Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

DeWalt combi drill for brick

Updated: 2026-10-23

You need a few plug holes in a brick wall, and only some of these yellow DeWalt drills have a hammer mark. A higher Newton-metre figure will not drill concrete on its own. The limits come from a UK drill guide, DeWalt manuals that publish a masonry line, and the amazon.co.uk reviews in this set, read on 20 October 2026. We did not bore a test wall. Prices and kit contents are on the [DeWalt cordless drill driver comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/de-walt-cordless-drill-driver). A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You need a few plug holes in a brick wall, and only some of these yellow DeWalt drills have a hammer mark. A higher Newton-metre figure will not drill concrete on its own.

Our top picks

DeWalt DeWalt DCD796P1, 1 x 5.0 Ah

Best overall

DeWalt DeWalt DCD796P1, 1 x 5.0 Ah
9.4/10about £119.98
DeWalt DeWalt DCD776 body only

Best value

DeWalt DeWalt DCD776 body only
9.2/10about £54.50
On this page

Hammer on a combi is not an SDS

A combi hammer is a light blow behind a masonry bit, enough for an occasional 6 mm or 7 mm hole in soft brick. UK guides send concrete lintels and engineering brick to an SDS. Hammer with a masonry bit. A wood bit wastes the tip, and a screwdriver bit rounds the screw. If the hole stops moving, stop. The bit is polishing. Pushing harder is how combi bits glaze. A plug hole in an occupied room still throws grit. Eye protection is the sensible minimum. If you are drilling as paid work, follow the site rules and Health and Safety Executive guidance. Stop and get an SDS when the fixing is structural or the material is not ordinary brick.

Listings in this set that state hammer

The DCD776 highlight states hammer action, at about £54.50 body only, 42 Nm, with 4.6 from 417 reviews. You still need your own 18 V XR battery. The DCD799 title, the GG107 bullets and the DCD795 title also state a hammer or a combi. The DCD796 states a hammer drill, 70 Nm and one 5.0 Ah pack, at about £119.98 with 4.7 from 1,243 reviews. That is the top pick when you want a battery in the description. The DCD709N-XJ sits beside that list. The bullets do not spell hammer, and the drill-type cell says Impact Driver. DeWalt's manual gives the DCD709 13 mm in masonry. Reviews say brick and block, not concrete, at about £71.47 body only.
DeWalt DeWalt DCD796P1, 1 x 5.0 Ah

Testsieger

DeWalt DeWalt DCD796P1, 1 x 5.0 Ah
9.4/10about £119.98

Listings that do not give you brick

The DCD701D2 manual leaves masonry blank, and the title says drill driver. A 57.5 Nm figure does not create a hammer. The DCD803 manual has no hammer symbol, and a UK review says the mode is missing. The four heads are for awkward screws. A 1/4 inch hex driver is a fastening tool, not a chuck drill with a hammer. A DCF code is outside this page. How those codes differ from a DCD combi is in the DeWalt cordless drill driver buying guide.

When to stop

Stop on a lintel or engineering brick, and stop when the tip is polished and hot. In hammer mode the clutch is not what is limiting you. On the DCD776, one review says bits are not held tightly enough on brick, so retighten or return the tool. For a first kit that states hammer and names a battery, start with the DCD796. For packs you already own, the DCD776 is the best value listing that states hammer. The rest of the buying choice is on the best DeWalt cordless drill driver page.

Common questions

Which kept listings state a hammer mode?
The DCD776 highlight, the DCD796 listing, the DCD799 title, the GG107 bullets and the DCD795 title. The DCD709 is the borderline case: the amazon bullets do not say hammer, the manual gives that model 13 mm in masonry, and reviews say brick and block rather than concrete. The DCD701 and the DCD803 do not state a hammer you can rely on.
Can the DCD701 drill brick?
The manual leaves masonry blank, and the title does not say hammer. We would not buy it for plug holes. The 57.5 Nm hard figure and the two 2 Ah batteries make it a compact drill driver for fittings and timber, at about £138.64, not a combi. The DCD706 is the hammer sibling and it is not in this set.
Does the DCD803 hammer?
No. The manual's modes are drill and screwdriving from 1 to 15, with no hammer symbol. A UK review says the hammer is not there. The amazon drill-type cell says combination drill, and that cell loses to the manual. Use the four heads for awkward screws, not for brick.
Is the DCD709 enough for a few plug holes?
For ordinary brick and block, the reviews say yes, and the manual prints 13 mm masonry for the DCD709, with 65 Nm hard and 26 Nm soft. It is body only at about £71.47, the amazon type cell says Impact Driver, and the same reviews say it is not enough for concrete. A few plugs is the claim. A wall of anchors is not.
When is the job an SDS instead?
When the hole is in concrete, in a lintel, or in engineering brick, or when you have more than an occasional 6 mm to 8 mm plug in soft brick. UK guides draw that line. A combi that states hammer stays on the soft-brick side of it. Torque on the DeWalt listing does not move the line.
What bit goes in hammer mode?
A masonry bit, in the size of the plug, typically 6 mm or 7 mm for household plugs. Wood bits and screwdriver bits stay on drill or clutch settings. If your collar has no hammer mark, a masonry bit alone does not add the blows. The DCD701 and the DCD803 are in that position.

Related pages

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 19 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file.

  1. Toolstation drill buying guide (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. DeWalt UK, DCD709N-XJ (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. DeWalt UK, DCD799P2T-GB (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. DeWalt UK, DCD701D2-GB (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. DeWalt DCD701 manual (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. GOV.UK, Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. HSE, vibration regulations (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. Top 7 Tools battery platforms (retrieved 19 October 2026)