While not everyone has the budget for the best cordless drills, saving money doesn’t mean you have to completely abandon performance. The Masterforce 20V Ultra Compact Brushless Drill looks like a compelling option with a sale price under $100. Is it worth it? We got our hands on both the drill driver and hammer drill versions to find out!
Masterforce 20V Ultra Compact Brushless Drill Performance
On paper, Masterforce offers up to 1850 RPM and 525 in-lbs of torque from its brushless motor. For a compact drill, that’s nothing to shake a stick at. Take Milwaukee’s M18 Compact Brushless drill driver (model 2801) for example. It tops out at 1800 RPM with 500 in-lbs of torque. Or take Makita’s Sub-Compact XFD15. With 1700 RPM and 350 in-lbs of torque, It’s even further behind.
The point is that Masterforce built one of the most capable compact drills on the market, even when you throw professional brands in the mix.
Masterforce uses a typical 2-speed metal gearbox. High runs at 1850 RPM and low reaches 500 RPM. The clutch collar also includes 17 clutch settings, plus drilling mode. If you’re going for the hammer drill version, you can add 27,700 BPM to help you drill into concrete.
With its 1/2-inch chuck, you can use just about any drill bit you like. The full range of twist bits through 1/2 an inch in both wood and metal is relevant. The hammer drill is content drilling in concrete up to 3/8 of an inch.
Spade bits up to 1 1/4 inches are in our comfort zone with these drills. For hole saws and self-feed bits, we’d set the limit around 1 1/2 inches. The motor can actually go a bit higher, but the lack of a side handle with that much force can create a painful teachable moment.
Masterforce 20V Ultra Compact Brushless Drill Design Notes
As for being compact, Masterforce certainly gets the size right. The drill driver’s head is 5.8 inches from tip to tail and can work in some pretty tight spaces.
The weight is very reasonable as well. It’s 2.2 pounds bare and the 2.0Ah battery that comes in the kit brings it up to 3.3 pounds. If you happen to have a Boost battery and want a little extra performance, the overall weight is still 3.3 pounds with the 2.5Ah pack.
Looking at the Ultra Compact drill compared to Masterforce’s Boost model shows us the difference in both size and performance.
| Ultra Compact | Boost | |
| Bare Weight | 2.2 lbs | 3.5 lbs |
| Length | 5.8 in | 7.4 in |
| No-Load Speed | 500/1850 RPM | 550/2000 RPM |
| Max Torque | 525 in-lbs | 800 in-lbs |
Additional Highlights
- Variable speed trigger
- Built-in bit holder
- Reversible belt clip
- Foot-mounted LED light
- Works with all Masterforce 20V FlexPower and Boost batteries
Masterforce 20V Ultra Compact Brushless Drill Price
There are a couple of ways to get your hands on these drills. As a kit with two 2.0Ah batteries, a charger, and a soft carry bag, the drill driver (241-0381) is $99.99 at Menards. As far as drills under $100.00 go, it’s a really good option. At the time we’re writing, there’s a mail-in rebate offer through 4/30/23, making the kit $88.99.
If you want the hammer drill (241-0383), that kit is $149.99 with a single 4.0Ah battery and charger. There’s a mail-in rebate offer on this one as well, bringing the price down to $133.49 through 4/31/23.
You can also get it as part of a combo kit with the Ultra Compact Impact Driver with the same batteries for $178.98.
Those prices aren’t set in stone, but we’re not talking about inflation. Menards often runs mail-in rebate deals that drop the price by 10% or more.
The Bottom Line
Looking around at what you can get at a similar price, it’s hard to pass up the Masterforce 20V Brushless Ultra Compact Drill. Thanks to a more recent hammer drill version, those of you with concrete drilling needs can jump on board as well. With performance that exceeds some of the top professional brands’ compact offerings and an approachable price tag, it’s one of the best values currently available.
Specifications
- Model: Masterforce 241-0381 (drill kit), 241-0383 (hammer drill kit)
- Power Source: Masterforce FlexPower 20V battery
- No-Load Speed: 0 – 500/1850 RPM
- Hammer Rate: 27,700 BPM (hammer drill only)
- Max Torque: 525 in-lbs
- Clutch Settings: 17+1
- Drill Length: 5.8 inches
- Drill Weight: 2.2 lbs bare, 3.3 lbs with 2.0Ah battery
