Flex 24V FX1171T Turbo Drill/Driver

Launched in May 2025 to replace the DCD800, the DCD801 is DeWalt's highest-output 2-speed drill/driver, rated at 1,050 max watts out (MWO). DeWalt no longer quotes in-lbs for it. A gyro-based ANTI-ROTATION system cuts the motor if the body spins suddenly in a bind-up, and a red LED on the tool shows when it has tripped. Gearing is 0-650 and 0-2,000 RPM through a 15-position clutch and metal ratcheting chuck. The head is 6.47 in long, about half an inch shorter than the DCD806 hammer drill version.

Makita launched the XFD14 in May 2021 as the non-hammer twin of its XPH14 flagship, and it remains the most powerful driver-drill in the 18V LXT range. Its brushless motor makes 1,250 in-lbs through a 2-speed gearbox (0-550 and 0-2,100 RPM), with a 21-step clutch and an all-metal self-ratcheting chuck. Makita rates it for 3-inch self-feed bits and 6-inch hole saws in wood, and the 7-inch head is 14% shorter than the model it replaced. XPT sealing and STAR Protection overload controls come standard, but there is no anti-kickback electronics.

Ryobi launched this second-generation HP brushless drill/driver in March 2025 as a Home Depot exclusive, and it replaced the 750 in-lbs PBLDD01 as the most powerful drill/driver in the ONE+ range. It makes 850 in-lbs through a 2-speed gearbox (0-700 and 0-2,150 RPM), with a 24-position clutch and a 1/2-inch ratcheting metal chuck. At 2.3 lbs bare it is the lightest drill/driver here, 0.8 lb under the Ridgid R86114. Ryobi's '65% more torque' claim is measured against its basic brushed PCL206, not against the previous HP model.

Sitting above the SubCompact R87012, this is the strongest drill/driver in Ridgid's 18V lineup without a hammer mode: a brushless motor rated at 800 in-lbs and a two-speed gearbox topping out at 2,100 RPM. It carries an all-metal 1/2-inch ratcheting chuck, a metal gear case, a 24-position clutch, a foot LED and an auxiliary side handle. Registration within 90 days adds Ridgid's Lifetime Service Agreement, which covers parts, service and batteries. Anyone who wants more torque has to step up to the R861152 hammer drill, since Ridgid sells no high-torque drill without the hammer.

With a CORE18V PROFACTOR pack fitted, Bosch rates its heaviest-hitting non-hammer drill at 1,330 in-lbs from the BITURBO brushless motor, through a 0-550/0-2,200 RPM two-speed metal gearbox. KickBack Control cuts power when the bit binds, and Electronic Angle Detection gives feedback on a small onboard interface so long screws and holes go in at the angle you set. A 25-position clutch, all-metal chuck and a connectivity-ready slot for Bosch's GCY42 module round it out. It launched in January 2022 alongside the GSB18V-1330C hammer version, which is the one to buy if you ever drill masonry.

Milwaukee's fourth-generation M18 Fuel drill/driver shares its motor and gearbox with the 2904 hammer drill but drops the hammer mechanism, keeping the same 6.88-inch head length. It makes 1,400 in-lbs, 200 more than the previous generation, with 0-500 and 0-2,100 RPM ranges. This generation brought AutoStop anti-kickback to the standard (non-One-Key) model and went back to a mechanical 16-position clutch after the Gen 3's electronic one drew complaints. Milwaukee ships it with a side handle and belt clip.