Gregg wrote in, asking for advice in selecting a 12V cordless hammer drill:
I have been recently reading a lot on your website. I am looking to purchase a 12v hammer drill/driver for med use. Most of the holes drilled in masonry will be 1/4″ or smaller. The rest would be wood, drywall, fiberboard or thin SS with a step bit. Would you have any recommendations? I have been looking at the Milwaukee, Bosch. Ridgid and Dewalt. Thank You!
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To my knowledge, Dewalt does not offer a 12V hammer drill, and I don’t think Ridgid does either. I would generally recommend Bosch’s 12V PS130 and Milwaukee’s three M12 hammer drills equally, but gave some thought about which one would be best.
12V Hammer Drill Options:
Bosch 12V PS130, $139
Milwaukee M12 Fuel Brushless 2404, $189
Milwaukee M12 2408 (New Version), $149
Milwaukee M12 2411 (Original/Older Version), $149
(Prices are for the 2-battery kits.)
Between the Bosch and Milwaukee 12V hammer drills, you’re going to see comparable performance. I tested both a while back (although I don’t think I shared the results in a review), and the difference in power between the two was very slight.
Milwaukee offers brushed and brushless motor M12 hammer drills, so the decision between Bosch and Milwaukee depends on whether you want maximum runtime at premium pricing.
If you opt for Milwaukee, make sure you get the 2408-22 and not the 2411-22 kit (or bare tool models). The 2408 is the newer one. Both should be comparable in performance, but at the same price (~$149 for the 2-battery kit), you’ll want the newer model. Both bare tools are priced at around $89.
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From what I can tell, Milwaukee’s newest M12 drills and drivers are similarly spec’d to the models they replace, but the ergonomics have been ever so slightly tweaked and improved. At the same price, why buy the older design over the updated model?
(It is also likely that Milwaukee updated their brushed motor drills and drivers so as to share production elements with the Fuel brushless tools. This could help reduce manufacturing costs in the long run, and also allows for the ergonomics R&D of the Fuel line to benefit the brushed motor tools as well.)
The Bosch PS130 bare tool and kit are about the same price as well.
Any of the 3 models (M12 2408, M12 2411, PS130) will serve you well. If you’re not yet invested in either brands’ 12V system, think about which other tools you *might* want to buy in the next year.
The M12 Fuel hammer drill kit is priced a little higher at $189, but comes with (1) compact battery and (1) high capacity battery. So for the extra $40 compared to the non-brushless model, you get more powerful and more efficient motor, a 1/2″ chuck, and a higher capacity battery.
What would I pick? Milwaukee’s M12 2408, as I really like some of the other offerings in Milwaukee’s M12 lineup. If I needed to drill a lot of holes in masonry products on a regular basis, rather than only occasionally, I would instead invest in a non-hammer brushless drill/driver and Milwaukee’s M12 rotary hammer. Home Depot currently has a special version of this kit that comes with a free bonus 3rd battery.
The 2408 might not be the best, but I feel it’s the best pick given Gregg’s criteria.
Buy Now:
M12 Special Buy(via Home Depot)
Bosch (via Amazon)
Milwaukee M12 Fuel (via Home Depot)
Milwaukee M12 (Newer) (via Home Depot)
Milwaukee M12 (Older) (via Home Depot)
If anyone disagrees (or agrees) with my recommendation, please chime in!
Javier
Stuart I completely agree with your recommendations. I have the older brushed m12 hammer drill and it’s a mini beast of a drill.
As much as I like Bosch I have a hard time recommending it because of the smaller lineup and the drills have plastic chucks unless someone doesn’t need the trade specific tools they would be OK with Bosch. But Bosch is catching up quickly in the 12v category so selection might not even be an issue in a few years.
Marco
I own the 2407 and I think its the best bang for your buck taking into account that the fuel m12 is good but not worth the extra money for just a little more power, etc.
Federico Sevilla
I got the m12 impact and driver I do CCTV , network and home theater installs and am really happy with them had them for about 4 months and are my go to drivers when doing installs really light and since I only payed 99 for both this are great the only down side is that they have no hooks for hanging in my belt but found a great option for this is the pro fit carry system great but a little expensive compared to the tool cost but really worth it.
Dennis
I invested in the M12 fuel, 1) because I already am knee deep in the M12 platform, & 2) because every review I’ve read basically spoke of it as if it were sent directly from the gods of hole drilling & fastner driving. The 1/2″ chuck also differentiated it from the other 12v models as far as I’m aware. Anyway, I’ve used it extensively and must admit that it’s about as impressive as all have claimed. Here’s the thing though. I have a problem with always wanting the best, newest, shiniest tool on the market, wether I actually need the “best” or not. The brushless does have longer runtime and the claim of a much longer tool life. However long the tool life is doesn’t really apply to me because in another year or so something better, & shinier will be on the market, and then I’ll have to have that one. I always get permission from my wife of course before any new tool purchase (or else we’d be broke and homeless) Lol! So, are you going to get the best that’s always on the market, or are you going to save the money and only get what you need at the time? M12 fuel is the best on every front, however I’m sure it’s also the most expensive. Good luck making up your mind, and also remember, it’s not just a tool, it’s an outward expression of the kind of person you are. What you value most. I can go on even deeper into how much you can tell about a person by the tools they own and how well they take care of them, but I’m sure there’s another more appropriate forum dedicted to that somewhere, so I’ll spare you the rest… 🙂
Logan J
I have the fuel Milwaukee. Its awesome. Not to mention a half inch chuck.
firefly
As far as hammer drill go, personally I wouldn’t settle for anything less than a rotary hammer drill. I had the Dewalt Premium Hammer drill and I wasn’t impress. A regular hammer drill might be okay for a couple hole here and there but it quickly turn into a tedious chore after that.
truckdriver
I had the last gen m12 drill and used it to drill several 1/2 holes in the frame of my semi using 3/8 shank bits. My 18v Makita batteries wouldn’t charge anymore so I gave it a shot. Worked like a champ. Also used it with a 2 1/2 hole saw without any problems. Since then I gave it to my dad who is a cabinet maker because his old nicad 18v while still in great shape, was just too heavy to use while hanging cabinets. He loves it.
Robert
Firefly,
If you’re in the business of serious masonry drilling or similarly demanding tasks, I couldn’t agree with you more. There is no substitute for a good rotary hammer. If I was looking for one, I would look no further than Bosch. There are other good ones these days, but Bosch and rotary hammers go hand in hand.
That said, you’re comparing apples to oranges. A 12 volt cordless drill like this isn’t even close to the class of tool that you’re referring to. Not to play down the effectiveness of this tool. It would be crazy however to expect this tool to be suited for tasks that would otherwise call for a rotary hammer.
For incidental random and smaller bit applications, this would be an effective and convenient item to have. For the right applications, I’d love it. If I had any serious larger bore hammer drilling to do though, I wouldn’t waste my time with anything but a good rotary hammer either.