Guild Corded SDS Rotary Hammer Drill
GUILD
Breaking Concrete Without Breaking the Bank
Every home has that one job hand tools simply refuse to do — a masonry wall that laughs at a standard drill, an old tiled floor that needs to come up, a fence post set in concrete that won't budge. That's the gap this tool is built to fill. The Guild Corded SDS Rotary Hammer Drill sits in a category where cheap tools often disappoint and where power tool tribalism runs deep, so it's worth understanding exactly what you're getting, where the compromises live, and whether they matter for the jobs you actually have planned.
This is not a drill for cabinet hinges or flat-pack furniture. It's built around one core skill — breaking into hard materials — and everything about its design reflects that focus.
Design, Build Quality and Physical Experience
Pick this drill up and the first thing you notice is mass. At close to 3.8kg, it sits firmly in "serious tool" territory rather than the lightweight combi drills most people keep in a kitchen drawer. That weight isn't wasted — it's part of how the tool generates hammering force, and it also helps dampen vibration during use, which matters more than people expect once you've spent ten minutes chiselling into a wall.
The body follows a fairly compact footprint for a corded SDS drill, at just over 22cm tall, 9cm wide and 32cm long, meaning it stores and transports easily without feeling like an unwieldy commercial-grade unit. Guild has wrapped the grip zones in a soft-touch material, a detail that matters more the longer you use the tool — hammer drilling is repetitive, high-vibration work, and a hard plastic grip becomes uncomfortable fast. The soft-grip housing is aimed squarely at reducing that fatigue over an afternoon of use.
A removable auxiliary handle bolts around the chuck housing and rotates, which is the detail that actually makes overhead or awkward-angle work manageable. Reaching up to break tiles off a wall or drill into a ceiling line is a different physical challenge to drilling straight ahead at waist height, and being able to reposition the handle rather than fight the tool's natural balance is a genuine usability win, not a spec-sheet filler feature.
Everything ships in a moulded carry case, which is worth more than it sounds — SDS accessories are small, easy to lose, and irritating to replace individually. Having the drill, bits, chisels and depth gauge all clip into one case means the tool travels well between rooms, vehicles, or job sites without turning into a scavenger hunt every time you need it.
Core Performance: What the Numbers Actually Mean
The engine here is rated at 1000 watts, which is the power budget the motor has to work with. In practical terms, that puts it above entry-level combi drills and in line with what's typically needed to sustain hammer-and-chisel action in concrete and masonry without bogging down or overheating within seconds — though sustained heavy use will still generate noticeable heat, which is normal for a tool in this power bracket and simply means pacing your work rather than running it flat out for extended stretches.
Two other numbers define how the drill actually behaves against a wall: rotational speed and impact rate.
- 990 RPM maximum rotation speed — this is a deliberately restrained top speed compared to standard drills, and that's intentional. SDS hammer drilling isn't about spinning fast; it's about controlled rotation combined with a separate hammering mechanism, so a slower top speed here isn't a weakness, it's the correct calibration for the job.
- Up to 4,300 blows per minute — this is the number that actually breaks concrete. Each "blow" is a small percussive strike delivered through the bit as it also rotates, and a higher blows-per-minute rate generally means faster progress through hard, brittle materials like brick, block and concrete.
Together, these two figures explain why this tool feels so different from a regular drill the first time you use it on masonry: it's not fighting the material by brute rotational force, it's fracturing it through rapid, controlled impact while the bit slowly turns to clear debris.
Drilling capacity by material
| Material | Maximum Drilling Diameter | What This Means in Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | 40mm | Comfortably handles larger structural holes, conduit runs, or coach bolt clearance holes |
| Masonry / Concrete | 26mm | Covers the vast majority of DIY anchor points, wall plugs, and fixing holes |
| Steel | 13mm | Suitable for general metalwork drilling, though not intended as a dedicated metal drill |
Worth noting: the drill's own chuck is rated as a 26mm keyless SDS chuck — the 40mm wood figure refers to what the tool can achieve with appropriate wood bits fitted, not the chuck's physical opening size. Read spec sheets for SDS tools carefully for this exact reason; capacity ratings and chuck size aren't always the same number.
