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Drilling and fastening guide
Hammer drill vs impact driver: choose by the hole or fastener
Choose a hammer drill for masonry holes within its stated capacity. Choose an impact driver for compatible screwdriving jobs. For ordinary wood or metal holes, use a drill in drilling mode. A two-tool combo can cover drilling and driving, but its drill may have no hammer setting.
Published October 7, 2026. Maker documents and example listings checked October 7. Based on published sources, not hands-on testing or timed comparisons.
Which tool fits the work?
The two Makita hammer drills below have three settings: drilling, hammer drilling and screwdriving with a clutch. Their impact-driver companion has a different bit holder and fastening instructions. Start with the material and required connection, then check the exact tool, bit and fastener.
Match the job first; check the exact model and accessory before buying.
Your job
Start here
Check before buying
A hole in wood or light-duty metal
A drill/driver, or a hammer drill set to ordinary drilling
Bit material, shank fit and the tool's material-specific capacity. Turn hammer mode off.
A masonry hole within the tool's capacity
A hammer drill with the specified masonry bit
Hole diameter, substrate, anchor instructions and the manual. The Makita examples specify tungsten-carbide-tipped bits.
Repeated screwdriving in wood
An impact driver with a compatible driver bit
Fastener requirements, bit fit and control as the screw seats. Pre-drill when specified; do not over-tighten.
Small screws where over-driving matters
A drill in its clutch-controlled screwdriving setting
Try the setting on matching scrap first. The numbered ring is a relative setting, not a calibrated torque value.
A masonry job outside a hammer drill's limits
A tool and accessory system expressly rated for that job
Review rotary-hammer options and their own limits. None of the three examples here is a rotary hammer or a chiseling recommendation.
Socket work or a specified final bolt torque
Check the drive and tightening requirement separately
An impact driver and impact wrench are different choices. Neither a maximum output figure nor a drill's clutch number establishes calibrated final tightening.
If you already own a suitable drill and mostly need wood or metal holes, a hammer function adds no necessary step to that job. If you already own a suitable impact driver and need occasional masonry holes, compare a hammer-drill kit with a combo rather than automatically buying another driver.
Hammer mode, clutch setting and chuck size mean different things
On the Makita XPH12 and XPH14, ordinary drilling rotates the bit; hammer drilling adds hammering; screwdriving uses the clutch. Set the selector to the actual job. Their manuals require stopping the tool before changing the speed setting. The XPH14 manual also says not to change the action mode while it rotates.
A ½-inch chuck is not a ½-inch limit for every material. Both example Makita drills use a ½-inch chuck. The XPH12 manual lists a ½-inch masonry capacity, while the XPH14 lists ⅝ inch. Each lists ½ inch for steel. These are the makers' capacity tables, not our test results or a guarantee for every wall. Read the relevant material and accessory entry rather than using chuck size as the hole-size rule.
The XDT13 impact driver uses a ¼-inch hex holder; its manual diagrams the accepted bit-end geometry. The SKIL ID6720B likewise has a ¼-inch collet and specifically requires bits with power grooves, or a suitable holder with a power groove. A round drill-bit shank that fits a drill's jaws does not directly fit these impact holders. Shape fit also does not establish that an accessory is rated for the intended impact use.
Keep the model's control instructions in view. The SKIL impact driver has low and high work modes, while its companion drill has 17 clutch positions plus drilling mode. A lower impact-driver speed is not the same mechanism as that drill's clutch. For socket jobs and tightening distinctions, see our impact driver vs impact wrench guide.
Check the complete setup, not just the number of tools
A kit needs compatible batteries and a charger; the job also needs the correct drill or driver bits and fasteners. The Makita kits below provide two batteries, while the SKIL combo provides one. With that one battery, the two SKIL tools cannot both be powered at once from the included pack. That can suit occasional work, but it changes the workflow when alternating pilot holes and screws.
Neither the SKIL kit's two Phillips bits nor the Makita kits' tool count supplies a masonry-bit assortment. Select the accessory for the substrate and required hole. Follow the anchor maker's hole-diameter and installation instructions; a drill's capacity alone does not establish an anchor's holding strength.
For the XPH14, Makita requires the auxiliary handle and a two-handed grip to control twisting. Its hammer-drilling instructions specify a tungsten-carbide-tipped bit and warn about sudden twisting at breakthrough or obstructions. Stay within the manual's limits; this guide does not supply instructions for drilling through reinforcing steel. For a different tool class, PlumbingPicks' rotary-hammer guide is a starting point for checking exact models, bits and capacities.
Three examples with different buying reasons
These are exact package examples, not a performance ranking. Read the full product guide before choosing; check the current listing's package and seller when buying.
Makita XT269T: hammer drilling and impact driving in one kit
The XT269T supplies an XPH12Z hammer driver-drill and XDT13Z impact driver, two BL1850B 5.0Ah batteries, a DC18RC charger and tool bag. It suits a buyer who needs both jobs and a hammer-equipped drill, rather than assuming any drill/impact combo includes masonry mode.
The XPH12 has drilling, hammer-drilling and clutch-controlled screwdriving settings. Its listed masonry limit is ½ inch. The XDT13 is the separate hex-bit fastening tool; it does not replace that masonry-drilling setup.
Makita XPH14T: a hammer-drill kit when you do not need another impact driver
This package includes the XPH14Z hammer driver-drill, two BL1850B 5.0Ah batteries, DC18RC charger, auxiliary handle and bag. It includes no impact driver. Consider it when the drilling requirement is the missing part of your setup.
The manual lists ⅝-inch masonry capacity and requires the side handle. Its three modes include clutch-controlled screwdriving, so buying this single-tool kit does not mean losing all screwdriving ability. It also does not prove it is the right tool for every concrete job.
SKIL CB8002B-10: ordinary drilling and driving, without a hammer drill
This kit contains the DL6280B-00 drill/driver, ID6720B-00 impact driver, one BY519701 2.0Ah battery, SC535801 charger and two Phillips bits. The drill's documented settings are 17 clutch positions plus drilling mode; it has no hammer-drilling setting.
Consider it for suitable ordinary drilling and screwdriving when masonry hammering is not part of the requirement. Its ½-inch drill chuck and ¼-inch impact collet still take different shanks. Do not read “two-tool combo” as “hammer-drill combo,” or assume two batteries are included.
The XPH12 and XPH14 examples have a screwdriving mode with an adjustable clutch. Use that setting and a compatible driver bit, following the manual. Hammer mode is not their screwdriving setting.
Does every drill and impact-driver combo include a hammer drill?
No. The Makita XT269T includes an XPH12 hammer drill. The SKIL CB8002B-10 includes a DL6280B drill/driver with clutch and drilling settings but no hammer setting. Check the exact included drill model.
Will my ordinary drill bits fit an impact driver?
A drill chuck can grip supported shank shapes within its limits. The example impact drivers use ¼-inch hex holders with specific retention requirements. Verify both shank fit and accessory suitability; a round shank does not fit directly into these holders.
Should I buy both tools?
Only if both jobs need them. A suitable drill may already cover ordinary holes and controlled screwdriving. An impact driver can be a separate choice for repeated compatible fastening. If masonry holes are the missing task, confirm hammer mode and capacity rather than buying another ordinary drill combo.
Primary sources and scope
Manufacturer documents checked October 7, 2026. Manual capacities, controls and included kit parts support the distinctions above. We have not measured drilling speed, battery runtime or fastening output.