Einhell TE-CD 18/2 Li-i +22 Review: a no-nonsense cordless drill that covers most DIY jobs

I’ve been using this Einhell TE-CD 18/2 Li-i +22 for a few weeks now on random house jobs: putting up shelves, assembling flat-pack, drilling into brick for wall plugs, and a bit of work outside on a fence. I’m not a pro, just a reasonably handy DIY person who wants tools that work without costing a fortune. I bought this mainly because it came as a full kit with battery, charger, case and a small bit set, and the price was decent compared to the big brands.

First impression out of the box: it looks like a proper drill, not a toy. The red/black design is pretty standard, and the case and included accessories make it feel like you’re actually ready to start working straight away. No need to hunt for bits or buy a charger separately, which is nice when you just want something that works out of the gate. The 18V/44 Nm spec isn’t crazy high, but on paper it’s enough for home use.

In practice, I’ve used it on wood, brick and metal, and also as a screwdriver for longer runs of screws. I’ve pushed it a bit on some hard brick and thicker screws in structural timber to see where it starts to struggle. It’s not a monster, but for a single 2.5 Ah battery drill kit at this price, it holds up better than I expected. It feels more like a mid-range DIY drill than a bargain-basement one.

If you’re wondering whether this is just cheap junk or an actually usable cordless drill for home projects, my short answer is: it’s pretty solid for the money, with a few small annoyances you can live with. It’s not perfect and it won’t replace a heavy-duty pro drill, but for normal household jobs, it gets the job done without drama.

Considering what you get in the box – drill, 2.5 Ah battery, 3A charger, case, and a 22-piece bit set – the value for money is pretty strong. I paid around the same as a bare tool from some bigger brands, and here you’re getting a full starter kit. If you’re someone who just wants a cordless drill for home tasks and doesn’t own any other tools yet, this kind of bundle makes sense financially.

Performance-wise, it sits in that middle zone: clearly more capable than the really cheap supermarket drills, but not in the same league as a pro Makita or DeWalt. For the typical jobs around a house or flat – shelves, furniture, small repairs, a bit of masonry for plugs – it does everything you need. So you’re basically paying a mid-range price for mid-range performance, but with the bonus of the Power X-Change ecosystem if you decide to expand later.

If you already have several Power X-Change batteries and chargers, the value calculation changes a bit. You might prefer to buy a bare Einhell drill body and save some money. But if this is your entry into the system, the kit pricing is sensible. Also, the fact that the same battery can be used in other Einhell tools (like lawn mowers, saws, etc.) adds hidden value over time, because you don’t need a different battery system for each tool.

On the downside, if you’re a heavy user or a tradesperson, this drill will feel underpowered and probably won’t last as long as more expensive pro tools. In that case, the initial savings don’t make sense. But for a homeowner doing weekend projects and occasional fixes, I’d say the price-to-performance ratio is pretty good. You’re not getting something fancy, but you’re also not overpaying for a brand name you don’t really need for light DIY.

Design-wise, the drill looks and feels like a mid-range DIY tool. The weight is about 3.2 kg with everything in the case, but the drill itself with the 2.5 Ah battery feels reasonably balanced in the hand. It’s not super compact, but it’s not a brick either. The red and black plastic housing doesn’t scream luxury, but it looks sturdy enough to handle the usual bumps and drops in a garage or shed.

One thing I noticed quickly is the grip shape. The handle is slightly chunky but the rubberised parts give you a secure hold, even when your hands are a bit sweaty or dusty. I’ve used it for 30–40 minutes straight doing repeated screwdriving, and while your wrist obviously feels it, the drill itself isn’t uncomfortably heavy. The trigger is progressive, so you can control the speed fairly well, which is handy when starting screws or drilling into delicate surfaces.

Now, the main design annoyance: the forward/reverse switch. At least one Amazon review mentioned this, and I had the same issue. When I pull the trigger, my index finger sometimes nudges the direction switch into the neutral position. That kills the drive and you have to quickly flick it back, which gets irritating during repetitive work. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it’s one of those small design flaws that you notice right away if you’ve used drills with better-placed switches, like some Bosch or Makita models.

