The best Makita cordless SDS drills, compared.
Top pick: Makita DHR182Z 18 V body – Highest score at 62: 4.6 from 304 ratings, after a penalty for 1.7 Nm and a 13.4 cm parcel. It is an 18 V body, not a kit. Best value: Makita HR166DSMJ 12 V max kit – Score 60, and the carton includes two 4.0 Ah packs and a charger at about £204.95. It is 1.1 J with two modes, so it is not the chiselling tool. Updated October 2026.
A cordless SDS drill is a battery rotary hammer with an SDS plus holder. You buy one in the UK when a combi drill's hammer setting stalls in brick, block or concrete. Judge a suitable one by impact energy in joules, the concrete diameter, whether the packs match a platform you already own, and whether the carton includes a battery, a charger and a case. SDS plus bits click into the holder. SDS max bits do not fit, and a round shank is wrong for hammer mode. Platforms do not share packs. A bare body will not drill until you add a battery and a charger with a BS 1363 plug. Some cartons include a dust hood and a side handle. Others leave both out. Hammer-drilling vibration often sits above 2.5 m/s² A(8). Concrete dust can contain respirable crystalline silica, so use class M or H capture, or respiratory protection of APF 20, and fit the side handle. How joules, modes and the carton differ is set out in the [cordless SDS drill buying guide](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/makita-cordless-sds-drill/sub/makita-cordless-sds-drill-buying-guide).
A cordless SDS drill is a battery rotary hammer with an SDS plus holder. You buy one in the UK when a combi drill's hammer setting stalls in brick, block or concrete.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Which batteries do you already own?
The DHR182Z is an 18 V SDS plus body at about £159.90 that UK reviewers use on hard brick a previous hammer drill had struggled with, and they describe the tool as light. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.6 from 304 reviews. The review file names only four UK write-ups before it moves to other marketplaces, so that star line is not 304 British opinions. Bullets state a brushless motor, anti-vibration technology, constant electronics and a motor brake, and they also state that the box has no battery, charger or case. One UK reviewer ties the punch to battery size and says not to go smaller than an 18 V pack. The listing prints 1.7 Nm and a 13.4 cm parcel, while Makita UK publishes 1.7 J and 18 mm in concrete, so the newton-metre cell is not a torque you can sort on. A German review in the same file reports a mode switch that failed on the original and on the replacement. That is not a UK review, and it is not a repeated fault in the four UK texts. You still need LXT packs you already own, or a separate battery and charger, before this body drills anything.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own 18 V LXT packs and want a compact SDS plus body for plug holes in hard brick.
Less suitable: You have no LXT batteries, or you need a dust hood and a complete kit in one carton.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the DHR182Z include a battery?
No. The bullets say the box has no battery, no charger and no case. You need LXT packs and a charger you already own, or a separate purchase, before it drills.
Is the motor brushless?
The bullets say brushless, with anti-vibration technology, constant electronics and a motor brake. That is the listing claim, not a lab measurement.
Why does the listing show 1.7 Nm?
The listing prints torque as 1.7 newton metres and a 13.4 cm parcel. Makita UK publishes 1.7 J and 18 mm in concrete. Use the joule figure, not the newton-metre cell.
The DHR242RTJW is the 18 V LXT kit at about £549.49 with two BL1850B 5.0 Ah packs, a DC18RC charger, a DX06 dust system, a Makpac, a side handle and a depth stop. The star line is 4.6 from only six amazon.co.uk reviews, and the review file holds two UK write-ups. One describes a kitchen and bathroom strip-out, with SDS plus bits going through plaster, tiles, lino and concrete in the hammer setting, and it praises the extractor for cleaner working. The second UK review says the drill and the extractor were bought as separate items, so it does not prove this carton. Bullets state a brushless motor, 3 mode operation, 2.0 J and 24 mm in concrete, and they say G-series batteries do not fit. The same listing prints 970.6 Nm beside 2 Nm and a 1 kg parcel of 10 cm, which you should ignore in favour of the Makita UK sheet. Six ratings are not a large UK sample, and the price is for the kit, not for a bare body.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want 24 mm concrete on the maker sheet, three modes and a dust hood in the same carton.
