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Combi drill vs SDS drill

Updated: 23 October 2026

You are about to drill a wall, both tools are sold as hammer drills, and the labels do not say which hammer you mean. A combi drill vs SDS drill choice is a choice of mechanism, not of brand. One tool spins a round bit in a keyless chuck and rattles it. The other strikes a splined bit with a piston. The hole and the material pick the class. This page does not rank the eleven combis on the [combi drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/combi-drill), and it does not name a rotary hammer to buy. None of these listings states a joule rating. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are about to drill a wall, both tools are sold as hammer drills, and the labels do not say which hammer you mean. A combi drill vs SDS drill choice is a choice of mechanism, not of brand.

Our top picks

Ryobi Ryobi R18PD3 ONE+ starter kit

Best overall

Ryobi Ryobi R18PD3 ONE+ starter kit
8.6/10about £97.80
View offer
Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40 (2 x 2.0 Ah)

Alternative

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40 (2 x 2.0 Ah)
7.6/10about £75.23
View offer
Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/44 Li-I

Best value

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/44 Li-I
7.9/10about £44
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Two ways of hammering
  2. 2.What you can keep on a combi
  3. 3.What is the other tool
  4. 4.Bits, adapters and the tool you already own

Two ways of hammering

A combi drill is a drill-driver with percussion added: a slipping clutch, two gears on a typical kit, and a three-jaw chuck on a round shank. In hammer mode, ratchet plates bump the bit as it spins. It helps a sharp masonry bit in ordinary brick and block, then drives a hinge screw on the same body. An SDS Plus drill uses a splined bit that slides while a piston hits the back of it. SDS Max is a larger shank. A drill-driver has the clutch and no hammer. An impact driver is a different machine when a listing field says impact driver on a combi. No model in this amazon.co.uk set is an SDS tool. BS EN 62841-2-1, for hand-held drills and impact drills, is a different document from IEC 62841-2-6 for rotary hammers. A round shank belongs in the combi. A slotted SDS shank does not.

What you can keep on a combi

Keep the combi for screws plus a small plug in ordinary brick or block. UK retailer wording puts small plugs on a combi, and sends engineering brick, lintels and larger holes the other way. Maker UK's split, about 5–8 mm on a combi and past about 8 mm on an SDS, is that retailer's rule of thumb, not a guarantee for your brick. A 6 mm plug in the face of a common brick still belongs here. Dust and the depth mark are on the combi drill for brick page. A seller's 74 Nm claim does not turn a keyless chuck into a piston. The clutch is why the combi still drives the cabinet screws.
Ryobi Ryobi R18PD3 ONE+ starter kit

Testsieger

Ryobi Ryobi R18PD3 ONE+ starter kit
8.6/10about £97.80
View offer

What is the other tool

Change class for concrete, engineering brick, stone, a stalled bit, a wide hole, chasing, coring and chiselling. Toolstation calls the combi the all-rounder that falls short on really hard concrete, and the SDS the piston tool that needs SDS bits and can chisel. Screwfix says masonry shelves can be a combi, and that chiselling and breaking are SDS. A sharp bit, hammer selected, and a polished dimple means stop. Pushing harder overheats the bit and the motor. These listings state no decibels and no vibration magnitude, and this page will not borrow a joule figure for these ASINs.

Bits, adapters and the tool you already own

SDS bits do not belong in a keyless chuck for hammer work. The shank is meant to slide and be struck. An adapter chuck is a poor idea for hammering, and this page will not give a procedure for using one. Round-shank masonry bits belong in the combi. The clutch is what seats a screw. A 6 mm plug in ordinary brick does not require an SDS drill this weekend. Set the collar the way how to use a combi drill describes, and stop if nothing moves. Flat-pack on a rotary hammer is the wrong body for the screws. The material in front of you picks the class.

Common questions

What is the difference between a combi drill and an SDS drill?
A combi clamps a round shank and adds shallow percussion from ratchet plates. An SDS Plus drill strikes a splined bit with a piston, and the bit slides. The combi has a clutch for screws. The SDS tool is built for masonry, including chiselling. Titles call both of them hammer drills.
Can I drill concrete with a combi?
Do not plan on it. Retailer guides send really hard concrete to an SDS drill. A combi may mark a soft spot and then stall. A higher newton-metre claim on a combi listing does not add a piston. If the wall is concrete, hire or buy the other tool before a row of holes.
Do SDS bits fit a combi chuck?
They are the wrong bit for hammer work in a three-jaw chuck. The SDS shank is meant to slide and be struck. Adapter chucks are a poor idea for hammering, and this page does not describe how to use one. Buy a straight-shank masonry bit, or use an SDS drill with SDS bits.
Can a combi drill chisel or chase a wall?
No. A combi has no chisel-only mode. Chasing a channel, lifting tiles, breaking out a small area and core drilling are SDS jobs. The hammer symbol still spins a drill bit. A slot for a cable is a different task from a plug hole.
I already need screws and one shelf. Do I still buy an SDS?
Not for that afternoon. Screws need a clutch, which a typical SDS drill does not replace. One shelf on ordinary brick is a plug hole a combi with hammer mode can do. Buy or hire an SDS drill when a later hole is concrete, engineering brick, wide, or stalled.
When should I stop and change tool?
Stop when the masonry bit stalls and heats, when the wall is concrete or engineering brick, or when the work is chasing, coring or chiselling. Also stop if you cannot avoid a cable or a pipe. More pressure on a combi that has stopped cutting is the mistake. The other tool is the fix.

Related pages

Combi drill buying guide

Combi drill

Best cordless combi drill for home shelves and plugs

How to drill into brick with a combi drill at home

How to use a combi drill: clutch, gear and hammer

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest for this comparison, retrieved 22 October 2026. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in the stored listings.

  1. HSE, vibration duties (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. HSE INDG175, hand-arm vibration (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. HSE CN3, silica from drilling masonry (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. GOV.UK, Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008: Great Britain (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. BSI, BS EN 62841-2-1, hand-held drills and impact drills (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK, accepting returns and giving refunds (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. ToolStore UK, combi drill torque bands (retailer guide) (retrieved 22 October 2026)