Skil Flip Drill Review: A Two-in-One Drill and Driver With Swap-and-Go Batteries

Introduction

Most people who do around-the-house projects run into the same annoyance: you drill a pilot hole, then have to swap the bit or grab a second tool to drive the screw. Skil’s answer is the Flip Drill, a two-in-one drill and driver that pivots between two chucks so both bits stay loaded at all times. It is aimed squarely at DIYers, homeowners, and light handyman work rather than heavy construction, and that focus shapes everything about it.

Skil itself is a long-established brand that went quiet for years before being purchased by Chervon, which has been revamping the lineup with tools that compete in the same space as Ryobi. The Flip Drill is one of the more interesting results of that revival.

How the Flip Mechanism Works

The core idea is simple: the head of the tool holds two hex chucks, one loaded with a drill bit and one with a driving bit. Press a button, swing the head over, and you have instantly switched from drilling to driving. No removing bits, no carrying a second tool.

Both chucks are standard hex colllets rather than quick-release, so you push the collar up to insert or remove a bit. The tool accepts any hex-shank drill or driver bit, which keeps consumable costs low. Everything else is digital: speed settings run from 1 to 9, there are dedicated drill and drive modes, a high/low two-speed switch, and a forward/reverse control.

Power, Specs and What’s in the Kit

One limitation to know up front: there is no impact driver mode. This is a drill/driver only. It is also worth knowing that while the kit includes the 12V battery, the tool runs stronger on a 20V pack if you already own one.

With the 12V battery, no-load speed is 0 to 420 RPM on low and up to 1,550 RPM on high, with 300 in-lbs of torque. On the 20V battery those figures rise to 450 RPM on low, up to 1,700 RPM on high, and 350 in-lbs of torque. Without the battery the tool weighs just 2.3 lbs, so it is easy to handle for extended periods.

The kit includes four drill bits and one Phillips head bit, so you can start working straight away. There is also a magnetic strip on top for holding spare screws or bits, and an LED light underneath the base for dark corners. Skil backs the tool with a 5-year warranty.

The Power Core Battery System

The batteries are arguably as interesting as the tool. The Power Core 12 comes in the kit, while the larger Power Core 20 is sold separately but works in the same tool, and both can be charged with a plain USB-C cable rather than a dedicated Skil charger.

That USB-C port works both ways: the packs output up to 100 watts to charge phones, laptops, and other electronics, and they can also be topped up themselves through the same port. Charging via USB-C works fine, though the wall charger is faster. In practice, one pack fully charged a phone to 100% and still had charge left over, which makes these genuinely useful as portable power banks on job sites or camping trips.

Performance and Real-World Use

On the drive side, the higher speed settings move fast but give up torque, as with any drill/driver. Drop to a lower speed setting and the torque climbs, enough to sink long structural screws fully into dense timber without pilot holes.

The digital speed control makes fine work easy: setting 1 creeps along gently for delicate tasks, while setting 9 delivers maximum speed. The two-speed gearbox adds another layer of control on top of that. For furniture assembly, cabinetry, fence repairs, and general home maintenance, the performance envelope is genuinely useful, and the brushless motor keeps the whole thing efficient.

Buying Advice

This is a DIY-tier tool, and Skil is upfront about that. If you frame houses or build decks for a living, look elsewhere. But if you are a homeowner, a garage tinkerer, or a handyman doing lighter jobs, the combination of two always-loaded chucks, digital speed control, a light 2.3 lb body, and batteries that double as USB-C power banks is a genuinely clever package.

If you already own Skil 20V batteries, buying the tool without the kit battery makes sense, since the 20V pack delivers more speed and torque. If you are starting fresh, the kit with the Power Core 12 is the way in.

Conclusion

The Flip Drill will not replace an impact driver, and heavy-duty users should pass. But for everyone else, it solves a real everyday problem in a smart way: one light tool, two bits ready to go, and batteries that keep your phone charged while you work. For the price of entry and a 5-year warranty, it is easy to recommend for home use.