REASONS TO BUY
Powerful
Great battery life
Fantastic integrated worklight
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Only includes a single battery
Kobalt 24-volt Max 1/2-in Brushless Drill KDD 1424A-03 Review
The highest scorer in our group, this is a heavy-duty drill that can keep up with all your toughest projects
The Kobalt KDD 1424A-03.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
By David Wise ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ February 14, 2022
Contributions From: Austin Palmer
RELATED: The Best Drills of 2025
Our Verdict
Earning the top score out of all the models in our best drill review to date, the Kobalt 24-volt Max 1/2-in Brushless Drill KDD 1424A-03 is our top recommendation for anyone who wants the top tool when it comes to these products. This drill is exceptionally heavy-duty and powerful, handling even our most difficult drilling and driving tests with ease. This drill has an unmatched battery life and tons of integrated lighting so you can see what you are drilling or driving even in darker conditions. This drill is a bit on the pricey side --especially when you consider that it only includes a single battery — but we think it is the clear choice for the professional or serious DIYer who wants the absolute best.
Editor's Note: This drill review received an update on February 14th, 2022, to include more details to help you find the best drill for your neds and budget.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Kobalt finished at the group's top, narrowly outperforming the DeWalt DCD777C2. The Kobalt had a higher list price than the DCD777C2, but we have often found it on sale for less. Both drills perform almost identically in our drilling and driving tests and are about the same in terms of convenience features. Still, the Kobalt nabbed the top spot by having a significantly better performance in our battery tests.
The Kobalt's 24 volts of power makes easy work of thin steel.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Drilling
The Kobalt did phenomenally well. It didn't show even a hint of struggle when punching through a 16-gauge steel sheet with a ¼" bit; it made it through in about 1.5 seconds. It locked up for a brief moment when we switched to the ½" bit, but still made it through in 3-4 seconds.
For heavy-duty tasks, like drilling through steel, you're going to want a heavy-duty drill.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Next, we moved on to the 1" spade bit, drilling dozens of holes in standard 2x12s, and the Kobalt delivered a beastly performance, never once catching or stalling. All of the holes were drilled exceptionally quickly, even leaving the drill in its higher speed, lower torque gear for the entire test — many drills needed to be downshifted to their lower gear once they caught or stalled to finish drilling the hole.
The solid core door was no match for this drill.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
The Kobalt again thoroughly impressed us when drilling a 5" hole saw through a solid core door. It ripped through the door like it was butter, and finished the hole in around 17 seconds.
The Kobalt has impressive driving power.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Driving
The Kobalt did very well when driving in wood screws, but it couldn't quite maintain the top position it had in the drilling metric. It drives in 3" screws quickly and powerfully, setting the countersunk head flush with ease — most of the time. There were a handful of times when the Kobalt faltered when it came to fully setting the head.
The lag screw barely slowed down this drill.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
However, the Kobalt did redeem itself a bit when driving in the monster 5" long, ½" lag bolt. It had no trouble at all driving it into its full depth through a standard 2x4 and 4x4.
This drill utilizes the 2 button release method. It is effective but not our favorite.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Battery Life
We used a 2-amp-hour battery, and the Kobalt lasted longer than average, completing just over 10 cycles of alternating drilling and driving. This is one of the best, solidly outpacing the next closest drill, which only made it through 7 before quitting.
However, this exceptional performance in the battery life test was tempered slightly by the Kobalt being a little slow to recharge and only including a single battery. The lack of an extra battery is a bit of a bummer, as that means your project is put on hold when the battery dies, compared to other models, where you can swap to your reserve and keep going. You could always buy an extra battery separately, but they can be a bit pricey. The Kobalt took over an hour — 75 minutes — to completely recharge a fully depleted battery.
Most cordless drills use a keyless chuck, the Kobalt is no exception.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Convenience
The Kobalt KDD1424A-03 finished with a decent performance, offering a decent amount of features that make it easier and more enjoyable to use. It has a solid integrated light, providing plenty of illumination for your work surface. The light stays on for about 10 seconds after releasing the trigger.
The Kobalt has excellent lighting.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
This drill has a belt clip, but it is a bit heavy to hang on a tool belt, weighing close to four pounds. It has high and low gears and a chuck with a maximum opening of ½".
The Kobalt has many clutch settings to help you reign in its power.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
It is fairly easy to swap the batteries, and we found the built-in battery meter to be a very handy feature.
Should You Buy the Kobalt?
Finishing at the top of the group overall and delivering an unchallenged performance in many of our tests, it is easy to see why the Kobalt 24-volt Max 1/2-in Brushless Drill KDD 1424A-03 earned our favor. This drill packs a punch, handling our toughest drilling and driving tasks with ease, all while having an unparalleled performance in our battery life test. It might be a bit more tool than a casual DIYer or weekend warrior needs, but it is our top recommendation if you want the absolute best of the best when it comes to these products. While the Kobalt is a fantastic drill, you are paying for all that power, and it isn't the best value option out there if you are shopping on a budget and don't need professional-grade power tools.
What Other Drill Should You Consider?
If you can't find the Kobalt on sale and need a budget choice, we like the Craftsman V20 1/2-In. Drill/Driver Kit CMCD700C1. While the Craftsman doesn't offer the same level of performance as the Kobalt, it is about half the price (again, look for sales!). For the price, it is just about the best thing going and provides the same level of convenience with good drilling performance. Depending on your budget, sales, and goals, the Craftsman might be an option for you. Alternatively, if you have Dewalt products already, the DeWalt 20V Max Compact Brushless Drill/Driver DCD777C2 has the same performance with less battery and is compatible with some Dewalt batteries.
—David Wise and Austin Palmer
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