Kobalt 24V Cordless Hammer Drill and Drill Driver Review

Kobalt 24V Cordless Hammer Drill and Drill Driver Increase Power, Decrease Size

Kobalt’s next generation of 24V cordless tools is rolling out at Lowe’s. We wanted to see what’s different, where these tools fit, and who they’re designed for. Up first is the Kobalt 24V cordless hammer drill and its drill driver version.

Kobalt 24V Cordless Hammer Drill Performance

Kobalt has two major lines on the shelves at Lowe’s: a high-value standard line and a high-performance XTR line. The latest tools are taking over for the standard line.

Old Vs New

Here’s a quick overview of the updated hammer drill performance compared to the previous model:

Now let’s take a look at the drill driver specs:

Comparing the two generations, only two changes stand out, but they’re significant. The extra 200 in-lbs of torque the Kobalt 24V cordless hammer drill and drill driver get is more than 30% better. You don’t have to look back too many years when 850 in-lbs was the highest torque any brushless Pro-level drill was reaching.

The other change is only on the hammer drill. Its shift from a blow rate of 24,000 BPM to 32,000 BPM is a 23% improvement and should make concrete drilling noticeably faster.

We’ve only had these tools for a brief time and we’ll be putting them through a series of comparative tests. We’ll update this review as soon as we have those results.

Kobalt 24V Cordless Hammer Drill Design Notes

Size and Weight

In addition to higher performance, Kobalt also targeted a more compact size for its drill and hammer drill. Here’s how those numbers compare for the hammer drill:

Here’s the drill driver comparison:

Additional Highlights

• 2-speed gearbox
• 24 clutch positions
• Separate mode selection collar
• All-metal Jacob’s keyless ratcheting chuck
• Reversible belt clip
• Foot-mounted LED light

Kobalt 24V Cordless Hammer Drill Price

One of the good things about these drills is that you get additional performance without a big jump in price to match it. The drill kit is $139 with a 2.0Ah battery. The hammer drill is $129 as a bare tool.

These tools just launched today (as we’re writing), so we’ll have to wait and see if any additional bare tool or kit options show up.

Regardless, Kobalt has your back with a 5-year warranty on the tools and 3 years on batteries.

The Bottom Line

The next generation Kobalt 24V cordless hammer drill and drill driver benefit from improved torque and a more compact design. The changes come without a big jump in price, keeping them in the high-value category. While Kobalt is targeting serious DIYers and Prosumers with this line, the price and performance are sure to catch the eyes of value-minded Pros as well.

Specifications

Kobalt 24V Cordless Drill Driver

• Model Number: Kobalt KDD 124B-03
• Max Speed: 2000 RPM
• Number of Clutch Settings: 24
• Max Chuck Size: 1/2″
• Chuck Type: Keyless
• Max Torque: 850 in-lbs
• Warranty: 5-Year (tool); 3-Year (battery)

Kobalt 24V Cordless Hammer Drill

• Model Number: Kobalt KHD 124B-03
• Max Speed: 2000 RPM
• Maximum Beats Per Minute: 32,000 BPM
• Number of Clutch Settings: 24
• Max Chuck Size: 1/2″
• Chuck Type: Keyless
• Max Torque: 850 in-lbs
• Warranty: 5-Year (tool); 3-Year (battery)

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