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SDS plus vs SDS max

Updated: 2026-10-23

You are holding a masonry bit and you are not sure the chuck will take it. SDS plus vs SDS max is a shank question, not a length question and not a plug-size question. The two bits do not interchange. A compact SDS rotary hammer takes SDS plus, about 10 mm across, and an SDS max bit will not enter that chuck. Every kept listing in this comparison states an SDS plus shank. The prices and the ten boxes are on the [SDS plus drill bit comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/sds-plus-drill-bit). A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are holding a masonry bit and you are not sure the chuck will take it. SDS plus vs SDS max is a shank question, not a length question and not a plug-size question. The two bits do not interchange.

Our top picks

Makita Makita E-15730, 6-piece

Best overall

Makita Makita E-15730, 6-piece
8.6/10about £9.59
View offer
Bosch Bosch PRO SDS plus-5X, 5-piece

Rank 2

Bosch Bosch PRO SDS plus-5X, 5-piece
9.4/10about £10.92
View offer
YSDINTAI YSDINTAI 14 mm SDS plus bit

Alternative

YSDINTAI YSDINTAI 14 mm SDS plus bit
7.6/10about £8.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Two shanks, not two lengths
  2. 2.How to tell which chuck you have
  3. 3.The adapter only works one way
  4. 4.What still will not fit

Two shanks, not two lengths

UK Drills describes SDS plus as about 10 mm across with four grooves, and SDS max as about 18 mm with five. YSDINTAI's listing says the shank is about 10 mm, which is plus. A 210 mm plus bit is a long plus bit. Length does not change the shank. Filing an 18 mm shank to enter a plus chuck destroys both parts and still will not lock. A max bit because the hole is in concrete is the wrong shank if the drill is plus.

How to tell which chuck you have

SDS plus, SDS+ and SDS-plus are the same family. A plain SDS label usually means plus. SDS max on the housing means the larger chuck. Hilti's TE-C is plus and TE-Y is max. A TE-Y bit does not drop into a TE-C chuck. Four grooves at about 10 mm is plus. Five grooves nearer 18 mm is max. UK Drills says machines under about 5 kg are usually plus. That is a rule of thumb. A light drill stamped SDS max is still max.
Makita Makita E-15730, 6-piece

Testsieger

Makita Makita E-15730, 6-piece
8.6/10about £9.59
View offer

The adapter only works one way

An SDS max bit does not enter a plus chuck. A plus bit locks in a max chuck only with an adapter for that direction. Hilti's TE-Y adapter, product 263359, is £127.20. HSS Hire's SDS max to SDS plus adaptor, item B3S, is £39.91 including VAT. Toolpak lists a quick-lock version. None puts a max bit into a plus chuck. Buy SDS plus for a compact hammer. Buy SDS max when the machine is labelled max. An adapter does not turn a plus hammer into a max hammer. Reinforced concrete is the SDS plus drill bit for concrete page.

What still will not fit

An SDS plus shank will not close in a three-jaw chuck. The jaws skate on the grooves. The SALI bullets mention an electric or hand drill and still state an SDS plus shank, which does not add a round shank you cannot see. SDS plus on a title can mean an adaptor. A 65 mm diamond core removed from this comparison was rotation only, not SDS max. The bits kept here are solid carbide-tipped masonry bits. PGM notes that ISO 5468 does not cover SDS hammer bits.

Common questions

Will this bit fit my drill?
It fits an SDS plus rotary hammer. Every kept listing states that shank, about 10 mm. It does not fit an SDS max chuck without a max-to-plus adapter, and it does not fit a three-jaw chuck.
Is SDS the same as SDS plus?
A plain SDS label on a UK hammer usually means plus, about 10 mm and four grooves. SDS max is labelled SDS max, about 18 mm and five grooves. Hilti uses TE-C for plus and TE-Y for max. The printed label wins.
Can I put an SDS max bit in an SDS plus hammer?
No. The max shank is about 18 mm with five grooves. The Hilti, HSS Hire and Toolpak adapters let a max machine hold plus bits. They do not work the other way.
Can I put SDS plus bits in an SDS max hammer?
Only with an adapter. Hilti's TE-Y adapter, 263359, is £127.20. HSS Hire's item B3S is £39.91 including VAT. You then drill with plus bits. That adapter does not fit max bits in a plus drill.
What do Hilti TE-C and TE-Y mean?
TE-C is Hilti's SDS plus system. TE-Y is SDS max. The TE-Y adapter that lets a max hammer take plus tools is a separate product at £127.20. Read the letters on the hammer.
Is a heavier drill always SDS max?
No. UK Drills says machines under about 5 kg are usually plus, and that is only a guide. Four grooves at about 10 mm means plus. Five grooves at about 18 mm means max.
Do I need SDS max for a normal plug hole?
No. A plug hole in the 5 mm to 12 mm range these listings cover is an SDS plus job. A max bit will not lock in a plus chuck. Match the diameter to the plug sheet once the shank is right.

Related pages

SDS plus drill bit buying guide

How to use an SDS plus drill bit

SDS plus drill bit

Best SDS plus drill bits: who each listing is meant for

SDS plus drill bit for concrete with possible rebar

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, retrieved for the page dated 22 October 2026. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file.

  1. HSE CN3, drilling with hand-held rotary tools (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. HSE CIS36, construction dust (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Bosch Professional GB, PRO SDS plus-5X (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. PGM on ISO 5468 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. Rawlplug UNO universal plug (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. fischer DuoPower 6 × 30 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Hilti GB TE-Y adapter (retrieved 22 October 2026)