Best Hammer Drills - Top Picks, Reviews & Complete Buying Guide
by Scott Miller Updated on
If you are wondering why you need to have a hammer drill and what it does, we have to tell you that it is a tool which enables you to drill into hard surfaces such as brick, concrete or stone.
A hammer drill is powerful tool that rotates and looks like a regular drill, but there has to be something that makes it different.
That is a forward action that can be likened to a hammer and which causes a hammer drill to be more effective in certain situations than a typical power drill.
As you are reading this, we believe that you already know the usage of this tool, so we decided to give you more detailed info related to this amazing machine.
Prior to every tool purchase, you need to do necessary research, so we created a list of hammer drill reviews to help you decide which product is best for you.
Number one on our list is a hammer drill that provides great performance while it is easily used.
That is the case with the DeWalt DWD520K – rightfully set on the first position on our list.
This would be ideal choice, as it boasts a 10.0 Amp motor which can offer 50% more power as well as overload protection.
The hammer has metal gear housing which makes it durable on one hand, and on the other not prone to overheating during extended use.
This model comes in a heavy duty box making the DWD520K extra portable.
Portability is great as you can take it to various construction sites without worrying about the tool being damaged.
What users especially liked about this hammer drill is the dual-mode feature.
With this feature, you can easily switch between drilling and hammer drilling.
So, we can conclude that the DWD520K is an extremely versatile and the best corded hammer drill on the market.
But that is not all, it comes with a two-speed range of 0-1,200/0-3,500 RPM and it is a comfortable hammer drill to use due to the soft grip handle.
The only weakness that was noticed is that this is not a lightweight hammer drill but all the above mentioned advantages prove that this is not a big deal.
The second one on our list comes with a powerful 7.0 Amp motor for tough applications.
The SKIL 6445-04 is the hammer drill designed for concrete, but we have to mention that it is useful only to homeowners.
The reason why it is not suitable for professionals in construction sites is that it lacks the necessary power.
The SKIL 6445-04 is a simple hammer drill with no torque or speed settings.
Its maximum speed is 3,000 RPM, and the tool features the variable speed trigger.
This trigger enables you to increase or decrease speed depending on the application, thus providing additional precision.
Another positive feature of the SKIL 6445-04 is that it has a 1/2 inch keyed chuck which accepts large diameter bits and a side assist handle.
What users believe to be the best thing about this corded hammer drill is the price.
The disadvantages of this unit are that it is quite heavy and lacks some features, but you will get the job done if you are not buying it for industrial use.
Even though it is on the third place, this is a drill with excellent power.
This can be concluded from its name – The Bosch 11255VSR Bulldog Xtreme.
This model has a powerful 7.5 Amp motor which can produce 0-1,300 RPM and 0-5,800 BPM and deliver 2.0 ft/lbs of impact energy.
We can only say that this is enough power for most applications and any kind of task.
This hammer drill model is versatile as it comes with three modes of operation: rotary hammer, rotation only and hammer only.
It has to offer a variable-speed trigger for greater precision control, as well.
Users found the D-handle the best feature of the 11255VSR.
D-handle enables the user to use the hammer drill overhead or downwards.
We have to mention that this model is not the fastest hammer drill on the market and it is not designed for concrete, so you should keep this in mind prior to decision making.
Due to its excellent build quality it deserves the place among the best rotary hammer drills.
We could not but expect from Makita to make a quality hammer drill that will find its place among the best drills on the market.
This hammer drill is small and lightweight, which makes it very portable but at the same time quite powerful.
The tool boasts 4 pole motor which delivers a max torque of 480 lbs.
There is a variable speed control with two-speed ranges – 0-440 and 0-1,500 RPM.
This means that you can complete a wide range of applications, either big or small with this tool.
The weakness of this tool is that it lacks the necessary power for heavy-duty projects, but the users were quite satisfied with the compact and ergonomic design of this model.
We have to say more positive things about the XPH012.
The fact is that you can do both drilling and driving, and it comes with the bright LED light so you can see even in the darker working environments.
Among all the above mentioned advantages, the best feature of this tool is the 18V Lithium-Ion batteries which are long-lasting and can charge in as little as 20 to 30 minutes.
In the end we have to say that the main disadvantage of the Makita XPH012 is that it’s not quite powerful as some other models and will struggle with certain materials such as concrete.
The last model on our list is worth consideration if you are looking for a simple tool that simply gets the job done.
People like the fact that this model from Ryobi is quite affordable.
It comes with a 2-speed range and the soft grip handle which is considered a positive feature.
There is the two-finger trigger providing increased comfort and greater control.
Additionally, the tool has a built-in LED light which is useful, but some users complained that it can be a little brighter.
One more weakness is that the light goes out once the trigger is released.
Besides a competitive price, this is the fantastic model due to the battery life offered. This hammer drill has Lithium-Ion batteries, famous to have excellent life.
What you need to bear in mind is that this unit does not come with a depth gauge.
Since you got acquainted with the very best hammer drills on the market, before making a decision which one to buy, we wanted to give you more details related to hammer drills in our buyer’s guide.
Why do I need a hammer drill?
If you have read all this, we are sure that you know what the hammer drill can be used for, but we will say it once again.
