How to use a Worx combi drill
Updated: October 2026
How to use a Worx combi drill starts before the trigger, on a UK wall you have not identified yet. You might be fitting a curtain pole in brick or driving screws into a stud, and the usual mess is the wrong collar. This page is the setup for a chuck combi such as the WX370 or the WX355.1 in the [Worx drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/worx-drill). The Products Compared editorial team did not film a drill test, and a qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
How to use a Worx combi drill starts before the trigger, on a UK wall you have not identified yet. You might be fitting a curtain pole in brick or driving screws into a stud, and the usual mess is the wrong collar.
How to use a Worx combi drill starts before the trigger, on a UK wall you have not identified yet. You might be fitting a curtain pole in brick or driving screws into a stud, and the usual mess is the wrong collar. This page is the setup for a chuck combi such as the WX370 or the WX355.1 in the Worx drill comparison. The Products Compared editorial team did not film a drill test, and a qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Clutch in the bullets | Chuck | Hammer | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  WORX WORX WX352.9 Nitro | 22+1+1 | 13 mm | Hammer, no chisel mode | 9.6 | about £83.99 | View offer |
 WORX WORX WX355.1 | 20+1+1 | 13 mm metal keyless | Hammer, no chisel mode | 9.4 | about £89.00 | View offer | |
| Best value |  WORX WORX WX370.1 | 20+1+1 | 13 mm keyless | Hammer, no chisel mode | 9.2 | about £76.94 | View offer |
On this page
The three modes and two gears
The collar has three jobs: screw, drill, and hammer. Screw mode is the only position that uses the numbered clutch. These Worx bullets show 20+1+1 or, on the Nitro bodies, 22+1+1. Start at a low number. The rattling slip is the clutch doing its job. Drill mode and hammer mode bypass those numbers, so a higher ring setting will not make a masonry bit bite.
Do not copy another brand's clutch number onto a Worx ring, and do not slide the gear lever while the chuck is spinning. Hammer mode is for a carbide masonry bit, and it stays off timber, metal, and tile glaze. Bosch describes this hammer as cam discs that need you to press. It is not the piston inside an SDS. Concrete, rather than a brick plug, is the combi drill vs SDS decision.
A plug hole in brick
Name the wall before you mark the hole. Homebuilding's brick method uses a carbide masonry bit and hammer action, because a non-hammer drill tends to polish the face. Fit the bit with the battery off, and start with light pressure so the tip seats. Then bring in the hammer. Pull the bit back so dust can leave the flute.
HSE guidance on construction dust says capture that dust, so vacuum the hole. Do not clear it with compressed air. Tape on the bit, matched to the plug length, sets the depth. Electrical Safety First wants eye protection and a UK 3-pin plug on the charger. These listings do not confirm a BS 1363 plug, so check the pins you received. The WX370 bullets state masonry at 10 mm. A lintel that glazes the bit is a different tool.
When the chuck will not hold
On the WX370.1, several amazon.co.uk reviews say the keyless chuck loosens or will not keep its grip on the bit. Stop. Take the battery off. Seat the bit fully and retighten by hand until the jaws close evenly. If it lets go again, that is a return, not a higher clutch number. The clutch does not clamp the bit. On a cordless Worx, the battery is off the tool before your hand is in the chuck. Which kit is worth buying is on the Worx drill buying guide.
When you stop
Stop when you do not know what the wall is, or where the cables and pipes run. Stop for suspected asbestos, a structural opening, tingling hands, a smell of burning, or a tool that cuts out. A professional should take those jobs. Hammer on wood, an HSS bit left in hammer mode, and a glazed tile spoil the surface before those hazards show up. One WX370 review says the drill is not for hard concrete and points to an SDS. Chisel mode on the WX381.9 stays on the versus page. If the Worx manual disagrees with a generic gear note, follow the manual.
Before you pull the trigger
Set the collar before the bit meets the wall. Start the clutch low, and leave the numbers alone in drill or hammer mode. Vacuum the dust, and stop if the chuck lets go again or the hole only polishes. A lintel, a chase, or a wall you cannot identify is where you change tool or call a professional.
Common questions
Which position is screw, drill, and hammer on a Worx combi?
Use the mode collar, not the trigger, to choose. Screw mode engages the numbered clutch. Drill mode spins without that clutch. Hammer mode adds the cam-hammer for a carbide masonry bit. The pictures on your own collar are the reference if a third-party diagram uses different icons. Hammer stays off timber, metal, and tile glaze.
Which gear for screws, and which for a small hole?
Low gear is the slower speed, for screws and for larger holes, where you want control and torque. High gear is the faster speed, for small holes. Leave the lever alone while the chuck is spinning. That is a generic manual warning, and the leaflet in the Worx box still outranks it if the two differ.
What clutch number should you start on?
Start at a low number in screw mode and move up if the clutch rattles before the screw is home. The rattle means the clutch is limiting torque. These Worx bullets show 20+1+1 or 22+1+1. They do not publish a number for each screw size, so do not borrow 8 from another brand's manual. Drill mode and hammer mode ignore the numbers.
Why does the chuck loosen, and what do you do?
On the WX370.1, reviewers report the keyless chuck loosening in use. Battery off, reseat the bit, and retighten. If it lets go again, treat that as a return. Raising the clutch number does not tighten the jaws. The same battery-off step applies before every bit change, which is the cordless version of unplugging a corded drill.
When do you stop and fetch a different tool or a professional?
Stop for a wall you have not identified, for cables or pipes you cannot locate, for suspected asbestos, and for anything structural. Stop if your hands tingle, if the tool smells of burning, or if it cuts out. Hard concrete that the combi only polishes is the moment to change tool. Chisel steps for an SDS are not part of this page.
Related pages
Sources
Sources are the research digest for this comparison, last checked on 15 October 2026.
- WORX UK PowerShare (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- WORX UK cordless combi drills (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- WORX UK product warranty (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- HSE CN3 drilling dust (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- GOV.UK electrical equipment safety regulations 2016 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- GOV.UK faulty goods and refunds (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- amazon.co.uk WORX WX370.1 listing (retrieved 15 October 2026)