Can anyone recommend me a shit hot drill?

[Meandthegherkin]

One that can cope with my diamond hard wall?
Pisses me off because there are some jobs I just don’t get one with because of problems with this. I make sure am using the right type of drill bit and I’ve had a few different drills but I’d be willing to pay any money if I could get something that I could definitely do the job with.

I assume you are using a masonary bit with the drill in hammer mode?

If you are drilling above doors or windows there could be a lintel which is much harder than the rest of the wall.

I bought this DeWalt cordless drill as was on offer at Screwfix for £150 though. It has been so much better than a decades old Black and Decker corded drill, but there are some bricks in my garage that I couldn't drill into even with hammer mode.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-dcd778p2t-sfgb-18v-2-x-5-0ah-li-ion-xr-brushless-cordless-combi-drill/906KV?tc=FC1&gclsrc=aw.ds&dsrl=1245250&dsrl=1249478&dsrl=1245436&gadsource=1&gadcampaignid=23589075280&gbraid=0AAAAAD8IdPxowc1AFpxBcxhnVUbaxrxh&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1ovnNm0lwMVGEVBAh3t5RZLEAAYAiAAEgLj1fDBwE

ETA: Sorry, didn't see you are using a masonary bit!

I was actually in Screwfix the other day discussing drills there and I thought I’d get some more advice first. Yes, hammer mode. My current house is brick and there can be some horrors. Previous place was a tenement flat which was sandstone on the outside but interior walls also brick.

SDS drills are the best according to my DP, whose obsession with drills knows no bounds.

Thank you! That’s what AI told me but Google Gemini has never been swearing at a wall (it just thinks it has) so I mistrustful. Does your Dp have any favoured brands?

Makita is good but very expensive. YOu can get cheap ones called Parkside at Lidl sometimes depending on what else is in the aisle of crap. He’s got a few of them. DeWalt also good. Be careful of water pipes and electric cables, he says. You need masonry drill bits for walls.

I ought to get him on here to do an AMA about drills.

I bought a Dewalt drill driver last year like the PP, around £130 and a standard drill, not SDS. Has a reasonable hammer action and have drilled a few dozen holes into brick no problem, very easy.

An SDS drill is much stronger still but they’re heavy, and usually 2 hand operation, so I guess it depends just how powerful you need it to be.

I’m quite used to drilling - more than I’d like to be really cos of too much experience unsuccessful attempts. Lining up shelf brackets in a sup
tough wall - argh. Thanks for the advice here, I’ll pay anything if the drill is good as otherwise I’ll need pay someone to do it for me and I’d rather not. Have lots I want to get done.

Try a tool supplier to trades and get someone who knows their stuff
Not B&Q or Screwfix.

Yes absolutely, SDS drill is the way to go.

My old house had rock solid walls which a normal
electric drill really struggled with. Got a SDS drill and it went through like butter.

It even worked well drilling holes into my concrete driveway.

Screwfix have SDS plus drills, what would this mean?

While I’m here, has anyone replaced a pedestal bathroom sink themselves?

Sds drill but it doesn’t need to be top of the range. My DH has renovated our entire house using black and decker 18v rechargeable tools including the sds drill. Note sds drills use special sds drill bits - your regular drill bits won’t attach. You’ll want sds masonry bits.

Sds plus is an upgraded bit locking design over regular sds. Makes the drill bit more secure in the drill. If you get an sds plus drill make sure you get sds plus drill bits.

Makita, DeWalt, Hilti or a Kangoo. The more expensive generally the better - cheap Parkside crap and their ilk will always be crap

Cheapo Parkside SDS drill is fine for occasional use, combined with some decent quality bits.

Just be aware SDS drills are for heavy duty drilling, and would be over kill for small holes in brickwork.

This is perfect, thank you everyone.

I've gone into just about anything with this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-Professional-06112A6071-2-21-Blue/dp/B094K3NRJD?ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.d7e5a2de-8759-4da3-993c-d11b6e3d217f

I have the corded and cordless versions. I have even knocked down walls with it. I have much more powerful drills which should do the job better, but they are much heavier so I find them hard to use, this is light enough that I can keep going for as long as I want, so I prefer it.

Drill a pilot hole first with a small (masonry) drill bit, then drill the size you actually want.

Thanks. I’ve had decades of drilling holes but sometimes the experience is just so horrible I can’t face putting that coat hook up, replacing that toilet roll holder… and two years later they are still lying in a box trying to catch my attention.

I have a black and decker cordless (mainly gets used as a screwdriver), a DeWalt corded, which is my go-to, and a Titan SDS from Screwfix for when I need some wellie.

BTW. I LOVE demolition jobs with the SDS. Breaking stuff up is very moreish.

Could you hire an SDS drill before buying to see if it works?

(I really want one of them now but can't really justify the expense....damn!)

I have a Titan sds drill and I love it. It has so many more functions than just as a drill!
It's big, heavier, but oh so much fun.

We went with a Dewalt SDS because we have the batteries for the drill and impact driver set we got years ago. We also have a cordless circular saw, again Dewalt. Screwfix's own brand Titan is a good brand too.

Our SDS drill has the plus bit and it means you just push the bit in and it locks it into place to remove pull back the collar. It is easier than twisting the collar to open up the internal claw things.

Ok, this is great. Thanks all.