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" When it comes to drills, we like power as much as the next guy. But the bigger and stronger the tool, the heavier and more expensive it is. That&amp;#039;s why a full-on drill isn&amp;#039;t always best. For many jobs -- boring 1/4-in.-dia. holes and driving small screws -- cordless screwdrivers (or stick drivers) are all a homeowner needs. The big news in this category is the introduction of lithium-ion batteries. Used predominantly in heavy-hitter tools of 18 volts and more, this battery chemistry is also ideal for compact products. &amp;quot;There&amp;#039;s a shift to li-ion across the board,&amp;quot; says David Boone, a battery engineer for Milwaukee Electric Tool, &amp;quot;because a li-ion battery can provide almost four times more energy than a NiCd battery of the same weight and volume. By combining the lighter weight with longer run time, it&amp;#039;s a perfect application for these tools.&amp;quot; In fact, our two favorites, the Hitachi and the Makita, are both li-ion drills. We felt that they best represent the potential in this class of tools, even when they were out-powered by their much larger NiCd competitors, the Ridgid and the DeWalt. In all, we tested nine stick drivers by drilling holes and driving a few thousand screws. Here&amp;#039;s what we learned.  Lag Lab Clearly, these tools are not meant to drive 2 3/4-in. lagscrews -- but we dit it anyway. We fully charged each tool and then torqued the screws into construction lumber. Only the Ridgid socked &amp;#039;em down. The DeWalt and the Makita came close.    Craftsman Brite Driver     &amp;amp;gt; FEATURES: 4 volts /// 1 speed, 180 rpm /// 22 clutch settings /// Work light: yes /// 11 in. long /// 14.5 oz. PRICE: $40 WHAT WE LIKE: An inexpensive li-ion driver; the Craftsman sinks 143 drywall screws. It&amp;#039;s small, nimble and versatile because of its many clutch settings. We liked its light, firmly engaging body hinge and broad trigger switch. WHAT WE DON&amp;#039;T: Slippery body; integral battery.    Bosch I-Driver     &amp;amp;gt; FEATURES: 10.8 volts /// Variable speeds to 600 rpm /// 8 clutch settings /// Work light: no /// 11 5/8 in. long /// 2.5 lb. PRICE: $149 WHAT WE LIKE: Best speed control and lots of li-ion power (269 screws). Sliding clutch control is easy. Rubber coating protects tool and gives it good grip surfaces. Pivoting head allows it to drive in a tight spot. WHAT WE DON&amp;#039;T: Great tool, but expensive, heavy.   Skil Twist Power     &amp;amp;gt; FEATURES: 3.6 volts /// 1 speed, 200 rpm /// No clutch /// Work light: yes /// 11 in. long /// 16.5 oz. PRICE: $30 WHAT WE LIKE: Couldn&amp;#039;t be simpler to use because it has one speed and a sleeveless chuck--just slide bits in and out. Perfect for the kitchen drawer but enough power to drive 109 screws. WHAT WE DON&amp;#039;T: Notches on nose cover make it look like a clutch ring. Turning it just switches on light.   DeWalt DW920     &amp;amp;gt; FEATURES: 7.2 volts /// Variable speeds to 500 rpm /// 16 clutch settings /// Work light: no /// 14 1/8 in. long /// 2.75 lb. PRICE: $89 WHAT WE LIKE: Excellent grip surfaces. Its locomotive-like power (304 drywall screws&amp;#039; worth) makes it a good choice for pros and near pros. WHAT WE DON&amp;#039;T: At first, we liked its spring-loaded, bit-ejecting chuck. Many dropped bits later, we just found it annoying.   Hitachi DB3DL     &amp;amp;gt; FEATURES: 3.6 volts /// 2 speeds, 200 and 600 rpm /// 21 clutch settings /// Work light: yes /// 9 in. long /// 15.5 oz. PRICE: $80 WHAT WE LIKE: The li-ion Hitachi proved to be our favorite stick driver overall. It can drive 207 drywall screws on a charge. Rubber-coated surfaces are comfortable to handle. WHAT WE DON&amp;#039;T: Body hinge isn&amp;#039;t rigid enough; trigger switch is inconveniently placed.   Milwaukee 6546-1     &amp;amp;gt; FEATURES: 2.4 volts /// 2 speeds, 200 and 400 rpm /// 21 clutch settings /// Work light: no /// 9 5/16 in. long /// 13.5 oz. PRICE: $84 WHAT WE LIKE: Tiny, lightweight and simple, right down to the 14-in. hex chuck that doesn&amp;#039;t even use a spring-activated sleeve lock. A perfect tool to slide into a back pocket. WHAT WE DON&amp;#039;T: Underpowered (56 screws). Milwaukee says a stronger 4-volt li-ion version is coming.   Black &amp;amp;amp; Decker PivotPlus     &amp;amp;gt; FEATURES: 6 volts /// 2 speeds, 180 and 600 rpm /// 16 clutch settings /// Work light: yes /// 14 in. long /// 1.6 lb. PRICE: $30 WHAT WE LIKE: This tough driver can sink 97 drywall screws on a charge and performed respectably in the lag lab. It has good bit storage and a well-designed trigger switch. WHAT WE DON&amp;#039;T: Integral battery puts it out of commission while it charges. Slippery chuck ring.   Ridgid R81030     &amp;amp;gt; FEATURES: 9.6 volts /// Variable speeds to 530 rpm /// 14 clutch settings /// Work light: no /// 14 5/16 in. long /// 3.4 lb. PRICE: $89 WHAT WE LIKE: Big battery provides power aplenty (450 screws) and acts as a counterweight to hold the tool upright both in the in-line and pistol-grip positions. WHAT WE DON&amp;#039;T: Exposed screwheads on motor body make the tool uncomfortable in the in-line position.  Makita TD020D     &amp;amp;gt; FEATURES: 7.2 volts /// 1 speed, 2300 rpm with 3000 blows per minute /// No clutch /// Work light: yes /// 11 in. long /// 1.3 lb. PRICE: $109 WHAT WE LIKE: An extremely aggressive li-ion tool. High rpm and impact function help it do outsize jobs, such as driving 195 screws or nearly socking down a lagscrew. WHAT WE DON&amp;#039;T: High speed and impact-produced power reduces control on fine work, small screws. 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<http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/tools/reviews/a1728/4217781/>