Customer Reviews

Bosch 1194AVSRK 8 Amp 1/2-Inch Hammer Drill

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I used this Bosch hammer drill to make about 50- 3/8 inch diameter holes in a concrete floor slab, and 50 holes in brick and mortar, it worked great. The drill had a good amount of weight and power. I even used it to drill a 1" diameter hole (the bit fit a 1/2 in. diameter chuck) in a brick wall it was no problem after drilling a 3/8 in. pilot hole. I debated buying a lighter weight drill but would not recommend anything lighter for drilling in concrete. I thought the case was great (unlike other reviews) and the depth gage seemed sufficient although I didn't use it. The one I have is a -factory reconditioned- but was totally new and never used. Bosch is high quality and I expect this drill to last for many years. I would also recommend the Bosch hammer drill bits instead of the yellow brand. I used both and the difference was clear, you get what you pay for.

This is perfect for the DIYer. Concrete isn't a problem and drilling through block is no match. I've had to drill through wet wood that bound my "yellow" drill, but it couldn't stop the Bosch. Like everything else Bosch makes, this is one excellent piece of equipment that will last a long, long time. I would have liked a metal measure stick so that it would last as long as the drill, but that's minor.

this is my second Bosch Hammer drill. I use it in landscape construction & it is subjected to all kinds of abuse. After 6 years of drilling through every kind of material, in wet & dusty conditions it finally bit the dust. For the money, weight & price I highly reccommend this drill.

you'll notice that many of the five star reviews are years old. one thing you should consider if this is your first hammer drill purchase is whether or not a rotohammer might make more sense. at this price point and for this technology you can't go wrong with this drill. it's powerful enough to get the job done even up to 5/8" thick.
if i had it to do over again, though, i'd pony up more money and go with a longer lasting, quieter, and more powerful rotohammer instead of this hammerdrill. for the DIYer this is probably just fine, but if you find yourself doing a lot of drilling with larger bits then you'll definitely want to step it up to the newer technology.
updated: 12/11/10 - older technology is still holding up. the rotohammers of today are supposed to be more reliable in the long-run, but this hammer drill has held up well for me so far so i have no need to shell out more for the bulldog.

The drill has reasonable power. However, it gets hot easily. Also, the side handle doesn't tighten too well. The gear box is a great feature, however.

Bosch has done it again, great product at a reasonable price. I've used mine to install furring strips on both sides of a 200 ft. long block building, works great. Two speed gear box is awesome and it has plenty of power for drilling through even poured concrete. Comfortable to use, lightweight and still tough as can be. You can use it all day and never wear out. AWESOME!!

I selected this drill based on amazon reviews and have been quite happy with it. I punched 18 1/2" holes in my basement the other day and the drill did the job. That many holes did warm the drill up and I was a little worried about burning up the motor, but all seems well even though the drill did get a workout. I found using a 1/4" bit for a pilot hole first made drilling the 1/2" holes considerably easier. I also found that I could only drill so deep then it seemed like a real struggle to continue with most holes. I'd give the drill a little break and clean out the hole then try again. Doing this seemed to work well with each hole, and they punched on down to the desired depth.
I have not used the provided depth gauge, so I have no comment on it.
I do like the positional second handle. You can easily rotate it to the position that is most convenient depending on the hole you're trying to drill. Pretty handy.
The chuck key for tightening and loosening the chuck is constructed quite well. Better than any I've seen before.
I have an old Craftman drill that has served me well through the years, but it doesn't come close to being able to handle the jobs this drill can. I have some old salvaged solid oak beams in my house that are very hard. When using the Craftman to drill a hole in them you can feel the effort. Using the Bosch 1194AVSRK on the oak is like punching through butter.
I've babied the carrying case based on what the other reviews said about it being flimsy(which it is), but I find it adequate as long as it is not abused.
If I had to drill concrete holes all day long every day of the week, I think I'd go with a more expensive heavier duty drill, but for the occasional handyman or project I feel like this drill was a great choice.

This drill has done all I've asked of it. I've owned it about a year now and have used it mostly for drilling in concrete, block and stone. It has plenty of power, runs smooth and I love the full trigger. The depth guage works great for me. I am not a contractor but do many jobs for and with friends and family and am also remodeling my house so it has been used alot. I would highly recommend this tool.

For the money there is no better. All of my Bosch tools are tough, rugged, powerful and well designed. Well worth the money. The depth gauge is a plastic joke!, but I never use a depth gauge, I use tape around the bit; not worth derating the tool to four stars.

This is a very capable, high-quality tool. I bought it to bore through brick/wood and it did very well.

However, the case is cheap. It looks like you can close/open it 4-5 times and it will be done. And, the plastic depth guage broke right away. If you don't care about the depth gauge or case, then this is very good value for you.