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Worx combi drill vs SDS for brick or concrete

Updated: October 2026

You can afford one tool, and both listings say hammer. Worx combi drill vs SDS is a mechanism choice, not a torque league. A combi in this amazon.co.uk set, checked on 15 October 2026, is a 13 mm chuck with a mechanical hammer. The WX391 and the WX381.9 are SDS Plus rotary hammers stated in joules. The Products Compared editorial team used those listings and public UK guides. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. The [Worx cordless drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/worx-cordless-drill) holds every ASIN. If the week is screws, timber, and a few brick plugs, buy the combi. If the week is concrete, large masonry holes, or chasing, buy the SDS.

You can afford one tool, and both listings say hammer. Worx combi drill vs SDS is a mechanism choice, not a torque league.

Our top picks

WORX WORX WX370.1 combi kit

Best overall

WORX WORX WX370.1 combi kit
8.4/10about £76.94
View offer
WORX WORX WX381.9 bare rotary hammer

Alternative

WORX WORX WX381.9 bare rotary hammer
7.9/10about £129.99
View offer
WORX WORX WX391 rotary hammer

Alternative

WORX WORX WX391 rotary hammer
6.5/10about £103.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Two different hammers
  2. 2.When the combi is the right Worx
  3. 3.When you want the WX391 or the WX381.9
  4. 4.Where the Slammer sits

Two different hammers

A combi uses cams behind a normal chuck. An SDS rotary hammer uses a piston, and the bit locks into an SDS Plus shank. Newton-metres are twisting force. Joules are the blow. A higher Nm figure does not beat 2.0 J in concrete, because the numbers are not one league. Worx's chooser sends brick and plaster to a hammer combi and concrete, as the main job, to a rotary hammer. ITS says a Worx combi covers timber, metal, and occasional brick, and that it will not do an SDS week. Other UK guides use a rule of thumb of about 6–8 mm as a comfortable combi hole, with lintels on SDS. That is their rule of thumb, not a measurement here. None of these listings prints a vibration figure, so neither tool is described here as fit for a full shift.

When the combi is the right Worx

Buy a combi when the masonry is plugs in brick, not a chase along a lintel. The WX370-class tools state about 50 Nm, two speeds, a 13 mm keyless chuck, and hammer mode. They do not state a chisel. The WX370.1 bullets say masonry 10 mm. A capacity line and the manual's 50 Nm column say 13 mm. Keep both, and do not merge them. The WX355.1 at 55 Nm and the WX352 at 60 Nm are still combis. Brushless does not make the chuck SDS Plus. SDS bits do not seat in a 13 mm combi chuck. Use a round-shank masonry bit, and use hammer only in brick or block. Timber, metal, and screws stay off hammer. Collar and clutch settings are on how to use a Worx combi drill.
WORX WORX WX370.1 combi kit

Testsieger

WORX WORX WX370.1 combi kit
8.4/10about £76.94
View offer

When you want the WX391 or the WX381.9

Move to SDS for concrete, a larger hole than the combi bullets state, or a chisel. The WX391 is £103.99, stated at 1.2 J and up to 13 mm in hard concrete, with one 2.0 Ah battery, a charger, SDS bits, and a keyless adaptor. It is 4.3 from 10 reviews. One says it cut out on a wall. That single report is not a failure rate. The WX381.9 is £129.99 with no battery or charger. It states 2.0 J, concrete up to 22 mm, and chiselling with angle adjustment. It is 4.6 from 267 reviews. Reviewers say a corded SDS is stronger for heavy chasing. Ignore 1.35 rpm, 2 Nm, and 2 mAh on the table.

Where the Slammer sits

The WX354 is still a combi: 60 Nm, a 13 mm chuck, two 2.0 Ah batteries, £145.99. Worx claims it is nearly as fast as a rotary hammer up to 10 mm in C30 reinforced concrete. The listing does not say SDS or chisel. Masonry is 12 mm on the Worx UK kit page and 16 mm on the bare-tool page. Do not merge them. Among 18 UK texts under 4.5 from 60 reviews, people report solid concrete and flint brick. One drill stopped after about four uses, and one chuck works only sometimes. Those are anecdotes, not a rate. If you need more than that 10 mm claim, or a chisel, buy the SDS. Which combi comes first for ordinary DIY is on the best Worx cordless drill page. The 18 V wording is on the Worx cordless drill buying guide.

Common questions

Can a Worx combi drill brick?
Yes, inside the masonry figure on your listing. The WX370.1 bullets say 10 mm, and reviewers use hammer mode on brick. A capacity line and the manual say 13 mm, so do not treat 13 mm as that amazon bullet. Brick plugs are the combi's job. A day of concrete is a different tool.
When do you need the WX391 or the WX381.9?
You need one of them when the job is concrete, a larger masonry hole, or chasing. The WX391 brings 1.2 J and a battery, on 10 reviews, with concrete stated to 13 mm. The WX381.9 brings 2.0 J, a stated 22 mm, and a chisel, and you supply the pack. Choose the WX391 if the battery must be in the box.
What is the difference between 50 Nm and 2.0 J?
50 Nm is the stated twisting force of a WX370-class combi. 2.0 J is the stated impact energy of the WX381.9. They measure different actions. More newton-metres do not, by themselves, make a stronger concrete drill than a 2.0 J SDS. Match the unit to the mechanism.
Does the Slammer remove the need for an SDS?
Only inside Worx's limit: up to 10 mm in C30 reinforced concrete, on a 13 mm chuck, with no chisel mode. At £145.99 it is still a combi. A 12 mm line and a 16 mm line both appear on Worx pages. Neither makes it SDS Plus. Beyond that claim, the rotary hammer is the matching tool.
Which SDS can chisel?
The WX381.9 bullets list drilling, hammer drilling, and chiselling, with angle adjustment. The WX391 lists rotary hammer, drill, or screwdriver, and does not state a chisel mode. For a short chase, the WX381.9 is the listing that names the mode. It is bare, and reviewers still find a corded SDS stronger for heavy chasing.
Which one should you buy if you can afford only one tool?
If the jobs are mixed DIY, buy the combi and add an SDS later if concrete appears. If the only reason you are shopping is concrete or a chase, buy the SDS and accept that daily screwdriving is a workaround, especially on the WX391 adaptor. The condition is the week's work, not the higher price.

Related pages

Worx PowerShare drill battery

Worx cordless drill

Best Worx cordless drill for shelves and flat-pack

Worx cordless drill buying guide: what is in the box

How to use a Worx combi drill: clutch, chuck, charge

Sources

Public UK sources and amazon.co.uk listings, checked on 15 October 2026.

  1. Worx UK PowerShare (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  2. Worx UK WX370.9 bare 50 Nm combi (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  3. Worx UK WX354 Slammer (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  4. Worx UK WX381.9 rotary hammer (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  5. Worx UK WX391 rotary hammer (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  6. HSE hand-arm vibration responsibilities (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  7. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  8. amazon.co.uk WORX WX370.1 listing (retrieved 15 October 2026)