Less suitable: You only need plug holes and already own LXT packs, or you treat six stars as a settled UK verdict.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the DHR242RTJW box?
The included line lists two BL1850B 5.0 Ah batteries, a DC18RC charger, a DX06 dust extraction system, a Makpac, a side handle and a depth stop.
Will every Makita battery fit?
No. The bullets say it is not compatible with G-series batteries. The title says 18 V LXT. CXT packs from the 12 V max tool do not fit either.
Does the listing name a chisel mode?
The bullets say 3 mode operation and do not name the three modes. Makita UK lists three modes including chipping, plus 2.0 J and 24 mm in concrete.
The HR166DSMJ is a 12 V max CXT rotary hammer kit at about £204.95 with two 4.0 Ah packs, a fast charger, a Makpac and a depth stop. Across 151 amazon.co.uk ratings the line is 4.4, and the review file holds 11 UK reviews before it moves to other marketplaces. UK reviewers call it lighter than an old Black & Decker hammer drill and report concrete lintels, tight spaces and about 200 holes for picture frames on the two packs. One reviewer left a heavier 18 V SDS unused for house jobs, and an apprentice comment says the 18 V tool is too big. Battery life is the recurring complaint: a UK review says the second pack went on charge sooner than expected, and others call the price high for the size. A UK review dated 25 April 2018 says the charger arrived with a 2-pin European plug and that a shaver adaptor was not enough. The listing does not state a BS 1363 plug. The speed cells print 850 RPM beside 680 RPM, and Makita UK lists 1.1 J, 16 mm in concrete and two modes only, with no hammer-only line.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You own no packs yet and want a ready CXT kit for small holes in brick, block and lintels.
Less suitable: You need a hammer-only mode, you already standardised on 18 V LXT, or you will not check the charger plug.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the HR166DSMJ box?
The included line lists the tool, two 4.0 Ah batteries, a fast charger, a Makpac case and a depth stop. There is no dust hood.
Will an 18 V LXT pack fit?
No. The bullets say a 10.8 V or 12 V Li-ion CXT slide battery. The compatible-devices line says the same. An 18 V LXT pack does not fit this tool.
Does the charger have a UK plug?
The listing does not say. One UK review from 25 April 2018 says the charger had a 2-pin European plug and that a shaver adaptor was not enough. Check the unit for a BS 1363 plug.
Three Makita cordless SDS drills on amazon.co.uk were scored on 21 October 2026 from the star line and the review count, with a penalty when the same file contradicts itself. Ten points for each star, plus 20 if the count is at least 100, or plus 3 if it is at least 5 and below 100, then minus 4 to 6 for a torque, speed or parcel conflict. Joules and the carton do not add points. This is not a lab test.
Amazon star line
50%Ten points for each star on the amazon.co.uk rating on 21 October 2026. A 4.6 line is 46 points before any other adjustment.
Review-count band
30%Add 20 when the review count is at least 100. Add 3 when the count is at least 5 and below 100. Six ratings do not outrank a deep sample. Non-UK reviews are not treated as UK opinion.
Listing consistency
20%Take off 4 to 6 points when the same file contradicts itself on torque, speed or parcel size. Joules, concrete diameter and carton contents do not add points.
Read the platform first, then joules and the concrete diameter from the maker page, then the carton. 18 V LXT packs and 12 V max CXT packs do not interchange, and a body price is not a kit. Vibration, the charger plug and dust come before you treat six stars as a settled verdict. Mode, bit and dust are covered in [how to drill masonry](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/makita-cordless-sds-drill/sub/makita-cordless-sds-drill-how-to-drill-masonry).
