The best demolition hammers, compared.
Top pick: Enventor 1500 W 12 J SDS-Max rotary hammer Best value: JCB 21-RH1050 3.5 J rotary hammer – Best shelf value for drilling plus light chiselling: 3.5 J, two chucks, about £79.99 and 4.4 from 106 reviews. Updated October 2026.
A demolition hammer is a corded breaker you buy in the UK when masonry has to come out. The same search often returns rotary hammers that can chisel as well as drill. You tell them apart by the chuck and the impact energy in joules. The watt figure in the title does not settle that choice. A dedicated breaker is for breaking. A rotary hammer with a chisel mode suits holes, tiles and a short chase. SDS-Plus, SDS-Max, SDS-hex and 30 mm hex do not share steels. A short chase sits in a low joule band. A solid domestic slab needs a much higher figure, and reinforced concrete is often a contractor job. A light tool that cannot break the slab makes the work longer. UK mains are nominally 230 V. A site supply is often 110 V and needs a transformer. Look for a pointed and a flat chisel in the box. An anti-vibration handle is not a measured vibration figure. Chuck, joules and weight are set out in the [demolition hammer buying guide](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/demolition-hammer/sub/demolition-hammer-buying-guide).
A demolition hammer is a corded breaker you buy in the UK when masonry has to come out. The same search often returns rotary hammers that can chisel as well as drill.
38 products checked · 62 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
Swipe for more
1-2 of 11
Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Are you drilling holes as well as chiselling?
The Enventor SDS-Max rotary hammer is listed at 12 J, 1500 W and 10.1 kg for £118.99. The star line is 5.0 from 13 reviews, which is too small to settle a ranking against 2,249 reviews on another machine. Reviewers used it to lift tiles bedded in concrete on a chipboard floor, noted a UK 3-pin plug on a fixed lead, and found bit changes quick. The case includes a 16 mm bit, an 18 mm pointed chisel, grease, brushes and a dust cap. A flat chisel is not in that line, and one reviewer supplied their own wide chisel. Modes are hammer-only, hammer drilling and chisel angle, with a 40 mm drilling claim and no separate drill-only mode. Voltage is missing from the specification block. One reviewer called it too much tool for light DIY.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want SDS-Max holes and tile lifting in one corded rotary hammer, and you can live with a small review count.
Less suitable: A structural slab, or anyone who wants a large UK review sample before they buy.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it drill as well as chisel?
The bullets list hammer-only mode, hammer drilling and a chisel-angle setting. They claim 40 mm drilling. A drill-only mode is not listed.
What voltage is stated?
Voltage is not in the captured specification block. A review says the lead has a UK 3-pin plug.
Is a flat chisel included?
The package line lists a pointed SDS-Max chisel and a 16 mm bit. A flat chisel is not in that line.
The JCB 21-DH1300 is a 1300 W SDS-Max demolition hammer listed at 15 J for £128.90, with 4.7 from 68 reviews. A reviewer broke a concrete layer over floorboards after hand tools failed, and others call it powerful enough for smaller DIY jobs. The title includes a 3 m cable, two chisels and a carry case, and weight is not in the specification block. One review says it is a little heavy, and another buyer ordered a bigger chisel than the two supplied. A reviewer warns you not to let the chisel stick. The table says 240 V and the item type line says 230 V, and the item type name states a 3 year warranty. It does not publish a concrete drilling capacity, so it is a breaker rather than a combi drill.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a smaller DIY break, such as a thin concrete layer, on an SDS-Max shank with a case.
Less suitable: Drilling holes, or a slab around 100 mm and thicker.
Specifications
Common questions
How much does it weigh?
Weight is not in the specification block.
Which voltage is printed?
The table says 240 V. The item type line says 230 V. The title says a 3 m cable.
Is it a drill?
The listing is a demolition hammer for SDS-Max chisels. It does not state a concrete drilling capacity.
