The electric drill may seem like a modern invention that would be no more than a few decades old, but it is actually quite old. The first electric drill was invented in 1889. Credit is given to two Australian inventors, Arthur Arnot and William Brian, for coming up with the design that allowed an electric motor to be paired with the traditional drill design. This first electric drill prototype was too large to move from place to place. It was only used for stationary work or at job sites that had ample power to work with.

The electric drill quickly gained attention from the work community and had people wondering how much farther the boundaries of machinery and tools could be pushed. As a result, only 5 short years later, Wilhelm Fein and Carl Fein were able to convert the electric drill into a portable device. This idea revolutionized the industry and made it possible for contractors to do more extensive work in their industries.

After the introduction of the portable electric drill in 1894, the era of electric drills began to blossom. Contractors flocked towards this new and revolutionary drill. In addition to this, new research was done into the field to continue to refine and develop the design of the electric drill. Various companies released their take on the new tool, but it wasn’t until 1917 that the next revolutionary electric drill design would come about. In this year, Black and Decker shocked the world with their take on the electric drill.

They released the first electric drill model that featured a trigger switch and pistol handle. This design quickly gained popularity with contractors and construction workers. In addition to drill designs, many companies began to develop attachments that could be used in addition to the drill. This allowed them to make the drills more versatile and useable for various applications. As the capabilities of drills grew with these new advancements and discoveries, so did the demand for drills.