My cordless drill's biggest weaknesses are exactly why I bought an electric screwdriver

Published Oct 9, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT Nathaniel Pangaro is a tech enthusiast who dives deep into Apple’s world, from Macs and iPads to iPhones, Apple Watches, and every gadget in between. He loves turning tricky tech features into guides and reviews that are actually fun to read—and easy to use. At AppleInsider, he broke down the latest Apple releases with hands-on testing, clear explanations, and visuals that make readers feel like they’re right there with him. He also keeps SEO in mind so people can actually find his work online. He’s also written for The Student Loan Help Group, turning tech and finance topics into simple, helpful, and engaging content. Nathaniel also takes photos and creates rendered visuals to showcase devices and highlight features. When he’s not writing, Pangaro enjoys listening to music, working out, baking, and spending time with his pets. These hobbies help him recharge and bring a fresh, creative perspective to his work, keeping his writing energetic and relatable. Pangaro's goal is simple: help readers get the most from their Apple devices and actually enjoy doing it. I’ve had my cordless drill for years, and I’ve loved using it for all my projects. It’s reliable, easy to use, and gets the job done without constantly plugging it in. However, that doesn’t mean it's a master at everything. Sometimes I grab a regular screwdriver or hex wrench if the drill can't do the job, which is why I recently bought an electric screwdriver. Yet, I don’t see it as a replacement for my drill, but rather as a good companion. Easier to take around and use A lightweight body and smaller form factor help with tasks One of the main reasons I got an electric screwdriver is its compact size. Its smaller size and lighter weight make it more portable than my drill. For reference, my drill — a Denali 20V Cordless Drill Driver — is around 7.8 inches tall and weighs over 2 pounds — 2.2, to be exact. With these specs, the drill is far from the most portable tool for most tasks. On the other hand, the electric drill I got — the HOTO 3.6V Screwdriver — is around 7 inches long and less than 2 inches tall. Plus, it weighs only 0.55 pounds, which is 75% lighter than my drill. These are just the technical numbers, but when it comes to using the products, that’s where it really makes the difference. But not only when using them but also when carrying them around. With a lighter, more compact design, the screwdriver is easier to take with me. It fits in more bags and compartments than my drill and does not need its own bag just to go from point A to point B. For example, my drill comes with its own bag, so everything needed can come along as well. This includes screw bits, a charger, extra batteries — anything it needs to work on site or when I'm not at home. But all of this isn’t small and light, especially when I also have other bags on my shoulders or in my hands. Yet, it’s a different story with the electric screwdriver, With it, I can put it in my bag or backpack and carry it with ease. It’s light enough not to add much weight to what I'm already carrying, and it fits easily in many pockets, like my back pocket when I am climbing a ladder. As mentioned, I take the charger with me for my drill, which isn’t small and must be plugged into an outlet. However, the electric screwdriver only needs a USB-C cable to charge, meaning I can use the same wire I use for my phone. With its smaller, lighter design and more convenient charging method, the electric screwdriver is more portable than my drill. This makes it easier to carry around the house or to another location, while also letting me keep the battery charged with a wire I already have. Not a stranger to tight spaces Gets into spaces the drill cannot reach or fit Given its size, it is also great for getting into spaces my drill can’t. These can be small spaces or compact areas. While my drill is powerful nonetheless, it is bulky and not the smallest tool in the bag. Sometimes my drill can help with my tasks, but some areas I work in won’t allow it. For instance, I was replacing a screw in a tight space above my refrigerator. This space wasn’t supposed to be open, but because of the size of my fridge, it became one. My drill wouldn't fit in that tight space, so I had to use a regular screwdriver. However, my electric screwdriver and its compact size slid in with no issue when I had to do additional maintenance in the area. Furthermore, like my drill, it has a flashlight compartment, so even when the area is dark, I can see what I’m doing. But it’s not just its size that helps in tight places; its weight does too. As mentioned, the screwdriver is a fraction of the drill's weight, so when I have to contort my hand and arm in a tight space, a lighter tool helps. It puts less strain on my wrist without having to twist it differently just to fit the tool into hard-to-reach places. This is in addition to it having a lower, gentler torque-reactive force when tightening a screw. Not a complete replacement The drill still holds the throne in various areas While my electric screwdriver has been great for getting into tight areas and easing wrist strain, it doesn’t replace my drill entirely. I still keep my drill close for various tasks the screwdriver simply cannot handle. One area is higher torque and power. While the screwdriver is great for installing various screws and bolts, my drill can easily drive them through dense hardwoods, brick, or metal. Ryobi One+ Impact Drill/Driver Kit Color Green What's Included Drill and (2) 1.5 Ah Batteries with Charger While it's great to have a cordless drill, Ryobi's impact drill/driver has a bit more power to "drive" screws faster and easier. Finish big jobs with ease and get one today. It can also bore holes with its drill bits. My electric screwdriver can’t do that, so the drill comes in after it bores the hole to drive the screws in. With these in mind, I'm firm in my decision that my current electric screwdriver won’t replace my drill; it will be a companion. They will continue to work together rather than try to replace one another.