Highest score
Bosch GBH 18V-26
8/10
score calculated from published figures
The hardest hitter here, on the most open alliance
Scored comparison
Seven 18V SDS-Plus rotary hammers, scored on published figures
One machine per battery platform. The score is not an impression: it is calculated from the specifications manufacturers publish, the size of the platform catalogue and the retrieved price. The formula is written under the table.
Best price per joule
Ryobi R18SDS
6.5/10
score calculated from published figures
The lowest entry price, and the lightest hit
The figure that separates these machines is impact energy. It runs from 1.3 to 2.6 J in this panel, a two to one spread. Everything else, capacity, hammer rate, weight, sits in far narrower gaps. A 1.3 J machine drills block easily and struggles in reinforced concrete.
Platform
Use
Budget
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7 of 7 machines
| Machine | Score | Impact energy | Platform | Retrieved price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/10 | 2.6 J | Bosch Professional AMPShare | $289.94checked 2026-09-18 10:09 UTCSee on Amazon | |
| 8/10 | 2.2 J | Einhell Power X-Change | $239.90checked 2026-09-18 10:09 UTCSee on Amazon | |
| 7.5/10 | 2 J | Makita LXT | $278.72checked 2026-09-18 10:09 UTCSee on Amazon | |
| 7.5/10 | 2.1 J | DeWalt 20V MAX (North America) / XR 18V (Europe) | $285.88checked 2026-09-18 10:09 UTCSee on Amazon | |
| 7/10 | 2.2 J | Metabo CAS (Cordless Alliance System) | $283.84checked 2026-09-18 10:09 UTCSee on Amazon | |
| 6.5/10 | 1.3 J | Ryobi ONE+ | $128.51checked 2026-09-18 10:09 UTCSee on Amazon | |
| 5.5/10 | 1.7 J | Milwaukee M18 | $278.00checked 2026-09-18 10:09 UTCSee on Amazon |
No item matches these filters.
How this score is calculated
We have not bench tested any of these machines, and we present nothing as if we had. The score is built from five measurable criteria: Impact energy 40 %, Concrete drilling capacity 20 %, Blows per minute 15 %, Platform catalogue size 15 %, Price per joule 10 %. Each value is mapped onto a 4 to 10 scale against the other machines in the panel, because coming last in a close comparison does not make a bad tool.
When a maker does not publish a specification, that criterion drops out and the remaining weights are renormalised. Each machine's page then states how much of the scale actually applied. We never substitute an average for a missing figure.
One caveat worth keeping: makers do not all measure the same way. Metabo and Ryobi publish impact energy to the EPTA standard, the others state an in-house figure. Makita gives a weight with the battery fitted, Bosch without. These numbers can be quoted; they cannot be subtracted from one another.