A hammer drill has a rotating hammer action and it is designed for drilling harder surfaces.
Hammer drills are so powerful tools that they can drill rocks and concrete.
They come with the option to use different drill bits, so as to make hard work quicker and easier.
Which one is better: corded or cordless?
Which one you will choose depends on the amount of work you plan to do with itt.
If you are going to work with this tool daily and for many hours, it is better to choose a corded one.
Furthermore, if you are going to work with hard materials, we suggest you to get a corded one as well.
A cordless hammer drill is designed for small jobs or for situations when you have limited or no access to power but the tool might stop working in the middle of the job due to the battery discharge.
Which one to choose: a hammer drill or rotary hammer?
The frequent question is whether to get a hammer drill or rotary hammer and there is a difference between these two in their power and usage.
A rotary hammer is a more powerful tool due to a piston mechanism that provides the action.
This tool also tends to be bigger and heavier, and being that it is more powerful, it is reasonable that it is usually more expensive than hammer drills.
If you do not want to drill large holes, you can go for a hammer drill, as a rotary hammer is designed for heavy duty tasks.
What are the features to consider when buying a hammer drill?
Among the top features of a hammer drill we decided to mention a few which are of the greatest importance.
Power source – the power source itself is important, due to the fact that there are both corded and cordless hammer drill. The cordless ones are suitable for home and lighter and what they have to offer is a great versatility. On the other hand, the corded drill can be moved around, but not as well as the one without a long cable. What makes corded units very useful is the power, as they can offer more rotations per minute (RPM). This results in job done much quicker and it can work for many hours.
Power – the power of a hammer drill is significant as it determines how quickly you can do the job. The power of standard hammer drill motors is around 7 Amps, while the larger motors reach 10 Amps. With the larger the motor you will get the more power but you should know that the tool will be bigger and heavier.
Variable speed – This is a useful feature since it is there to give you greater control. It makes the user does more accurate and precise work, leading to even better results. The hammer drill which has different speeds can do a wider range of tasks. The great advantage is when a hammer drill accepts a variety of drill bits, meaning that you can work with softer woods and metals. The only thing you need to do is to select the appropriate drill bit and increase the RPM.
Safety – Safety features are still of crucial importance, especially when you are working with such a powerful tool as a hammer drill is. The greatest safety feature that a hammer drill can have is two handles which are there to give stability during operation. The best hammer drills boast not only ergonomic grip but also shock absorption technology which makes the usage of the tool more comfortable.
Depth Gauge – This feature is important for those people who need to drill a lot of holes to a specific depth. A depth gauge can help you work more consistently without errors.
Keyed Chuck – Many drills come with keyless chucks for quick and easy changing of bits, but we consider that a keyed chuck is better for a hammer drill since it requires a key to tighten it. Manual tightening of the chuck means that you can ensure a bit will stay in place, besides the bumping provided during operation.
What are the main brands?
Purchasing a power tool is a huge problem just because there are so many brands and models on the market.
People usually tend to buy models produced by well-known brands, being that purchasing a model produced by unknown brand can be too much of a risk.
There are the top brands which are doing their best to make the most efficient tool and which offer the best possible features which are there to make the usage of the tool easier and more comfortable.
Hammer drills are produces by some of the famous brands such as Black & Decker, Bosch, DeWalt, Makita and Porter Cable.
Among them, we are sure that you will be able to find a hammer drill that is within your budget.
How important are drill bits?
It is important to get a quality drill bits and it can be difficult finding them among a wide range of drill bits on offer.
Drill bit provides you with more options, as you will be able to drill different size holes when using a hammer drill.
Prior to purchasing your hammer drill we suggest you to look at the various accessories that you can use to improve the overall performance of the tool.
The majority of expensive and quality drill bits have carbide-tipped bit heads which are very durable.
There are some kits that come with chisels.
What are he three top tips related to hammer drills?
If you have decided to get a hammer drill, whichever model you have picked, you have to know some of the main tips prior to using it.
Wear eye protection – wearing eye protection is something that you should do first and what a great number of people just do not do. Eye protection is there to prevent materials from flying into your eyes. We are sure that you are aware of the fact that this can cause some serious discomfort. You can also use a dust mask so as not to breathe in the dust.
Use the right pressure – when using a hammer drill it is significant to know how much pressure you apply during use, being that too much pressure can damage the motor or the tip of the drill bit. If you are using good quality drill bits, then you do not have to worry about its strength and durability.
Do your research – the act of drilling is simple and can be done by any person, but you have to be very careful when working with it. We suggest you to take a look at your environment and make sure that there is nothing in the way as sometimes wires, cables, and pipes can be problematic.
Conclusion
If you are looking to buy the more powerful and expensive tool, then your decision-making would be even more difficult.
The right decision would depend on many factors and that is why we decided to make it easier for you to choose a hammer drill.
You can make a choice between a corded and cordless drill and pick less or more powerful tool.
In the recent years, the producers have made extremely powerful hammer drills which are at the same time quite small and portable machine.
Among so many brands, we have picked those that we thought are worth mentioning and made this short guide with the aim to get you acquainted with all the features and possible drawbacks of these machines.
There are models for all levels of budget.
If you choose some of the hammer drills presented in our buying guide, we believe you will not regret your decision.
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