Black & Decker 20V MAX* POWERCONNECT 3/8 in. Cordless Drill/Driver With Autosense Kit

A compact 20V drill that favors control over brute force

I’ve spent the last few weeks putting the Black+Decker 20V drill with AutoSense through the kind of tasks most homeowners face: assembling a storage cabinet, hanging blinds, drilling pilot holes for wall anchors, and setting a few dozen screws into studs and softwood. It’s a compact, approachable drill/driver that emphasizes ease of use and consistency rather than raw power, and that design intent shows up in every part of the experience.

Setup and first impressions

Out of the box you get the drill, a 20V MAX lithium-ion battery, a wall‑mountable charger, and a double‑ended bit. The keyless 3/8 in. chuck opens easily by hand and grips standard round and hex‑shank bits securely. At 3.6 lb with the battery, the tool sits in that comfortable middle ground: light enough for overhead work and long sessions, but not so featherweight that it feels toy‑like.

The integrated LED is positioned to wash the bit area with light; it’s genuinely useful inside cabinets and in low‑light corners. It won’t illuminate an entire closet, but it reliably clears shadows right where you need to see the screw head or pilot mark.

Build quality is typical for a homeowner‑grade tool. The housing is mostly plastic, the motor is brushed, and the chuck isn’t a heavy metal unit—but everything feels tight, with minimal wobble and a clean trigger response. The handle shape fits my medium‑sized hands well, and the balance with the compact battery keeps the nose from tipping down when you set it on a work surface.

What AutoSense actually does

This drill’s signature feature is AutoSense, which is designed to help you drive screws flush and avoid stripping them. In practice, the drill monitors resistance as you drive. As the screw head reaches the surface, the tool senses the change and stops automatically. You can then bump the trigger to nudge it a hair deeper if needed.

On light carpentry and furniture assembly—#6 to #10 screws into pine, plywood, and MDF—the feature consistently brought screws to a neat, flush finish. It’s a confidence booster, especially if you’re installing visible hardware or working with softer materials where over‑driving would chew up the surface. In denser material, like driving into a stud through a hardwood face frame, it occasionally stopped a touch early. A quick blip on the trigger took care of the last millimeter without drama.

If you prefer full manual control, switching to drill mode bypasses AutoSense and delivers continuous power. That’s what I used for pilot holes, hole saws, and longer structural screws where I wanted to manage torque by feel.

Drilling and driving performance

The Black+Decker 20V drill tops out at 800 RPM and uses a 3/8 in. keyless chuck. There’s no two‑speed gearbox, and there’s no hammer function. Within those limits, performance is solid:

• Wood: For typical household tasks, it’s perfectly capable. I drove 2‑1/2 in. and 3 in. construction screws into softwood studs with pilot holes in drill mode, and it seated them cleanly. With no pilot hole in dense material, you can get the occasional stall, so I recommend a quick pilot for anything over 2 in. The drill handled spade bits up to 3/4 in. in pine without complaint; above that, you need a patient hand and good bit sharpness.
• Metal: Drilling 1/8 in. holes in mild steel with a quality bit and cutting fluid was slow but predictable. The 800 RPM ceiling is actually friendly for metal; just don’t ask it to punch large holes quickly. Step bits up to about 3/8 in. worked fine with steady pressure.
• Plastics and composites: The softer trigger response and AutoSense are helpful here. I drove screws into PVC and particleboard without tearing out material—nice when you’re installing shelving or cabinets.
• Masonry: This is not the right tool. With no hammer action and modest torque, consider a dedicated hammer drill for anchors in brick, block, or concrete.

Bit retention from the chuck was reliable as long as I snugged it firmly by hand. Because it’s a lighter‑duty chuck, you may need to re‑tighten after a run of larger spade or hole saw cuts, but for driver bits and standard twist drills, it held on without loosening.

Noise and vibration are moderate. The brushed motor whirs rather than screams, and there’s a predictable ramp‑up from the variable‑speed trigger that makes delicate starts easy.

Ergonomics and control

This drill shines in tight spaces. The compact head length fits between shelf uprights and under sinks where a bulkier tool won’t go. The reduced weight makes overhead jobs—think curtain rod brackets or smoke detector mounting—less fatiguing.

AutoSense contributes to that easygoing control. For anyone who’s ever cammed out a screw in particleboard furniture or snapped the head off a small fastener, the automatic stop is a welcome guardrail. Experienced users may occasionally wish for the tactile feedback of a numbered clutch ring, but the combination of AutoSense for general driving and drill mode for everything else covers most household scenarios.

Battery life and charging

The included 20V MAX, 2.0 Ah battery delivered enough runtime for a couple of small projects on a single charge—assembling a cabinet, hanging four sets of blinds, and a handful of pilot holes—with capacity to spare. For a heavier day of work, I’d want a second battery on hand.

The charger is the bigger story. The wall‑mountable base works, but it’s slow. With a listed charge time in the neighborhood of eight hours, you’re looking at overnight charges from empty. That’s fine if you plan ahead; if you’re mid‑project and run the pack down, you’ll be parked for the day unless you have a spare. On the upside, the battery is part of the POWERCONNECT 20V MAX system, so if you already own other Black+Decker tools, you can swap packs to keep moving.

Durability and maintenance

After several weekends of mixed drilling and driving, the tool shows minimal wear: no excessive chuck runout, no overheating, and the LED still snaps on reliably. As with any brushed‑motor drill, you’ll notice some warmth and a bit of smell under sustained heavy load, but it cooled off quickly between tasks. Keep bits sharp and let the tool work at its pace; it rewards a measured approach.

The 2‑year limited warranty is in line with its class and should cover early defects. There aren’t any maintenance quirks beyond the usual—wipe it down after dusty cuts, avoid storing the battery dead, and give the chuck a periodic clean so it keeps gripping bits well.

Where it fits best

• Homeowners and renters tackling general repairs and upgrades
• Furniture assembly, shelving, picture hanging, and cabinet hardware
• Light carpentry in softwood and plywood
• Occasional metal drilling with small bits
• Anyone who values automatic screw control to prevent stripping or over‑driving

If your work regularly involves lag bolts, large hole saws, deck framing, or drilling anchors into masonry, you’ll outgrow this drill quickly and should look for a more powerful, two‑speed tool (ideally with a hammer function for masonry).

What could be better

• Charging speed: The included charger is very slow. A faster charger or a second battery would transform the day‑to‑day experience.
• Power headroom: The single 800 RPM range and 3/8 in. chuck limit bit size and speed. That’s fine for household duty, but pros or ambitious DIYers will want more torque and a 1/2 in. chuck.
• Clutch options: AutoSense is genuinely helpful, but there are times a traditional numbered clutch provides clearer, repeatable settings—especially when switching between materials throughout a project.

Recommendation

I recommend the Black+Decker 20V drill to homeowners and casual DIYers who prioritize control, convenience, and compact size over sheer muscle. AutoSense takes the stress out of driving screws flush, the form factor is friendly for tight spaces and overhead work, and the 20V MAX battery compatibility is a practical bonus if you’re invested in the system. Just be aware of the slow charger and the modest performance ceiling: plan to charge overnight, consider a second battery, and keep expectations aligned with light to moderate tasks. Used within those lanes, it’s an easy tool to live with—and one I’m happy to keep around for everyday projects.