Three Modes, One Tool
The functional heart of this drill is its ability to switch between three distinct jobs without changing tools:
- Rotary drilling — standard drilling action for wood and metal, no hammering.
- Hammer drilling — rotation plus percussive impact, the mode used for masonry and concrete holes.
- Chiselling — impact only, no rotation, used for breaking tile, chipping mortar, or demolition-style work with the supplied point and flat chisels.
That third mode is arguably the most valuable for anyone tackling renovation work, since it turns this into a light demolition tool as well as a drill — useful for stripping old tiles, chasing out old fixings, or breaking up small sections of concrete or render.
Key Features, Explained in Real Terms
- Keyless SDS chuck — SDS bits lock in and release with a simple twist and pull, no chuck key required. This matters because SDS bits also have a small amount of play built into the shank by design (that's how the hammering mechanism transmits force), so a keyless system that's quick to swap bits is a genuine time-saver mid-job.
- Depth gauge — a sliding rod that sets a maximum drilling depth, which is the difference between "drilled a hole" and "drilled a hole exactly deep enough for this wall plug and no deeper." For repeat fixing work, this alone speeds things up considerably.
- Dust cover — an SDS-specific attachment that catches the bulk of drilling debris as it exits the hole, rather than letting it fall onto floors, tools, or your face when working above head height.
- Bundled accessory set — three SDS drill bits (8mm, 10mm and 12mm, all 150mm long), plus a point chisel and flat chisel (both 14x250mm). This is a genuinely usable starter kit; you can walk out of the box and start most common masonry jobs without buying a single extra bit.
- 2.5m power cord — enough reach for most single-room jobs from a nearby socket, though anyone working across a garage, loft, or exterior wall should plan on pairing it with an extension lead.
One feature worth flagging by its absence: this drill does not include a forward/reverse function. For pure drilling and chiselling into masonry, that's rarely an issue — you're not typically reversing out of a hole in concrete the way you would unscrewing a screw. But it does mean this isn't a tool you'd reach for if you also wanted one drill to handle screw-driving or bit extraction tasks that rely on reverse rotation.
Power and Endurance: The Corded Trade-Off
There's no battery here, and that's a deliberate design choice with real consequences both ways. On the plus side, power output never tapers off mid-job the way it can with a cordless tool as the battery drains — you get full, consistent hammering force from the first hole to the last, for as long as the job takes. For anyone who has fought through a cordless drill's last 20% of charge trying to finish "just one more hole," that consistency is worth a lot.
The trade-off is obvious: you're tethered to a socket and a 2.5m cord, and mobility around a site or garden depends on extension leads and available power points. For fixed indoor renovation work — bathrooms, kitchens, wall fixings, tiling prep — that's rarely a real limitation. For outdoor or multi-location site work, it's a genuine planning consideration.
Sustained hammer-mode use will build heat in the motor housing, which is normal for tools in this power and price bracket rather than a specific fault of this unit. Treating it like the DIY-focused tool it's designed to be — working in bursts rather than running continuously for hours — keeps it operating comfortably within its intended envelope.
Who This Drill Is Actually For
Built For
- Homeowners tackling occasional but demanding jobs — fitting shelves or curtain poles into solid masonry walls, running cable or pipe through brick, or removing old wall tiles
- DIY renovators handling a full room or property refresh, where multiple fixing points, tile removal, or small demolition tasks come up repeatedly across a project
- Garden and exterior projects like breaking out old fence post footings, small patio slab removal, or drilling fixing holes into masonry structures
- Anyone who currently owns only a standard combi drill and has hit its limits against solid brick or concrete
Not The Right Fit
- Tradespeople needing an all-day, every-day tool — the manufacturer's own guidance excludes professional use from the guarantee, and this is explicitly positioned as a DIY-grade tool rather than a trade-duty one
- Anyone needing forward/reverse rotation as a core requirement, since that function isn't included
- Large-scale structural demolition or continuous industrial drilling, where a heavier-duty, higher-wattage professional tool would hold up better to constant use
How It Stacks Up Against the Alternatives
SDS hammer drills broadly split into three tiers, and it helps to know where this one sits before comparing prices.
