Let me bust the myth right up front, there is no best cordless drill. Sorry.
Due to the wide variety of materials to be drilled, the need for differing power capabilities, formats and usage patterns, a huge variety of different drill types exist today. I personally have walked out of the hardware store before, without a purchase, simply because the choices were overwhelming.
To simplify things, I have broken the cordless drill world down into six basic types of drill and several power levels; this should help you to better identify what you need for your particular usage:
Cordless Screwdrivers - These are smaller and typically lighter weight versions of the cordless drill. They typically operate on a lower voltage, typically under 10V, and have the least amount of torque. Excellent for light duty such as assembling furniture or replacing outlet covers.
Drill Driver - This is the tool that comes to mind for most people when cordless drills are mentioned. They are medium duty, usually 12V to 18V of power. These are the most versatile drill available, as they can do lighter work and can handle occasional serious DIY jobs.
Right Angle Drill - Right angle cordless drills are basically just another form of drill driver. These are designed for working in tight spaces. You will often see plumbers and electricians use these to drill between joists. A specialty tool.
Impact Driver - A bit larger than a drill driver in size, and generally with 18V to 36V of power. These provide considerably more torque and are useful for driving large lag screws or removing large nuts like lug-nuts on a vehicle. They are designed to accept sockets rather than drill bits.
Hammer Drill - These combine drilling with a hammering action to quickly break through masonry and concrete. They use a special bit and deliver thousands of blows per minute to smash through brick fast. Careful with these, the torque can injure your wrist if you don't use a secondary handle and the bit gets jammed.
Screw Gun - Another specialty drill. A screw gun will allow you to quickly and accurately drive screws to a desired depth when hanging drywall or building a deck. Some will even auto feed the screws for you.
Most homeowners and do-it-yourself-ers will be best served by a middle of the road, 12V-18V drill driver. The other types of drills are mainly for special situations, except for the cordless screwdriver.
If your budget is tight, I would go for a Black and Decker Cordless Drill Driver, or just get a sturdy cordless screwdriver and plan to upgrade later. I personally own a Dewalt 14.4V cordless drill driver and a Dewalt 7.2V cordless screwdriver. Between the two, they will handle any household or woodworking project I can throw at them, and I always have a fresh battery on the charger.
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