A DIY enthusiast is a greenhorn who walks around the hardware store looking for new tools and toying with the idea to add another tool to the growing collection in their garage.
Quick Look: The Top Rated Hammer Drills
They notice the cordless drill section and wander over to peruse some of the sleek, elegant-looking machines. A bright tag that catches their attention on one of the boxes reads POWERFUL HARMING ACTION!
They are confused and bewildered (but not ready to ask a sales associate) But they still wonder in their heads What is a Hammer drill?
This is not a common situation. There are literally thousands of tools available to choose from, and manufacturers continue to add new features to even the most basic tools, keeping even veteran users on their toes.
This article will cover everything you need to know about the Hammer Drill: its purpose, its differences from a standard drill, as well as its primary uses.
A General Overview: What’s A Hammer Drill?
The standard drill spins very fast and is driven into the material by the spinning action combined with the strong downward force of your arms.
Hammer drills, however, have an extra bit of hammering action which dramatically increases their ability to penetrate and drive through difficult material.
Hammering is exactly as it sounds: Just like you use a drill to drill holes, a drill using a hammer drill uses rapid, sequential blows to the bit. Combining these powerful, quick blows with the spin action of the drill, the bit is significantly more powerful.
Imagine a tiny smurf with super fast arms and a heavy hammer that delivers multiple blows per second to your drill bit as it is driven into the material.
This is a drill for hammers.
This video provides a lot of information about hammer drills.
What’s A Hammer Drill?
A hammer drill’s primary purpose is to drill into masonry (concrete backerboard, rock, brick, etc.). You can use standard drills, but a good drill will make a big difference when drilling through masonry. Make sure you have a good bit for masonry.
Other Considerations For Hammer Drills
Hammer drills can put strain on your wrist and hand.
It’s logical. All that bit-pounding motion along its axis is basically transferring into your hand. This is in contrast to the impact driver’s rotary action, which we discuss in more detail in our article on hammer drills vs. impact drivers. Although the strain is not severe, it’s worth spending a few hours drilling into brickwork to see what we mean.
You should also note that cordless hammer drills can be used as standard drills. The hammer action must be turned on by turning a knob or turning the dial setting. A picture of a hammer should be included on the drill’s hammer mode button. You might be using a drill that is actually a drill with hammers, but you haven’t realized it.
Every cordless hammer drill we’ve seen accepts bits in the standard 3-jaw chuck. It can take either round or hex shank bits. This is in contrast to impact drivers that only accept hex bits and use a collet.
A final point to clarify is that the actual drilling motion is tiny. The bit moves only a fraction of an inch. But that tiny pounding motion can make a huge difference in drilling into tough material.
Top Picks: Here Are Some Of The Most Popular Hammer Drills Currently On The Market
These are some of our top hammer drills. They have been tested and proven to be reliable, durable, and of high quality.
DeWalt DCD985B 20-volt MAX Cordless Hammer Drill
DeWalt’s 20-volt cordless MAX series is a well-known brand. The best cordless tool line ever to hit the market. The DCD985B Hammer Drill is a powerful and efficient tool that can withstand masonry.
Milwaukee 2704-20 M18 Fuel Cordless Hammer Drill
This is the direct competitor to DeWalts DCD985B. We are huge DeWalt MAX fans, but we don’t mind (unlike many other DeWalt loyal fans) admitting Milwaukee’s 18-volt M18 cordless tools are excellent quality and of exceptional class. You can read our article about Milwaukee vs. DeWalt here.
RYOBI 18V ONE+ Cordless Hammer Drill
This is our top pick for value, with a much lower price than the Milwaukee or DeWalt. Although not as powerful and durable as the latter, this is a good entry-level hammer drill. It can be used to drill clean holes through cement blocks up to 3 cm in diameter.
