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Avid Power 20V Max ACD316 Review

An inexpensive drill that will work light duty projects
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Avid Power 20V Max ACD316 Review
Credit: Avid Power
Price:  $50 List
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Manufacturer:   Avid Power
By Austin Palmer, Benjamin Hickok  ⋅  Mar 7, 2024
29
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#22 of 23
  • Drilling - 35% 3.1
  • Driving - 35% 2.1
  • Battery Life - 20% 2.0
  • Convenience - 10% 6.4

Our Verdict

The Avid Power 20V Max ACD316 is an affordable and lightweight drill driver that may be a good option for light duty tasks, but can't compete against the well known brands, and better performing top-tier models that we've had the privilege of testing over the years. While our test team does not think the Avid Power 20v is a bad option, they do feel that at a similar price point, it is worth looking at a handful of other models that provide a step up in performance for just a little more money. If you are considering this model, we'd urge you to look at those other options.
REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
Affordable
REASONS TO AVOID
Gets hot very fast
Smells under a fair load
No belt clip
Hard to tighten chuck
Small selection of compatible tools

Compare to Similar Products

(change comparison)
 
Awards  Best Buy Award Best Buy Award Best Buy Award  
Price $50 List
$39.59 at Amazon		$79 List
$49.00 at Amazon		$130 List
$99.00 at Amazon		$70 List$40 List
$37.60 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
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60
48
35
17
Star Rating
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Bottom Line Inexpensive and only suitable for light duty jobsA great budget drill for a homeowners or DIYer and has more than enough power for moderate to light-duty tasksOur favorite compact 12-volt drill when considering overall performance and priceThis drill isn't great, but can speed up driving screws through prefabricated furniture at a low priceA low-powered option for those who only need to do light-duty tasks and want to spend the absolute minimum
Rating Categories Avid Power 20V Max... Craftsman V20 1/2-I... Bosch 12V Max Drill... Black+Decker 20V Ma... Black+Decker 12V Ma...
Drilling (35%)
3.1
6.6
5.8
4.1
1
Driving (35%)
2.1
6.2
4.5
3.2
1.8
Battery Life (20%)
2.0
4.4
3.2
2.6
1
Convenience (10%)
6.4
6.0
5.8
4.6
4.8
Specs Avid Power 20V Max... Craftsman V20 1/2-I... Bosch 12V Max Drill... Black+Decker 20V Ma... Black+Decker 12V Ma...
Measured Weight 1.53 lb 3.44 lb 2.17 lb 2.68 lb 2.19 lb
Measured Charge Time 185 min 58 min 85 min 210 min 200 min
Measured Length 7" 8-1/4" 6-5/8" 7" 7"
Measured Number of Settings 15 23 20 10 10
Included Battery Pack(s) 2.0 Ah 1.3 Ah 2.0 Ah 1.5 Ah 1.5 Ah
Max Chuck 3/8" 1/2" 3/8" 3/8" 3/8"
Battery Voltage 20V 20V 12V 20V 12V
Drill Model Tested ACD316 CMCD700 PS31 LDX120C BDCDD12C
Box Model (Kit) Tested ACD316 CMCD700C1 PS31-2A LDX120C BDCDD12C
Five Inch Hole Saw Test Timing 112 seconds 55 seconds 70 seconds 90 seconds 201 seconds
Lag Screw Test (What is Left to From Driving) 3.25 in 0.63 in 1.13 in 1.81 in 2.50 in
Manufacturer Stated RPM 0 - 550 Low: 0 - 450
High: 0 - 1500		 Low: 0 - 350
High: 0 -1300		 0 - 650 0 - 550
Manufacturer Peak Torque 280 in-lbs 280 UWO 256 in-lbs Not Listed Not Listed
Battery Indicator Location Battery Battery Drill N/A N/A
LED Location Above the battery Above the trigger Above the trigger Above the trigger Above the battery
Included Belt Clip No No No No No