Across 2,249 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.6, the Einhell TC-DH 43 is a 1600 W demolition hammer listed at 43 J, an SDS-hex chuck and 14.6 kg for £164.98. UK reviewers opened an old fireplace, called it a good kango for the money, and say the weight does the work if you do not force the chisel. The box lists a pointed chisel, a flat chisel and a case, with a 3 m cable. The same reviews call it heavy and tiring, and one person split a week of work into about an hour a day. One review calls the cable a drawback. The table’s 600 A, 10 mm chuck and two speed figures contradict the SDS-hex description and are not the specification. The title says 240 V and the table says 230 V. No sampled UK review reports a dead motor, and the listing states no vibration figure.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are opening a fireplace or a pad, you can hold about 15 kg, and you will buy SDS-hex chisels.
Less suitable: Drilling holes, overhead work, or a drawer that only holds SDS-Max steels.
Specifications
Common questions
Which chuck does it use?
The description says an SDS-hex chuck. The table’s 10 mm chuck and 600 A figures contradict that description and are not shown as the specification.
How heavy is it?
The listing says 14.6 kg. UK reviews call it effective and heavy.
Is a case included?
Yes. The included line lists the demolition hammer, a flat chisel, a pointed chisel and a storage case.
The Einhell TE-RH 32 4F is an SDS-Plus rotary hammer listed at 5 J for £105.99, with 4.6 from 1,002 reviews. The bullets claim 32 mm in concrete and four modes: drill, hammer, chisel with lock, and chisel without lock. Reviewers call it an all-rounder, say the chisel works on concrete, and report it still going after garden brick and a waterfall came out. The E-Box includes 8, 10 and 16 mm bits plus a pointed and a flat chisel. One buyer bought a wider chisel to speed the work, and the tool becomes heavy in a long session. The bullets say 1,250 W while the title and the maximum-power field say 1050 W. A 700 Nm cell is not credible beside 5 J and is not used as the torque. Voltage is listed as 220 V, and weight is not in the file.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want everyday masonry holes and light chiselling, with a large review file behind the 5 J claim.
Less suitable: Breaking out a floor, or a buyer who needs one agreed wattage on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the motor 1050 W or 1250 W?
The bullets say 1,250 W. The title and the maximum-power field say 1050 W. Impact energy is 5 J in both the title and the bullets.
Can it chisel?
Yes. The bullets list chiselling with and without a lock, plus drilling and impact drilling, and a pointed and flat chisel in the box.
Is the torque 700 Nm?
The table says 700 Nm. That figure is not used as the torque. The impact figure on the listing is 5 J.
Across 501 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.6, the Draper Expert 81077 is a 1050 W SDS-Max breaker listed at 25 J and 7 kg for £119.94. Reviewers broke poor, sandy concrete around a post and called it capable for the size, with pointed and flat chisels that seat in the chuck. One UK review still calls it pretty feeble for the job in front of them, so sound, hard concrete is outside that praise. The title states a 2.2 m cable and a BS plug, the only plug claim in this set. A case is not in the bullets, though a reviewer describes a hard plastic box, grease and a spanner. Reliability comments are mixed: one title says it is a good machine when it works, and another cites other buyers who received damaged or incomplete items. At 7 kg it is the lightest dedicated breaker here, which helps repeated small breaks and does not make it a 43 J machine.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a light 25 J SDS-Max breaker for poor concrete and repeated small jobs, and you can check the plug on the live listing.
Less suitable: Thick, sound concrete, a 110 V site, or a job that needs the mass of a 14 kg breaker.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this cordless?
No. The listing says corded electric, 230 V. The title states a 2.2 m cable and a BS plug.
Does the box list a case?
The bullets list two SDS-Max chisels. A case is not in that list. A UK review describes a hard plastic box, grease and a spanner.
What impact energy is printed?
The bullets say 25 J. The title says 4300 bpm and the bullet says 4300 rpm for the same number.
The JCB 21-DH1700 is a 1700 W breaker with a 30 mm hex chuck, listed at 24.5 kg for £240.99, with 4.6 from 34 reviews. The title says 75 J and the bullets and the item type say 65 J, so both figures stay on the card. Reviewers say it did the breaking job they bought it for, and one praises the handle layout even while calling it heavy. The included line is a case, and chisels are not named there, though the bullets say the chuck takes demolition and spade chisels. SDS-Max steels will not fit that 30 mm hex. Delivery reviews describe a damaged outer box, split case corners and a hinge that parted, and the instruction booklet is called poor. A 3 year warranty is in the title. At 24.5 kg this is the heaviest tool in the set, and 34 reviews is a modest sample for that outlay.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already use 30 mm hex chisels and you can handle about 25 kg for heavy breaking.