Budget corded tier
At the budget corded tier, you'll find tools that often cut costs on motor durability, chuck quality, or accessory bundles — sometimes shipping with no case, no chisels, or a noticeably narrower drilling capacity. This Guild model sits comfortably above that entry level by including a full accessory set, dust cover, and depth gauge as standard rather than as extras.
Premium branded corded tier
At the premium branded corded tier, established power tool manufacturers offer SDS drills with higher sustained power ratings, added features like vibration control systems or electronic clutch protection, and guarantees that extend to professional use. Those tools cost meaningfully more and are genuinely built for daily trade abuse — money well spent if that's your use case, but overkill for occasional home projects.
Cordless SDS drills
Cordless SDS drills trade the power cord for battery freedom, at the cost of battery life management, higher upfront price for a decent battery platform, and typically a step down in sustained hammering power compared to a mains-fed motor of similar size. For anyone without an existing battery ecosystem, a corded tool like this one avoids that entire cost and compatibility question.
Positioned against those three tiers, this drill reads as a genuine mid-DIY tool — clearly a step up from bargain-basement units, while sensibly avoiding the price and feature complexity of trade-grade or cordless options that most home users won't fully exploit.
The Honest Trade-Offs
The strongest case for this drill is straightforward: it does the one job it's built for — breaking into masonry and concrete — with a power output, blow rate, and accessory bundle that genuinely matches typical home renovation demands, at a price point that doesn't require justifying the purchase to yourself for weeks beforehand. The included case and starter set of bits and chisels remove the usual "oh, I also need to buy..." tax that catches out first-time SDS buyers.
The honest weaknesses are just as clear. The weight that helps hammering performance also makes extended overhead work genuinely tiring, and anyone with wrist or shoulder concerns should plan for regular breaks rather than marathon sessions. The missing reverse function, while rarely an issue for straight masonry drilling, does limit the tool's versatility if you were hoping for a single drill to also handle general-purpose tasks. And while the corded design guarantees consistent power, it does mean this tool lives at the end of an extension lead for anything beyond arm's reach of a socket.
None of these are surprises for a tool at this level — they're the expected shape of the compromises that come with a focused, affordably priced SDS drill rather than hidden flaws.
The Verdict
If your project list includes drilling into brick, concrete or block — wall fixings, tile removal, small demolition, fence or patio work — this drill is built for exactly that job and comes with enough accessories in the box to get started immediately. It earns its place as a sensible, no-nonsense purchase for homeowners and DIY renovators who need real hammering power without paying for trade-duty features they'll never use.
Skip it if you need an all-day professional tool, a drill with reverse rotation as a core feature, or cordless freedom for moving around a large site. For everyone else tackling the kind of masonry jobs that come up in ordinary home ownership and renovation, this is a well-equipped, straightforward tool that does its one job properly.
What People Say
153 commentsJust right for a power chisel
I bought this Drill for a very specific job. We moved into a new property. Our external paths and patio are made up of concrete slabs. For some inexplicable reason some areas are covered over with a concrete/gravel mix which is stuck very fast to the concrete slabs and I wanted to remove it carefully without damaging the underlying slabs. The only realistic way to do this is with a powered hammer SDS chisel which is why I bought this tool. I needed enough power to remove the concrete/gravel mix but not too much so as to avoid damage to the slabs. After some careful trialling, it worked exactly as wanted. Still a large area to do but happy to have found a cost effective solution. (I didn't want to spend more as I only wanted it for this purpose). Only criticism is that the instructions could have been a little clearer although I worked it out
Exceptional value
Bought this for less than fifty quid to demolish a stubborn concrete base from a shower tray which proved impossible to make any impact on with lump hammer and cold chisel. The drill came with chisel and drill bits and proved very efficient and effective (you'll need some lithium grease if doing a lot of chiseling as I was, got a tube for a few quid from B&Q which did the trick perfectly). The drill doesn't come with a tool for removing the grease reservoir cover on top of the drill but I used a pair of long nose pliers, the tips of which I put into the two holes on the lid and it came undone easily. I would have paid more than the purchase price to rent a drill from tool hire. Drill is in the hefty side for general drilling work, though on the plus side goes through masonry like a hot knife through butter. Highly recommended.
