Hammer Drills vs Impact Drivers | What's the Difference

Posted: July 30, 2021

Drills are among the most common power tools used in DIY and professional construction. They vary in speed, power and size, and are primarily used to drill holes in a solid surface or drive in fasteners. As widely available as they are, however, there's often a bit of confusion about what each type of drill does and which one best suits a particular task. For many consumers, knowing the difference is key to making an informed buying decision, especially for long-term use.

Standard Drills

Each drill type performs a unique motion to get its job done. Out of all the types, hand drills, or drill drivers, serve the simplest function - enable the user to drive in screws without the added effort of manually applying a rotating force. They have interchangeable bits and are powered from either a battery or an AC power plug. Typically, most recent models have a clutch to allow users to adjust the drill's force - or its torque setting - according to the material being drilled. This helps avoid errors such as sinking a screw in too deeply or breaking a screw head.

Hammer Drills

Most consumers can probably deduce the core function of a hammer drill just from its name. For the most part, hammer drills function the same way drills do, but they apply an additional pounding motion in rapid succession as the drill bit rotates into the surface. This rapid thrusting force is needed for drilling into hard and dense surfaces such as concrete, stone or masonry, but is impractical for use on wood, plastic or metal.

Most current models have this hammering action as a feature that can be turned off.

Impact Drivers

Impact drivers work mostly in the same way as standard drills except for a few key differences: (a) they have a quick-release chuck that can only accept 1/4in hex driver bits, (b) they deliver bursts of torque in quick succession, whereas standard drills maintain a constant turning motion, (c) they are more compact and more stable to operate to keep the driver bit engaged with the screw head. For professionals working on tasks that involve repetitive screwdriving or nut-setting, impact drivers are preferred because of their higher torque that eliminates the need for the user to manually apply a forward pushing force.

Brushless Motors

Nonprofit organization Consumer Reports finds that cordless drills with brushless motors now make up 30 to 50 percent of the cordless drill market, and for a good reason - they can deliver more torque while using less power. Brushless motors make it possible for the drill to automatically adjust its torque upon contact with the surface and use only enoughpower for the job. Among other benefits, brushless motors also make for a drill with a smaller and lighter form factor, which is a must for mobility.

Sourcing of Drills

Power drills are a standard tool in construction, automotive repair, woodwork, fabrication and many other activities. Drills like magnet drill, drill for ground, drilling machine for nails,electric hand drill, and hand drill machine are literally helpful and effective for ever-increasing DIY - fanatic consumers. They are indispensable for professionals and DIYers, who look for the latest models that the market has to offer.

Here are some of our top picks, all available through Global Sources, have a quick look and find out the most profitable one!

Keyless chuck

Guizhou GangZhiyi Commercial Trade Co. Ltd offers the GZY-8610, a 10.8V cordless drill with a 10mm keyless chuck. It has two gear speed adjustments, 0 to 400rpm and 0 to 1,450rpm with no load with both forward and reverse modes. Torque setting is 18+1 and maximum torque 25Nm.

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3/4in square drive

The UI-1307B-0222 manufactured by Hangzhou Santiway International Co. Ltd is a pneumatic impact driver with a 3/4in square drive and a 3.8in air inlet. Its free speed reaches 4,200rpm and maximum torque is 1,600Nm or 1,180ft·lb. Average air consumption is 6cfm, air pressure is 6.3 bars or 90psi.

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4,300bpm

Ningbo Vertak Mechanical & Electronic Co. Ltd's HX Pro is a hammer drill with a rating of 230V, 50Hz and rated input power of 1,050W. With a no-load speed of 1,200rpm, maximum impact rate of 4,300bpm and impact force of 4.5J, it can drill up to 13mm deep through steel, 26mm through concrete and 42mm through wood. This tool has a 2.2m H07RN-F VDE cord with a VDE plug.

Bundled accessories include an auxiliary handle, 14x250mm point chisel, 14x250mm flat chisel, 8x150mm, 10x150mm and 12x150mm drill bits, two carbon brushes, dust cover, depth gauge, grease lube, wrench and drill chuck.

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1.7J force

The CQ-90062-1441 from Hunan Chaoquan Industrial Co. Ltd is a 20V cordless hammer drill with a no-load speed of 0 to 4,500rpm, impact frequency of 0 to 4,500bpm and hammering force of 1.7J. Power source can be a 4,000, 6,000 or 8,000mAh lithium battery. Drilling depth is 13mm in steel, 22mm in concrete and 40mm in wood. This tool can also be used as a screwdriver.

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16 to 33Nm

Bundled with two rechargeable batteries, the BHP-PT-002 from BeHappy (Suzhou) Crafts Co. Ltd is a 220V hand drill with an output power of 1,500W. Its 10mm chuck rotates at 0 to 250rpm or 0 to 1,350rpm. Torque is 16 to 33Nm. Custom colors are available.

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LED light indicator

Hunan Chaoquan Industrial Co. Ltd manufactures the CQ-60028-03, a cordless hand drill equipped with a brushless motor that spins the chuck at a no-load speed of 0 to 450rpm or 0 to 1,900rpm. The maximum clamp size is 13mm and drill depths through wood and steel are 13 and 25mm. Battery options are 1,300, 1,500 and 2,000mAh, all of which can be fully charged in 30 minutes. A built-in LED light helps with positioning the bit in poor light.

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