Get a fast, long lasting rotary hammer with the Bosch bulldog extreme 1 in. Rotary hammer.
It features a multi function selector that quickly shifts between rotation only, rotary hammer and hammer only modes for optimal versatility.
It also has a variable speed reversing trigger for accurate bit starts and simple removal of fasteners and bound bits.
3rdGen –
I am a fairly savvy do-it-yourselfer. I have done enough jobs around the house to where I think I know what I’m doing (in most cases). I needed to remove about 120 square feet of stone tile from a concrete slab. I bought this hammer drill with the hopes that it would make my tile removal project a lot easier. I also bought two different “chisel bits, a Bosch brand and a no-name brand. After using this hammer drill and chisel bit for about 30 minutes, I realized that the tiles were not coming up as easily and quickly as I had hoped they would. I could hear and feel the hammer drill “hammering”. But, the tiles were not coming up easily. I then tried using a handheld cold chisel and a short handled sledge hammer. The handheld cold chisel and short handled sledge hammer removed the tiles MUCH faster than the hammer drill. No kidding. So now I am now removing the tiles with the hand chisel and sledge. But, all is not lost!! I used the Bosch hammer drill to remove the old thinset (mortar), and it worked fast and easy. So, here is my conclusion: For my situation, this Bosch hammer drill does not remove stone tiles all that well from a concrete slab. It is slower than I though it would be. But when it comes to removing thinset/mortar from concrete, it works extremely well as long as you are using the proper chisel bit. Of course, your results might be different from mine. PLEASE READ THIS: As I was working, I could feel sharp shards of tile hitting me on the arm, neck, and face. ALWAYS WEAR PROTECTIVE GOGGLES THAT COVER YOUR EYES COMPLETELY. DO NOT USE THE ONES THAT LOOK LIKE EYEGLASSES. THEY ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
3rdGen –
Wingman401 –
(Review for “Bosch 11255VSR BULLDOG Xtreme 1-Inch SDS-plus D-Handle Rotary Hammer”, Purchased on Amazon June 2013.)2-1/2 years later this tool has held up to the test of time, durability, and performance (and abuse!). It has so far easily chiseled through 600sqft of floor tile and thinset laid over concrete slab, broken apart portions of 4″ concrete slab (after drilling holes into it first), and drilled many dozens of vertical holes into existing reinforced concrete foundation wall, ranging from 5/8″ to 3/4″ diameter holes down to 8″ to 12″ deep. As expected it has no problem with all of the various SDS-Plus bits and attachments, of which I have 6 different SDS-Plus concrete drilling bits, each 18″ long, and 3 different chisel bits. The tool often gets covered in concrete dust after drilling yet does not impact performance and quick blast from an air compressors will easily clear the dust. I am impressed with its longterm durability, especially after weeks or sometimes months of no use while sitting in my toolboxes – it’s been stored in my S.Texas garage or truck toolbox, exposed to S.Texas summer heat and humidity (but I’ve never allowed it to be directly exposed to wind-driven dirt, or to rain/water). I rarely use the case. [The case it ships with is terrific for storing the tool with its D-Handle and almost a dozen SDS-Plus bits (depending on length and tip), but it occupies too much space for my needs, and so it is stored in a mobile toolbox along with other power tools. The case is sturdy, of durable plastic, with good locking latches – I believe the case over time will not crack or become brittle as the plastic material appears to be the same as for other cases from Bosch, Dewalt, etc.] The metal bracket on the handle comes in extremely handy – pull the metal bracket out and the tool can be easily hung on any horizontal pipe, scaffold member, etc. – just like the Bosch Nail Guns. The tool’s settings for forward-reverse (a slide switch) and for drill-combo-hammer (a dial) stays in place, and after more than a 100+ hours of (intermittent) use over 2-1/2 years, the dial and slide switch settings have never vibrated out of setting, unlike some other lesser (non-SDS) rotary hammers I’ve had. I have found that the reverse setting (counterclockwise rotation) is just as powerful as the forward (clockwise) rotation both in terms of speed and torque – an 18″ long 3/4″ diameter SDS-Plus drill bit will often get stuck on it’s way to 8″ to 12″ deep, especially when it encounters rebar or some really hard stone aggregate…and as the tool description says, it disengages the torque when it detects the bit is stuck. Getting unstuck is as easy as throwing the hammer/drill into reverse. It almost instantly gets unstuck, ready to go at it again. The large red trigger (on/off) button on the handle has so far been great – I can fit 1-2 fingers to hold it down for those long drills into concrete (I have not complaints on the trigger-pull as