The 5 Best Drills for Tough Jobs Like Granite, Concrete, and Metal

Anyone who works with drills knows they are more powerful, lightweight, versatile, and energy-efficient than ever. Even heavy-duty drills made for tough jobs involving metal, granite, and concrete are incredibly portable. Many also have features such as belt clips and ergonomic handles, making them easy to use.

DIYers have started using heavy-duty drills — like hammer drills — for tasks such as creating holes, assembling furniture, installing ceiling fans, and hanging shelves and pictures.

Read on for our top five drills for tough jobs and learn more about the advantages of drills for heavy-duty jobs. We’ll also show you how to choose the best drills for metal and other tough materials.

The 5 Top Drills for Tough Jobs

Here are our top five powerful drills you should consider ahead your next project.

DeWalt DCD985B 20V MAX Li-ion Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill

DeWalt DCD985B 20V MAX Li-ion Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill Description and Specifications

The DeWalt DCD985B Cordless Hammer Drill gives you the performance, power, weight, and convenience to work effectively and efficiently. This tool has 22 torque settings that allow you to handle a broad range of heavy-duty drilling and fastening projects.

Why the DeWalt DCD985B Hammer Drill Is Great

The DeWalt DCD985B boasts a three-speed transmission, so you can match the speed to your application for optimal results. This tool runs on lithium-ion batteries, giving you more power and longer run times than most standard drills. It also has a heavy-duty 1/2″ metal ratcheting chuck.

This cordless drill has a durable all-metal casing and a handy LED light so you can easily illuminate your work area.

Makita XPH07Z 18V LXT Li-ion Brushless Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill

Makita XPH07Z 18V LXT Li-ion Brushless Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill Description and Specifications

Equipped with an efficient brushless motor, the Makita XPH07Z Brushless Cordless Hammer Drill provides up to 24% faster drilling in tough materials such as masonry. It also runs cooler and more efficiently than brushed models.

Why the Makita XPH07Z Hammer Drill Is Great

The Makita XPH07Z is a powerful cordless hammer drill that provides up to a whopping 31,500 BPM and 1,090 inch-pounds of fast hammer drilling. Paired with a BL1840 4.0 Ah battery, it can drill up to 77 holes in a single charge. This tool’s all-metal 1/2″ self-ratcheting chuck is built for optimal bit gripping durability and strength.

Powered by a BL Brushless motor, this drill is designed to optimize battery energy use, giving you 50% more run time per charge. The BL Brushless motor also matches the drill’s RPM and torque to the changing demands of your task, so you can drill and hammer a variety of materials with minimal effort.

This hammer drill also provides two all-metal speed transmissions (0–550 and 0–2,100 RPM) for a variety of fastening, drilling, and hammer drilling applications.

DeWalt DCD996B 20V MAX XR Li-ion Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill

DeWalt DCD996B 20V MAX XR Li-ion Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill Description and Specifications

Equipped with a heavy-duty ratcheting metal chuck, this DeWalt drill is made for working with tough materials. Its high-power brushless motor delivers up to 75% more runtime than comparable brushed types.

Why the DeWalt DCD996B Hammer Drill Is Great

Like many other DeWalt cordless drills, this highly-efficient tool features a heavy-duty nitro-carburized metal chuck with carbide inserts for state-of-the-art bit gripping strength.

You can use this tool’s three-mode LED to illuminate dark or confined spaces. This light is up to 20 times brighter than the previous model. It also has a spotlight mode with a 20-minute shutoff function that allows you to work extended hours in dimly lit areas.

Plus, this tool includes:

• ‎A DCD996 – 20V MAX* XR lithium-ion brushless three-speed hammer drill
• A belt hook
• A 360-degree side handle

Makita XPH14Z 18V LXT Li-Ion Cordless 1/2” Hammer Drill Driver

Makita XPH14Z 18V LXT Li-ion Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill Description and Specifications

At only seven inches long, the Makita XPH14Z Cordless Hammer Drill boasts an ergonomic and compact design. It also has an all-metal 1/2″ self-ratcheting chuck for optimal durability and bit gripping strength.

Why the Makita XPH14Z Hammer Drill Is Great

The XPH14Z cordless hammer drill is a leading-edge workbench companion. It has a two-speed transmission (0–550 and 0–2,100 RPM) for a wide variety of hammer drilling, general drilling, and fastening tasks. It also provides up to 31,500 BPM for faster hammer drilling for masonry applications.

This tool also has a Makita-built BL Brushless motor that provides 1,250 inch-pounds of torque. As in many other Makita tools, the XPH14Z’s BL Brushless motor optimizes battery energy for up to 50% longer run times per charge.

Weighing 6 lbs with the battery, this drill makes it easy to use for overhead and highly mobile applications. It also has a soft rubberized grip for increased comfort.

Milwaukee 2607-22CT M18 18V Li-ion Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill

Milwaukee 2607-22CT M18 18V Li-ion Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill Description and Specifications

The Milwaukee 2607-22CT Cordless Hammer Drill is one of the most compact in its class. It’s only 7¼” in length, which means you can use it to access tight spaces and corners.

