If you were a professional tradesperson, you might want a bigger battery to go with this combi drill. 1.5 Ah batteries are slimline and lightweight, but don’t expect to drill hundreds of holes in a row without stopping for a recharge. Overall, we love the Dewalt DCD796N and think it offers great value for money. However, if we had to be critical there are some small things that may be worth mentioning…

Surprisingly, there are only 13 torque settings on the DCD796. I would expect to have a little more control over the clutch with a premium cordless drill like this, but it’s not a deal-breaker. Unless you’re planning on doing a lot of precision driving into a variety of materials, it’s not a big deal. There are 15 positions if you count drill and hammer mode though. It is also worth looking for newer models that have a 5.0 XR lithium-ion battery, as this is longer lasting and will increase the power that is offered with the tools. Older models come with the standard smaller battery – which will be sufficient if completing small to average-sized jobs around the home, but for anything more, you are going to want the larger battery size! What irritates me though is where the battery meets the drill. One of the first things to get on my nerves with any battery-powered tool is if the battery rattles about in its holder. There’s far too much play in the battery and I worry if the connection is going to hold up over time. It doesn’t help to make this combi drill feel like a quality power tool. Now for the annoying problem that I also happened to notice on the other DeWalt cordless drill on my list, the DCD776. Installing the battery is easy, but it rattles about in the drill. I really expected more from one of DeWalt’s professional-level drills, it spoils an otherwise brilliantly designed bit of kit.It is VERY similar to the DCD795, so if you already have a Dewalt Hammer Drill then it probably isn’t worth investing in the newer model as there is only a small increase in torque and some small changes to the features offered. It’s worth mentioning the multifunctional work light you get with this cordless drill. It’s a much more powerful LED compared with the one on the DCD776 and comes with three settings controlled by a dedicated switch. Set to shine for 20 seconds once you’ve released the trigger, you can choose from three levels of brightness. What sets this cordless drill apart from the competition though is the third setting. On “spotlight” mode, the strong LED light stays on for 20 minutes. It’s the little features like this that make DeWalt one of the best brands around. It’s not just a drill, it’s a work light! The powerful little LED work light is good for lighting up tight spaces. I personally prefer this type of light. It’s above the trigger rather than on the base of the drill. If you’re poking the drill into a tight space, you can still light it up. It stays on for 20 seconds after you let go of the trigger too, which is a pretty useful feature.

There are some main features that are worth considering when looking at the Dewalt DCD796N, to help you decide whether it is what you are looking for. The power that this battery system puts out gives this drill a reasonable level of torque. You get 42 Newton metres (Nm) worth of twisting power, and in hammer mode a solid 25,500 maximum beats per minute (bpm). The drill bit is spun up to 1,500 rpm, which isn’t the fastest but perfectly adequate for most DIY jobs.The speed selector can be a little tight to control, slowing down the work that you are completing, but this does stop accidental switches between the two! Part of the intelligent XR Lithium Ion Series designed for efficiency and making applications faster Two-speed transmission: The drill comes with a two-speed transmission that allows you to adjust the speed to suit your needs, ensuring precision and accuracy in your work.