This article demonstrates a comparative study between Brushless Vs Brushed Drill motors on various aspects. Brushed drills are traditional ones where the brushless ones are recently getting popular.
Here is an exhaustive comparison between the brushed and brushless drills-
| Parameter | Brushed drills | Brushless drills |
| Inception | Brushed motor drills have been in use since the 19th century. | Brushless drills were invented in the 1970-80s but have been in use since late 2010. |
| ConstructionA brushed drill contains a brushed motor having brushes that receive electricity from the power source. It looks like a circular coil made of magnets with a set of large rotating armature inside. A commutator passes through the center of the coil with brushes attached to the sides. | Brushless motor inside the drill does not have any brush or commutator. Instead, there are sensors and an inverter for DC to AC conversion. | |
| Working principle | DC voltage after being applied to the brushes, is transferred to the commutator. This creates a magnetic field across the armature. The magnetic field polarity changes continuously and the motor shaft keeps rotating. | A brushless motor in the drill is like a flipped version of a brushed motor where the rotor contains permanent magnets and the stator contains electromagnets. When current passes through the stator, a magnetic field is generated which creates a force. This force drives the rotor to continuously rotate. |
| Efficiency | Brushed drill has an efficiency around 70-80% | Brushless drills are up to 90% efficient. |
| Control | We can manually adjust the torque and speed in a brushed drill. | Brushless drills are self sufficient and they can adjust the power and torque according to the task. |
| Noise | Carbon brushes and commutator in brushed drills make a lot of noise. | Brushless drills operate without any noise as there is no brush. |
| Size | It is larger and heavier than brushless drills because of brushes. | It is comparatively small and light as there is no brush. |
| Power | For the presence of brushes and commutators, brushed drills generate a lot of friction and heat. More the heat, less the power. | Brushless drills do not have any element that creates excessive heat or friction. They generate a significant amount of power. |
| Maintenance | Brushed drills are easy to maintain. As they are very common, the parts are readily available for repairing at low rates. | Though brushless drills also are easy to maintain, the repairing expense is very high as it contains sensors. |
| Lifespan | Due to energy waste and friction, brushed drills do not last for a very long time. | Brushless drills have fewer moving parts and thus less friction and energy wastage. So they last longer than brushed drills. |
| Cost | Old-school brushed drills are available at a very reasonable price. | New brushless drills are a little bit pricey. The cost can vary anywhere from $20 to several hundreds. |
Brushless Vs Brushed Drill- FAQs
How does a power drill work?
Power drills are extremely handy tools for any simple household task, furniture assembly or even for DIYs. By applying small pressure on the trigger, the motor inside turns on and rotates the drill.
There are brushed and brushless drills. Both have similar working principles but different structure and components. More the power in the drill, more the torque and RPM. Drills can have cord or can be cordless. Corded drills measure power through voltage while cordless drills use amps to measure power.
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What is the disadvantage of brushless drills?
While there are several advantages of brushless drills over the conventional brushed drills like less heat production, reduced noise and friction, more efficiency etc, they have shortcomings like high cost.
Brushless drills are new to the market and it is quite expensive than the brushed drill motors. Due to sensors and a refined circuit for avoiding brush and commutators, it has a high price. If we are searching for a drill to use rarely or for a specific work, then it is better to go for brushed drills.
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Are brushless drills worth it?
Brushless drills have several advantages over the brushed ones. On the other hand, the cost of brushless drills are on the higher side. So, should we opt for a brushless drill or stick to the old brushed tools?
Brushless drills might not seem very economical initially, but they can be used for a long time. Also, better technology is applied in brushless motors that makes them capable of generating high torque and RPM. They do not yield noise as well. Therefore, brushless drills are definitely worth every penny.
How long does brushless drill last?
We might feel skeptical about the long-term usage of brushless drills. But brushless tools have proven to serve effectively up to 50% more timespan than brushed drills. They are cordless and run on batteries.
Brushless drills can last for 10-12 years. Some improved drills can even be durable as long as 15 years. However, cheaper products can be dysfunctional after 2-3 years. It depends on the battery and amount of usage. DeWalt, Makita, Bosch etc are the best manufacturers of long-lasting brushless drills.
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What’s better: brushless or brushed drills?
We have observed all the necessary characteristics of the two types of power drills. So we can come to a conclusion on what to choose. Well, if money is not a concern, then the brushless drill is the best option.
Power and performance of brushless drills are greater than the brushed ones. They are long lasting as well. But, if budget is a factor, it is better to go for the brushed ones as they are cheaper. Also, if any problem with the parts occurs, the replacement and repairing cost would not be as high as the brushless drills.
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Hi……I am Kaushikee Banerjee completed my master’s in Electronics and Communications. I am an electronics enthusiast and am currently devoted to the field of Electronics and Communications. My interest lies in exploring cutting-edge technologies. I’m an enthusiastic learner and I tinker around with open-source electronics.