Can you sell a cordless drill that does not work?
Yes. Repairers, people replacing one component and buyers who want a project all shop deliberately at this end. None of them will accept a fault they discover after paying.
What actually goes wrong with cordless drills
These are the faults that move a cordless drill down the grades, and the first things a buyer will ask about:
- Degraded batteries, the usual reason these are sold
- Discontinued battery platforms with no replacements
- Worn chucks that no longer grip bits securely
- Bare tools with no battery or charger
Grading it honestly
Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £14 to £81. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £8 to £45. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.
Working out what you actually have
Establish the fault properly rather than guessing at it:
- Charge each battery fully and test under load
- Tighten a bit and check the chuck holds without slipping
- Confirm which battery platform it belongs to
Photographing the fault
Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:
- The drill with a battery fitted, from the side
- All batteries and the charger laid out together
- The battery labels showing voltage and amp-hour rating
- The chuck and clutch collar, plus the case and any bits
What to state in the listing
Alongside the fault itself, buyers of broken cordless drills want these confirmed:
- Brand, battery platform and voltage
- How many batteries, their amp-hour rating and their tested condition
- Whether the charger is included, and whether it is the fast charger
- Chuck size, clutch settings, and whether the case and bits are included
Brand, voltage and batteries: “DeWalt 18V Cordless Drill with 2 x 4.0Ah Batteries and Charger”. Battery count and capacity belong in the title because they are most of the value. Naming the platform matters — buyers already invested in a brand’s batteries search for it specifically.
What buyers will ask
Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:
Charge each one and test under load. Replacement batteries often cost more than a used drill, so this single answer sets the price.
Confirm it and say whether it is the standard or fast charger. Chargers are platform-specific and not cheap.
Name the brand and voltage. Buyers already owning batteries in that system will pay more for a bare tool than a stranger would.
Is it worth repairing first?
Usually not, unless it is cheap and you can evidence it. What lifts the price is condition and completeness, which a repair rarely restores:
- Batteries holding a full charge on a current platform
- Brushless motors, which last far longer
- Complete kits with charger, case and spare battery
- Recognised trade brands with wide battery compatibility
If the work would cost more than the gap between £45 and what a sound one fetches, sell it as is broken and let the buyer decide.
When to list it
Steady all year with a spring lift. Trade-brand tools with healthy batteries sell within days; tools with tired batteries need honest pricing.
Getting it to the buyer
Postable, but lithium batteries are restricted by some couriers — check before promising, and never post a damaged or swollen battery.
WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.
Ready to list it? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full cordless drill selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.
Frequently asked questions
Is a broken cordless drill worth anything?
Yes — typically £8 to £45 at For Parts against £30 to £180 working. Repairers and people harvesting one component buy deliberately at this end. Degraded batteries, the usual reason these are sold
Should I repair it before selling?
Usually not, unless the repair is cheap and you can evidence it. The things that genuinely lift the price are batteries holding a full charge on a current platform and a repair rarely restores those.
What do buyers ask about a faulty cordless drill?
The fault itself, in detail. Charge each one and test under load. Replacement batteries often cost more than a used drill, so this single answer sets the price. The listing that answers it before being asked is the one that sells.
See also: what cordless drill is worth by condition · how to sell cordless drill · condition grades explained · all broken & damaged guides · all selling guides.