Hammer drills aren’t as popular as other tools you’ll find in a workshop.

However, they can be incredibly useful for creating holes and driving screws into brick, wood, metal, stone, and other hard materials.

These tools are typically heftier in size and have multiple control adjustments. They are also heavy duty and feature a separate auxiliary handle.

In this article, I will recommend and review my favorite hammer drills on the market.

I’ll also mention some important for features you should consider before choosing a drill.

Best Cordless Drill

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The 20V Dewalt Hammer Drill offers superior transmission for quick application speeds. It also comes with a brushless motor that provides 57% longer run time.

This unit is ideal for quick drilling into masonry materials and features an LED light that has 3 illumination settings, including a spotlight mode.

The drill can be powered with a premium quality 5A lithium-ion battery, which is sold separately.

The maximum initial battery voltage is 20V without a load and the nominal voltage is 18V.

What customers are saying

This drill received fantastic reviews. Customers were most happy with its fast operation, long run time, and efficiency. They also said it is ideal for drilling concrete.

However, some customers complained that their drill stopped working after a few uses.

Best Corded Drill

SKIL 7.5-Amp 1/2-Inch Corded Hammer Drill

This hammer drill can tackle tough jobs easily with a two finger variable speed feature that delivers 0-3000 RPM. The lock-on feature is convenient for advanced control during drilling or driving tasks.

The unit delivers 48000 BPM for heavy duty applications and features a ½” keyed chuck that’s compatible with large diameter drill bits, generally used for cutting and woodworking.

Its specially designed handle also ensures regulated and efficient drilling for all tasks.

What customers are saying

Customers were incredibly satisfied with their purchase, saying that the unit works well, has decent power, and provides great value for money.

Still, some customers complained that the drill does not have enough power for heavy duty tasks.

Best Heavy Duty Drill

Porter-Cable 20V MAX Hammer Drill

This Porter-Cable MAX Drill packs a powerful punch with 27200 BPM, it is ideal for managing even the most robust jobs. The drill is actually perfect for both small and large applications.

It features a ½” ratcheting chuck for decreased bit slippage and comes with 23 chuck options.

You can check how much charge is left on the battery with its convenient battery gauge, and the LED light offers ample lighting for your work area.

This drill received excellent reviews with customers saying that it is powerful, easy to operate, and lightweight enough to use for long periods.

Best Hammer Drill Kit

Makita 18V LXT BL Hammer Drill Kit

The ½” Makita Cordless Hammer Drill Kit is perfect for heavy duty applications. It is powered with a BL brushless motor that provides longer run time, boosted speed and power, plus durability.

This tool is made to effortlessly handle even the harshest worksite conditions and toughest of jobs.

The battery only needs 40 minutes to charge and offers a longer run time per charge. Additionally, the 4A lithium battery features a built-in LED battery charge level indication for MB kits.

What customers are saying

Customers love this drill and commended its impressive power, torque, and run time per battery charge. They also said that the quality is excellent and it is ideal for heavy duty drilling tasks.

Still, a few customers complained that the unit stopped working and the chuck was defective.

Best Cheap Hammer Drill

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The Meterk 7A Corded Hammer Drill comes with a copper motor for powerful performance, easy operation, and overload protection when drilling or chipping into masonry, steel, concrete, or wood.

The unit also features a variable speed of 0-3000 RPM, and you can easily switch between regular drilling and hammer drilling with its dual mode switch.

The adjustable side handle and lock-on switch is perfect for lowering user fatigue. The forward and reverse switch makes tightening and loosening screws a walk in the park.

What customers are saying

This drill received decent reviews with most customers loving the extra handle, variable speed, powerful performance, and durable build.

Still, some customers complained that the drill is only suitable for light duty and not heavy duty jobs. Other customers had units that started smoking and almost caught on fire.

Other Recommended Drills

Milwaukee 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Hammer Drill

The Milwaukee Cordless Hammer Drill comes with a tough design and unique earth magnets that offer prolonged life and a torque of 0-450 RPM and 0-1800 RPM.

The ratcheting chuck with 1 sleeve is made with metal for increased grip strength as well as less slippage.

The unit provides 525 in. lbs of torque and includes an LED light to illuminate your work surface in dim lit areas.

