Best DeWalt rotary hammer
Updated: 2026-10-23
The best DeWalt rotary hammer inside this set is a conditional pick. Take the 240 V D25133K when you need 26 mm holes or light chiselling beside a 240 V socket, and the bare DCH172N when you already own 18 V XR packs and the holes stay inside 16 mm. A DCH273 or a DCH263 is a real DeWalt tool and is not a listing here. Prices and stars are the amazon.co.uk snapshot of 19 October 2026 in the [DeWalt rotary hammer comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/de-walt-rotary-hammer). A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The best DeWalt rotary hammer inside this set is a conditional pick.
The best DeWalt rotary hammer inside this set is a conditional pick. Take the 240 V D25133K when you need 26 mm holes or light chiselling beside a 240 V socket, and the bare DCH172N when you already own 18 V XR packs and the holes stay inside 16 mm. A DCH273 or a DCH263 is a real DeWalt tool and is not a listing here. Prices and stars are the amazon.co.uk snapshot of 19 October 2026 in the DeWalt rotary hammer comparison. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Concrete capacity | Chisel mode | Impact energy | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  DeWalt DeWalt DCH172N 18 V bare SDS Plus rotary hammer | 4–16 mm | No | 1.4 J | 8.2 | about £127.99 | View offer |
 DeWalt DeWalt D25133K 240 V SDS Plus rotary hammer | 26 mm in the title | Yes | Not stated | 8.4 | about £125.48 | View offer | |
| Alternative |  DeWalt DeWalt DCH172D2 18 V SDS Plus hammer kit | 16 mm | No | 1.4 J | 6.4 | about £218.99 | View offer |
On this page
Best in this set for 26 mm holes or light chiselling
The top pick in this set is the D25133K at £125.48. The score is 74, from 4.7 across 411 reviews, three modes and a TSTAK. That score is not a lab test. The title says 26 mm, three modes and 240 V. The UK manual states 2.6 J and hammering-only for light chipping, with 44 chisel positions. Reviewers describe lintels and brick after a combi had struggled, and the chisel on plaster, tiles and old cement.
Skip it on a 110 V site. HSE expects cordless tools or 110 V centre-tapped to earth. One review says the hammer action stopped, and one says the chisel collar no longer holds. The table prints an 18 mm chuck, 2.6 Nm and 3.6 Nm, and 4.3 kg. The manual's figures are 2.6 J and 2.6 kg. SDS bits are not in the TSTAK. It is still a pistol, not a breaker.
Best value if you already own 18 V XR packs
The best value is the bare DCH172N at £127.99. The total is 72, from 4.8 across 285 reviews, which is not a durability test. The listing states 1.4 J, a brushless motor and 4–16 mm. The manual's optimum is 4–10 mm. Reviewers call it compact enough for a ladder. A 12 mm hole in those reviews does not raise the 16 mm maximum.
The included line is one bare unit. The bargain disappears if the pack and charger are still to buy. There is no chisel mode, so a tile or a chase belongs on the D25133K. The fuel-gauge lights disappear once the pack is fitted. The table prints 1.4 Nm beside the 1.4 J bullet.
Who should skip the kit and the DCH033NT page
The DCH172D2 is the same 1.4 J class with 2 x 2.0 Ah, at £218.99 and 4.4 from 11 reviews. The score is 54. Skip it if you already own XR packs, or if 2.0 Ah is too small for the day. The one written UK review calls the kit light and still hard-hitting. Amazon's included line does not name a charger or a case. DeWalt's DCH172D2-GB page lists a charger, a side handle, a depth rod, a belt hook and a case. The table's 53.1 Nm is not 1.4 J.
The DCH033NT at £135.00 scores 53, from 4.5 across 2 reviews. The manual states 2.0 J, 22 mm in concrete, hammering-only and 2.27 kg without a battery. The item type says chipping punch, the title says rotary hammer, and the table prints 3.8 kg, 22 mm in metal and 50 Nm. Do not buy it on those words, and do not replace the listing weight with 2.27 kg.
Models this page will not crown
The DCH273 is what UK results promote for a best DeWalt SDS hammer. The family manual states 2.1 J and 24 mm, with a rotation-stop on the UK page. It is not a listing here. A US 20 V MAX dollar price is a different catalogue. MyToolShed prices from £169.95 are not the amazon.co.uk snapshot of £127.99.
The D25614K is SDS Max at 10.5 J, for the 12–45 mm band, and that UK page is 110 V. Measure the fixing in the DeWalt rotary hammer buying guide before you chase a higher joule number. A 1.4 J body suits an 8 mm plug when the packs are already on the shelf. A 2.6 J corded tool suits a 20 mm hole or a light chase beside a 240 V socket.
Common questions
Which listing is the top pick, and for which job?
In this set the top pick is the D25133K at £125.48, for holes up to 26 mm or light chiselling beside a 240 V socket. It is the wrong tool on a 110 V site, and it is not a breaker. The manual's 2.6 J is the impact figure. The Amazon newton-metre cells are not.
Who should buy the bare DCH172N instead?
Buy the bare DCH172N at £127.99 if you already own 18 V XR packs and a charger, and the holes stay inside 16 mm, mostly 4–10 mm. It has no chisel mode. If you still need a battery, £127.99 is only the body.
Is the £218.99 kit the same joules with batteries?
It is the same 1.4 J class with 2 x 2.0 Ah in the title, and the bullet lists rotary hammer and rotary only. The star line is 4.4 from 11 reviews. Skip it if you already own packs. 53.1 Nm is not an extra 53 joules.
When is the corded D25133K the wrong object?
It is the wrong object on a 110 V supply, because the title says 240 V. It is the wrong object for a lead-free ladder job that does not need 26 mm or a chisel, and it is the wrong object for breaking a slab. A failed hammer action or a chisel lock that no longer holds means stop and repair.
Does 4.8 from 285 ratings prove the bare unit lasts longer?
No. On 19 October 2026 the bare DCH172N showed 4.8 from 285 ratings. That is a satisfaction count, not a vibration test or a certificate that the hammer action will not fail. The corded tool's 4.7 from 411 is a larger sample and a different job.
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.
- DeWalt DCH172 instruction manual (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- DeWalt DCH172D2-GB product page (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- DeWalt D25133 instruction manual (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- DeWalt DCH033 instruction manual (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE INDG175: hand-arm vibration (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE: electrical systems on construction sites (retrieved 19 October 2026)