Bosch11255VSR Bulldog Xtreme 8 Amp 1 Inch Corded Variable Speed SDS-Plus Concrete/Masonry Rotary Hammer

This is a work horse. I am using it to build out my basement. It pushes the bits through like butter. My only problem was that the depth guide moved with the vibration but it doesn’t affect my review. I like it a lot. The vibration was not bad either. My hands experienced no issues. It is a great tool, seems heavy duty, and was a good value for the money. Perfect!

(Review for "Bosch 11255VSR BULLDOG Xtreme 1-Inch SDS-plus D-Handle Rotary Hammer", Purchased on Amazon June 2013.)2-1/2 years later this tool has held up to the test of time, durability, and performance (and abuse!). It has so far easily chiseled through 600sqft of floor tile and thinset laid over concrete slab, broken apart portions of 4" concrete slab (after drilling holes into it first), and drilled many dozens of vertical holes into existing reinforced concrete foundation wall, ranging from 5/8" to 3/4" diameter holes down to 8" to 12" deep. As expected it has no problem with all of the various SDS-Plus bits and attachments, of which I have 6 different SDS-Plus concrete drilling bits, each 18" long, and 3 different chisel bits. The tool often gets covered in concrete dust after drilling yet does not impact performance and quick blast from an air compressors will easily clear the dust. I am impressed with its longterm durability, especially after weeks or sometimes months of no use while sitting in my toolboxes - it's been stored in my S.Texas garage or truck toolbox, exposed to S.Texas summer heat and humidity (but I've never allowed it to be directly exposed to wind-driven dirt, or to rain/water). I rarely use the case. [The case it ships with is terrific for storing the tool with its D-Handle and almost a dozen SDS-Plus bits (depending on length and tip), but it occupies too much space for my needs, and so it is stored in a mobile toolbox along with other power tools. The case is sturdy, of durable plastic, with good locking latches - I believe the case over time will not crack or become brittle as the plastic material appears to be the same as for other cases from Bosch, Dewalt, etc.] The metal bracket on the handle comes in extremely handy - pull the metal bracket out and the tool can be easily hung on any horizontal pipe, scaffold member, etc. - just like the Bosch Nail Guns. The tool's settings for forward-reverse (a slide switch) and for drill-combo-hammer (a dial) stays in place, and after more than a 100+ hours of (intermittent) use over 2-1/2 years, the dial and slide switch settings have never vibrated out of setting, unlike some other lesser (non-SDS) rotary hammers I've had. I have found that the reverse setting (counterclockwise rotation) is just as powerful as the forward (clockwise) rotation both in terms of speed and torque - an 18" long 3/4" diameter SDS-Plus drill bit will often get stuck on it's way to 8" to 12" deep, especially when it encounters rebar or some really hard stone aggregate...and as the tool description says, it disengages the torque when it detects the bit is stuck. Getting unstuck is as easy as throwing the hammer/drill into reverse. It almost instantly gets unstuck, ready to go at it again. The large red trigger (on/off) button on the handle has so far been great - I can fit 1-2 fingers to hold it down for those long drills into concrete (I have not complaints on the trigger-pull as I do on one of my handguns :)). The best part is that this trigger appears to accurately and proportionately control the variable speed rotation of the drill (in either forward or reverse) - you can go from zero to full speed rotation fast or control the drill/hammer speed as precisely as needed, which is fantastic when first starting off a drill bit. In my opinion, this SDS-Plus hammer-drill is powerful - with the right SDS-Plus concrete drill bit, most of the 8" to 12" deep holes in concrete take only several minutes. (IF you need a more powerful hammer-drill for concrete and hard stone, well...get the bigger cousin.) Bit changing is fantastic with the SDS-Plus format and the tool's quick-change chuck - the chuck is a solid design. Once the SDS-Plus bit is locked in, it doesn't come off or come loose, and the only times that it does is because the bit wasn't properly/fully inserted. The D-Handle is in my opinion adequately designed and does the job well - I've never removed it, always using the D-Handle on every use without a problem whatsoever. The only issue I have had is the depth gauge, but nothing worth dinging any stars from the core tool itself...whatever metal it's made of (aluminum?) is flimsy and it bends way too easily. Sure I can unbend it but it's a bother trying to really straighten it out. It is also short for my needs, although I think most users will be happy with it. [FYI - 18" long SDS-Plus drill bits have 4-6" of empty shank and the depth gauge is barely long enough when drilling down to only 6"-8". I have no comparisons to other hammer-drills of the SDS-Plus class so I do not have adequate perspective to share. I bought the tool based on the reviews on Amazon and research of SDS, SDS-Plus, and SDS-Max hammer drills. Even with my own [limited] abuse, I think this is one of the best quality, most powerful and most durable power tools I will ever own. In a few weeks, I'll be using this tool to pound 5/8" and 3/4" by 8 foot long ground rods into rocky soil...I have no hesitation that it'll do a great job fast.

This is my first hammer drill. What an incredible difference it makes! I drilled a 5/8 inch x 4 inch deep hole in less than a minute! It was so much easier than with a regular drill.This drill is easy to use, has great features and is powerful. I am very happy with the value and the performance.

Works as good as my SDS max hammer drill but can use smaller bits. Drill bits cost 1/2 the cost of the SDS max drills.

Love this bad boy. Big enough to do the job, yet light enough to hold one handed like a gun.

I bought this drill two weeks ago, so I cannot speak about the durability of it. It does seem very sturdily built. I have also not used it for concrete yet, so I don't know how it will function. But, I have been using it for regular drilling and sinking screws, and it will drill and sink pretty much anything with ease.There are two reasons I am giving this 4 instead of 5 stars, but I would give it 4.5 if I could.Reason 1 - It does have variable speed, meaning the harder you press the trigger, the faster it goes. This is great, but it is a hair trigger. You have to press very very lightly to get a low speed and it ramps up to full speed rather quickly. This can be a problem for people who tend to clench all their fingers when stabilizing the drill. I have the hang of it because I had a similar drill before, but a friend of mine who is helping me on the project can't seem to get it.Reason 2 - I wasn't familiar with what SDS Plus meant until I got the drill and instruction booklet. (Chalk this up to DIY experience versus someone who is a pro.) For those who don't know what SDS Plus is, it is a type of drill bit that you use when hammer drilling concrete. It allows the drill itself to bang up and down without the drill bit moving up and down (similar to how a nail stays in place when you bang it with a hammer) due to a channel system cut in the side of the drill bit.The problem is that the only SDS Plus bits readily available at most hardware stores are for concrete. The reason I bought this hammer drill, though, was because it had the option of being used only as a drill (as well as only as a hammer and both at the same time) so that I could use it around the house as well. This means you need an adapter to accept regular drill bits. I bought an adapter [...] and the drill has been great on everything I use it for.I know some people will chalk this last reason up to user error, but I am willing to bet there are a lot of DIY people out there who do not know what SDS Plus means. To me, it sounded just like part of the drill's name in the Amazon title.Long story short, I can say that for the two-weeks I have had it, this hammer drill is great as a drill so long as you have the adapter and so long as you can manage the hair trigger. I will update further when I have had it longer and used the hammer and hammer-drill functions.

This is the second one I’ve bought and this was a gift for my son-in-law. I have had one for years and have used it for many extreme projects like chiseling through a 4 inch solid concrete wall. It functions as a rotary drill, a hammer drill, and then a scraper, or even is useful for digging in hard, clay dirt. I would not be without this tool. Considering the effectiveness and durability, it is well worth the money!!

Great tool ,had one that lasted for about fifteen years before it finally broke so I bought a new one.