Skil Brushless 20V Drill Driver & Impact Driver Kit

Why I reached for this kit

Some kits feel like an impulse buy; this one felt like a practical upgrade. I’ve been inching toward brushless tools for the better efficiency and size, and this Skil 20V brushless combo hit two checkboxes at once: a compact 1/2-inch drill/driver with a metal chuck and a 1/4-inch hex impact with enough grunt for framing screws and hardware installs. After several weekends of mixed work—cabinet install, a deck repair, and a handful of punch-list fixes—here’s how it actually performed.

What you get and first impressions

The kit includes both tools, one 2.0Ah PWRCORE 20 battery with an integrated USB port, and the PWRJUMP charger. You also get belt clips and a couple of PH2 bits. Out of the box, both tools feel lighter than they look: the drill is about 2.23 lbs bare, the impact is 2.47 lbs. Add the compact battery and you’re still in an easy one-hand, all-day carry.

Fit and finish exceeded what I expect at this price tier. The drill’s metal keyless chuck locks down on bits solidly with minimal runout, and the impact’s collet snaps bits in and out crisply. The handles are slim without skimping on rubber overmold, and the balance with the 2.0Ah pack is neutral—no nose-diving when you set the drill on a stud.

The drill/driver: compact control over brute force

• Gear ranges: 0–480 and 0–1800 rpm
• 17+1 clutch
• 1/2-inch metal chuck

The drill’s brushless motor has a “calm” power delivery in low gear. For delicate tasks—hinges, hardware, pocket-hole screws—the clutch engages predictably and the low-speed ceiling (480 rpm) gives you excellent control. Driving a few hundred cabinet screws, I never felt like I was hunting for the right clutch notch; it’s a positive, tactile dial and the motor responds linearly to trigger input.

High gear is where the compromise shows: 1800 rpm is fine for general drilling, but it’s not a speed demon for small twist bits in softwood. Drilling 1/4-inch pilots through pressure-treated stock felt steady, not fast. With spade bits, the drill surprised me: in low gear it handled 1-1/4-inch spades through studs without bogging, provided I kept my pressure consistent. The metal chuck is a highlight—it grips spade and auger hex shanks firmly and doesn’t loosen mid-hole, which is more than I can say for some plastic-chuck competitors.

What it isn’t: a hammer drill. For light masonry with the right bits, you can muddle through in a pinch, but that’s outside its comfort zone.

The impact driver: smarter starts, enough muscle

• Two speed ranges: 0–1700 and 0–2700 rpm
• 0–2400 / 0–3400 impacts per minute
• 1800 in·lb max torque
• Control Mode: starts slow, ramps to full speed to reduce cam-out

The impact driver is the workhorse of the kit. The spec sheet’s 1800 in·lb lands in the practical middle ground: more than enough for decking screws, structural screws, and typical lag tasks, without feeling overcaffeinated. The star feature here is the Control Mode. On delicate fasteners—face frames, pocket-hole screws, or anything near finished surfaces—it spools up gently, then transitions to high speed once the screw seats. The net effect: fewer stripped heads and split fibers. I used it exclusively for cabinet installation and barely chewed a single bit tip.

On heavier hardware, it did what I needed. Driving 5/16-by-3-inch lags into predrilled ledger stock was steady and drama-free. For larger lags or TimberLOKs into dense material, you’ll hear it labor but it still gets there; if you’re setting big structural fasteners all day, you’ll want a higher-torque driver and a bigger battery.

Noise and vibration are both average for the class. Where it stands out is visibility. The ring-style LED around the chuck throws even light with minimal shadows, and Skil’s pre-light and after-glow actually matter when you’re starting screws inside cabinets or under a deck.

Battery and charging: small tank, fast pit stop

• 2.0Ah PWRCORE 20 battery with cell-cooling
• Integrated USB port for device charging
• PWRJUMP charger: partial charge in about 5 minutes; full in around 30

Runtime on a 2.0Ah pack is predictable: plenty for an afternoon of installs and punch-list work, short for marathon fastening or lots of hole boring. During the deck repair, I drained the pack driving a mix of 3-inch deck screws and some ledger bolts; the upside is the charger. Plugging in a dead pack delivered a meaningful bump in just a few minutes—enough to finish a section while I staged the next. A full charge taking roughly a half hour is a genuine advantage in this tier.

The integrated USB port is not a gimmick. I topped off a phone and a laser measure between tasks, and not having to pack a separate power bank is one less thing to think about. Heat management seems well-handled; the pack and tools stayed warm rather than hot, and the cooling claim tracks with how consistent the tools felt under continuous use.

If this were my only kit, I’d immediately add a 4.0Ah or 5.0Ah PWRCORE 20 battery. The tools deserve it, and you’ll spend less time swapping.

Lights, ergonomics, and controls

Skil puts LEDs where they help. The drill uses an under-chuck light; the impact uses a ring. Both have pre-light and after-glow delays that saved me from fumbling for a headlamp in tight spaces. Belt clips are reversible and sturdy.

Trigger modulation is excellent on both tools. My only gripe: the forward/reverse selector is quite light. I bumped it out of position twice while repositioning the drill, which locks the trigger until you nudge it back. It’s a minor annoyance, but stiffer detents would prevent it.

Build quality and durability

After a couple of jobs and deliberate abuse—drilling through wet PT, driving screws into knotty framing, and a few unplanned drops—the tools show no meaningful wear. The metal chuck still runs true, and the anvil has no slop. Brushless motors help keep temps in check, and consistent performance under load suggests the electronics are well-tuned.

Long-term, I’d keep an eye on the drill’s clutch ring (as with any compact driver) and the impact’s collet spring. But there are no red flags so far.

What could be better

• Only one battery in the box. The fast charger mitigates downtime, but a second pack should be standard.
• High-gear speed on the drill is modest. Fine for general work, a bit slow for lots of small-diameter drilling.
• Reverse/forward selector detent could be firmer.
• The impact offers two speeds plus Control Mode; a third discrete speed would make it more flexible for specialty fasteners.

Who it’s for

• Homeowners and serious DIYers wanting a capable, compact combo that covers 90% of household and project needs.
• Pros and tradespeople as a lightweight secondary kit or punch-list setup, especially if you value the fast charger and LED visibility.
• Anyone already on, or considering, the PWRCORE 20 platform—this is a strong entry point.

If your daily work is fastening heavy structural hardware or drilling large-diameter holes in dense lumber, step up in battery size and possibly tool class. For everything else, this combo holds its own.

Recommendation

I recommend the Skil 20V brushless combo. It strikes a smart balance: compact bodies, brushless efficiency, a genuinely useful Control Mode on the impact, a metal chuck on the drill, and one of the better fast-charge experiences in its class. Pair it with a second, larger-capacity battery and you’ve got a reliable, versatile kit that handles most drilling and driving tasks with confidence and control. The few drawbacks—a light detent on the direction selector, modest top speed on the drill, and a single included battery—don’t outweigh the overall performance and value. For a first kit or a compact go-to setup, it’s an easy yes.