Less suitable: SDS-Max or SDS-Plus bits, overhead work, or a first DIY breaker.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the impact 65 J or 75 J?
The title says 75 J. The bullets and the item type line say 65 J. Both figures are on the same listing.
Will SDS-Max chisels fit?
The listing says a 30 mm hex chuck. SDS-Max chisels are a different shank.
Are chisels in the box?
The included-components line says a case. Chisels are not named there. The bullets say the chuck takes demolition and spade chisels.
The Enventor SDS-Plus rotary hammer is listed at 6 J, 1500 W and 7.87 kg for £84.99, with 4.4 from 173 reviews. One buyer drilled a lintel that two other hammer drills would not, and another lifted bricks cemented onto a patio in chisel mode. The box lists a case, 8, 10 and 12 mm bits, a pointed and a flat 14 mm chisel, grease and brushes. Concrete capacity in the bullets is 32 mm, so this is a drill that can chase, not a slab breaker. Reviewers mention heat in the body, and one dropped a star because it is loud. A reviewer guessed about 5 kg against the listed 7.87 kg, so the specification weight is the figure to use. A title simply says poor quality, without a long fault in the sampled text. The bullets say you change mode only when the tool is switched off.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want masonry holes and a short chisel session, with the bits already in the case.
Less suitable: Breaking a floor, or buying SDS-Max steels for this chuck.
Specifications
Common questions
Will it break a concrete slab?
The listing is a rotary hammer at 6 J with a chisel mode. Concrete drilling is stated at 32 mm. It is not sold as a high-joule breaker.
What comes in the box?
The bullets list the drill, three SDS-Plus bits, a pointed and a flat chisel, a side handle, grease, brushes and a carrying case.
Is it cordless?
No. Power source is corded electric, 230 V.
The JCB 21-RH1050 is a 1050 W rotary hammer listed at 3.5 J and 6.03 kg for £79.99, with 4.4 from 106 reviews. The bullets include an SDS-Plus chuck and a separate 13 mm chuck, a pointed and a flat chisel, three bits, brushes and a dust cover. Masonry capacity in the bullets is 26 mm, and the impact rate is up to 5100 bpm. Reviewers like the interchangeable chucks and mention a carry case, though a case is not in the bullet list and one found the case small. One title is only about the weight, and the tool needs both hands. Wood capacity is 42 mm in the bullets and 13 mm in the table. The warranty line in the bullets is 3 years domestic and 1 year commercial. At 3.5 J it is the lowest stated impact in the set, which is why it is the best value drill here and not a breaker.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a first SDS-Plus drill that also takes round-shank bits in the 13 mm chuck.
Less suitable: Demolition, or masonry holes larger than the stated 26 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it include two chucks?
Yes. The bullets include an SDS Plus chuck and a standard 13 mm chuck.
Is a case listed?
A case is not in the bullet list. Reviews describe a carry case.
What is the impact energy?
The bullets say 3.5 J and up to 5100 bpm. Masonry capacity in the bullets is 26 mm.
The Einhell TE-DH 32 is a 1500 W SDS-Max demolition hammer listed at 32 J and 16.3 kg for £279.95, with 4.3 from 372 reviews. The bullets give 1900 blows per minute, a 4 m cable, a pointed and a flat chisel, and an E-Box. A UK review calls it good for lighter demolition and says it broke foundation concrete several inches thick, while also calling it very heavy. Another UK reviewer says it is not the tool for thick concrete. Many of the early reviews in the file are not from the United Kingdom, so the 372 count is not a British-only sample. The highlight line says needle and flat chisel, while the bullets say pointed and flat. Table fields of 1 A and 5 Nm contradict a 1500 W breaker. At £279.95 it is the dearest tool here, above the 43 J Einhell that has a much larger review file.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want SDS-Max breaking of lighter concrete, the longer 4 m cable, and you can lift 16.3 kg.
