We are always comparing and trying out new battery powered hand-tools at and around the studio and this is the first from Greenworks, a company that specialise in producing only cordless tools. They have a comprehensive range of battery driven garden and work tools and here we try out their £99.99 GD24DD60 24v battery powered hammer drill & driver.

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Build Quality

Whilst build quality is significant in all power hand tools, it is surely of most importance when it comes to our drill/driver combinations. These tools need to take the rigour of regular use in all types of conditions. From our testing and use in many different, and occasionally quite demanding, scenarios we are able to report that this Greenworks hammer drill is up to the job, with very good use of heavy duty rubber covering the hard plastic around the motor and hand controls, including the topside of the base, and with the gearing and chuck consisting of a sturdy metal construction. All the controls are easy to use and well-defined on the drill itself. It also comes with a belt clip which can be screwed to the body of the drill if needed. Additionally, just to prove their confidence in the quality, Greenworks offer a 3 year warranty on both the drill and battery pack.

Controls & Performance

The first thing we noted is the great choice of torque settings this combi drill and driver has, ranging from 1-20. We've found this exceptionally helpful when using the driver function, as is the ease of reversing the chuck direction. Selecting which mode you want to utilise is also simple and well-defined. As you might expect, there are three modes: screwdriver, drill and hammer drill. On top of the drill there is a control for selecting either of two motor speeds, and we find the faster speed ideal for making quick work when powering holes through wood and softer items, whereas the slower speed is good for driving in screws and when high torque is needed during drilling. With the speed set to two, at full torque, we were able to drill directly into our granite walls when using a decent masonry bit, and the drill made easy work of it. All the controls are easy and smooth to manipulate, and we find the pressure sensitive power trigger particularly comfortable in use. We have also found the 13mm keyless chuck allows for a good grip when tightening and loosening around bits - something we know from experience is important! There is a useful LED light, set just above the trigger switch, which automatically comes on when the drill is in use and focuses where you are drilling or driving in screws.

Motor & Battery

This Greenworks drill is driven by their 24v,2Ah rechargeable lithium-ion battery which powers a brushless motor. The battery has three LED power level indicator lights, and can be used to run a large number of different Greenworks power tools, ranging from lawnmowers to chainsaws. It is worth noting that Greenworks use different batteries on some of their products, so this particular one will only power their 24v range, or, when doubled up, their 48v range. Compared to some others we’ve had, it is a reasonably lightweight battery and this obviously helps when holding and manipulating the drill/driver.

Overview

Greenworks have produced a great general purpose cordless hammer drill/driver, which retails at around £170 with battery and charger, but can be purchased alone for £99. It's an ideal addition for anyone contemplating DIY, and when combined with the additional knowledge that the battery can be used across an extremely wide range of tools, the Greenworks' system could well be the answer to all your DIY and gardening requirements. Amazon UK | Amazon USA