5 Best Right Angle Drill for Plumbing in 2024

Plumbers deal with many issues regarding their right-angle drills. These are some of the most common:

• Right angle drills come manufactured with heavy and bulky materials which makes plumbers’ lives much harder when working in tight places
• Most manufacturers tend to save on essential features (i.e. led lights)
• Low-quality batteries that don’t last long
• Manufacturers tend to add many features which are counterproductive to their usability
• Right angle drills come manufactured with low potency motors to save on costs, which don’t provide enough drilling power
• Dealing with the frustration of spending money on right-angle drills manufactured with low-quality materials that break apart after a few months of use

I spent the time and money needed to test and research many right-angle drills to arrive at a list of the best right angle drills for plumbing that would solve all these issues.

List Of The Best Right Angle Drill For Plumbing

This is the list of the best right angle drills I arrived at after careful review and investigation:

• 1) Bosch PS11BN Right Angle Drill For Plumbers
• 2) DEWALT DCD740C1 Right Angle Drill for Plumbers
• 3) Makita DA3010F Right Angle Drill for Plumbers
• 4) Milwaukee 2415-20 Cordless M18 Right Angle Drill for Plumbers
• 5) Makita Ad04R1 Right Angle Drill for Plumbers

1) Bosch PS11BN Right Angle Drill For Plumbers

In terms of comfort, this Bosch PS11-102 12-Volt right angle drill came with soft grips and an ergonomic and lightweight structure of only 2 Lbs 12 Oz which made it easy for me to handle during the testing period.

The five-position pivoting head can rotate 180 degrees horizontally and 90 degrees vertically which is really convenient for plumbers who are used to drilling in tight and uncomfortable areas.

Moreover, its two led lights increase the visibility I needed when working on pipes in dark places.

No plumber wants to drop money on a right angle drill that’s too difficult to operate.

This is why I liked this right angle drill’s 3/8 In. Auto-Lock Chuck which made the bit replacement easy.

A right angle drill’s battery becomes essential for plumbers when they have to use the tool for a few hours.

This is why I like this tool’s battery gauge as it makes the battery management much easier for plumbers letting them plan beforehand if they need to charge the tool or not. On top of that, the electronic cell protection gives the battery a longer run time which solves another huge issue for plumbers.

The risk of wasting money on a right angle drill to later realize it doesn’t have the power a plumber need is more than frustrating, believe me.

This is why the 300 rpm, 101 In-Lbs Max Torque motor this Bosch right angle drill came with was a nice addition as it provided me all the power I needed in various drilling applications.

Constantly using your right angle drill at full speed could harm its durability which is why I the variable speed trigger this Bosch right angle drill comes with not only makes drilling much easier but also prolongs its lifespan by adapting the velocity at which the motor is being used to the amount of drilling power needed for the corresponding application.

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2) Dewalt Dcd740C1 Right Angle Drill For Plumbers

I fell in love with this Dewalt right angle drill as it came with really comfortable features such as its:

• 3/8″ ratcheting chuck with deep hex pocket that allows a 50mm hex bit to be used
• A multi-grip trigger which makes the whole experience of drilling much more convenient
• A compact front to back length of just 4″, which makes drilling substantially easy for plumbers that need to do this in tight spaces

When drilling, plumbers need different types of drilling speeds to adapt to each application.

That’s why I loved how this Dewalt right angle drill came with dual speed ranges that went from 0-650 to 0-2000 RPMs which was essential to give plumbers the drilling flexibility they need.

The best right angle drill for plumbers should not only be ergonomic and powerful but also durable. I mean, everybody heats wasting hundreds of dollars on a tool that breaks after a couple of months, right?

That’s why I liked how that same possibility of deciding on what speed the right angle drill should be on, was the same feature that protected the motor from being over-worked, which considerably prolonged its battery lifespan.

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3) Makita Da3010F Right Angle Drill For Plumbers

Working in tight spaces for many hours is something very common for plumbers.

This is why features such as its compact design and small diameter barrel grip that this Makita DA3010F right angle drill comes with are appreciated as they provide the guarantee one can drill in tight spaces for many hours without issues.

Moreover, this Makita tool came with a paddle switch with a speed limiting dial which made the process of tightening fasteners more convenient as it slowed down the tool’s speed when the fastener was already tightened.