Robust all-rounder
I bought this around a month ago to take up a tile and concrete floor that a mallet and bolster wouldn't shift. It made easy work of the job and held up to long term operation in a very dusty environment as well. The supplied chisel bit has kept its edge well which was a pleasant surprise at the price point.
The drill function is just as good, against solid concrete the drill didn't jam at all even when I applied significant pressure (I was using Makita drill bits however, so I can't speak for those provided in the box).
No issues with overheating, the weight of the tool doesn't become burdensome with prolonged use, and the supplied grip is comfortable too.
My only gripe is that the supplied cord is a little short, but that's easily sorted with an extension lead.
Overall, ideal bit of kit for at home DIY.
Excellent Product at an Excellent Price!
I had no idea what an SDS Rotary Hammer Drill was before I bought this, but suffice to say I needed four 16mm holes drilled into concrete. Given most drills just aren't up to scratch I looked around and found this one on Argos. Although it didn't have the drill-bit necessary, I looked around and found an SDS+ (yes, it does support these) 16mm drill-bit for £3. I would suggest if you are doing any substantial drilling, ensure you drill a little guide-hole first, but other than that it's so easy to do with this. Considering other SDS (not +) drills are £200-400, I can't imagine what they'd offer over this version. Just buy it as you won't regret it.
Worked well for drilling into external brick wall
Worked well for drilling into external brick wall. Only 3 size drill bits with it so had to source a set of drill bits from elsewhere to complete the job. Very heavy drill but I had not used one of these before so the allay be very heavy, it just made it a bit more difficult to negotiate positioning and ladders what carrying it, if you are on your own. Just something to be aware of, not necessarily specific to this drill alone.
The drill did what I needed and it meant I could complete the task. I would only have cause to use this occasionally but it is certainly ok for this. I cannotake a comment on how it works with heavy usage.
Took away my fear
I'm not particularly fond of DIY and we had a trestle that needed putting up against our balcony wall my fear of drilling put the job off however we came across this beauty and it took my fear away by simply drilling the holes where I required them not a problem easy to use you only get 3 bits 8,10,12 but more than adequate for me it is heavy but once you have used it a few times you don't notice the weight a gauge on it for how far you want to drill in and a a hand guide to support you when drilling and I was away as if I had done it for years recommend it
Good budget tool. Used it nonstop for 10 hours
It’s great for the money , hardworking tool . Used it for 10 hours straight for 2 days running, removing heavy plaster from a massive room. Performed really well.
Only used the chisel function and was impressed, and pleased that I got it.
Negative points for me power lead could have been a little longer.
Also you need to add grease from time to time ( it was not required whilst I was using it ) but you are NOT supplied with grease also NOT supplied with the tool to remove the cap where the grease is added.
Capable and inexpensive
I bought this to drill the pilot holes for a new uPvc window for my garage. As I was demolishing the old window I discovered the previous owners had used concrete instead of moarter to fit the now rotten timber window. I figured I'd use my new drill to chain drill some holes then chisel the concrete away. That's when I realised there was a chisel attachment - took me seconds to effortlessly remove the concrete, really cleanly and accurately without damaging the bricks. Absolutely delighted with it.
