If you’re buying your first cordless drill, the biggest decision isn’t really which drill — it’s which battery ecosystem you’re buying into, since that’s what you’ll be stuck with as you add more tools later. We compared entry-level kits (drill, battery, and charger together, not sold separately) from the platforms most widely stocked in Australia to find the best starting points for beginners.
Our Picks at a Glance
- Best true beginner value: Ozito PXC 18V Compact Drill and Impact Driver Kit – $99.98
- Best all-rounder ecosystem: Ryobi 18V ONE+ Hammer Drill All Rounder Kit (R18PD24) – $149
- Best if you’re stepping up to trade-grade tools: Makita 18V Brushless Hammer Driver Drill (DHP484) – from around $272 for the tool alone
1. Ozito PXC 18V Compact Drill and Impact Driver Kit – $99.98
The easiest way into cordless tools without a big outlay. This kit includes both a drill and an impact driver plus a battery and charger, all under $100 at Bunnings. The PXC battery platform is Bunnings’ in-house ecosystem, so it’s the cheapest way to start building a full kit of compatible tools over time. It won’t out-muscle a trade-grade drill, but for flat-pack furniture, shelving, and general home jobs it’s genuinely capable.
2. Ryobi 18V ONE+ Hammer Drill All Rounder Kit (R18PD24) – $149
A step up in both capability and ecosystem size. This is a hammer drill, so it can handle masonry and brick as well as timber and metal — useful if you don’t yet know exactly what projects you’ll tackle. Ryobi’s ONE+ platform is one of the largest cordless ecosystems available in Australia, with well over 200 compatible tools sharing the same battery, so it’s a strong pick if you think you’ll keep expanding your toolkit.
3. Makita 18V Brushless Hammer Driver Drill (DHP484) – from around $272
Makita’s LXT range is the best-selling cordless platform in Australia and the go-to for tradies, with a brushless motor for more power and longer tool life. It’s priced well above the other two picks here — and that price is often for the bare tool, with battery and charger sold separately or bundled into a pricier kit — so it’s really a pick for beginners who already know they want a long-term, trade-grade platform rather than the cheapest way to get started.
What About DeWalt or Milwaukee?
Both are excellent, widely-stocked platforms in Australia, but their entry kits tend to sit above beginner budget once you add batteries and a charger, and they’re more commonly bought by people already invested in that brand’s ecosystem from work. Worth considering once you’ve outgrown a starter kit.
How We Compared These
This guide is based on published kit contents, RRP and current retailer pricing, and aggregated owner reviews — not hands-on testing by our team. Prices are accurate at the time of writing and can change with retailer promotions, so check current pricing before you buy. If you buy through a link on this page, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.