Who Makes Harbor Freight's Cordless Hammer Drills & How Much Do They Cost?

If you're working in your basement, chances are decent that you may have to drill into concrete or a tougher material that a traditional drill can't get through. In cases like this, a hammer drill is strong enough to drill into it without breaking your tool. Harbor Freight carries three hammer drills from Hercules, and they all cost $79.99 or less. Though that may not seem like much, Harbor Freight has a reputation for low prices, and it gets even lower with a membership. 

It might be easy to pick up the cheapest option and call it a day, but if you want something that can last a bit longer, it's important to know how each of these drills are different. To be clear, none of the options have bad reviews, so you should get something that works no matter the path you take. Each of these drills has high user scores that should reassure you that it's a solid product.

Hercules carries three variations of 20V hammer drills, beginning at $24.97 and rising to $69.99 and then $79.99 for the compact version. The $69.99 and $79.99 drills have the benefit of a brushless motor and come with a side handle for extra stability. The $79.99 Hercules 20V Brushless Cordless 1/2 in. Compact Hammer Drill can drill 110 holes using a 3/8 in. masonry bit in concrete on one charge with its 8 Ah battery. The $69.99 20V Brushless Cordless 1/2 in. Drill/Driver can do 350 holes with a 1 in. spade bit in pine using an 8 Ah battery on a single charge.

The $69.99 and $79.99 drills have a five-year limited warranty, while the $24.97 20V Cordless 1/2 in. Compact Variable Speed Hammer Drill/Driver doesn't have the same protection. The cheaper drill's brushed motor can tackle simple and easy jobs, but it's not as durable as the more expensive brushless picks. Harbor Freight also used to carry Bauer cordless hammer drills, but the tools are no longer on the site at the time of writing. Like Bauer tools, Hercules shares its 20V batteries with tools that are part of the same 20V ecosystem.

Going off user scores alone, the drills seem like solid picks that you can't go wrong with. What might give potential buyers pause is the fact these are all cordless options. While corded drills might have a more consistent power source thanks to being plugged in and not having to worry about a charge, cordless hammer drills are still plenty powerful enough. Hercules tools are made in-house, joining a long list of other popular tool brands you may not have realized were owned by Harbor Freight. 

The $79.99 Hercules hammer drill is equipped with 1,200 in. lbs of max torque. 14 different clutch settings give you control over the entire process, offering the most range. Unfortunately, that does drive the price up a little bit since it's not bundled with a battery or charger.

What hammer drill you go for comes down to personal preference. If you need something for a single job and don't plan on using it again any time soon, the cheaper Hercules drill is a good option. If you're tackling several projects and need something strong and reliable, the $79.99 Hercules is a good pick.