I do on one of my handguns :)). The best part is that this trigger appears to accurately and proportionately control the variable speed rotation of the drill (in either forward or reverse) – you can go from zero to full speed rotation fast or control the drill/hammer speed as precisely as needed, which is fantastic when first starting off a drill bit. In my opinion, this SDS-Plus hammer-drill is powerful – with the right SDS-Plus concrete drill bit, most of the 8″ to 12″ deep holes in concrete take only several minutes. (IF you need a more powerful hammer-drill for concrete and hard stone, well…get the bigger cousin.) Bit changing is fantastic with the SDS-Plus format and the tool’s quick-change chuck – the chuck is a solid design. Once the SDS-Plus bit is locked in, it doesn’t come off or come loose, and the only times that it does is because the bit wasn’t properly/fully inserted. The D-Handle is in my opinion adequately designed and does the job well – I’ve never removed it, always using the D-Handle on every use without a problem whatsoever. The only issue I have had is the depth gauge, but nothing worth dinging any stars from the core tool itself…whatever metal it’s made of (aluminum?) is flimsy and it bends way too easily. Sure I can unbend it but it’s a bother trying to really straighten it out. It is also short for my needs, although I think most users will be happy with it. [FYI – 18″ long SDS-Plus drill bits have 4-6″ of empty shank and the depth gauge is barely long enough when drilling down to only 6″-8″. I have no comparisons to other hammer-drills of the SDS-Plus class so I do not have adequate perspective to share. I bought the tool based on the reviews on Amazon and research of SDS, SDS-Plus, and SDS-Max hammer drills. Even with my own [limited] abuse, I think this is one of the best quality, most powerful and most durable power tools I will ever own. In a few weeks, I’ll be using this tool to pound 5/8″ and 3/4″ by 8 foot long ground rods into rocky soil…I have no hesitation that it’ll do a great job fast.
Wingman401 –
Tropical Nurse –
We have a stamped concrete patio that the previous owners had covered with Chattahoochee Rock. (Don’t EVER do this by the way! You will regret it and will have to chisel it all up someday when you realize how wretched the stuff is!)My husband and I have contemplated how to get rid of this stuff for a few years. We think about it, then decide to revisit the issue “next year”, mainly because there is no way to get it up that doesn’t cost a lot of money and might ruin the concrete underneath in the process.We got an estimate from a contractor who said it would be at least $1000 to remove it, and no guarantee that the concrete would be in decent condition underneath. We decided to wait a bit more while I researched it.There really isn’t a lot of discussion about removing Chattahoochee online. I found a few posts, but there was a lot of disagreement as to how to go about it.I went to a rental place that said I’d need to rent a jackhammer with a tile blade, and that would be $75 a day. I figured this was a job that would take a few days, so I hesitated.I came to Amazon and searched for a tool similar to the one that the rental place had suggested. I found this Bosch 11255VSR BULLDOG Xtreme 1-Inch SDS-plus D-Handle Rotary Hammer. One of the reviewers had used it on Chattahoochee Rock! (Thanks for your review–it was so helpful!)We ordered the tool, and a wider blade (though you are limited to how wide a blade you can get for this model–we ordered this one: Bosch HS1425 SDS-plus Shank Hammer Steel – 1-1/2-Inch x 10-Inch Wide Chisel Self-sharpening–you can get it here.)When it came we tried it out. Let me just say that it was amazing! It took a few tries to get exactly the right angle for the chisel blade, but after that it was smooth sailing. We let the hammer rest for awhile every 15 minutes or so (we needed to rest too!) but all of the stone was removed in a few sessions over a few days. (It’s HOT here in south Florida so we couldn’t do it all in one day). The patio is about 400 square feet.We used gloves and eye goggles, as it does kick up some of the rock.I wish I had taken some video so you could see how easy the rock came off. There were some spots that were a bit harder, but it all eventually came up.I have a couple of pictures taken during the process–I’ll post them here.My husband and I think this hammer was the best investment we’ve made in a while. I can think of so many future uses for it–removing tile or vinyl flooring, removing tile from the tub and shower enclosures when ready to remodel, etc.Just remember to let the hammer rest now and then to keep it from overheating.As a bonus, the stamped concrete underneath survived the whole process and after a coat of concrete sealer looks brand new!
Tropical Nurse –
Luis –
Un adecuado uso y ejecución en trabajos rudos, la herramienta ideal con ahorro de horas hombre. Necesario complementar con los accesorios de acuerdo a tu aplicación.
