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Einhell combi drill for brick

Updated: 2026-10-23

You need a handful of plug holes in a UK brick wall, and the Einhell box might be a combi or a 35 Nm driver with no hammer. An Einhell combi drill for brick is enough when the listing states hammer mode, the chuck holds a masonry bit, and the wall is ordinary brick. It is the wrong tool when the bit stops in engineering brick, a concrete lintel or a slab. The [Einhell cordless drill 18V comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/einhell-cordless-drill-18v) ranks the twelve listings. Products Compared used those listings and Homebuilding's brick guidance, not a laboratory test. A purchase through our amazon.co.uk links can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

You need a handful of plug holes in a UK brick wall, and the Einhell box might be a combi or a 35 Nm driver with no hammer.

Our top picks

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/50 Li-i BL Solo

Best overall

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/50 Li-i BL Solo
9.0/10about £53.95
View offer
Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/44 Li-i 2.5 Ah kit

Best value

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/44 Li-i 2.5 Ah kit
8.6/10about £44.00
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Einhell Einhell TP-CD 18/80 Li-i BL Solo

Alternative

Einhell Einhell TP-CD 18/80 Li-i BL Solo
8.9/10about £76.98
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.When a combi hammer is enough
  2. 2.When the 35 Nm driver is the wrong tool
  3. 3.When to hire an SDS drill
  4. 4.Vibration, dust, and what is inside the wall

When a combi hammer is enough

Ordinary brick, for a few plugs, is the job a combi is sold for. You want screw, drill and hammer on the tool, and a masonry bit in the diameter the plug packet prints. Homebuilding's example of a small fixing is 6 mm, which is an example rather than a rule. Hammer mode chips the brick. A non-hammer drill tends to polish the hole. A stated 13 mm chuck is the pattern that accepts a typical masonry shank. The TE-CD 18/50 Li-i BL Solo does not state a chuck size, so measure the chuck before you assume a masonry bit will fit. The two-battery TE-CD 18/50 kit states 10 mm. UK reviews of the about £44 kit are mixed: some get through household brick, and some send it back. Engineering brick is not that claim.

When the 35 Nm driver is the wrong tool

The TC-CD 18/35, part 4513927 on Einhell's sheet, is a brushed driver at about 35 Nm with a 10 mm chuck, one gear and no impact mode. Both rows, the Solo at about £24.98 and the 1.5 Ah kit at about £43, share that limit. UK reviews say brick is a struggle. Buying a masonry bit will not add a hammer. The twin pack is not the workaround. UK reviews mention a hammer on the drill side, but the bullets do not state it, and the second tool is a hex impact driver for screws. It will not cut a round plug hole. If you still need to buy a combi, the best Einhell cordless drill 18V page names a top pick and a best value kit. The mechanism checks sit in the buying guide.
Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/50 Li-i BL Solo

Testsieger

Einhell Einhell TE-CD 18/50 Li-i BL Solo
9.0/10about £53.95
View offer

When to hire an SDS drill

Hire an SDS-plus drill for engineering brick, a concrete lintel, a slab, a chase, or a long row of holes. SDS-plus is a different chuck and a different bit. BS EN 62841-2-1 covers hand-held drills and impact drills. It does not cover rotary hammers. This comparison does not include an Einhell rotary hammer, so hire one for the afternoon rather than hoping a higher newton-metre combi will finish the hole. If the bit stops moving, the hole polishes and the bit heats. Stop, let it cool, and change tool. The decision is the wall, not a hire price this file did not capture.

Vibration, dust, and what is inside the wall

These listings do not state a vibration number. For employers, the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 set an action value of 2.5 m/s² A(8) and a limit of 5 m/s² A(8). INDG175's rule of thumb is about 15 minutes on a hammer-action tool before the action value. That is workplace guidance, not a test of these drills. Four plugs for a shelf are not a site shift. Stop if you cannot tell whether a cable or a pipe is in the wall. Clutch numbers and gears, for a combi that is suitable, are on the how to use page. Owners of a TC-CD will not find a hidden hammer setting there.

Common questions

Can the Einhell TC-CD 18/35 drill brick?
Not in any useful way. It has no hammer on Einhell's sheet and a 10 mm chuck, at about 35 Nm and one speed. Both the about £24.98 Solo and the about £43 kit are that driver. Use it for screws and small timber holes.
Is a combi drill enough for wall plugs?
Yes for a handful of plugs in ordinary brick, if the listing states hammer mode and the chuck holds a masonry bit matched to the plug packet. It is not enough for engineering brick, a concrete lintel, chasing, or a long run of holes.
What bit should you use for a brick plug?
A masonry bit in the diameter the plug packet prints. Homebuilding uses 6 mm as a typical small fixing, which is an example rather than a rule. A wood bit polishes brick. Blow the dust out before you push the plug in.
When should you hire an SDS drill instead?
Hire an SDS-plus drill for engineering brick, concrete, lintels, chasing, or many holes. The chuck and the bit are different from a combi. This set does not include one to buy. Do not keep a stalled combi bit spinning.
Is an impact driver the same as a hammer drill?
No. A combi uses a masonry bit and a hammer action along the bit. The TE-CI 18/1 in the twin pack is a hex impact driver for screws. It does not drill plug holes, and the bullets do not state hammer mode on the drill.

Related pages

Einhell rotary hammer

Einhell cordless drill 18V

Best Einhell 18V cordless drill: pick and value kit

Einhell cordless drill 18V: the four buying checks

How to use an Einhell cordless drill: clutch and gears

Einhell Solo versus kit: when the bare body is cheaper

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 20 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file.

  1. Einhell UK Power X-Change batteries (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  2. Einhell UK TC-CD 18/35 Li-Solo (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  3. Einhell brushless warranty (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  4. Einhell product warranty (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  5. HSE vibration regulations (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  6. HSE INDG175 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  7. Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  8. Screwfix best drills guide (retrieved 20 October 2026)