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
Avid Power 20V Max ACD316 Review
An inexpensive drill that will work light duty projects
Credit: Avid Power
RELATED: Best Drills of 2024
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.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product Avid Power 20V Max ACD316 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Bang for Your Buck | Best 12 Volt Option a Budget | A Great Drill for Tight Budgets | ||
| Price | $50 List $43.99 at Amazon | $79 List $59.00 at Amazon | $139 List Check Price at Amazon | $87 List $64.99 at Amazon | $40 List $38.39 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Inexpensive and only suitable for light duty jobs | A great budget drill for a homeowners or DIYer and has more than enough power for moderate to light-duty tasks | Our favorite compact 12-volt drill when considering overall performance and price | This drill isn't great, but can speed up driving screws through prefabricated furniture at a low price | A 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%) | |||||
| Driving (35%) | |||||
| Battery Life (20%) | |||||
| Convenience (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Avid Power 20V Max... | Craftsman V20 1/2-I... | Bosch 12V Max Drill... | Black+Decker 20V Ma... | Black+Decker 12V Ma... |
| Five Inch Hole Saw Test | 112 seconds | 55 seconds | 70 seconds | 90 seconds | 201 seconds |
| Lag Screw Test | 1.75 in | 4.37 in | 3.87 in | 3.19 in | 2.50 in |
| Manufacturer Peak Torque | 280 in-lbs | 280 in-lbs | 256 in-lbs | Not Listed | Not Listed |
| Measured Charge Time | 185 min | 58 min | 85 min | 210 min | 200 min |
| Measured Weight | 1.53 lbs | 3.44 lbs | 2.17 lbs | 2.68 lbs | 2.188 lbs |
| Measured Length | 7 in | 8.25 in | 6.625 in | 7 in | 7 in |
| Measured Number of Settings | 15 | 23 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| Manufacturer Stated RPM | 0 - 550 | Low: 0 - 450 High: 0 - 1500 |
Low: 0 - 350 High: 0 -1300 |
0 - 650 | 0 - 550 |
| Included Battery Pack(s) | 2.0 Ah | 1.3 Ah | 2.0 Ah | 1.5 Ah | 1.5 Ah |
| Max Chuck | 3/8 in | 1/2 in | 3/8 in | 3/8 in | 3/8 in |
| 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 |
| 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 |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
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.
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.
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.
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 Drill/Driver CMCD700C1.
—Austin Palmer, Benjamin Hickok
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