Luis –
Russell Owen Davies –
This is my first rotary hammer, so I can’t make comparisons with others. However, I will say that, compared to hammer-action drills, this tool is a dream. Sinks into concrete with little user effort, stays centred on holes, doesn’t seem to heat up at all, and doesn’t torque much if happens to bind.In fact, it seems so effortless, one is initially left with the impression that it’s not even doing anything, until one realises how deep the hole is.Be aware, however, that it has an SDS chuck. If you intend to use it with regular bits, then you’ll need an adaptor. YMMV, but I’ve had bad luck with the adaptor I bought (the expensive SDS-plus Keyless Chuck from Bosch, which did heat up and literally fell apart and shattered after very little use). Be sure to read reviews if that’s the path you’re heading down.
Russell Owen Davies –
Amazon Customer –
This Bosch SDS Rotary hammer drill was just the tool needed to drill holes in my 3 inch concrete floor to create a one foot wide trench for new 4 inch PVC piping to a sewer connection. The tool driiled hundreds of 1/2″ holes using a Bosch 1/2″ carbide tip drill bit in about 30 seconds each. I drilled the holes 2 inches apart and then using a sledge I broke out sections I could carry in a bucket out of the basement. No messy dust from saws and jack hammers that I would have to rent costing more than this tool. The little pile of dust similar to an ant hill was sucked up by my shop vac. Sweeping would also work. This is a great tool.
Amazon Customer –
Flo –
Very good tool for its class and price. In hammer mode only it takes a while to break through old concrete, but it does the job. In hammer-drill mode it’s a monster and goes through concrete like it’s nothing. The drills for it however are a bit pricey.
Flo –
JD –
Vi varios reviews para escoger cual comprar y reemplazar mi viejo milkwakee y la verdad no se equivocaban es un excelente rotomartillo y tiene mucha potencia, me a permitido trabajar mucho mas rapido,
JD –
Seymour Butts –
Great tool. Drills 5/8″ holes in concrete no problem. If I was doing concrete stuff all day everyday I would want a bigger drill but that said, this is a professional grade tool and will serve most purposes without a problem. At the time that I bought it the Amperage on the box is listed higher than on what’s described on the Amazon website. Made me happy to see when it arrived. Well done Bosch
Seymour Butts –
Matthew –
Worked great in hammer mode at chiseling away my poured concrete foundation in order to enlarge my basement window openings. Made very easy work compared to the air chisel I started the job with.
Matthew –
Robert –
I’m a sprinkler guy and got this because I have to drill though concrete walls all the time to get wires into house and sometime I need to chip concrete around fence post to set head there and this tool is just what I need to get this job done Would buy again
Robert –
Stephen Sikora –
I purchased this rotary hammer to drill 1/2″ holes into some large, granite-like rocks at my house, so that I could then break them up using wedges and feathers. Due to the location of the rocks, I could only remove them by hand. I had previously tried a normal impact drill, which took a very long time to drill small holes into the rocks, and even a Dewalt electric jack-hammer, which didn’t work at all.The Bosch rotary hammer worked very well and I was able to drill the 1/2″ holes to a depth of 3 inches in about 20 seconds each. I also used it on solid concrete, which is actually much softer than rock, and it drilled the same size holes in about 5 seconds each.This is one of those products which is really necessary for drilling into masonry and rock, if you want to save time and effort, since the hammer effect operates on a different principle than a normal impact drill. This is why professionals use it.
Stephen Sikora –
Mark –
Brilliant tool. I bought this because I was having no end of trouble drilling into 50-year-old concrete with the hammer function on my conventional drill. This went through like nobody’s business. I didn’t know what SDS was before I bought it. Once I figured out the fact that I need different bits for this bad boy I was on my way. I wish someone would come out with an SDS nail driver attachment.
Mark –
Dave –
After using hammer drills for a lifetime, this rotary hammer drill is light years ahead. I drilled many 5/8 inch thick holes 6 inches deep in 70 year old concrete walls and the Bosch makes it seem like you are drilling in clay. One of the best purchases I have ever made for a tool. Thanks Bosch.
Dave –
S. Fetterly –
Purchased this for basement refinishing and other jobs around the house. I’ve used hammer drills before, and this rotary hammer is just light years better. It’s reasonably light, doesn’t require any pressure at all to drill in concrete, runs very cool, and is very fast. After owning for several months now, have drilled well over 80 holes in the wall and floor of my basement to attach 1/4 inch tapcon screws and this drill hasn’t even broken a bit. I’ve also used the hammer only function to chisel some uneven parts off of the basement concrete . . . after about an hour of chiselling the hammer got warmer but never hot to the touch (as my previous hammer drill did). This is a great product and seems very well made. I would recommend this rotary hammer to anyone.
S. Fetterly –