It’s not just a grippy handle though, there’s also the brilliant ergonomic shape that makes the Ryobi R18PD3 an incredibly comfortable tool to hold on to. The extra ridge included on the grip sits nicely between the middle and ring finger and makes it just that bit easier to hold.

And if that wasn’t enough to have you reaching for your wallet, you get two of these batteries included in the set. That simply means you’ve got more runtime, more power, and most importantly less downtime. As part of the Ryobi 18V ONE+™ system of over 200 cordless tools for the home, garden, automotive, crafting and much more, the Ryobi 18V ONE+™ R18PD31-215S Cordless Compact Combi Drill Set is the perfect power tool kit for drilling and screwdriving into wood, steel and masonry. This Ryobi R18PD3 is lightweight & compact, making it easy to use. Plus, the LED light is super useful. It aids accuracy in most situations and is a must-have feature for jobs in dimly lit areas.

Also important, are the controls. It’s easy to deliver the right speed & torque to match the specific job.

Having a good grip is probably for the best though because this feels like a heavy cordless drill. Weighing in at 1.3 kg, it’s the same as the DeWalt DCD796, but the long body and brushed motor make it feel a little off-balance in comparison. If you’ve ever held a Ryobi tool before, you’ll know about their patented GripZone technology. It’s quite simply the best overmoulded grip on the market if you ask me. The rubberised sections contain hundreds of tiny plus signs that just seem to grip really well. The only way this setup could be improved would be with a brushless motor. The brushed motor fitted to this cordless drill makes it a little less efficient compared with the brushless ones found on the DeWalt DCD796 or the Makita DHP484. This handy starter kit also includes an 18V ONE+™ LED torch which can sit flat on a worktop or be hung to flood the working area with white light. Use in-the-home during a power cut or away from home e.g. camping, with a range of up to 20 metres. Remember that a "Bare body" tool means that there is no battery OR CHARGER with it, so keep this in mind when you ar comparing prices. The starter kits are a really good way to but this type of drill.This product carries a full 3 year manufacturers warranty covering both faulty materials and faulty workmanship, it does not cover general wear and tear or damage, batteries, blades, bulbs and other consumables. In the unlikely event of a fault the item returned is subject to fair wear & tear and must not have been used beyond the scope of it's design. Please note that cordless products will normally have a shorter warranty of just 1 Year for the battery and or charger supplied. Ryobi use only Lithium-Ion batteries for their drill which are faster to charge and hold their charge for much longer than the older style Ni-Cad batteries. All these model use 18v and this is a big sign of top quality The well-balanced technical specification is more than a match for drills costing significantly more. Negatives As much as I admire the ONE+ battery system, the shape of the batteries limits the form of Ryobi’s power tools. The sheer size of the 1.5 Ah battery means the bottom of this drill is huge. Compared with the comparatively streamlined ones on the DeWalt DCD796N, this drill feels clumsy.

As part of the Ryobi 18V ONE+™ system of over 200 cordless tools for the home, garden, automotive, crafting and much more, the Ryobi 18V ONE+™ R18PD3-2C20SLF Cordless Combi Drill & Torch Starter Kit is the perfect power tool set for drilling and screwdriving into wood, metal, plastic and masonry - day or night.

How I Tested The Ryobi R18PD3 Cordless 18V Compact Percussion Drill Kit

The working power for the R18PD3 comes from Ryobi’s celebrated ONE+ 18 Volt system. The reliable 1.5 Ah units that come with this tool can reportedly drive 160 13 x 50 mm holes into wood on a single charge. Not bad for a smaller battery unit! Almost every Ryobi drill has a brushless motor which means the motor will last far longer than a motor that needs brushes to be replaced over time