The built-in LED light is a nice touch when you’re working inside cupboards or in darker corners. It’s not super bright, but it’s enough to see the screw head or the drill mark. The 2-speed selector on top is easy to switch, and the mode ring (drill/hammer/screw) turns with clear clicks. Overall, the design does its job: practical and easy to understand, with that one slightly irritating forward/reverse switch placement being the only real gripe.

The kit comes with a single 2.5 Ah 18V Power X-Change battery and a 3A charger. From empty to full, the battery charges in roughly 45–60 minutes in my experience, which is acceptable. There’s a small LED indicator on the battery itself that shows the charge level, which is handy when you grab it off the shelf and want to know if it’s worth starting a job or if you should plug it in first.

In terms of runtime, it’s actually better than I expected for 2.5 Ah. Doing mixed work (some drilling in wood, some screwdriving, a few hammer drill holes in brick), I could get through a couple of small projects before needing a charge. For example, I assembled a flat-pack wardrobe, drilled around a dozen holes in brick for wall plugs, and drove a bunch of screws into a wooden frame, and the battery only started dropping near the end. If you’re just doing occasional DIY, one battery is probably fine.

Where it gets more interesting is if you already own other Einhell Power X-Change tools, like a lawn mower, strimmer, or other garden tools. Then this drill becomes more appealing, because you can swap batteries around. One of the Amazon reviewers mentioned using the same battery for their lawn mower, which is exactly the kind of ecosystem benefit that makes sense. In that case, the included 2.5 Ah is just an extra battery in your collection, and you can lean on your bigger ones (like 4.0 Ah) for longer jobs.

The downside is obvious: if you only have this one battery and you hit it hard on a bigger project, you’re going to be waiting for it to recharge. For serious work days, you’d want at least a second battery. Also, 2.5 Ah is on the smaller side compared to some kits that come with 4.0 Ah packs. But for the price point and occasional use, the combo of runtime and charge time is pretty reasonable.

The carry case is actually one of the nice surprises with this kit. It’s a hard plastic E-Box S style case with a proper handle and decent latches. Everything has its place inside: the drill, battery, charger, and the 22-piece bit box. It’s not Pelican-case level, but it keeps things organised and makes it easy to grab the drill and go to wherever you’re working, or chuck it in the car without worrying about bits rolling around.

The 22-piece bit set is, honestly, just okay. You get a mix of wood drill bits, short and long screwdriver bits, three small sockets, a countersink, and a magnetic bit holder. For light, occasional use, they’re fine. I used the wood bits for a few holes in softwood and chipboard, and they did the job. But you can feel they’re not top quality – they dull faster than better brands and don’t cut as cleanly. Same with the screwdriver bits: they work, but if you’re driving a lot of screws, I’d upgrade to a better bit set.

On the plus side, having everything in one place is handy if you’re not super organised with tools. Just grab the case, and you’ve got drill, charger, battery and basic bits. No hunting around in drawers. The magnetic bit holder is useful for quick switching between bits when assembling furniture. The sockets are small but came in handy once for tightening a small bolt on a bracket.

Overall, I’d rate the packaging and accessories as practical but basic. The case is the real value here; it keeps the kit tidy and protected. The included bits are better than nothing and will get you started, but if you plan to use the drill regularly, budget for a better drill and bit set down the line. For a starter kit at this price, though, I’m not complaining too much.

I haven’t had this drill for years, obviously, so I can’t pretend to know how it holds up after heavy abuse. But after a few weeks of regular use and a couple of accidental knocks, it still feels tight and solid. The chuck hasn’t loosened or started wobbling, and the gearbox still changes speeds with a clear click. No weird grinding noises, no play in the spindle, and the torque clutch still engages as expected when driving screws.

The housing is mostly hard plastic with some rubber overmould on the handle and a few impact points. I’ve dropped it once from about waist height onto a concrete floor (my fault) and it only picked up a small scuff. Nothing cracked, and it kept working like nothing happened. I wouldn’t treat it like a site tool you throw around all day, but for a home DIY drill, it feels more robust than the really cheap no-name stuff.

