Cordless impact drills are a great investment that will provide years of use for a variety of applications around the home. These drills are ideal if you want to work remotely from a power source, as they are battery powered and do not need to be plugged in to work.
Battery-powered impact drills tend to be smaller and more compact and portable than mains-powered impact drills.
The best cordless hammer drill
DEWALT 20V Hammer Drill Kit
4,9 Rating
Features:
- Voltage: 20 Volts.
- 3-Mode LED light with Spotlight mode.
- 0-38, 250 BPM for fast drilling in masonry materials.
Featuring durable nitro-carburized metal ratcheting chucks and comfortable handle grips, these tools are GUARANTEED TOUGH for durability on the job site and include coated and sealed switches that help to resist moisture and dust contamination.
How To Operate A Cordless Hammer Drill?
How To Choose Cordless Hammer Drills?
Buying Guide cordless hammer drills
This review and guide provide information on some best hammer drill for home projects you can find.
There are quite a few drill press manufacturers on the home improvement market today, and prices vary widely depending on the model and design. Purely in terms of price, cordless drills vary in models that are available for just under $125 each. At the other end of the scale, however, there are impact cordless drills that can cost interested hobbyists nearly $258.
The best cordless hammer drills for home projects
All our reviews are based exclusively on expert judgments or practical experience with most of the cordless hammer drills we have tested. We strive to make our guide as independent and as detailed as possible.
Impact Cordless Drills Reviews For Home Projects
CRAFTSMAN V20 Cordless Hammer Drill Kit
Powerful Cordless Hammer Drill
The CRAFTSMAN V20 20V max hammer drill has a 1/2in. Chuck to fit a variety of drill bits for different applications. The 280 UWO provides the power for a variety of applications in wood and masonry.
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1/2 in Hammer Drill
- Onboard LED lights up the work surface.
- Hammer mode delivers up to 32000 BPM.
- 14 clutch settings.
4,9 Rating
Cordless hammer drill with high torque
With up to 1200 in-lbs of peak torque, the M18 FUEL 1/2 in. Hammer Drill/Driver (2804-20) delivers the power users need to drill through hardwoods, metals, plastics, and more. At only 6.9 in. in length, this is the smallest cordless 18V hammer drill in its class, allowing users to work in tight areas.
RYOBI 18V Cordless 1/2-inch Hammer Drill/Driver Kit
- Voltage: 18 Volts.
- 2-speed gearbox and 24 position clutch.
- Tool Weight: 3.9 lbs.
4,8 Rating
The universal cordless hammer drill
Cordless Hammer Drill features a variable 2-speed transmission for precision and versatility and delivers up to 1,600 RPM and 2,400 BPM for powerful performance. Its 24-position clutch handles high-torque applications and the clutch override allows quick mode changes from drilling to driving.
What should you look for when buying a cordless hammer drill?
Most cordless impact drills can work as a normal drill and additionally rotate in a rotary motion. Impact drills have the ability to change attachments so that they work better with different drill bits and materials. This allows you to drill holes in harder materials such as stone, cement, and tile – materials that conventional electric drills cannot penetrate.
When buying should pay attention to the following:
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- The number of blows per minute should be a priority for cordless impact drill buyers. This unit indicates how many times the impact pinion engages the chuck in one minute. An impact drill rated at 20,000 to 30,000 strokes per minute is good for most drilling applications.
- To measure drilling power at the chuck, most manufacturers use the “output watts unit,” or UWO. A drill with 700 UWO can serve most of your purposes.
- All modern power tools are equipped with a lithium-ion battery. Lithium-ion batteries replace nickel-cadmium batteries because they are more efficient and last longer. Choose batteries with a capacity of 3.0 Ah or more.
Which additional devices facilitate the work?
Most of the accessories for the impact drill greatly facilitate the work.
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- The auxiliary handle can be freely rotated.
- On the front of the impact drill is often a small LED light that illuminates the area where the hole is to be drilled. When working in the evening, this light is an indispensable tool.
- Cordless drills with dust extraction have proven to be very effective in keeping your work area clean. This has many advantages: On the one hand, you can clearly see the area you are working on and the marks on it. On the other hand, the dust does not get into your lungs and eyes, where it can be very harmful.
- The use of a depth limiter is recommended to ensure a constant drilling depth. When the drill disappears into the wall, the depth limiter will also hit it after a certain number of centimeters and prevent it from going deeper. All holes at the ends have the same depth, which pays off when installing several of the same anchors.
What do I have to pay attention to with the battery?
The majority of devices are delivered with two batteries and a charger. Nowadays, the batteries have charging capacities of between 1.5 and 5.0-ampere-hours. The following applies: The higher the voltage at the same capacity, the more powerful the device. For example, with the same drill diameter, you can drill more holes in the wall with 1.5-ampere hours and 18 volts than with 2-ampere hours and 12 volts.