One can drill comfortably with this right angle drill as it comes with a 4.0 AMP motor that weighs only 3.5 lbs which makes the tool easy to handle without sacrificing drilling power.

I can use this right angle drill comfortably knowing that it has attributes such as a variable speed that ranges from 0 to 2400 RPMs which is essential for plumbers that need different RPMs for different applications.

Knowing their money was well spent is something vital for plumbers as they bust their b***s off at work.

You’ll be happy to know that this Makita DA3010F right angle drill comes with features such as:

• built-in clutch
• all-ball bearing construction

which are features designed to keep the internal components of a right angle drill safe with the hopes of prolonging the tool’s lifespan.

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4) Milwaukee 2415-20 Cordless M18 Right Angle Drill For Plumbers

If you think any right angle drill is gonna be enough for a plumber, then think again. The market is plagued with tools that don’t offer the features plumbers need, especially when it comes to how easy to operate are them.

The good news is that this Milwaukee 2415-20 cordless right angle drill came with a 3/8 inch single sleeve ratcheting chuck that made drill bit changes pretty easy, which is a big thumbs up from plumbers.

Also, this tool came with built-in led lights that made working in dark and tight places (which is what a plumber does fairly frequently) much easier during the testing period.

It’s frequent to hear plumbers complaining about how week their right-angle drills are.

In that sense, this Milwaukee right angle drill came with an electronic clutch and a motor that made drilling more powerful as in delivered a torque of up to 100 In-Lbs, with 11 velocities to choose from.

For those plumbers, worried about battery life, and durability, this Milwaukee right angle drill has a lithium battery technology which not only makes the tool much lighter and efficient but it also makes the tool last for longer as its a technology known for its reliability.

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5) Makita Ad04R1 Right Angle Drill For Plumbers

I despise the feeling of dropping a couple of hundred dollars on a right angle drill that’s either heavy, bulky, or just plain uncomfortable.

Luckily, plumbers won’t have to face that frustration with this Makita Ad04R1 right angle drill as it features:

• Compact design
• Angle head of 3-5/16 inches for freedom of drilling
• Weight of only 2.7 lbs

which makes drilling for hours in tight spaces much easier!

Additionally, this right angle drill came with good ergonomic features that made it a breeze to operate, such as:

• Ergonomic barrel grip design
• Rubberized soft grips
• Easy to operate paddle switch that lets you set the drilling speed you want

The built-in led lights are of much help to illuminate when drilling on tight and dark places which are something that a plumber does fairly often.

Getting a right angle drill with a powerful motor is the best way to make sure you’re not going to make a plumber frustrated.

And this is exactly what this right angle drill comes with as it has a motor that delivers 245 In-lbs of maximum torque and variable speed of up to 1,1000 RPMs which makes drilling an enjoyable experience.

To guarantee that this tool is going to last for a few years, the guys at Makita added a battery protection circuit that keeps the battery safe from overloading, over-discharging, and over-heating, which are huge risks that could destroy the battery in an instant.

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My Verdict: The Best Right Angle Drill For Plumbing Are

Milwaukee 2415-20 Cordless M18 Right Angle Drill For Plumbers

If you want to know why I chose this Milwaukee drill as the best right angle drill for plumbing then click the button down below as it will take you to its review made by me.

Review

Quick Comparison Table

Name	Comfort	Power	Durability
1) Bosch PS11BN Right Angle Drill For Plumbers Review	4.9	5	5
2) DEWALT DCD740C1 Right Angle Drill for Plumbers Review	4.8	5	4.8
3) Makita DA3010F Right Angle Drill for Plumbers Review	5	5	4.9
4) Milwaukee 2415-20 Cordless M12 Right Angle Drill for Plumbers Review	5	5	5
5) Makita Ad04R1 Right Angle Drill for Plumbers Review	5	4.9	4.8

Must-Have Features For The Best Right Angle Drill For Plumbing

These are the attributes I look for in all the right angle drills.

Comfort Features

Tool-Free Disc Changes

You might think this is a basic feature but you don’t know how many right-angle drills are out there that have made changing discs really difficult.

This is why I always recommend plumbers finding right-angle drills that feature tool-free disc changes as it will make their life much easier.

Vibration Reducing Handles

Suffering cramps due to the vibrations coming from their right-angle drills is a common issue for plumbers.