The battery connection is snug and doesn’t rattle. The battery itself also feels solid, not hollow or flimsy. I can’t judge long-term battery health yet, but Einhell’s Power X-Change line has been around for a while, and user reviews generally say the packs hold up decently if you’re not constantly draining them to zero. The charger is basic but does its job; it doesn’t get crazily hot, which is a good sign.

Realistically, this is a Chinese-made DIY-level tool, not a premium industrial drill. So I’d expect it to last several years of occasional home use if you don’t abuse it, but probably not survive daily professional work. At the price it sells for (often under £60 with battery and charger), that’s fair enough. If you want something to throw around on a building site for years, you’d be looking at more expensive brands. For typical household use, I’d say the durability seems more than acceptable so far.

On the performance side, the Einhell claims 44 Nm of torque, 2 speeds (up to 1,250 rpm), and a hammer function. In real use, that translates to: it handles most typical DIY tasks without much drama, but you can feel its limits if you push it too hard. For example, putting 6 x 80 mm screws into softwood studs is fine, especially if you pre-drill. Smaller screws into chipboard or MDF are easy, and it’s quite controlled if you use the torque settings properly.

Drilling into wood up to 13 mm is no issue. I’ve done 8 mm holes in pine and some hardwood without it bogging down too much. The chuck holds the bits well, and I didn’t have slipping problems as long as I tightened it properly. On metal, drilling small holes (3–6 mm) in steel brackets and profiles is okay, but you need a decent bit and to keep the speed appropriate. It’s not a drill press, so don’t expect miracles on thicker steel, but for brackets and light metalwork it’s fine.

The hammer drill mode is where you notice it’s a DIY tool. It does drill into brick and masonry for plugs, but it’s slower and noisier than a proper corded SDS drill. I used it to put up shelves and curtain rails in brick walls, and it got the job done, just not very fast. For a couple of holes here and there, it’s convenient because you don’t have to drag out another tool. If you’re planning to drill dozens of holes into hard concrete, this is not the right tool; you’ll end up frustrated.

Overall, the performance is good enough for regular home maintenance: furniture, shelves, garden projects, small repairs. It’s clearly not built for daily trade use or heavy renovation work. Compared to my older 14.4V drill, this one feels noticeably stronger and faster, but compared to a high-end 18V pro drill, it’s behind in raw power and speed. For the price and the target user, that trade-off makes sense.

The kit is fairly complete, which is one of the main reasons I went for this model. You get the cordless impact drill itself, a 2.5 Ah 18V Power X-Change battery, a 3A charger, a decent hard plastic carry case, and a 22-piece bit set. For a first cordless drill, that’s basically everything you need to start. You’re not getting pro-grade bits, but at least you’re not stuck on day one because you forgot to order drill bits.

The 22-piece set includes 5 wood drill bits (3, 4, 5, 6, 8 mm), some short and long screwdriver bits, a few small sockets (6, 8, 10 mm), a countersink, and a magnetic bit holder. The wood bits are fine for light use, but if you plan on doing a lot of drilling, especially in masonry or metal, you’ll want to buy better quality bits separately. Think of this included set as a starter pack to get you through basic tasks rather than a long-term solution.

The drill itself has three main modes: normal drilling, hammer drilling, and screwdriving, plus a two-speed gearbox and 20 torque settings. So on paper it covers most small DIY situations: furniture assembly, shelves, curtain rails, a few anchors in brick, small metal brackets, etc. The chuck is a 13 mm single-sleeve quick-action chuck with spindle lock, which means one-handed bit changes are pretty straightforward and it grips bits reasonably well.

What I like about the overall package is that it’s clearly aimed at the typical homeowner who doesn’t want to think too much: one box, all there, plug the charger, charge the battery, and you’re working. On the downside, if you already own Power X-Change batteries, the included 2.5 Ah might feel a bit small, and the accessory set is basic. But for someone starting from zero, the value of having everything in one kit is pretty good.