DeWalt 1-3/4" 60V SDS Max Combination Hammer Review: A Fast, Heavy-Duty Cordless Option

Introduction

DeWalt’s 1-3/4 inch cordless rotary hammer is the newest addition to a lineup of four 60V SDS Max combination hammers. It runs in two modes, hammer drill and hammer only, and the key question for anyone shopping in this class is simple: how close does it get to a corded midweight, and does it matter for the way you work?

Who This Product Is For

This is a tool for anyone doing serious concrete drilling and chipping without wanting to be tied to a cord. Rated up to 1-1/4 inch drill bits and capable of coring up to 5 inches, it sits above the smaller 1-9/16 model in DeWalt’s 60V SDS Max range, which also includes 1-7/8 and 2 inch versions. Note that the top three of those four do not offer a drill-only mode; if you need one, the smaller 1-9/16 has all three modes.

Performance: Fast Drilling and Real Chipping Power

At 7.7 ft-lbs of impact energy, it carries the same rating as DeWalt’s smallest standalone 60V demo hammer. That does not mean it chips identically, since the demo hammer may be more optimized for chipping, but the combination of that impact figure with fast rotary drilling is the whole appeal here. In side-by-side drilling it ran faster than DeWalt’s 1-9/16 cordless model.

For context, a popular corded benchmark in this class, the Makita HR4013C, delivers 8.4 ft-lbs of impact. If you want something close to that kind of midweight performance in a cordless DeWalt, the 1-9/16 tops out at 4.5 ft-lbs, which is why stepping up to this 7.7 ft-lbs model makes sense. In chipping work, it was hard to tell a difference between this hammer and the corded Makita; both are capable, though the DeWalt clearly chipped faster than the smaller 1-9/16 model.

Vibration and Handling

Vibration is where the comparison shifts. This hammer has two shock absorbers on the handle, one upper and one lower, and delivers good vibration control overall. Still, the corded Makita transfers noticeably less vibration to the hand. It is a real difference, not a dealbreaker, but worth factoring in for all-day chipping sessions.

Runtime and Battery

Weighing 15.3 lbs without a battery, it climbs to 17.5 lbs with a 6Ah pack and 18.5 lbs with a 9Ah pack. During concrete demo work where roughly half of a test section was chipped out using three DeWalt 60V hammers, that effort used about two bars on a 9Ah battery, holes included. A single one of these hammers doing the whole section was estimated at under an hour on two 9Ah batteries. Runtime is solid for this class.

Bits, Chuck, and Speed Control

The chuck has two openings and accepts the bit even without opening them, but once the bit is in you open the collar to set it to any of 18 indexed positions, then pull the collar back to release. The speed dial offers seven settings, and higher RPM toward smaller tool sizes in the lineup helps explain why even the smaller 60V SDS Plus model drills 3/4 inch holes faster than the 1-9/16 SDS Max.

Things to Consider Before Buying

There are a few omissions worth knowing about. There is no variable speed trigger, and there is no lock-on for hammer-only mode. Neither is a surprise at this price point in the lineup, but they matter if your workflow relies on either feature. On the plus side, if a bit binds, the clutch will slip or stop, which limits the kick you get back. If you find yourself needing cheaper SDS Plus bits, a Bosch SDS Max to SDS Plus adapter lets you run them in SDS Max drills.

Buying Advice

If you mainly drill and chip concrete and want serious cordless performance, this is a strong step up from the 1-9/16. If a drill-only mode or the best-in-class vibration control matters more to you than cordless convenience, a corded midweight or DeWalt’s smaller three-mode model may fit better.

Conclusion

DeWalt’s 1-3/4 inch 60V SDS Max combination hammer brings demo-hammer-level impact energy and fast drilling into a cordless package with solid runtime and sensible bit handling. It gives up a little in vibration and omits a couple of conveniences, but as a concrete workhorse it is easy to recommend.