

Impact drivers are for driving fasteners, not drilling holes. Photo: As the name suggests, these tools are built for driving but can be used to drill in a pinch.
#Hammer drill vs impact driver driver#
Limit the use of an impact driver to projects where the hole’s size or placement is less critical than the amount of torque to do the job. Furthermore, impact drivers are not suitable for drilling into hard materials like brick or concrete. So, it’s not the tool to use if you need precision. Unlike the compact drill, an impact driver is all or nothing without variable speeds or settings. Is there anything an impact driver cannot do? So, if your project involves a lot of large fasteners, like a deck or pergola, you’ll find an impact driver makes the job a lot easier. Because they automatically add extra rotational force when they encounter resistance-two to three times more torque than a drill-you’ll find using an impact driver is easier on your hand and wrist. Impact drivers handle large screws and bolts more efficiently than the average compact drill. An impact driver offers the most help when using a lot of large bolts and screws. An impact driver is also lighter than the hammer drill, making it easier to handle. You would use an impact driver for long screws or large fasteners when working with wood. Like the cordless drill, an impact driver uses rotational force to drive a screw and saves its bursts of quick power when it feels resistance. You can use hammer drills to drive bolts into concrete, brick, masonry, or heavy metal. This action provides the necessary penetration required to drive the fastener through a hard material as the drill spins debris out of the hole. Hammer drills use a hammering action to exert extra force when needed, as though a hammer was hitting the back of the drill. Pick up the kit on Amazon for ~$150.The main difference between a hammer drill and an impact driver is the type of force used. Like the look of the hammer drill that we used in the photos? It’s the Skil PWRCore 20 brushless hammer drill. Since there’s hardly any weight or size penalty (anymore), we recommend you go ahead and spend a little more to get it. Even though you might not do a lot of concrete drilling, it’s a handy feature to have for the times you do come across it. Most hammer drills only charge a $10–$20 premium over the drill driver model. In some cases, it slows you down and adds a lot of vibration to the experience. The chipping motion doesn’t help drill any faster in those materials. You should never use hammer mode when you’re drilling in wood, metal, plastics, or other materials. In addition to the sound of the bit, there’s a fast buzzing sound from the hammer mechanism working.

You’ll also notice a big difference in sound when you’re drilling in hammer mode. However, when you use larger bits or you have a lot of holes to drill, it makes a big difference. Even on hammer drills with electronic settings, the clutch, modes, and gearbox are still mechanical switches and collars on the head.Ģ seconds may not seem like a big deal. Regardless, the hammer mode is almost always right next to the drill mode. Some models have the mode changes separate from the clutch collar and others keep them all on one collar. When you look at a hammer drill, it has an additional hammer mode you can switch into. Modern drills and hammer drills have clutch settings and drill settings. Looking at the two side-by-side, you might not even be able to tell the difference. In most cases, it adds a small amount to the overall length and a few ounces to the overall weight. To make a hammer drill, most manufacturers start with a drill driver and add a hammer mechanism behind the chuck. Hammer Drill vs Drill: Physical Differences You may also want to check out our articles on hammer drills vs impact drivers and rotary hammers vs hammer drills for even more information. For an extra $10–$20, you get some 25% faster drilling in concrete based on our tests. 10-Second SummaryA hammer drill adds a mechanism to give the drill a chipping motion while drilling and adds very little weight and length.
