I have something of a love-hate relationship with rotary hammers. On the one hand, most tools in the pro category are well-designed and get jobs done that need doing. On the other hand, those jobs that require the jackhammer-like pulverization that rotary hammers are uniquely designed to dish out aren’t my favorite. But after using the new Flex side-handle 1-inch SDS-Plus rotary/chipping hammer to break up a wire-mesh mud bed and a lot of tough circa-1950 ceramic tile during a kitchen remodel, free up a metric ton of plasterboard, drill holes in concrete for lags and shields, and remove trim, this rotary hammer has more than earned my appreciation because it makes those jobs easier. (Pro tip: A rotary hammer fitted with a 1 1/2-inch spade iron and set to chip-only mode makes for a fantastic 24-volt pry bar.)

With a 5.0-amp-hour battery, this powerful tool is built to work all day and then some, but perhaps its best feature is that it comes with a quick-change three-jaw Jacobs-style chuck. Pull a collar back, remove the SDS bit holder, swap in the chuck, and you suddenly own a low-speed, high-torque cordless drill that you can use to mix mortar, thinset for tile, concrete in a bucket for a plumbing penetration repair, or joint compound. It’s also great for drilling big holes.

As a test, I tried sinking a number of 5/16-in. x 6-in. structural screws. While I do that regularly with the impact driver, everything gets hot after a while. In drill mode and fitted with the Jacobs-style chuck, the Flex rotary hammer ran cool and smooth.

The battery swaps out easily, both from the tool and from the charger (I have some cordless tools for which it’s a micro-wrestling match to get the battery out or back in, a headache I don’t want). I’m not beholden to any particular battery platform, and I work alone, so I don’t mind having a few different chargers, but I recognize the extra cost. The tool performed beyond well, and it’s at least two tools in one—whether that’s worth the financial outlay for another battery platform depends on the other tools you have and the kind of work you do.

The rotary hammer comes with a zippered ballistic nylon tool bag, which does what it’s designed to do but manages to be both too much and not enough at the same time. I have never—not once—zipped one closed in my whole life. Thus, I have reassigned it as a lunch box and keep the tool and bits in an old-school rigger’s bag. Price: $300. flexpowertools.com

Photos by the author.