Best compact right-angle drill for plumbing repairs

The best right-angle drill for a service plumber is the one that fits behind the cabinet and turns the bit the repair needs. A little M12 belongs beside the hand tools. A stud-and-joist drill earns its space when the job turns into a new supply route or drain run.

Take the Milwaukee 2415-20 for tight cabinet work, the DEWALT DCD443B for service holes up to 2-9/16 inches with a self-feed bit, and the Milwaukee 2809-20 SUPER HAWG for repeated larger bores. All three picks below are bare tools; batteries and chargers are separate.

Quick picks for the service van

• Best compact cabinet drill: Milwaukee M12 2415-20. Its 3-3/4-inch head and long paddle suit awkward access under a sink. Use it for small wood holes and fastening.
• Best for 2-9/16-inch service holes: DEWALT DCD443B. A compact stud-and-joist drill with a 7/16-inch quick-change drive and motion-sensing E-Clutch.
• Best for repeated large bores: Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2809-20 SUPER HAWG. A keyed 1/2-inch chuck, side handle and low-speed mechanical clutch suit heavier work through framing.

Compare the drills by bit—not battery voltage alone

Drill / battery platform	Chuck and size reference	Maker’s wood-bit capacities	Control feature
Milwaukee 2415-20 / M12	3/8-inch ratcheting chuck; 3-3/4-inch head	Twist bit: 3/8 inch. Spade bit: 1 inch. Speed: 0–800 RPM.	Electronic fastening clutch: 11 settings plus drill mode.
DEWALT DCD443B / 20V MAX XR	7/16-inch hex quick-change; 16.3-inch overall tool length	Auger: 1-3/8 inches. Self-feed: 2-9/16 inches. Hole saw: 4 inches. Speed: 0–1,250 RPM.	E-Clutch senses tool motion and shuts the tool down if necessary.
Milwaukee 2809-20 / M18	1/2-inch keyed chuck; top and side handles	Auger/ship auger: 1-1/2 inches in either gear. Self-feed: 2-9/16 high / 4-5/8 low. Hole saw: 4 high / 6 low. Speeds: 0–1,550 high / 0–500 low RPM.	Mechanical clutch in low speed.

The bit limits come from the 2415-20 manual, DCD443 manual and 2809 manual. DEWALT specifies those DCD443 capacities with its DCB208 battery. Its manufacturer specification sheet gives the overall length, not head clearance; the cited SUPER HAWG manual doesn’t give a head-length figure. Size the actual drill with its bit fitted for the cabinet or joist bay.

Key takeaway: A 3/8-inch chuck describes the shank it grips. It doesn’t mean the drill makes only 3/8-inch holes—or that it can turn every large cutter with a reduced shank.

Milwaukee M12 2415-20: keep this one in the repair bag

Why a plumber wants it: the short head gets the drill into the space behind a sink cabinet, while the extended paddle gives you room to hold and trigger it. The built-in light helps when the cabinet turns your work area into a shadow box.

This is the classic 2415-20 M12 drill/driver, with a 3/8-inch single-sleeve ratcheting chuck. Milwaukee rates it for a 1-inch spade bit in wood. That’s useful for small penetrations and cabinet work; take the stud-and-joist drill for the drain-hole work below.

The adjustable electronic clutch is for fastening control. Set it for screws, then use drill mode for drilling. Keep that separate from DEWALT’s motion-sensing E-Clutch when comparing the tools. Milwaukee describes the head, paddle and fastening settings on its 2415-20 product page.

Good to know: the tool uses M12 batteries. An M18 pack from the van doesn’t fit it.

DEWALT DCD443B: the step up for a new pipe route

Why a plumber wants it: this is the middle pick when the service call needs real framing holes rather than a screw behind a drawer. Its self-feed capacity reaches 2-9/16 inches, and the quick-change drive makes repeated bit changes straightforward.

Buy bits with the correct 7/16-inch hex shank. The DCD443’s drive isn’t a conventional jaw chuck for round shanks or ordinary 1/4-inch driver bits. That detail matters more than whether the bit looks right in a photo.

