The 15 Most Useful Power Drill Attachments – Bob Vila

A good cordless drill is already the MVP of most tool kits. But once you start adding
smart power drill attachments, that same drill suddenly digs planting holes, deep-cleans
your bathroom, mixes paint, and even helps prevent dryer fires. It’s like giving your
drill a full set of superpowersno cape required.

Inspired by Bob Vila’s roundup of the most useful power drill accessories, this guide
breaks down what each attachment does, the jobs it’s best suited for, and a few
real-world tips so you don’t burn out your drill (or your patience) in the process.

We’ll also pull in advice from other tool pros and DIY resources to help you choose
attachments that match your drill’s power, your projects, and your skill levelwithout
buying a truckload of extra tools you’ll never use.

Why Power Drill Attachments Deserve a Spot in Your Tool Kit

From One-Task Tool to Multi-Tasking Workhorse

A standard power drill drives screws and drills holes. That’s great, but it’s barely
scratching the surface of what the tool can do. With the right attachments, a single
drill can:

• Dig holes for plants and fence posts
• Scrub grout, tile, tubs, and outdoor furniture
• Mix paint, thinset, grout, and joint compound
• Clean dryer ducts and prevent lint buildup
• Split firewood, prep surfaces, and more

Many pros and DIY experts note that it’s often cheaper and easier to add specialized
accessories than to buy dedicated tools for every single task, especially when you’re
working in a small shop or garage.

Compatibility and Safety Basics

Before you go on an attachment shopping spree, check:

• Chuck size: Most household drills use a 3/8-inch chuck, which fits
  a wide range of hex-shank accessories. Larger, more powerful drills often have a
  1/2-inch chuck for heavy-duty bits.
• Drill type: Some attachments are safe only for standard drills,
  not high-torque impact drivers. Always check the packaging.
• Speed and torque: High torque at high speed can burn up brushes,
  twist augers, or strip screws. When in doubt, start slow.
• Safety gear: Eye protection, dust masks, and hearing protection
  are non-negotiable when you’re grinding, sanding, or cleaning metal surfaces.

The 15 Most Useful Power Drill Attachments

1. Garden Auger Bit: Turn Your Drill into a Mini Earthmover

A garden auger bit is basically a metal corkscrew that chucks into your drill and digs
perfectly round planting holes in seconds. Bob Vila’s featured auger is designed for
digging flat-bottomed holes ideal for flowers, small shrubs, and bulbs.

Use a low to medium drill speed and let the auger do the work. High speed can cause it
to bind in heavy soil. This attachment shines for:

• Planting annuals and bulbs in bulk
• Drilling holes for small stakes or solar lights
• Loosening compacted soil in planters and beds

2. Scrubbing Pads: Deep Cleaning Without Destroying Your Elbows

Scrubbing pad attachments pair a backing plate with replaceable padsusually a mix of
stiff and regular. They’re fantastic for cleaning shower doors, tile, baseboards, and
other hard surfaces where you’d normally be on your knees with a sponge.

The trick is using the right pad for the right surface:

• Soft pads for glass, fiberglass, and finished surfaces
• Stiffer pads for tile, grout, and concrete
• Low to medium drill speed so the pad doesn’t overheat or sling dirty water

3. Portable Drill Guide: Precision Holes Without a Drill Press

A drill guide turns your handheld drill into a quasi–drill press. The Milescraft-style
guide featured by Bob Vila helps you drill straight, angled, or centered holes with far
more accuracy than “eyeballing it.”

This attachment is especially helpful when:

• Drilling shelf pin holes or dowel holes
• Making repeated holes at the same depth and angle
• Working on projects where a full drill press won’t fit

4. Right-Angle Adapter: Reach Tight Spots Like a Pro

A right-angle attachment allows the bit to sit at 90 degrees to the drill body, letting
you drive screws or drill holes in cramped spotsinside cabinets, between studs, or
behind plumbing. The compact DeWalt right-angle adapter Bob Vila highlights is built
for both drills and impact drivers and is slim enough for seriously tight quarters.

