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How to use a Bosch combi drill

Updated: 22 October 2026

A stripped screw, or a masonry bit that smells hot after ten seconds in brick, usually means the collar was on the wrong symbol. Set the collar and the gear before you pull the trigger, keep the hammer symbol for masonry bits only, and put hearing protection on as soon as that symbol is selected. The six models on the [Bosch professional cordless combi drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/bosch-professional-cordless-combi-drill) share that collar logic. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. If the carton is still closed, start on the [buying guide](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/bosch-professional-cordless-combi-drill/sub/bosch-professional-cordless-combi-drill-buying-guide).

A stripped screw, or a masonry bit that smells hot after ten seconds in brick, usually means the collar was on the wrong symbol.

Our top picks

Bosch Professional Bosch GSB 18V-110 C in L-BOXX

Best overall

Bosch Professional Bosch GSB 18V-110 C in L-BOXX
9.4/10about £186.00
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Bosch Professional Bosch GSB 18V-65 body in an L-BOXX

Best value

Bosch Professional Bosch GSB 18V-65 body in an L-BOXX
8.4/10about £84.99
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Bosch Professional Bosch GSB 18V-25 kit with two 4.0Ah batteries

Alternative

Bosch Professional Bosch GSB 18V-25 kit with two 4.0Ah batteries
8.5/10about £149.99
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On this page
  1. 1.Three positions on the collar
  2. 2.Gear, handle and KickBack
  3. 3.Noise, vibration and hidden cables
  4. 4.When to stop and send it back

Three positions on the collar

Numbered steps are the clutch. Start low, and raise the number only if it clicks before the screw is home. A high start costs you the head of the screw. The drill symbol locks the clutch out, for timber or metal. Leave a screw on that symbol and the drill keeps turning after the head seats. The hammer symbol is for a masonry bit. Hammer mode in timber burns the bit. Change nothing while the chuck is spinning. For a 4 × 40 mm screw in softwood: a low number, gear 1, a short driver bit. If the clutch clicks early, go up one number.

Gear, handle and KickBack

Gear 1 is the slow, higher-torque range: screws, large bits and the start of a hole saw. Gear 2 is for smaller bits once the hole has started. The GSB 18V-25 listing prints three speeds. Shift only when the chuck has stopped. On the 110 C, fit the auxiliary handle. The tool can twist, and Bosch lists it around 1.9 kg before a battery. Weight is the 12 V or 18 V page. KickBack Control is a cut-out. On the 65 it can trip on a sharp movement, and it helps when a hole saw grabs. Concrete is where the SDS page sends the combi back in the case. If the bit binds, let go of the trigger first.
Bosch Professional Bosch GSB 18V-110 C in L-BOXX

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Bosch Professional Bosch GSB 18V-110 C in L-BOXX
9.4/10about £186.00
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Noise, vibration and hidden cables

Wear ear protection as soon as you select the hammer symbol. The GSB 18V-25 manual states 86 dB(A), uncertainty K of 5 dB, for impact drilling. If you employ people, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 set action values at 80 dB and 85 dB and a limit of 87 dB. Vibration duties use 2.5 m/s² and 5 m/s². Bosch declares about 15.5 m/s² on the 110 C and about 12.8 m/s² in concrete on the 18V-25. If you do not know what is behind the mark, stop and use a detector.

When to stop and send it back

On the cardboard GSB 18V-110 C, UK reviews describe a crunchy chuck and a chuck that jammed shut after two days. That is a return. The L-BOXX listing does not carry that cluster. Do not hammer the jaws with the pack fitted. On the 12 V set, one returned drill showed about 0.75 mm of chuck run-out, and a supplied charger did not work. The listing prints a 24-month warranty line. Hand the job over when you cannot identify a cable or pipe, when the fixing is structural, or when the drill runs on after you release the trigger.

Common questions

Which collar position is for screws?
Use the numbered clutch, starting low, and raise the number only if it clicks before the screw is home. The drill symbol keeps turning after the head seats. The hammer symbol is for masonry bits. In gear 1, a short bit and a low number seats a 4 × 40 mm screw in softwood.
When do I use gear 1?
Use gear 1 for screws, large bits and the start of a hole saw. It is the slower, higher-torque range. Gear 2 is for smaller bits once the hole has started. Shift only when the chuck has stopped. The 18V-25 listing prints three speeds.
Can I hammer-drill wood?
No. The hammer symbol is for a masonry bit in brick or block, inside the diameter Bosch states for that model. A wood bit on the hammer symbol burns and tears the timber. For a hole in wood, use the drill symbol, a wood bit, and gear 1 if the bit is large.
Do I need ear defenders for a few plug holes?
Yes, once the hammer symbol is selected. The GSB 18V-25 manual tells you to wear ear protectors for impact drilling and quotes 86 dB(A). A householder is not the employer under those rules. Put the defenders on for the first hole.
What is KickBack Control doing when the tool stops?
It is cutting the drive because it has sensed a sudden twist. On the 65, UK reviews say that happens on a sharp movement when the feature is left on, and that it is useful when a hole saw grabs. Check the switch before you change the battery. It does not make a combi into a tool for a concrete lintel.
The chuck will not let the bit go. What now?
Stop. Do not keep the trigger pulled, and do not force the jaws while the pack is fitted. On the cardboard 110 C, UK reviews describe a chuck that jammed shut. That is a return. Remove the battery and use the warranty path.
Why will my old green battery not click in?
Green POWER FOR ALL packs are a different mount from blue Professional 18 V, and 12 V Professional packs are a third mount. A UK buyer returned the GSB 18V-25 for that mismatch. The drill is not broken. You need a pack from the family printed on the tool, seated until the slide locks.

Related pages

Best Bosch Professional cordless combi drill

Bosch professional cordless combi drill

Bosch Professional 12V or 18V cordless combi drill

Bosch Professional cordless combi drill buying guide

Bosch combi drill vs SDS for brick, block and lintels

Sources

Public UK and manufacturer sources, last checked on 19 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures for this set.

  1. Bosch Professional GB: GSB 18V-110 C (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. Bosch Professional GB: GSB 18V-65 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. Bosch Professional: GSB 18V-25 manual (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Bosch Professional GB: GSB 12V-15 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. AMPShare UK (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. HSE RR1182: noise and vibration of power tools (retrieved 19 October 2026)