The E-Clutch monitors the drill’s movement and shuts it down if necessary. Use the top/main-handle positions and brace the tool as shown in the manual; DEWALT specifically says not to brace against the battery pack. Its DCD443 instructions cover both the drive and anti-rotation system.

Good to know: DCD443B is the bare tool. The maker’s sheet lists an 8.6-pound tool-only weight, so this is a different carry from the little M12. Bring the battery and charger that match your drilling day.

Milwaukee 2809-20 SUPER HAWG: bring it for the bigger boring job

Why a plumber wants it: when the repair becomes a string of large penetrations, use the drill built around that load. The all-metal keyed chuck grips a range of shanks, and the side handle gives you a second control point.

The 2809-20 has a 1/2-inch keyed chuck. The similar-looking 2811 is the QUIK-LOK version; they take bits differently. For this pick, keep a chuck key with the tool and use the supplied side handle.

Choose low gear for the heavier self-feed work. Milwaukee puts the mechanical clutch in that gear, with a 4-5/8-inch self-feed maximum in the manual. The SUPER HAWG product page identifies the keyed chuck and low-speed clutch.

Good to know: this is an M18 bare tool. Its capacity makes it the larger-work pick, not the first thing to wrestle into a tiny vanity.

Which bit, which tool?

These are cut-hole diameters, not nominal pipe sizes. Choose the opening for the actual pipe, fitting and route, then match the cutter’s shank to the drill.

Hole you need	Bit choice	Tool to reach for	Shank / setup
1/2–3/4 inch	Spade bit for a short wood penetration	M12 2415-20 when access is tight	Shank must fit its 3/8-inch chuck.
1 inch	Spade bit	M12 2415-20, at its published spade-bit maximum	Clear chips and keep the cutter square.
1-1/8–1-3/8 inches	Auger	DCD443B for repeated framing holes	Use a 7/16-inch hex accessory; 1-3/8 is its auger maximum.
1-1/2 inches	Auger / ship auger	2809-20 SUPER HAWG	Use a shank that fits the 1/2-inch keyed chuck; this is its published auger maximum.
2-1/8 inches	Self-feed bit	DCD443B, or SUPER HAWG for a longer run	DCD443 takes 7/16-inch hex; set SUPER HAWG to low gear for its mechanical clutch.
2-9/16 inches	Self-feed bit	DCD443B at its published maximum, or SUPER HAWG for heavier repeated work	DCD443 takes 7/16-inch hex; low gear gives the SUPER HAWG its clutch.

The DEWALT capacity table and Milwaukee gear-by-bit table keep auger, self-feed and hole-saw limits separate. A bigger hole saw rating doesn’t raise the auger limit.

Joist tip: for solid-sawn joists, IRC R502.8.1 limits bored holes to one-third of actual joist depth with at least 2 inches to top/bottom edges, other holes and notches; use the maker’s hole chart for engineered joists, as shown in ICC’s framing guide and Figure 1.

Pack the drill for the whole repair

• Measure the working space. Include the fitted bit, room to start it square and room for it to break through. A short head still needs a clear cutting path.
• Trace the route. Locate existing wires and pipes before making the new penetration; keep the handle positions and brace shown in the tool’s manual.
• Bring the right shanks. The M12 jaw chuck, DCD443 hex drive and SUPER HAWG keyed chuck don’t all accept the same accessory.
• Keep cutters sharp and clear chips. Start with the bit against the work, and let the correct cutter do the job rather than leaning harder on a stalled drill.
• Remove the battery for bit changes. Keep the chuck key with the SUPER HAWG, the appropriate bits with the DCD443 and a charged M12 pack in the repair bag.

Once the route is ready, use our cordless PEX expansion tool guide for F1960 connections or the compact pipe press guide for pressing. For cutting out the old work, see the compact reciprocating saw picks.

Our van pick: M12 for the tight repair, DCD443 for the new service route, SUPER HAWG when the hole count and cutter size justify the bigger tool.

Need access before the drill goes in? Our oscillating multi-tool guide covers cabinet backs, toe-kicks and drywall openings, with blades matched to the cut.