A cordless SDS drill in this comparison is a genuine Makita rotary hammer with an SDS plus holder, for brick and concrete when a combi drill's hammer setting stalls. On amazon.co.uk on 21 October 2026 the three kept listings are the DHR182Z 18 V body at about £159.90, the HR166DSMJ 12 V max kit at about £204.95, and the DHR242RTJW 18 V kit at about £549.49. Makita UK lists 1.7 J and 18 mm, 1.1 J and 16 mm, and 2.0 J and 24 mm. LXT and CXT packs do not interchange.
A title that says a tool is for Makita 18 V is not a Makita tool. This comparison keeps three genuine Makita rotary hammers. Other brands are outside it. Pack fit was not tested here.
The DHR182Z has no battery, no charger and no case. The HR166DSMJ and the DHR242RTJW both include two packs, a charger and a Makpac. About £159.90 and about £549.49 are not the same kind of purchase. DHR182ZJ is the Makpac body, and it is a different suffix.
The DHR182 row prints 1.7 Nm where Makita prints 1.7 J. The DHR242 row prints 970.6 Nm beside 2 Nm, and a 1 kg parcel. Sort on joules, the concrete diameter and the carton. Do not expect the HR166 to chip, and do not mix LXT packs with CXT.
Start with the platform. A title that says a tool is for Makita 18 V is not a Makita tool. 18 V LXT packs and 12 V max CXT packs do not share batteries. The DHR182Z and the DHR242RTJW take LXT. The HR166DSMJ takes CXT, and its bullets say a 10.8 V or 12 V slide battery. The DHR242 bullets also say G-series packs do not fit. Then read joules and diameter from the maker page, not the Amazon torque cell.
The carton decides whether the shelf price is a working kit. The DHR182Z has no battery, no charger and no case. DHR182ZJ is the Makpac body, and the two suffixes are not the same listing. The HR166DSMJ includes two 4.0 Ah CXT packs, a charger, a Makpac and a depth stop. The DHR242RTJW includes two BL1850B 5.0 Ah packs, a DC18RC charger, a DX06 dust hood, a Makpac, a side handle and a depth stop. One UK review of the HR166, dated 25 April 2018, reported a Euro 2-pin charger.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a compact SDS plus body for plug holes in hard brick, and the dust hood can wait. The DHR182Z is about £159.90, with 4.6 from 304 ratings. Makita UK lists 1.7 J and 18 mm, with a hammer-only mode. The box has no battery, charger or case.
You want a ready carton for small holes in brick, block and lintels. The HR166DSMJ is about £204.95, with two 4.0 Ah CXT packs, a charger and a Makpac, and 4.4 from 151 ratings. It is 1.1 J with two modes. The next tool has to be CXT, and you should check the charger plug.
You want 24 mm in concrete, three modes and a dust hood in the same carton. The DHR242RTJW is about £549.49, with two 5.0 Ah LXT packs, a DC18RC and a DX06. The star line is 4.6 from only six ratings. Six ratings are not a large UK sample.
In this set of three amazon.co.uk listings, the top pick is the Makita DHR182Z 18 V body at about £159.90, with 4.6 from 304 ratings. Makita UK lists 1.7 J and 18 mm in concrete, with three modes including hammer only. The box has no battery, charger or case, so the price assumes you already own LXT packs. The best value is the HR166DSMJ 12 V max kit at about £204.95, with 4.4 from 151 ratings, two 4.0 Ah CXT packs, a charger and a Makpac. It has no hammer-only mode. The DHR242RTJW kit at about £549.49 has no award: 4.6 from only six ratings, with 2.0 J, 24 mm and a DX06 in the carton. None of these scores is a lab test.
Makita DHR182Z 18 V body
Highest score at 62: 4.6 from 304 ratings, after a penalty for 1.7 Nm and a 13.4 cm parcel. It is an 18 V body, not a kit.
Makita HR166DSMJ 12 V max kit
Score 60, and the carton includes two 4.0 Ah packs and a charger at about £204.95. It is 1.1 J with two modes, so it is not the chiselling tool.
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 21 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 21 October 2026. We did not lab-test these SDS drills.