Why the Milwaukee 2607-22CT Hammer Drill Is Great

This kit includes:

• A Milwaukee 2607-22CT Cordless Hammer Drill
• An M12/M18 multi-voltage charger
• Two M18 Compact REDLITHIUM batteries
• A carrying case

With a Milwaukee Four Pole frameless motor, this drill delivers 525 inch-pounds of torque and up to 1,800 RPM. It also comes with the REDLINK Intelligence system, which manages the hammer drill’s temperature to extend its lifespan.

When paired with the REDLITHIUM Battery Pack, the Milwaukee 2607-22CT delivers more work over the pack life and more work per charge than its competitors.

The 2607-22CT has two speed modes (0–450 and 0–1,800 RPM).

What Are the Advantages of These Drills for Heavy-Duty Jobs?

You already know the best drills can tackle heavy-duty jobs in a cinch. Here’s a look at some of the advantages they bring. 

Cordless

All of our best drills for heavy-duty jobs are the cordless type. Because they don’t have to be plugged in at all times, you can use these drills anywhere you’d like, including places with limited power sources. Cordless drills also allow you to twist and turn as you’d like, making them a great fit for overhead and highly mobile applications like installing ceiling fans.

Lightweight

The best drills for heavy-duty jobs are lightweight. Even with batteries, they only weigh just 2 or 3 lbs, making them easy to lift, twist, and turn. Standard drills, by contrast, are often heavy and harder to move around.

High Torque Rating

Compared to standard drills, heavy-duty drills have much higher torque ratings. Torque is how much force a drill can produce to thrust into a material. This means that the more torque a drill has, the better it’ll be at drilling tough materials like concrete, metal, and granite.

How Does a Powerful Drill Differ From Other Drills?

Powerful drills also stand out from other drills for other reasons. Here are a few.

Types

Most heavy-duty drills have different capabilities than regular or standard ones. They’re usually tougher drills like the hammer or rotary types.

Hammer drills are much like the standard kind, only they have a mechanism that produces a chipping motion while in use. They also let you drill holes in masonry or concrete. Hammer drills are also more powerful, working 25% faster than standard ones. 

Rotary hammers, also known as rotary hammer drills, are even more powerful than hammer drills. Used primarily for drilling holes in concrete and masonry walls, rotary hammers deliver large amounts of impact force.

Flexibility

Although they’re designed for heavy-duty projects, powerful drills aren’t just used on hard materials. Most of them can double as standard drills, which means they can also be useful for lighter-duty projects. 

Brushless Motor

Powerful drills have brushless motors, which are generally more energy-efficient than their brushed counterparts. That’s because brushless drills use an electronic system and magnets to generate power, maintaining high levels of power and torque for long periods of time. 

By contrast, because brushed drills use carbon brushes to generate electricity, they’re always in contact with other motor components, generating a lot of friction. Consequently, they have less power and shorter battery life. Even if they have high torque ratings, they’ll lose torque as their brushes wear out.

How To Choose the Best Drill for Heavy-Duty Tasks

Choosing the best drill for granite can be challenging, particularly if you’ve never done it before. Here’s what you need to consider to ensure you’re making the right decision.

Comfort

Drills for concrete should be comfortable to hold and use even for a few hours. Think about the tasks you want to do and consider the weight and size you can comfortably handle while performing those tasks. If your chosen drill is too heavy to hold, consider getting another one.

You should also consider your drill’s handle design. Choose a T-handle drill if you’re planning to work long hours and want to reduce wrist strain. T-handle drills distribute the weight of the tool to reduce wrist strain and improve balance.

If accuracy is more important to you, consider getting a pistol-grip drill. Pistol-grip drills place your hand behind the chuck to keep the tool steady and control the amount of pressure applied to the bit while driving and drilling. This allows you to drill more accurately and efficiently, particularly on horizontal and vertical surfaces.

Chuck Size

Another important factor to consider is the size of your drill’s chuck.

For tough jobs that involve metal, concrete, and granite, get a 1/2″ drill. These are built to handle heavier applications because they have larger drill bits. This means that the drill needs to generate more power to move the bit. More power means the drill can bore into tough materials more quickly and efficiently.

While there are heavy-duty 1/4″ and 3/8″ drills, these drills aren’t suitable for heavy-duty jobs. A 1/4″ drill will limit you to boring holes that are no bigger than that specific size. They’re best for light crafting projects and simple home improvement tasks, such as assembling bookshelves.

A 3/8″ drill can handle larger home projects. Even though these drills are more flexible than the 1/4″ types, they can only handle 3/8″ bits, making them unsuitable for heavier applications. By contrast, 1/2″ drills can also use 3/8″ bits, making them the most flexible type of drill.

If you have the budget for it, consider getting a 1/2″ drill. While it might be a bit more expensive, this drill is much more flexible, durable, and capable of handling tough materials than the 1/4″ and 3/8″ kind.

Budget

Finally, you need to think about your budget for heavy-duty drills. Think about your priorities and how much you’re willing to spend to achieve your goals. If you want a heavy-duty drill that can last years, prepare to pay more. If you’re tight on cash and only need a drill for a few short-term projects, consider getting a more budget-friendly, heavy-duty drill.

Drills for Heavy-Duty Projects Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)