Cordless hammer drills

A hammer drill uses a pneumatic mechanism rather than ridged discs: fewer blows a second, but each one carries far more energy. In concrete that difference is decisive — the machine does the work, where a percussion drill needs you to lean on it. If the material is concrete, stone or hard masonry and you are drilling more than the occasional hole, this is the tool. For brick and block a percussion drill will cope; for anything softer, turn the hammer off whatever machine you're holding.