Better than more expensive SDS drills
Needed an SDS drill for knocking off render from a wall. Did some research and knew the features I would be prepared to accept as a minimum and this drill had way more power than many other drills which were far more expensive. It is also lighter than many similar drills which is a key point when working up a ladder. Easy to use and does the job effortlessly. The only feature I would have preferred is a lockable on switch so I don't need to keep the trigger depressed but a minor point.
It's quite a good drill and for the price
Bought in a hurry as I was in the middle of re-wiring the house and the SDS drill I had borrowed from a friend stopped working mid-morning. This was the cheapest drill I could find in stock that I could go and get straight away and I'm really quite impressed with it. Was back drilling and chiseling brickwork within the hour. The depth gauge tends to slip which resulted in a few holes a bit deeper than I intended but other than that it does everything I would expect of an SDS drill.
Ribust
I bought this to break up a slab of concrete approx 5 x 10 feet in my garden. I figured it was cheap enough to not worry about ruining it. Happy to report it was more than capable and survived just fine. I resharpened the chisels a couple of times but they are consumables anyway. I put some extra grease in the chuck and top of the drill and let it cool down periodically but I didn't go particularly easy on it. Very happy with it and I'd say it's paid for itself already.
Guild Corded SDS
What can I say about this product, listed at only £60.00 I was not sure if it was going to be up for the job I had in mind for it. All I can say is don't let the price put you off buying it, it was more than up to the job, it drilled the concrete as if I was drilling a piece of wood. I would highly recommend this SDS drill, it great value for money and a nice drill to have in your garage or shed for all those D.I.Y jobs plus more.
Beast of a drill!
Purchased to punch through brickwork to put a doorway in, was a breeze with this drill. Can get heavy if working for long periods of time but I guess that's how it packs it's punch. The accessories that come with the drill, especially the chisel bits which I used on my job are half the price of the drill if purchased separately which makes this drill kit an excellent buy. Would highly recommend.
Powerful and reliable tool
I bought this specifically to demolish a garden wall. And was a bit intimidated by the job before I started. But this tool made it so simple. It does have some weight to it, but I was able to use it non stop for a few hours at a time. And the wall was reduced to rubble in less than a day. Having been used to cordless tools it felt good to not have to worry about how long the battery will last.
Great for the price. Good solid construction.
Have been using this for about a month and it's been good so far. The motor could do with being a bit more beefy. It is good for mixing and for light kango work. One gripe would be that you cannot vary the speed. So when mixing, you can get splatted very easily which can be fristrating but it does the trick. A good drill for the price all the same, good sturdy case with a few accessories too
Very powerful drill
I needed to drill into my concrete garage to fix some extension parts to the guttering. In the past, using a hammer drill, I have struggled to drill any holes into the concrete. I bought this drill hoping it would do the job even though it was at a very low cost. I couldn’t have been more pleased as there was so much power that it went through the concrete like a knife through butter.
Excellent value
I am very impressed with this drill - went through concrete like a knife through butter; cut the time drilling in half. With the depth guage i could drill holes to a precise and accurate depth. It is a nice weight - not heavy (I'm an old fella with arthritis) but it was easy for me to use. Not only a hammer drill but an electric chisel too, so it can dig out that concrete and cement.
SDS Drill 5☆☆☆☆☆
I was looking for a great value, but also a good hammer drill, this was cheaper here than DIY stores, I must say that's its absolutely great value and removed bricks from our chimney breast with ease, made the job so much easier, great to use and the handle moves round easily for extra grip, right and left sided, which ever side you prefer, overall 5 star purchase
Well worth buying
So glad I bought this. I wanted to put a 'barn door' on my kitchen doorway and the local brick in my area is horrendous and a normal power drill just wouldn't cut it. This went through it like a knife through butter and I had the holes drilled in minutes. Very pleased with the price too, great value for money and I also took out the extra cover for it too.
Worked really well
Bought a 45cm bit from Toolstation to use with this. It went through both walls like butter. I did a second hole only using the drill function (no hammer) and that worked too. The non hammer function made a clean hole through the wall with minimal damage. Alot of power for the price here. Item was purchased for £50 on sale and I recommend it at that price