Less suitable: A tight budget, thick concrete, or any job that also needs a drill.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a drill?
The description is a demolition hammer with an SDS-Max chuck, 32 J and 1900 blows per minute. It does not list drilling modes.
How heavy is the listed tool?
The listing says 16.3 kg. A UK review calls it very heavy and good for lighter demolition, and another says it is not for thick concrete.
What is in the case?
The bullets include a pointed chisel, a flat chisel and an E-Box. The highlight line says needle and flat chisel.
The JCB RH1500 is an SDS-Plus rotary hammer listed at 5.3 kg for £104.99, with 4.2 from 82 reviews. The first bullet says 1050 W and 6 J, while the title and the maximum-power field say 1500 W. Reviewers describe SDS drilling into masonry and call the weight manageable, and one mentions the 3 year line in the title. A review title says there is no 13 mm chuck, and the included line lists the SDS-Plus chuck, two chisels and three bits at 8, 10 and 12 mm. Another title says it is not variable speed. A review written in Ireland says it died, and another reports a noise after a long run, blamed on dirt in the airflow. Voltage is 230 V in the table and 240 V in the item type. A case is not in the included line.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want SDS-Plus drilling and you accept the watt conflict and a single chuck.
Less suitable: Anyone comparing it with the 21-RH1050 for a 13 mm chuck, or a demolition job.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it 1050 W or 1500 W?
The first bullet says 1050 W and 6 J. The title, item type and maximum-power field say 1500 W.
Does it include a 13 mm chuck?
The included line lists an SDS Plus chuck, two chisels and three bits. A review says there is no 13 mm chuck.
Is a case included?
A case is not in the included-components line.
The HYCHIKA is the cheapest tool in the set at £58.91, with 4.1 from 19 reviews. The title says SDS Plus, 900 W, 790 rpm and 4400 bpm, while the table says 1500 W and 1100 rpm, and joules are not stated. Reviewers say drilling, including concrete, is adequate, and one chisel bit went through fence-post overpour. A title says it is good for drilling and not strong enough for demolition. It stopped after about 30 minutes of demolition use, and the chisel then would not come out. A case is not in the bullets, though a review mentions one. The table’s 75 mm chuck is not a credible SDS-Plus size, and voltage is listed as 220 V. Nineteen reviews is a thin sample next to the larger Einhell files.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want light masonry drilling and you accept the watt conflict and a small review file.
Less suitable: Any demolition session, or a comparison that needs a stated joule figure.
Specifications
Common questions
How many joules does it state?
The listing does not state joules. The title says 900 W and the table says 1500 W.
Is it a demolition hammer?
The bullets describe a drill, hammer and chisel. A UK review says it drilled, then stopped during demolition and the chisel would not come out.
Is the chuck 75 mm?
The table says 75 mm. The title says SDS Plus. Those two claims are not shown as one chuck size.
Eleven demolition hammers and rotary hammers on amazon.co.uk were scored on 19 October 2026 from listing facts and review notes, not from a lab test. Amazon evidence, fit for the job and shelf value are weighted 30, 45 and 25. A repeated failure in the sampled UK text is a deduction. Fewer than 20 ratings cannot outrank a 4.6 from several hundred reviews. Impossible table fields are ignored. Each star line stays the amazon.co.uk figure. The 0–100 score is not the stars times 20.
Amazon evidence
30%Stars scaled, then a review-count band. Fewer than 20 ratings cannot outrank a 4.6 from several hundred reviews. A repeated failure in the sampled UK text is a deduction.
Fit for the job
45%A consistent joule figure, a named chuck, a stated weight and chisels in the box. A home breaker you can hold scores above a heavier tool with a shank you may not own. SDS-hex and 30 mm hex stay valid breakers and lose points because those steels are not SDS-Max. Contradictory joules or watts lose points.
Shelf value
25%What you can do on the day it arrives for the GBP price. A 25 J SDS-Max breaker at about £119.94 with 501 reviews scores above a 5.0 from 13 reviews on a 12 J rotary hammer.
