Building a Redwood Deck – What's the Best Cordless Drill/Driver Combo?

Hey folks, finally starting my dream deck project (16x20 redwood) and I need to upgrade my cordless setup. My old 12V drill is dead. I'll be driving 3" deck screws all day, maybe some 1/2" lag bolts for the ledger. What's the best brushless drill/driver combo out there? Budget is around $300-400. I'm leaning towards DeWalt or Milwaukee – any thoughts?

Before you buy anything, make sure you get a drill with a decent clutch and a hammer drill function if you're going into concrete for the posts. Also, pick up some impact-rated hex bits – nothing worse than stripping out a screw mid-project. Safety glasses and ear pro too, man. Redwood is dusty. But to answer your question: I've had my Milwaukee M18 Fuel drill for 3 years, dropped it off a ladder, still runs like a champ. The hammer drill is a beast for concrete. Just saying.

I've been framing for 30+ years. For deck screws, you want an impact driver – that's the real workhorse. The drill is for pilot holes. Get a combo kit with both. DeWalt's XR line is solid, but I've been using Makita's 18V LXT for the last decade. Light, balanced, and the battery lasts all day. My advice: don't cheap out on batteries – get at least two 5Ah. And buy a good bit set with torx heads, they don't cam out as much.

I'm with Larry on the impact driver – you'll thank yourself. I built a 2000 sq ft deck with my old Hitachi (now Metabo HPT) and it never missed a beat. But if you're set on yellow or red, you can't go wrong. One tip: check the torque on the drill for those lag bolts – you might want a half-inch drill with a side handle if you're doing 1/2" lags. Also, consider a cordless circular saw for cutting the deck boards – a 6-1/2" will save your arm. Just a thought.

If you're restoring an old deck or building new, invest in a good square drive bit set – robertson #2 is what I use for decking. And for redwood, pre-drilling is a must to avoid splitting. I've used everything from old corded drills to modern brushless – the Milwaukee M18 Fuel is my go-to now, but honestly, my 20-year-old Porter Cable still works. The real game changer is the new 21700 cells in batteries – they last longer and don't sag. Get the kit with the free battery – they often have deals around the holidays. Good luck with the build!