended for quick screwing and unscrewing, even in the hardest building materials. 
• Drywall Screwdriver: Finally, this screwdriver - as its name suggests - is ideal for drywall tasks. What sets it apart is that the screw stops at the right point, so it does not penetrate the working surface.

Power Supply

Power supply plays an important role when choosing an electric tool, as it determines several factors - with autonomy and the range of tasks that can be performed being the standout factors.

Electric Drills & Screwdrivers with Cord

These are tools that connect directly to the power supply and have a cord. They offer unlimited autonomy and can perform demanding long-duration tasks. Their disadvantage is that they do not provide the user with a wide range and freedom of movement.

They are suitable for use in areas with easy access to a socket or for long-duration projects that require more power.

Battery-Powered Drills & Electric Screwdrivers

The majority of tools have a rechargeable battery for easier and more comfortable use. Portability is the number one advantage of this category of tools, as they offer flexibility and can perform tasks even in hard-to-reach places or areas without access to electricity. A cordless tool requires charging the battery before each task and depending on the size of the tasks, it may also require changing or recharging the same battery.

They are suitable for areas where there is no immediate or any access to sockets and electricity, or for tasks that require continuous movement.

Voltage

One of the most important characteristics of an electric tool is its voltage, which is measured in Volts and indicates the power the tool can exert on a material. The higher the voltage, the more energy the device can provide. This makes it ideal for heavier and more demanding tasks. Indicatively, an electric tool with the following values is suitable for different tasks:

• Drill drivers & electric screwdrivers with voltage up to 16.8V are ideal for smaller tasks mainly at home, such as hanging frames or decorations and assembling furniture.
• Drill drivers & electric screwdrivers with 18V voltage make up the majority and are intended for use by amateurs and professionals for both medium-sized tasks and more demanding ones. For example, drilling into hard materials and screwing-unscrewing larger screws, which are necessary for a renovation or construction projects.
• Drill drivers & electric screwdrivers with voltage of 20V and above are required for heavier tasks and professional use. Specifically, tools with voltage of 36V and above are mainly used by professionals, such as builders for very demanding projects.

Speed & Torque Adjustment

Maximum Motor Speed

This refers to the maximum rotational speed of the motor in revolutions per minute (RPM). For drilling tasks, a speed of up to 1500rpm is perfectly satisfactory, as beyond this point there is a risk of the drill bit breaking due to increased temperature. For screwing tasks, higher speeds can be used, especially if the material is soft like wood or drywall.

Torque

Torque expresses the maximum force that a drill driver or electric screwdriver can deliver, which allows it to rotate a screw and is measured in Nm (Newton meters). Higher torque values (68 Nm and above) are recommended for heavier tasks, while moderate (34 - 68 Nm) to lower (22 - 34 Nm) values make the tool an ideal choice for everyday and general use. Specifically:

• Up to 20Nm is sufficient for screwing/unscrewing small screws that do not require much force to rotate.
• From 20 to 60Nm, in addition to screwing, you can also perform drilling tasks.
• More than 60Nm is mainly found in impact drivers, which can screw/unscrew screws that require a lot of force to rotate, such as bolts.

The speed adjustment, as well as the torque adjustment, provide the ability to select the corresponding values, making a drill driver and an electric screwdriver respectively suitable for performing more and different tasks, depending on the needs.

Do you know the use? We know what you need!

See the features you should pay the most attention to, based on the use you intend to make.

Very basic tasks at home

• If you are looking for an electric screwdriver for quite simple tasks at home, such as assembling furniture, prefer one with a voltage from 10.8V to 18V and torque up to 20Nm.
• If you also want to drill holes in the wall or other building materials, an electric screwdriver with a voltage up to 60Nm is an ideal choice.

Prefer a battery-powered electric screwdriver so you can easily move it to any point!

DIY projects

• If you love working with wood and metal and need a tool that can handle any creative idea that comes to mind, then prefer a drill driver with a torque of about 60Nm and a voltage of at least 18V.

Prefer a drill driver with an interchangeable head, speed adjustment, and ideally a hammer function!

Professional use

• If you are a professional, the tool you choose must be able to handle all kinds of building materials and conditions, so an impact driver might be a good choice. Make sure it has a voltage of at least 20-24V and a torque of at least 60Nm.

Don't forget that there can often be a difference in a product based on its overall characteristics and construction. Before you decide, read the reviews of other users to see their opinions as well!

You can also take a look at the guide with the best drill drivers and electric screwdrivers on the market, where you will find the top choices based on user feedback, both for amateurs and professionals.

New: Check out now also used tools on Skoop by Skroutz, the new used goods selling service by Skroutz!

Finally, if you have decided on one of the two, you can see the corresponding guides and learn everything about each one:

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