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Combi drill vs drill driver

Updated: 2026-10-23

You are trying to decide whether the drill for the house needs a hammer, or whether spin and a clutch will cover the next year of flat-pack and curtain poles. Combi drill vs drill driver is that one decision. A drill-driver rotates and slips on a numbered clutch. A combi adds a hammer that taps a masonry bit through brick and block. An impact driver and an SDS rotary hammer are the edges of the choice. The twelve listings are in the [Drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/drill). Hammer drill on this page means a DIY combi, not an SDS. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are trying to decide whether the drill for the house needs a hammer, or whether spin and a clutch will cover the next year of flat-pack and curtain poles. Combi drill vs drill driver is that one decision.

Our top picks

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 1.5 Ah

Best overall

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 1.5 Ah
9.4/10about £64.97
View offer
FAHEFANA FAHEFANA 12 V, 2.0 Ah

Alternative

FAHEFANA FAHEFANA 12 V, 2.0 Ah
8.8/10about £20.99
View offer
Terratek Terratek TD18, 1.3 Ah

Best value

Terratek Terratek TD18, 1.3 Ah
8.6/10about £26.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Combi drill or drill-driver, in one decision
  2. 2.What the listing has to say
  3. 3.Not an impact driver, and not an SDS
  4. 4.Which of these rows match the decision

Combi drill or drill-driver, in one decision

Buy a drill-driver if you will not touch brick. Flat-pack, timber, plastic, plasterboard and ordinary screws need rotation and a clutch. They do not need a hammer. The Terratek TD18 at £26.99 is the explicit version in this set. The bullets say it is not for brick or masonry. That is a drill-driver style row even where a sales rank says Combi Drills. Buy a combi when the house has brick or block and this will be the only drill you own. The hammer taps the bit as it spins. It is there for occasional plugs, with a carbide masonry bit, not for chasing. Stars do not prove the mode. Named picks stay on the best cordless drill in this set.

What the listing has to say

A combi title is not hammer mode. Masonry bits in the box are not hammer mode. The bullets have to state hammer or impact drilling. The FAHEFANA 12 V says combi in the title and then describes wood, metal, drywall and screwdriving. The FADAKWALT 12 V includes masonry bits and still does not describe a hammer. Both Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40 kits say impact drilling in masonry, at 40 Nm and 13 mm. Their type cell says Impact Driver. The product is a combi. The EasyImpact 18V-38 name says impact, and the bullets do not mention masonry. The BLACK+DECKER bullets state hammer and 21,000 blows per minute. The 1 in-lb torque cell is not a torque fact.
Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 1.5 Ah

Testsieger

Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 1.5 Ah
9.4/10about £64.97
View offer

Not an impact driver, and not an SDS

An impact driver uses an internal anvil, usually into a 1/4 inch hex, and it is built for long screws and bolts. It is not the tool for masonry plugs. A sentence about some impact drivers drilling mortar is about a different tool. It is not a reason to trust the Impact Driver cell on the EasyImpact 18V-40. Hard concrete, chasing and dense engineering brick belong on an SDS rotary hammer. These drills fall under BS EN 62841-2-1. Rotary hammers sit under IEC 62841-2-6. A combi used as a screwdriver still wants the numbered clutch. That procedure is on how to use a cordless drill.

Which of these rows match the decision

If your list is flat-pack and plasterboard, take the drill-driver path. The Terratek at £26.99 says so in the bullets, at 18 Nm, one speed and a 10 mm chuck, with 4.3 from 16,144 reviews. The cheaper 12 V and 21 V kits can do screws as well, and their hammer story is muddier, so they are not a quieter way to buy a wall drill. If the house has brick and you will own one drill, take a row whose bullets state the hammer. That is the EasyImpact 18V-40 at £64.97 with one 1.5 Ah pack, or at £75.23 with two 2.0 Ah packs. It is also the BLACK+DECKER at £65.99, with the 1 in-lb cell ignored. Skip the EasyImpact 18V-38 at £76.50 for this decision. The name is not the bullet. For screwdriving you leave the hammer off.

Common questions

What is the difference between a combi drill and a drill-driver?
A drill-driver spins and has a clutch for screws. It covers wood, plastic, plasterboard and flat-pack. A combi adds a hammer mode that taps a masonry bit for brick and block. You only need the combi if the bullets state the mode and your walls are masonry.
Do I need hammer mode for flat-pack and plasterboard?
You do not. Those jobs are rotation and a clutch. The Terratek bullets say the drill is not for brick or masonry, which is a match for a screws-only house. Buy the hammer only when brick or block is actually on the list of jobs.
Will a masonry bit in a drill-driver make a plug hole in brick?
A carbide bit without hammer tends to skid and overheat on hard brick. Bits in the box, as on the FADAKWALT 12 V, do not create a hammer mode the bullets never describe. For a plug in brick you want the mode stated and a sharp masonry bit of the plug’s diameter.
Is a combi drill the same as an impact driver?
No. A combi has a chuck and, when the bullets say so, a hammer for masonry. An impact driver usually takes a 1/4 inch hex and uses an anvil for long screws. Two Bosch rows have a table cell that says Impact Driver. The titles are combis. Do not buy a hex driver because that cell is wrong.
When do I need an SDS rotary hammer instead?
When the work is hard concrete, chasing, dense engineering brick, or many large holes. A combi’s 10 mm or 13 mm chuck is the occasional plug tool. Rotary hammers sit under IEC 62841-2-6, against BS EN 62841-2-1 for these drills.
Can I trust a title that says combi or combination drill?
Trust the bullets. Several rows say combi in the title or Combination Drill in the table and never describe hammer or masonry. The FAHEFANA 12 V and the FADAKWALT 20 V kits are in that group. If the bullets are silent, buy it as a drill-driver.

Related pages

Cordless drill buying guide

Drilling into brick

Drill

Best cordless drill UK: the named picks in this set

How to use a drill clutch without stripping screws

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file.

  1. Toolstation — Drill buying guide (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. Homebuilding & Renovating — Types of drill (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. Which? — How to buy the best cordless drill (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. HSE — Assessing hand-arm vibration risks (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. BSI — BS EN 62841-2-1 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. Electrical Safety First — Drills (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK — UKCA and CE marking in Great Britain (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 22 October 2026)