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A right-angle drill puts the chuck perpendicular to the body so you can drill between studs, inside junction boxes, and under cabinets. Electricians and plumbers use them daily. This page covers six cordless right-angle drills with specs from manufacturer data sheets and prices checked in April 2026.
A right-angle drill has a gear head that bends 90 degrees from the motor body. This lets you position the bit in spaces where a straight drill would hit the surrounding framing. The head length (measured from the centerline of the body to the tip of the chuck) determines how deep into a stud bay you can reach.
Standard stud bays are 14.5 inches wide (16-inch on-center framing minus the stud width). A right-angle drill with a 4-inch head fits easily between studs. Compact models have head lengths under 3.5 inches. Longer heads offer more clearance but limit access in narrower cavities.
These drills are specialized. You won't use one every day unless you're running wire or pipe through framing. But when you need one, nothing else works. Trying to drill between studs with a regular drill and a flex bit is slower, less accurate, and harder to control.
We break down specs, prices, and trade-offs in our best right-angle drills guide.
Head length is the critical dimension. Shorter heads (under 3.5 inches) fit tighter spaces but often have less torque. Standard heads (3.5-4.5 inches) fit between studs with room to spare. If you work in pre-war buildings with non-standard framing, measure your actual stud bays before buying.
Right-angle drills are slower than standard drills because the gear head reduces speed. 0-1,100 RPM is typical. Two-speed models give you a low range (0-400) for controlled driving and a high range (0-1,100+) for boring. You won't drill fast with these. Precision matters more than speed.
Right-angle drills need enough torque to push large bits through multiple studs. 300-500 in-lbs handles standard drilling. 600+ in-lbs runs self-feed bits (the big hole-saw-like cutters plumbers use to bore through studs). The Milwaukee 2807-20 at 750 ft-lbs is built specifically for self-feed bit work.
3/8-inch chucks are standard for most right-angle drills and handle typical drilling and wiring tasks. 1/2-inch chucks (Milwaukee 2807-20, Makita XAD06Z) accept self-feed bits and larger drill bits for plumbing runs. Buy based on the bit sizes you actually use.
Right-angle drills run 3 to 5 pounds bare. Since you often hold these overhead or at awkward angles, lighter is better. The Bosch PS11-102 at 2.0 lbs (12V) is the lightest but also the least powerful. Full-size 18V models run 4-5 lbs.
Flex bits work for a few holes, but they wander in hard wood and give you less control over hole placement. A right-angle drill gives you a straight shot at the work surface, which means cleaner holes and faster work. If you run more than a handful of wires or pipes through framing, the right-angle drill pays for itself in time saved.
3/8-inch covers electricians drilling wire holes with standard bits up to 1 inch. Plumbers running large drain holes through studs need a 1/2-inch chuck for self-feed bits (2-9/16 inch and up). If you do both, the Milwaukee 2807-20 or Makita XAD06Z with 1/2-inch chucks handle everything.
You can, but most lack a clutch, so controlling screw depth is harder. They work fine for driving structural screws in tight spots where torque control is less critical. For finish work, use a drill/driver with a clutch.
Standard 16-inch on-center framing has 14.5-inch stud bays. Every drill on this page fits comfortably. In 2x3 framing, closets, or older buildings with irregular spacing, measure the actual gap and check the drill's head length and body width against it.
It depends on the work. The PS11-102 handles drilling holes up to 1 inch in wood and running standard electrical cables. It won't push self-feed bits or bore through engineered lumber. For light electrical work in new construction, it's great. For heavy renovation or plumbing, buy an 18V model.