ok, so looking to get a rotary hammer drill. SDS / chuck, I don’t care, can kinda go either way with corded/cordless - would prefer the latter, but well aware you lose balls with a battery.
I’ve been eyeing off the Ryobi HP brushless SDS (RSDS18X) but I think it’s mostly the shiny factor and the fact we’re already in the ecosystem - which I can happily toss in a bin if something better and cheaper comes along. It is the upper limit of the budget though, so call that a benchmark. Yes I will be shopping at the big green shed.
I already have two standard drills, an impact driver and a hammer drill, so as you can imagine the rotary will be used for situations where I am Done Asking Politely (and I have a lot of concrete I shall be negotiating with)
REC ME O WISE ONES
Tradies buy the Ozito corded SDS rotary hammer all the time as it’s powerful enough to do the job, and cheap enough to replace when they need to. It’s rated at 5J of energy output. Currently $99.98 - Link
The Ryobi HP brushless cordless (RSDS18X) is only 2.5J, half the energy output of the corded Ozito, and costs three times the price at $299. Definitely not worth it unless you really, really need cordless. Link
Ozito stuff tends to be amazingly solid for the price I’ve found - my current hammer drill is an ozito and that thing has been abused over the past 15 years
If you’re looking for something that’s a step up from the impact and hammer you already have, consider something mains powered. That ozito posted will get it done.
Ryobi is not great stuff, total pass except for a few things like lights. If you don’t use tools for a living, Ryobi is an option.
Bosch, Milwaukee, or DeWalt if you are going to use the tool often. I would look at their other tool offerings, if you go cordless, and let the other tools you can use the same battery for decide what brand to go with.
Corded is nice because you can use the tool for nearly an infinite amount of time and the tool is cheaper once you factor batteries in. Corded sucks when you don’t have on-site power or you need to run a fucklong cord to get to what you are doing.
I am a Milwaukee guy and have used their M12, M18, and SDS plus corded for many hours and the only one that let me down was a corded one that decided to jump off a scaffolding and fell 30ft onto concrete. I don’t blame it for wanting it end it, it had a hard life of abuse.