Start with the machine type, then the chuck, then the joules, then the weight. Voltage, the plug and the chisels in the box come after those four. The notes below follow that order for these eleven amazon.co.uk listings, checked on 19 October 2026. None of the scores is a breaking test.
A demolition hammer, for this comparison, is a corded breaker for taking masonry apart. UK shoppers meet two machines under the same search. A rotary hammer with a chisel mode suits holes, tiles and a short chase. A demolition hammer is for breaking. You separate them by chuck and joules. The watt number in the title does not make that split. SDS-Plus tools of this kind are often a few joules and still drill. Dedicated breakers claim a much higher impact figure.
SDS-Plus tools in this set are about 3.5–6 J where joules are stated, and they still drill. A demolition hammer is for breaking. The chuck and the joules decide the row, not the word in the title.
Joules match the material. Watts do not. If the title and the bullets disagree, keep both numbers. A cell such as 600 A, 700 Nm, a 75 mm chuck or 1 A is not a specification.
Start at an edge. Do not pry with the chisel. An anti-vibration handle is not a measured vibration figure, and gloves do not block vibration. Call a professional for structural work, unmarked services inside 0.5 m, or a 110 V site with no transformer.
Buy the chuck you can get chisels for. SDS-Plus, SDS-Max, SDS-hex and 30 mm hex do not share steels. SDS-Plus in this set is the drill-and-chase class, about 3.5–6 J where a joule figure is printed. The HYCHIKA title says SDS Plus and does not state joules. SDS-Max is the shank on the Draper Expert 81077 at 25 J, the JCB 21-DH1300 at 15 J, the Einhell TE-DH 32 at 32 J, and the Enventor rotary hammer at 12 J. The Einhell TC-DH 43 is SDS-hex at 43 J. The JCB 21-DH1700 is 30 mm hex.
Weight is the limit you meet on the day. Listed weights here run from 5.3 kg on the JCB RH1500 to 24.5 kg on the JCB 21-DH1700. The Draper Expert 81077 is listed at 7 kg. The Einhell TC-DH 43 is listed at 14.6 kg, and UK reviews call it effective and heavy. The JCB 21-DH1300 does not state a weight. The Einhell TE-RH 32 does not state one either, and long sessions are described as heavy. A light tool that cannot break the slab makes the job longer. A heavy breaker is a poor fit overhead.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want masonry holes and a short chisel session, with a second chuck for round-shank bits. The JCB 21-RH1050 is listed at 3.5 J and 6.03 kg for about £79.99, with 4.4 from 106 reviews. It is the best value here for drilling plus light chiselling, and it is not a slab breaker.
You want a light SDS-Max breaker for poor concrete and jobs you will repeat. The Draper Expert 81077 is listed at 25 J and 7 kg for about £119.94, with 4.6 from 501 reviews. The title states a BS plug. Thick, sound concrete is outside the review praise.
You are opening a fireplace or a pad, you can hold about 15 kg, and you will buy SDS-hex chisels. The Einhell TC-DH 43 is listed at 43 J and 14.6 kg for about £164.98, with 4.6 from 2,249 reviews. UK reviews call the weight effective and tiring.
The top pick is the Draper Expert 81077, a 1050 W SDS-Max breaker listed at 25 J and 7 kg for about £119.94, with 4.6 from 501 reviews. It is the lightest dedicated breaker in this set, and the title states a BS plug. Thick, sound concrete sits outside that result. The best value for drilling plus a short chase is the JCB 21-RH1050, listed at 3.5 J for about £79.99, with an SDS-Plus chuck and a 13 mm chuck. It is not a demolition hammer. A higher joule figure, such as the Einhell TC-DH 43 at 43 J, asks you to hold about 15 kg and to buy SDS-hex steels.
JCB 21-RH1050 3.5 J rotary hammer
Best shelf value for drilling plus light chiselling: 3.5 J, two chucks, about £79.99 and 4.4 from 106 reviews.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
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.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the UK listings checked on 19 October 2026. We did not lab-test these demolition hammers.
