How to choose a cordless drill: volts, Ah, torque and brushless motors

Hanging a shelf, assembling a wardrobe or fixing a curtain rail with a hand screwdriver takes a long time. A cordless drill-driver cuts this work to a few minutes, but in a shop the models look almost the same, and prices run from 200 thousand to 1.5 million soum. To choose a cordless drill, look at five things: voltage, battery capacity, torque, motor type and what comes in the kit. Below we explain with real models and prices from the Dona catalogue.

Voltage (V) and battery capacity (Ah)#

Voltage shows how strong the tool is. For home jobs 12 V is enough: assembling furniture and driving small screws. An 18-21 V model drills wood and thin metal and drives long screws without effort. This is the range most people pick for home use.

Be careful: some cheap models put 48 V or even more in the title. Ask the seller to confirm such a number, because higher voltage means a heavier battery, and that makes little sense for a small hand tool.

Battery capacity is written in amp-hours (Ah). A 2 Ah battery is enough for small jobs around the house; a 4 Ah battery runs longer but weighs more. If the kit has two batteries, one charges while you work with the other.

Torque, brushless motors and impact mode#

Torque (Nm) shows how hard the drill can turn a screw. The numbered ring at the front sets the torque: at low settings the screw will not sink into the board, at high settings a long screw goes all the way in. When assembling furniture, start with low torque.

A brushless motor runs cooler, saves battery and lasts longer. It costs a little more, but if you use the tool often the difference pays off.

An impact (hammer) drill-driver adds a hammering action, so it can make small holes in brick and concrete. If you only work with furniture and wood, a regular drill-driver is enough. For many holes in concrete you need a separate tool, a rotary hammer.

Kit contents and safety#

When comparing prices, check the kit: how many batteries, whether there is a charger, a bit set and a storage case. The same tool with two batteries costs more than with one, and that is normal. For small electronics (phones, laptops) a precision screwdriver set with thin bits is more practical than a drill.

On safety: before drilling, check that no cables or pipes run inside the wall, protect your eyes from dust and lock the tool when changing bits. Be careful with tools that carry a famous brand name at a suspiciously low price; our article on counterfeits and brands explains why. For home repairs, our guide on how to choose a mixer tap is useful too.

Real prices (Dona, November 2026)#

Prices are taken from the app catalogue as of 2 November 2026. A seller can change a price at any time; the current price and availability are shown on the product page in the app.

• Hoco UT10 32-in-1 Screwdriver Set — magnetic Cr-V bits, for small electronics — 43,400 UZS. The cheapest on the list.
• Hoco UT11 31-in-1 Screwdriver Set — Cr-V steel, magnetic — 69,300 UZS.
• Electric screwdriver set with 24 bits — compact electric screwdriver — 319,000 UZS.
• ONEX cordless drill-screwdriver — brushless, 18 V, 2 A — 349,990 UZS.
• Impact screwdriver, brushless motor, 10 mm, Milano 24 W — with impact mode — 419,990 UZS.
• Powerful cordless drill Onex 21 V — 4 Ah, brushless, 13 mm chuck, with light — 499,990 UZS.

Why choose a drill during a live stream#

A photo does not show how heavy the tool is, how it sits in the hand or how many batteries are really in the box. During the stream, ask the seller to open the case on camera, show the batteries and charger, and zoom in on the V and Ah label on the battery. You can also ask them to drive a screw into a board. More useful questions are in our article questions to ask a seller during a live stream.