Dewalt Flexvolt 60V MAX Cordless Drill Combo Kit

The Dewalt Drill Combo Kit comes with a brushless premium hammer drill as well as an impact combo kit with Flexvolt technology that changes voltage automatically when swapping out tools.

The battery is supported with 20V MAX tools for up to 4 times longer run time. The drill has 3 speed settings with a variable speed of 0-2000 RPM

The metal transmission is brilliant for quick application speeds and boosted run time when drilling into masonry materials.

The drill can be used in tight areas with its conveniently compact size and lightweight construction. This combo comes with various features, including a contractor bag.

Craftsman V20 Cordless Hammer Drill Kit

The Craftsman Hammer Drill Kit features a superior performance motor that delivers 280W power for heavy duty tasks.

The ½” ratcheting chuck is ideal for bit retention, and drilling into brick or concrete is no problem with its 5500 BPMs.

The dual speed gearbox offers 2 variable speed settings and the 20V lithium batteries ensure longer runtime and maximum performance.

The battery charger charges the battery within 60 minutes for boosted productivity.

Dewalt Flexvolt Advantage 20V MAX Hammer Drill

The Dewalt 20V Hammer Drill offers up to 42% more powerful performance when used with the Flexvolt brand batteries.

It is perfect for heavy duty applications with its ratcheting nitro-carburized metal chuck and advanced bit grip carbide inserts.

Working in tight or dark spaces is no problem with the bright LED light that has 3 settings.

Ryobi One+ 18V Lithium Ion Cordless Hammer Drill

This Ryobi Cordless Hammer Drill with an 18V superior capacity battery is suitable for various driving and drilling tasks and cutting into masonry, wood, plastic, and thin metals.

The clutch features 24 positions and 3 speed options. The side handle offers enhanced control while hammer drilling and can be attached on either side for convenience.

The magnetic bit holder is convenient for storing drill heads and screws for quicker job changes.

This drill has everything you’d want in a drill as far as performance and convenience are concerned.

Metabo HPT 8V Cordless Hammer Drill

The Metabo 8V Cordless Hammer Drill is perfect for tackling various jobs with its power output of 620 in-lbs. The keyless all metal chuck allows for a firm bit grip and enables easy bit swop outs.

The unit features 24 clutch settings which make it incredibly versatile for numerous tasks.

The onboard battery gauge displays its remaining power, and the LED light is great for working in dark or tight spaces. All in all, a great buy.

What They’re Used For

A hammer drill is essentially a regular drill and a driver rolled into one. The drill usually operates in three modes, drilling, hammer drilling, and screw driving.

Each mode represents a specific purpose which is triggered by turning the drill’s drive mode switch.

Features To Consider

Cordless vs corded

Hammer drills typically feature a choice of two power sources: heavy duty corded or a rechargeable battery.

Corded units offer continuous power and usually pack more power than their cordless counterparts. They are suitable for long workdays onsite and prolonged use.

Cordless hammer drills work until the battery needs recharging but are typically more lightweight and easy to maneuver than corded hammer drills.

DIYers find the cordless drills more useful due to their versatile usage and portability.

Variable speed

Various applications usually necessitate a drill that runs at both slower and faster speeds for boosted penetration and accuracy, with less damage inflicted on the unit itself.

An excellent hammer drill features variable speed functionality with a speed dial or a trigger.

Hammer settings

This setting is typically marked with a hammer symbol and uses a pulsating movement that is useful for driving masonry bits into hard materials like brick, stone, and concrete.

Apart from the hammering action, the drill also maintains rotating functions to punch and drill through hard surfaces. It’s like a jackhammer, but not as powerful.

Drill mode

You can usually switch between normal drilling and hammer drilling with most hammer drills. This is called “drill mode” which comes with a variable speed of three options.

Alternatively, depending on your model, the symbol could also depict a drill bit. The drill mode offers a more regulated torque, perfect for drilling holes into softer materials such as plastic or wood.

Drive mode

There are some standard drills or hammer drills that come with a drive mode setting, the main purpose of this setting is to drive or remove screws.

Making use of drive mode reduces the pounding force of hammer mode and uses the torque changing setting instead for accurate work such as driving screws.

The drive mode setting will often have a symbol resembling a screw.