Rockwell’s New 12-Volt H3 Rotary Hammer Drill

Rockwell’s new 12-volt H3 is a cordless rotary hammer drill with an SDS Plus quick chuck. Somehow, Rockwell managed to pack quite a bit of power into a compact and lightweight tool.

The drill’s 3-in-1 quick change chuck can be used to equip the tool as a rotary hammer drill, conventional 3-jaw drill, or power screwdriver.

Specifications

Rotary hammer impact rate: 0-4800 BPM
Drilling mode: no-load speed 0-900 RPM
Dial switch for switching hammer mode on and off (looks like it would be easy to toggle with gloves on)
Drilling capacity: 3/8″ in wood and concrete, 5/16″ in steel
Runtime: up to 15 1/4″ holes in 4800 psi concrete per charge
Charging time: 75% in 15 minutes, 100% in 30 minutes

Rockwell’s LithiumTech 12V charger also features a built-in USB recharging port for charging compatible devices.

While 15 1/4″ holes doesn’t seem like a lot of holes per charge, we think it’s actually rather impressive given the tool’s size. As far as we are aware, there is only one other 12V cordless rotary hammer on the market, a heavier duty Panasonic model.

The H3 12V 3-function hammer drill (#Rk2513K2) is expected to be priced at $180, and is due to hit the shelves at local retailers and hardware stores this spring along with the new cordless SoniCrafter.