It’s a lifesaver when you’re:

• Installing drawer slides or cabinet hardware
• Running electrical boxes between studs
• Working in vehicles or other cramped mechanical spaces

5. Drill Scrub Brush Set: Power Scrubbing for Indoors and Out

Drill-mounted scrub brushes are the “I can’t believe I waited this long” attachment for
many homeowners. These kits often include multiple brush shapes and sizes plus an
extension wand for reaching deep into tubs, pools, and rims.

Use white or light-duty brushes on delicate surfaces and medium or heavy-duty brushes
on tile, stone, and concrete. Always test in an inconspicuous area first to make sure
the bristles don’t scratch.

6. Paint Roller Cleaner: Save Your Rollers (and Your Sanity)

Cleaning paint rollers by hand is messy, slow, and wastes a ton of water and paper
towels. A roller cleaner attachment slips over the roller cover and spins it inside a
bucket or sink, flinging paint and rinse water out of the nap in seconds.

This attachment:

• Extends the life of roller covers
• Saves time between coats
• Reduces mess splatter if you keep the roller submerged while spinning

7. Flexible Bit Holder: Snake Your Way into Awkward Spaces

A flexible shaft bit holder has a bendable shaft and a magnetic bit holder at the end.
It’s designed to flex around obstacles and reach fasteners in places you can’t get a
straight drill or screwdriver. Bob Vila’s example flexes up to 90 degrees and keeps the
outer sleeve stationary while the inner shaft spins.

Think of it as a “cheat code” for:

• Inside cabinet corners and drawers
• Behind sink basins or under vanities
• Low-clearance spots in vehicles or appliances

8. Magnetic Bit Holder: Faster Bit Swaps and Fewer Lost Screws

Magnetic bit holders extend the reach of your drill and let you swap driver bits
quickly without re-chucking. The Milwaukee-style holders highlighted in Bob Vila’s
list use strong magnets to keep bits locked in and screws from falling off at the worst
possible moment.

This is one of those small upgrades that makes repetitive taskslike building a deck
or assembling a dozen cabinetsfeel dramatically smoother.

9. Self-Centering Drill Bits: Perfectly Centered Hardware Every Time

Self-centering bits are game-changers for installing hinges, handles, and other
hardware. The spring-loaded sleeve centers the bit in the hardware screw hole so the
pilot hole ends up exactly in the middle, preventing doors from shifting and hardware
from sitting crooked.

Use them for:

• Door and cabinet hinges
• Drawer pulls and knobs
• Any hardware with countersunk screw holes

10. Socket Driver Set: Turn Your Drill into a Power Ratchet

A hex-shank socket adapter lets your drill drive sockets, turning stubborn bolts and
nuts much faster than a hand ratchet. The sets Bob Vila showcases are impact-rated and
come in common drive sizes (1/4, 3/8, 1/2 inch) for maximum flexibility.

These shine for:

• Lag screws in framing and deck building
• Disassembling furniture and equipment
• Automotive odds and ends (within reasondon’t replace a proper impact wrench for heavy work)

11. Countersink Drill Bit Set: Flush Screws and Cleaner Finishes

Countersink bits drill a pilot hole and a conical recess so screw heads sit flush or
just below the surface. The DeWalt set in Bob Vila’s lineup includes multiple sizes to
match common wood screw diameters.

They’re especially useful when:

• Building furniture or cabinetry
• Installing trim and molding
• Preparing screw holes you plan to fill and paint

12. Paint and Compound Mixer: Let the Drill Do the Stirring

Mixer attachments are basically paddles or whip-style heads that churn paint, grout,
joint compound, thinset, or mortar in buckets. The nylon-whip style mixer Bob Vila
highlights is flexible enough to fit through the pour spout of a 5-gallon bucket,
which is a huge convenience on job sites.

Use a low speed and a strong drill; thick materials can bog down weak motors. Keep the
mixer submerged to avoid air bubbles and splatter.

13. Dryer Duct Cleaning Brush: A Small Attachment with Big Safety Impact

Dryer lint buildup isn’t just annoyingit’s a fire hazard. A drill-powered dryer duct
cleaning kit uses a flexible shaft and a brush head that can snake through long duct
runs and scrub lint from elbows and joints. The Deflecto-style kits mentioned by Bob
Vila can reach up to 12 feet or more.