Our Analysis and Test Results

Performance Comparison


The Avid Power 20V Max isn't suitable for more than light duty tasks.
Credit: Austin Palmer

Drilling


The Avid Power 20V Max ACD316 encountered some performance issues in our drilling tests, contributing to 35% of its overall rating. It got off to a rocky start in our first test, and it took a full minute and 52 seconds to cut a hole in a 1 ¾ inch thick solid wooden door with a 5-inch hole saw. While it completed the task, the drill housing became very hot, possibly dangerously hot, and the brushed motor produced a foul smell. A note that there was no visible smoke, but we didn't find this result particularly pleasing.

avid power 20v max acd316 - another struggle for the avid power 20v max.
Another struggle for the Avid Power 20V Max.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

In our second test, which is drilling a 1" hole through a 2x12 using a spade bit, the Avid Power 20V Max ACD316 barely penetrated the wood before stalling. No amount of stopping and restarting allowed us to complete the task. The unit also produced an absurd amount of heat and the smell of burning components.

Lastly, the Avid Power 20V Max ACD316 exhibited less than impressive performances in our sheet steel metal drilling tests. It managed to drill through our 16-gauge steel sheet using a ¼" drill in approximately 4.46 seconds, one of the slowest times we've recorded. It also struggled with our ½" drilling test and ultimately bound up in the steel, unable to complete the task.

This is not our strongest performer in the drilling metric.
Credit: Austin Palmer

Driving


Also responsible for 35% of each drill driver's overall score, our driving test metric consists of two real-world tests. The first, to drive a 5-inch lag screw into dimensional lumber through a 13/32 inch pilot hole, and the second, to set 3-inch number 9 countersunk deck screws flush with the dimensional lumber.

Unfortunately, the Avid Power 20V Max ACD316 was not up to the task of driving a 5-inch lag screw and failed to make progress with more than three inches of exposed screw thread to go. With no torque settings to change, our team could not advance the screw any further. However, it did do a good job of setting 3-inch countersunk deck screws flush with lumber, albeit not nearly as fast as top models, and it was clear it struggled at the task.

avid power 20v max acd316 - the avid power was simply not up to the task of drivving a 5 inch...
The Avid Power was simply not up to the task of drivving a 5 inch lag screw.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Battery Life


Our third test metric, battery life, analyzed the working time you can reasonably expect from a battery and the charging time of a two amp hour battery. In short, you won't get much mileage from the Avid Power 20V Max ACD316's 2 amp hour battery. It is sufficient for small around-the-house tasks, like hanging a picture or two, but it is a poor choice for any tasks beyond that. Additionally, when the battery needs to be recharged, you can expect a little over three hours of downtime before returning to the task at hand with a full charge.

avid power 20v max acd316 - this model offers marginal battery life.
This model offers marginal battery life.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Convenience


The Avid Power 20V Max ACD316 didn't excel in our convenience test. A lack of speed settings and a chuck size limit of ⅜" kept this model from scoring well. While average all-around in the convenience metric, it is worth noting that the Avid Power is rather light at 1 pound 8.4 ounces, making it a nice model to handle.

The chuck on this model is finicky.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Should You Buy the Avid Power 20V Max ACD316?


We can't in good conscience recommend the Avid Power 20V Max ACD316 over most other models we tested, as it is one of the poorest performing models we tested. For the price of a six-pack or two gallons of gas, it is possible to buy a handful of other better-performing models.

What Other Drill Driver Should You Consider?


If a tighter budget is dictating your purchasing decision, we'd encourage you to consider the Black+Decker 20V Max Drill/Driver LDX120C, which offers a significant step up in performance for a very modest price difference. Or if you can increase your budget just a little more, we hope you would consider the slightly more expensive but much better Craftsman V20 1/2-In. Drill/Driver Kit CMCD700C1.

— Austin Palmer, Benjamin Hickok
 
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