You Might Prefer A Makita Drywall Screw-Gun Over Your Drill: Here's Why

A power drill is useful for many jobs, and it's not surprising to see people tackle things with one that would be easier with another tool. Instead of using one to drill into your drywall, you can opt for a Makita drywall screwdriver that could prove to be a better fit for things like hanging sheetrock or adding subfloors. The cordless brushless screwdriver can deliver up to 4,000 rpm and drive 2,325 screws off a single charge of a 5.0Ah battery according to Makita. This lets you get an entire day's worth of work in with one charge, something a regular power drill doesn't come close to doing. 

Comfort is a big reason why this could be a better choice as it has a large trigger fit for two fingers while still weighing about the same as a regular Makita 18V drill. The drywall screwdriver weighs 3.8 lbs including the battery compared to 4.9 lbs of a Makita cordless hammer drill or 3.4 for a regular cordless option.

There are plenty of Makita drywall screwdrivers to pick from ranging in price, and you also have your pick between going cordless or sticking with a wall outlet. The corded tools are cheaper — you can grab a 2,500 RPM drywall screwdriver from Amazon for $137. The problem with corded is having limited versatility thanks to the cord, but you don't have to buy a battery so it's a solid tradeoff for some buyers. For corded, you can go with 2,500 RPM, 4,000, or 6,000 as options. 

For cordless, you have your pick between 2,500 RPM, 4,000 RPM option, and you can shell out $399 for an auto-feeding 6,000 RPM option. You might not need that type of power, so you'll need to figure out what you need for your specific job and go from there. Keep in mind you'll need to buy a battery or get a bundle that includes one if you go cordless, and that drives up the price far above what cordless tools typically stay around. 

Corded and cordless tools are both solid performers, and it comes down to personal preference in the end. Pro Tool Reviews did a rundown of each of the drywall screwdrivers Makita offers and had good things to say about each of them.

While the drywall gun is better suited for drywall jobs, it comes with some drawbacks. A big one is that Makita's brushless cordless drywall screwdriver costs at Home Depot for $189, and you'll have to spend extra to get a battery included with the purchase. Even the most basic home DIYer likely has a power drill in their collection, and they might even have one of Makita's top selling ones. While the drill might not do the job as well as the drywall screwdriver, it might not make sense for a budget-conscious buyer to pick up something they're only going to use one time.

Grabbing the drywall screwdriver is an added cost for a tool that doesn't have the versatility a regular power drill has. On the bright side, it's part of the Makita 18V Lithium-Ion system that means you can use your existing Makita 18V with the tool if you already have one. This is something you see with a lot of tool brands, and it's a way to incentivize you to stay with a single brand instead of mixing and matching. Makita has many drywall tools available you may want to pick up with the drywall screwdriver, so that's a good way to build up brand synergy.