DeWalt rotary hammer buying guide
Updated: 2026-10-23
You already know you want a DeWalt SDS Plus hammer, and amazon.co.uk is showing four yellow listings that do not do the same job. Decide the hole first, then whether the bit must stop spinning, then the power you already have. A newton-metre cell is not impact energy in joules. This page does not pick a winner. The four shelf prices sit on the [DeWalt rotary hammer comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/de-walt-rotary-hammer). Prices are the amazon.co.uk snapshot of 19 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
You already know you want a DeWalt SDS Plus hammer, and amazon.co.uk is showing four yellow listings that do not do the same job.
You already know you want a DeWalt SDS Plus hammer, and amazon.co.uk is showing four yellow listings that do not do the same job. Decide the hole first, then whether the bit must stop spinning, then the power you already have. A newton-metre cell is not impact energy in joules. This page does not pick a winner. The four shelf prices sit on the DeWalt rotary hammer comparison. Prices are the amazon.co.uk snapshot of 19 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Concrete capacity | Chisel mode | Battery in the box | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  DeWalt DeWalt DCH172N 18 V bare SDS Plus rotary hammer | 4–16 mm | No | No | 8.2 | about £127.99 | View offer |
 DeWalt DeWalt D25133K 240 V SDS Plus rotary hammer | 26 mm in the title | Yes | No | 8.4 | about £125.48 | View offer | |
| Alternative |  DeWalt DeWalt DCH172D2 18 V SDS Plus hammer kit | 16 mm | No | Yes, 2 x 2.0 Ah | 6.4 | about £218.99 | View offer |
On this page
Start with the hole in concrete
DeWalt's DCH172 manual allows a maximum of 16 mm in concrete, with an optimum of 4–10 mm, and states 1.4 J. That is the bare DCH172N at £127.99 and the DCH172D2 kit at £218.99. An 8 mm or 10 mm plug sits in that band. The D25133 manual allows 26 mm and states 2.6 J, which is the corded listing at £125.48. A 20 mm frame fixing leaves the 16 mm class behind.
Past 26 mm, or for breaking, this set is the wrong shelf. DeWalt describes the SDS Max D25614K at 10.5 J and 12–45 mm. It is not one of these listings. On the DCH172N page the bullet says 1.4 J and the table says 1.4 Nm. The kit table says 53.1 Nm. The D25133K table prints 2.6 Nm and 3.6 Nm. None of those cells is the EPTA impact energy.
Chisel, or drill only
The UK DCH172 description is two drilling modes: rotary hammer and rotary only. The manual tells you not to fit a chisel bit in either. A later sentence mentions hammering only, but the mode table does not list that setting. Two symbols on the selector means there is no rotation-stop.
The D25133 is three-mode. The UK manual includes hammering-only for light chipping, with 44 chisel positions. Reviewers on the £125.48 listing describe plaster, tiles and a mortar bed, not a slab. The box is a TSTAK, a side handle and a depth stop, not a chisel bit. The DCH033 manual publishes 2.0 J and 22 mm in concrete. Listing B08MFBJMLF does not state those modes, and the item type says chipping punch while the title says rotary hammer. That conflict is on the chisel mode page.
Power you already have
A bare DCH172N at £127.99 is a bargain only if an 18 V XR pack and a charger already exist. The manual lists DCB181 through DCB184 and some FlexVolt packs. Reviewers mention 5 Ah packs for longer runs. That pack is not in the box.
The DCH172D2 puts 2 x 2.0 Ah in the carton at £218.99. The gap of about £91 is the batteries, not extra joules. Amazon's included line does not name a charger. DeWalt's DCH172D2-GB page does. The D25133K needs a 240 V socket and is the wrong object on a 110 V site. HSE expects cordless tools or 110 V centre-tapped to earth, 55 V to earth. The manual notes 115 V variants. This title says 240 V. Declared drilling vibration is 8.8 m/s² on the DCH172 and 16 m/s² on the D25133. The action value at work is 2.5 m/s² A(8) and the limit is 5 m/s² A(8). Those are not a permitted number of minutes.
What the price is actually buying
On 19 October 2026 the snapshot was £125.48 for the D25133K with a TSTAK, £127.99 for the bare DCH172N, £135.00 for the DCH033NT with a TSTAK and no battery, and £218.99 for the kit with 2 x 2.0 Ah. The kit is the same 1.4 J class. The £135.00 page does not print joules, and 3.8 kg does not match the manual's 2.27 kg without a battery.
MyToolShed has listed DCH172 types from £169.95. The D25263K, at 3 J and up to 28 mm, is a different product. Stars here are 4.7 from 411, 4.8 from 285, 4.4 from 11 and 4.5 from 2. They are not a vibration test. Who each listing is for is on the best DeWalt rotary hammer page. This page does not pick a winner.
Common questions
Does the listing chisel, or only drill?
The DCH172N and the DCH172D2 describe rotary hammer and rotary only. The D25133K title says three modes, and the manual includes hammering-only for light chipping, with 44 chisel positions. The DCH033NT title says rotary hammer and the item type says chipping punch. Do not treat every yellow body as three-mode.
Do you already own an 18 V XR pack and charger?
If you do, the bare DCH172N at £127.99 is the body only. If you do not, that price is incomplete. The DCH172D2 at £218.99 names 2 x 2.0 Ah. A charger is on DeWalt's kit page and is not named in Amazon's included line.
Is the socket 240 V at home, or 110 V on a site?
At home, the D25133K title is 240 V AC, 800 W. On a construction site, HSE expects cordless tools or 110 V centre-tapped to earth. This Amazon title is not that 110 V tool. Do not relabel B00VXGMH3S as a 115 V variant.
Why does Amazon print newton metres next to a hammer?
The manuals state impact energy in joules to EPTA 05/2009. On these listings the torque cell is 1.4 Nm, 53.1 Nm, 50 Nm, or 2.6 Nm and 3.6 Nm. None of those is DeWalt's joule figure. Use 1.4 J for the DCH172 class and 2.6 J for the D25133 from the manuals.
What must be in the box before you compare the shelf prices?
The D25133K lists a TSTAK, a side handle and a depth stop, and not a bit. The DCH172N lists a bare unit. The DCH172D2 lists the tool and 2 x 2.0 Ah. The DCH033NT lists a TSTAK. The £128 to £219 gap is the packs in the kit title, not extra joules.
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)