Pair this attachment with regular vacuuming of the lint trap area and you’ll dramatically
reduce the risk of clogged ducts and overheating.

14. Firewood Log Splitter: Drill-Powered Kindling Maker

A conical log splitter bit looks a little intimidating, but it’s designed to bite into
the end grain of smaller logs and twist them apart. Used correctly (low speed, firm grip,
and only with a suitably powerful drill), it can turn rounds into kindling surprisingly
fast.

This isn’t a replacement for a full log splitter, but it’s handy for:

• Making kindling for wood stoves and fire pits
• Splitting small rounds that are awkward with an axe
• Occasional use at cabins or campsites

15. Wire Brush Attachments: The Rust and Paint Removal Heroes

Wire brush attachments come in cup, wheel, and end-brush styles. Chuck one into your
drill and suddenly you can strip rust, flaking paint, and corrosion from metal rails,
tools, grills, and more. Abrasives experts consistently recommend wire brushes for
aggressive surface prep before painting or coating.

Always wear eye and respiratory protectionthese brushes can shed bristles and kick up
a lot of dust. Use moderate speed and let the brush glide over the surface to avoid
gouging softer metals.

Real-World Experiences Using Power Drill Attachments

On paper, these attachments all sound amazing. In real life, they’re still incredibly
usefulbut a few patterns show up once you’ve actually used them on messy, imperfect,
totally normal projects.

First, almost everyone underestimates how much torque certain attachments need. Garden
augers, paint mixers, and log splitters can stall a small 12V drill in heavy soil or
thick compound. If your drill keeps bogging down, it’s not that the attachment “doesn’t
work”it may just need a beefier drill or a lower speed with more patience.

Second, cleaning attachments will change your standards forever. Once you’ve cleaned a
shower or scrubbed grout with a drill brush, hand-scrubbing feels like a punishment.
The main complaint people mention isn’t about cleaning power; it’s about splatter. A
quick fix is to keep the brush slightly angled away from you, use lower drill speeds,
and start with the brush already touching the surface before pulling the trigger.

Another big takeaway: alignment tools like drill guides and self-centering bits give
visible upgrades to your finished projects. Doors close straighter, cabinet gaps
tighten up, and hardware lines up beautifully. Many DIYers only buy these after a
crooked hinge or off-center handle drives them crazy. Once they finally add them to
their kit, they tend to use them on nearly every furniture or cabinet project.

Socket driver and magnetic bit holders are the quiet productivity hacks in this list.
You won’t always notice them when they’re working well, but you definitely notice when
you go back to changing bits constantly or fishing dropped screws out of tight spaces.
People who build decks, fences, or shop storage often say these are the first
attachments they’d rebuy if their toolbox disappeared.

On the flip side, some attachments are very situationalbut when you need them, they’re
priceless. Dryer duct cleaning brushes are a great example. You might only use them a
couple of times a year, but they provide peace of mind and can prevent costly repairs
or fire risks. Same with log splitters: if you live in a small space and only burn
occasional fires, dedicating floor area to a full splitter makes no sense; a drill
attachment lives in a drawer until you need a quick batch of kindling.

There’s also a learning curve. If you’re new to drill attachments, expect a few ugly
test spots. Wire brushes can take off more material than you intended, augers can dig
deeper than you wanted, and scrub pads can leave swirl marks if you press too hard.
Testing on scrap, starting on the lowest speed, and letting the tool do the work are
the recurring pieces of advice across pros and longtime DIYers.

Finally, the best experiences come from building a small, thoughtful collection rather
than buying every gadget you see in an ad. Start with attachments that solve real
problems you already havemaybe a drill brush kit for cleaning, a garden auger if you
plant a lot, and a socket adapter set if you’re building projects with lag bolts. As
your projects grow, add more specialized pieces like a drill guide, countersink set,
or dryer duct cleaning kit. Over time, your drill becomes less of a “tool you use” and
more of a modular system that adapts to whatever project you dream up.

The bottom line: a handful of smart attachments turn your cordless drill into one of
the most versatile tools in your entire home. Whether you’re gardening, renovating,
deep cleaning, or just trying to make your weekend projects a little less painful,
these add-ons earn their keep quicklyand once you start using them, you’ll wonder how
you ever lived with a “just drills holes” drill.