Models without batteries and chargers (so-called solo or basic devices) are not wrong if you already own a fully equipped, battery-powered device, such as a cordless drill. However, you have then chosen one manufacturer’s ecosystem and cannot simply switch to another manufacturer, as the different battery systems are not compatible with each other.
Each manufacturer maintains its own battery series. So before buying, pay attention to the device variety of manufacturers and brands and which one is suitable for you because this way you can save money when buying new devices. Very useful is the display of the charging status by means of LEDs, so you can see in time when the battery is running out of juice.
The charging time of the included chargers is usually between a very quick 30 minutes and 3 hours.
A fast charger is great but usually more expensive than a normal fast charger.
Cordless hammer drill vs. impact drill: What are the differences?
It is not possible to make a general statement about whether a cordless hammer drill or an impact drill is the right choice. The decision should be made depending on the area of application. Generally speaking, the cordless hammer drill is more flexible and versatile. Its elongated notches on the shaft, which are characteristic of hammer drills, allow the drill tip to not only rotate. The tip moves forward and back as it drills with impact. It hammers into the material, which allows for versatile applications.
As a result, the amount of force required is lower, and you can work all the more efficiently. The smaller speed and contact pressure reduce noise to a minimum compared to the power and performance of this tool.
The pneumatic percussion mechanism promises less wear and tear than the ratcheting teeth of conventional impact drills. This, in turn, allows for longer life, even with constant use.
Nevertheless, even the cordless hammer drill reaches its limits: For larger surface work, such as removing plaster, you need an impact drill. The hammer drill is also unsuitable for mixing glue or mortar. For working on sandstone, softwood, or plaster walls, the impact drill is also recommended.
In order to exploit the full potential of the hammer drill, you need good accessories: Here you need, above all, different attachments. The “chisel” function, for example, can only be used with a special chisel bit. The percussion drill also has to use separate drill attachments, but with the hammer drill, you simply cannot use many functions and the resulting advantages without the right accessories.
A battery can also naturally run down. Then you either have to recharge and take a break, or you have a replacement battery at hand. Modern rechargeable batteries are so advanced that charging time is kept to a minimum.
The advantages and disadvantages of cordless hammer drills:
Pros:
- flexible availability;
- more efficient work;
- versatile in use – the small all-rounder.
Cons:
- not suitable for working on larger surfaces;
- needs good accessories;
- battery needs to be charged.
Cordless Hammer Drills Price:
Under 200$
- CRAFTSMAN V20 Cordless Hammer Drill Kit
- Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1/2 in Hammer Drill
- RYOBI 18V Cordless 1/2-inch Hammer Drill/Driver Kit
Under 300$
- DEWALT 20V Hammer Drill Kit
The currently most powerful cordless hammer drills:
- DEWALT 20V MAX XR Hammer Drill Kit – 20 Volts;
- CRAFTSMAN V20 Cordless Hammer Drill – 20 Volts.
How to define the limits of a hammer drill?
In a percussion drill, the impact energy is obtained from rotation: With each revolution, the drill bit is pulled back slightly and then “clicks” forward again. The higher speed makes the percussion drill suitable for drilling in metal or wood.
Conclusion
Cordless drills are a great choice for most jobs at home, as they are suitable for most projects. These power tools are easy to use for professionals and homeowners alike. Ideal for universal drilling, which sometimes includes percussive work.
FAQ about the cordless hammer drills
✅ Can I use an impact drill as a regular drill?
All hammer drills can work like regular drills, although they may be unnecessary for most home projects.
✅ Can a cordless drill go through brick?
A cordless impact drill is capable of drilling holes and driving screws through brick, metal, and other hard surfaces.
✅ Can I use a 20-volt battery in an 18-volt tool?
You can use batteries from the same manufacturer in other power tools from the same brand. For example, if you purchased an RYOBI cordless impact drill with 18-volt batteries, you can also use them in an RYOBI circular saw – provided you also need 18-volt batteries.
✅ Is a brushless motor worth the extra money?
There are two types of motors in power tools: Brush motors and brushless motors. Brush motors use a “brush” to transfer power to the coil of the impact drill. The coil attached to the shaft begins to rotate and generates power and torque for the power tool. These electric motors are relatively low-tech. Brushless motors are more high-tech and much more efficient. They use control boards and impact drill sensors to supply electrical current to the coils, which rotates a magnet attached to the shaft. This method delivers more torque while using much less battery power than a brush motor. If you need to drill a lot of holes, it may be worth spending the extra money on a brushless impact drill. Brush motor impact drills get the job done at a lower cost but may take more time.
