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Best Metabo SDS drill

Updated: 2026-10-23

Best Metabo SDS drill only means something once you name the job, the holder and whether a battery is already on the shelf. One prize cannot cover plug holes in a flat and breaking out a hearth. Prices, holders and review counts are in the [Metabo SDS drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/metabo-sds-drill). This page gives each listing a job and a reason to skip it. Products Compared used those listings and Metabo's pages, as at 22 October 2026. There is no lab test behind the picks. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Best Metabo SDS drill only means something once you name the job, the holder and whether a battery is already on the shelf. One prize cannot cover plug holes in a flat and breaking out a hearth.

Our top picks

Metabo Metabo KHA 18 LTX (600210840), MetaLoc

Best overall

Metabo Metabo KHA 18 LTX (600210840), MetaLoc
8.7/10about £170.05
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Metabo Metabo KH 18 LTX BL 24 (601713840), body only

Rank 2

Metabo Metabo KH 18 LTX BL 24 (601713840), body only
9.1/10about £209.99
View offer
Metabo Metabo KHEV 5-40 BL (600765500), SDS-max

Alternative

Metabo Metabo KHEV 5-40 BL (600765500), SDS-max
6.3/10about £792.69
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Best only means best for a named job
  2. 2.Fixings on an 18 V pack you already own
  3. 3.A corded SDS-plus day at home
  4. 4.Breaking or about 40 mm
  5. 5.When none of the four is the look

Best only means best for a named job

A single crown fails because the tools are not substitutes. The KH 18 LTX BL 24, order 601713840, states three modes and a brushless motor. The KHA 18 LTX, order 600210840, is the cheaper SDS-plus body, and its bullets do not state those modes. The KHEV 5-40 BL, order 600765500, is the only SDS-max tool, at 8.7 J in the title and 8.3 kg on the item weight. None of that is a lab win. Stars are the amazon.co.uk rating on that listing. A dozen 8 mm fixings, with a pack you already own, stays on the cordless bodies.

Fixings on an 18 V pack you already own

For plug holes and a short chase, the cordless bodies matter only if the pack and charger are already solved. The KHA 18 LTX is about £170.05 and 4.6 from 215 ratings. The bullets state an S-automatic clutch and do not state joules, brushless or a chisel mode. Metabo's UK booklet gives order 600210840 2.2 J EPTA and 24 mm in concrete. The KH 18 LTX BL 24 is about £209.99 and 4.6 from 16 ratings, with no UK review text. The bullets state brushless, VibraTech and three modes, and the title says there is no battery.
Metabo Metabo KHA 18 LTX (600210840), MetaLoc

Testsieger

Metabo Metabo KHA 18 LTX (600210840), MetaLoc
8.7/10about £170.05
View offer

A corded SDS-plus day at home

The corded SDS-plus job is the listing titled KHE32 240 V, item type KHE 3251, order 600659000, at about £404.39 and 4.0 from 41 ratings. Metabo's page states 3.1 J, 800 W, a Quick chuck, 32 mm in concrete, 13 mm in steel and about 3.6 kg. The bullets allow SDS-plus bits and cylindrical shanks with no impact. The only UK review says it arrived with a European plug, which does not fit a BS 1363 socket. Other reviews describe a chuck that released and a later failure out of warranty. Skip it if you cannot check the plug. That is not a failure rate, and this KH 18 is not the Quick model.

Breaking or about 40 mm

The KHEV 5-40 BL is the listing for about 40 mm in concrete or for breaking, at about £792.69 and 3.7 from 10 ratings. The title states brushless, SDS-max, 8.7 J, 1150 W and 240 V. The bullets state hammer drilling and chiselling, plus VibraTech. The item weight is 8.3 kg. Ignore the title's 5 kg. More joules do not make it the best Metabo SDS drill for fixings, and it is the wrong shank for an SDS-plus bit case. One UK review, dated 29 April 2026, says the trigger did nothing while the green light stayed on.

When none of the four is the look

The Quick-chuck KH 18, the 28 mm and 35 mm cordless hammers, a kit with a battery in the carton, and the 110 V KHEV order 600765610 are different products. If you need a battery included, a 110 V site tool, or a Quick chuck on an 18 V body, none of these shelf prices is that purchase. The Metabo SDS drill buying guide is the order of checks.

Common questions

Which listing is the one for plug holes if I already own Metabo 18 V packs?
Use an SDS-plus body, and only if the pack you own is the system that listing's paperwork names. The KHA at about £170.05 has modes unstated and 4.6 from 215 ratings. The KH 18 at about £209.99 states three modes and brushless, with 4.6 from 16 ratings and no UK review text. Both omit the battery.
Is the KH 18 better than the KHA because the bullets say brushless?
It is the better match when you want three modes and brushless written on the listing, and you accept a small rating sample with no UK text. It is not a higher joule class. Both sit at 2.2 J on Metabo's pages, with a 24 mm concrete figure.
Is the KHEV the best because it has the most joules?
8.7 J makes it the tool in this set for about 40 mm and for breaking, if you can handle 8.3 kg and you own SDS-max bits. It is a poor match for fixing-sized holes. The 3.7 from 10 ratings includes a UK report of a dead trigger on 29 April 2026. That is not a lab ranking.
Should I skip the KHE 3251 listing because of the plug review?
Skip it if you need a plug that fits a UK socket on the day it arrives and you cannot return the tool. The only UK review says it came with a European plug. Keep it in play if you can check the plug and you want corded SDS-plus around 3.1 J. One plug report is not every carton.
Can a badge on the table mean a lab test?
No. A marker on the comparison is an editorial label for a job inside this amazon.co.uk set. It is not a test-house result. HSE's vibration action value is 2.5 m/s² A(8), and declared hammer values on these sheets sit above that.

Related pages

Metabo cordless vs corded SDS

Metabo SDS-plus vs SDS-max

Metabo SDS drill

Metabo SDS drill buying guide: holder, joules, box

How to use a Metabo SDS drill before the first hole

Sources

Public UK sources listed below, last checked on 22 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures for these four listings.

  1. Metabo UK, cordless hammers (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. KH 18 LTX BL 24 sheet, 601713840 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. Metabo UK SDS booklet (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Metabo, KHE 3251, 600659000 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. Metabo, KHEV 5-40 BL, 600765500 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. HSE, hand-arm vibration regulations (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. HSE, assessing hand-arm vibration risk (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. HSE, construction dust sheet CN3 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  9. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22 October 2026)