Impact drivers are really cool, allowing you to sink the largest screws and bolts without twisting your wrist or stripping the head. But in the past, if you wanted this new technology for your shop, you had to spring for a second cordless drill.

Not anymore.

With its new “3rill” 12-volt drill/driver/impact driver, Rockwell is the first manufacturer to pack all three functions into one tool, and a compact one at that, thanks to its lithium-ion battery.

I first used it to make a cart for my shop, and it drilled and drove with ease, melting long screws through two layers of plywood with no pilot holes needed. The compact size and built-in LED are handy, especially in tight spaces.

I then turned to my favorite torture test for cordless drills: driving dozens of 3-in.-long, 1⁄4-in.-dia. lag bolts into small pilot holes in hardwood. In this case, I compared the 12-volt “3rill” to my current 14.4-volt drill/driver. That’s when I was convinced that the new Rockwell drill is the only one a woodworker needs.

I started with drilling, watching the 12-volter crank out more pilot holes than the 14.4 without slowing down. After installing fresh batteries, I opened the box of lag bolts. In normal driving mode, the smaller drill came up about 1⁄2-in. shorter than the 14.4 on each bolt, but when I flicked it into impact mode, the compact “3rill” easily outdrove my bulky old 14.4-volt nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) drill/driver.

The impact function demands that the chuck be the quick-change, hex type, so your drill bits will need 1⁄4-in. hex shanks. A three-jaw keyless chuck is available as an accessory ($30); it snaps into the hex chuck to handle brad-point bits, Forstners, and conventional bits.

With its versatility and power, Rockwell’s new drill is hard to beat. The $200 kit includes a 26-piece bit and accessory set and a right-angle drilling attachment. Rockwell also offers free replacement batteries for the life of the tool if you register up front.

Choose your weapon. The compact “3rill” can handle almost any drilling and driving job. An easy-to-access switch changes the drill from driving to two drilling speeds to impact driving (the bolt icon).

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