Electric Screwdriver vs Drill- Which One is Best for You?

When you’ve got a major job or renovation to do, spending all day driving screws really seems like the last thing you want to do. Especially when most of the tools you’re using are already old, heavy and outdated. Nowadays, there are new and improved items on the market that can help make your day a lot easier. There are lightweight electric screwdrivers that are designed to make the tasks you’ll handle much easier than before. In this article, we’ll go over an electric screwdriver vs drill and see which one is best for you.

Electric Screwdriver vs Drill

First, if you know ahead of time, that the job you’re about to take on is going to require you to do much more than just screw driving, you may be better off buying a cordless power drill. A drill will allow you to do much more than just screw driving so it may be a good place to start looking if you already have that fact in mind.Next, we need to talk about the torque differences. Torque is a measure of a twisting force. The amount of torque that any given tool can produce is a good sign of the tasks that you will be able to accomplish using it. Now, tying this into electric screwdrivers vs drills; a lightweight electric screwdriver tends to use a much less powerful and lower voltage motor than your average drill.

The difference between drill and screwdriver

Compare Weight

Now let’s take a closer look at the uses of a drill. A heavy duty cordless drill comes with a lot more power than an electric screwdriver. However, the cost of this is usually the fact that it weighs much more. If you’re looking to purchase a professional grade drill, it can weigh in excess of 6 pounds.

A drill that is less powerful can be a little lighter and easier to use, but not many of them can match a heavier weight drill. These lightweight drills can weigh as little as less than a pound. This goes for electric screwdrivers as well. They can even be small enough to fit in a roomy pocket.

Compare Size

With electric screwdrivers having a smaller and much more compact size, they are often described as being more nimble when compared to most drills. If you need to drive a screw into a tight cramped space, then an electric screwdriver would be your best option.

Since they are much smaller and lighter weight, you would have no problem with using them to drill screws into small corners or spaces that may be very hard to get to. A heavy weighty drill would not be ideal in a situation such as that.

Some models of electric screwdrivers even come with special features. One of the features included is an adjustable angled drive head. As you would guess, this makes for an even more useful tool for driving screws into tightly cramped areas. It adds greatly to the tools maneuverability.

While this may seem like everything you would need from a power tool, be sure to keep in mind that since an electric screwdriver can be so specialized to what tasks it can easily complete, it doesn’t allow much room for versatility. This is where the drill comes back into play.

Compare Price

Another very important factor for determining which of these two power tools is best for you is the price point.

As explained earlier, this alone does not mean is it the best choice as the right tool for you. There are a lot of other factors that will go into that, such as the type of project you are handling.

Some electric screwdrivers can even cost more than their more powerful counterpart, the drill. This may be due to the fact that some do come with special features and are very lightweight which can be a plus if your project includes driving screws at odd angles. Especially if it is a long-term project. It’s much safer and easier for the user.

Compare Power

Keep in mind that this tool can do more than screw driving. These drills are more high powered than the average electric screwdriver. The motor is bigger and stronger, which allows for a power tool with a higher torque measurement. This means the drill will be more powerful and capable of handling tougher jobs such as drilling screws into much tougher wood or drill small holes into woods for other tasks.

Conclusion

Whichever one of these two tools you decide to go with, keep in mind all of the differences between the two, as well as what exactly your project will call for. Some projects are easy and simple and may only require the task of applying a few simple screws. For this, the lightweight electric screwdriver is best.

For projects that are the more long-term, involve tougher wood etc., you may be better off with opting for the drill. Some projects may even require you to have both. Keep some of these helpful tips and comparisons in mind the next time you are in the market for and want to know the difference between an electric screwdriver vs a drill.