This is why I recommend getting right-angle drills with vibration-reducing handles as this will make sure that their hands and arms remain relaxed even when drilling on hard surfaces.

Lightweight Materials

The discomfort that working with a bulky right angle drill brings is another big issue for plumbers.

In that sense, I recommend getting right-angle drills with lightweight materials as it’s a pretty practical way of making sure that the tool you’re buying is gonna be easy to handle.

Built-In Led Lights

Plumbers are used to working in dark and tight areas which presents many issues in terms of visibility. Getting right-angle drills with built-in led lights is a pretty nice way to make sure they’ll see where they’re working!

Easy-To-Operate Chunks

The best way to make a plumber happy is by giving them a right angle drill that’s not hard to operate which is surprisingly difficult to do.

Therefore, doing the maximum effort on finding an easy-to-operate right angle drill should be a top for most plumbers.

Long-Lasting Battery

Even though the majority of plumbers are not looking for cordless right angle drills I do believe that if you’re about to buy one make sure that you get one with a long-lasting battery as it’s essential if you want to avoid future headaches.

Power Features

Powerful Motors

Plumbers spend most of their day working in tight and dark places which are pretty uncomfortable. And, the last thing they want is getting deeply frustrated because their tools are not powerful enough to do a job.

To prevent this, I recommend getting right-angle drills with brushless motors that surpass 1000 RPMs as this is the sweet spot for plumbers between comfort and drilling power.

Strong Voltage

A second feature I think is essential for right-angle drills is having a strong voltage of at least 12v as it will give you enough electrical.

Durability Features

Brushless Motor

Another reason why I like brushless motors in right-angle drills is that they are engineered in a way that makes them really durable which always a nice addition for ANY type of tool.

So, if you’re a plumber looking for a tool that’s not only useful but very durable, then you must make an effort to find a right angle drill with a brushless motor.

How Did I Test The Best Right Angle Drill For Plumbing

These are the tests I did to arrive at the list of the best right angle drills for plumbing:

Comfort Test

I made sure to use each right angle drill as much as possible and write down the scores (from 1 to 10) in terms of how:

• light
• ergonomic
• easy to use
• convenient

they were during the testing period. Those that reached a score higher than 8 were selected for further testing.

Power Test

During the power test, I made sure to use each right angle drill on the toughest drilling jobs I had. Those that gave me a consistent drilling power were selected for further testing.

Durability Test

Throughout the durability test, I made sure to carry each right angle drill to its limits to see how well they performed and more importantly how well they kept their shape after months of constantly doing this.

Those right-angle drills that kept their best shape were selected and listed in this article as the best right angle drills for plumbing.

Benefits Of The Best Right Angle Drill For Plumbing

The following is the list of the benefits I noticed plumbers can enjoy when getting the best right angle drill for their needs:

Be Always Light

Spending your workdays feeling your hands and arms cramp up is the worst. Sadly, this is what most plumbers feel when using their right-angle drills as most of them are bulky and heavy.

Luckily, the best right angle drills for plumbing have enough ergonomic features to let you avoid that awful situation.

See Where You’Re Working

Not knowing where you’re working is a common hustle for plumbers as they’re known for working in dark and tight places, I know.

This is why I liked all the right angle drills listed in this article as they have the right attributes, such as led lights, that make working in dark places much easier.

Avoid All Complications

Another great advantage of selecting any of the right angle drills reviewed in this article is how easy they are to operate as they are made by manufacturers that made them easy and simple to operate.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are a lot of frequent questions that plumbers have in regards to their next right angle drill, such as:

How Does A Right Angle Drill Work?

Drilling is a necessity for most plumbers. However, there are some places where you just can’t fit a regular-sized drill.

This is where right angle drills come up as they work very similar to regular drills but with the difference being that they’re more compact and lightweight. In fact, they have their head shaped at a 90-degree angle which lets plumbers drill in much smaller places with one hand.

What Plumbers Use A Right Angle Drill For?

There are two main uses plumbers give their right angle drills:

• First, installing pipes. There’s a lot of drilling in tight and dark spaces when installing a pipe, this is why a good quality right angle drill with led lights is a life savior for most plumbers.
• The second use is more general. Plumbers tend to work in small spaces where, if drilling is necessary, a regular-sized driller will not work. Therefore, a lightweight and compact right angle drill becomes valuable for those situations.