The 10 Best Demolition Hammers
Updated by · How we research
Ten electric demolition hammers compared by hitting power, weight and vibration. The Makita HM1203C leads, with heavy punch in a tool one person can carry. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Hitting power and weight decide what an electric demolition hammer can break; the wattage and blows-per-minute figures on budget boxes say little. A rough guide is about 10 pounds of tool per inch of concrete. These picks run from light chippers for tile and thinset to hex-shank breakers for slabs, for remodelers, crews and homeowners with one patio to clear.
Editor's Notes
October 26, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The Makita HM1203C now leads this list because it pairs a hard hit with a weight one person can carry up a flight of stairs, which is what most remodeling jobs need. The Makita HM1810X3 and the DeWalt D25980K are gone: both are pavement breakers for road crews, not home projects, and the DeWalt is no longer available. We also removed the DeWalt D25901K, which is unavailable, the Eneacro SDS-Plus, which is a rotary hammer drill rather than a demolition hammer, and the TR Industrial TR89100, whose budget slot is better filled now.
The Makita HM0870C, Bosch 11316EVS, Makita HM1317CB, Milwaukee 5339-21 and XtremepowerUS 2200W stay. New picks add the Bosch 11335K for slabs, the DeWalt D25911K for chipping, and low-cost options from VEVOR and Berserker.
The ranking leans on Makita's and Milwaukee's published impact energy and vibration figures, Bob Vila's jackhammer roundup, a contractor's equipment guide and OSHA's silica rule for jackhammers and chipping tools. No lab has published a head-to-head test of these tools.
Earlier notes
November 2, 2020, by Alexander Rennie:
We removed the Neiko 02845A because of some longevity issues, and replaced it with the Eneacro SDS-Plus. This lightweight model is perfect for demolition jobs that require you to be mobile, and maneuver around a lot, like taking down a cinderblock wall or brick structure. Its 360-degree handle makes it even more convenient to use, and the rubber handles make for a nice comfortable grip. In addition to the standard chisel bit, the Eneacro SDS-Plus also includes several drilling bits, which can be just as effective at demolishing masonry, or prepping for a sledgehammer.
Using a demolition hammer will likely create a large amount of dust and concrete debris. These particles can be extremely harmful, so a dedicated dust mask or respirator should always be worn while operating. Eye protection should also be worn at all times.
If you’ve never used a demolition hammer before, it might surprise you how hot the bits and accessories can get. Remember to always wear gloves when removing bits, and take care not to toss them into your tool bag or anywhere else where they might melt or damage delicate equipment.
If your demolition job requires something a bit more low-tech, a sledgehammer might be a better option. If you’re also dealing with a lot of lumber or house framing as well, a good solid pry bar will be a lot more helpful than a typical carpenters hammer.
June 2, 2019, by Brett Dvoretz:
Demolition work is all about matching the tool to the job. If you try and use an underpowered hammer to break through large amounts of an extremely hard material, not only will it take a very long time, but you risk overheating or otherwise damaging the tool. On the other hand, if you bring a huge 70-pound jackhammer to bear on a small bathroom tile job where an 11-pound model would suffice, you will unnecessarily wear yourself out, not to mention risk losing control of the large tool and hitting and destroying something you meant to preserve, like that bathroom cabinet you weren't planning on replacing. If you run a company that regularly handles large demolition jobs, then you will be best served with a model built to withstand long periods of use and with a lot of power, such as the DeWalt D25980KB, Makita HM1810X3, and Makita HM1317CB. Homeowners who have a large job, but aren't in a hurry to get it down, or need to break up some small areas of very hard material, like dense stone or extremely hardened concrete, can go with a lesser-quality, but still powerful model, like the XtremepowerUS X1108, Neiko 02845A, and TR Industrial TR89100. These affordable unints probably won't last through years of use, but can easily handle some big home jobs and don't cost a ton of money. The Milwaukee 5339-21 is a commercial-grade unit that straddles the middle ground of large units that are very unwieldy and smaller units that can't handle large jobs, making it a smart choice for homeowners who feel they may put a demolition hammer to use often on a wide range of jobs. The DeWalt D25901K SDS Max, Makita HM0870C, Bosch 11316EVS are all well-suited to precision work in small areas. They have minimal kickback and will allow you to avoid fixtures that are too time-consuming or difficult to remove for a limited amount of demo work. The DeWalt D25901K SDS Max, Milwaukee 5339-21, and Makita HM1317CB deserve special mention for having user-adjustable speed control.
Special Honors
Hilti TE 3000-AVR Hilti sells its tools direct, through its own stores and account reps, rather than through general retailers. The TE 3000-AVR is its big electric breaker, with active vibration reduction, made for crews who would otherwise haul a compressor and an air jackhammer. Hilti also rents and services tools for contractors. hilti.com
Milwaukee MX FUEL Breaker For sites without power, Milwaukee makes a cordless breaker that runs on its large MX FUEL batteries. It costs far more than a corded breaker once batteries and a charger are counted, but it skips the generator and the long cord. milwaukeetool.com
Match The Hammer To The Job
Wattage and blows per minute say much less, and budget boxes often print figures that don't agree.
Impact energy and weight decide what a demolition hammer can break. Wattage and blows per minute say much less, and budget boxes often print figures that don't agree. A rough guide from Bob Vila is about 10 pounds of tool per inch of concrete, with 15 to 22 foot-pounds of impact energy for small and medium jobs and 30 to 45 for big ones.
Light SDS-Max hammers of 10 to 13 pounds, like the Makita HM0870C at 8.4 foot-pounds, are for tile, thinset, stucco and block. Mid-size SDS-Max tools of 20 to 28 pounds, like the Makita HM1203C at 18.8 foot-pounds, handle most patios, steps and thin slabs. Breakers of 35 pounds and up take 1-1/8-inch hex steel, the same bits air jackhammers use, and are for driveways and footings. Pavement breakers of 60 pounds and more are for road work; for one driveway, renting one is usually smarter than buying.
Heavier is not always better. A big breaker on tile cracks what you meant to keep and wears you out. If you also need to drill holes, a demolition hammer won't do it: it only hammers. Look at our rotary hammers for that, and at our concrete chisels for bits.
Silica Dust, Noise And Vibration
Breaking concrete, brick or block throws up crystalline silica, which scars the lungs. OSHA's construction rule, 29 CFR 1926.1153, says jackhammers and handheld chipping tools need water sprayed at the point of impact or a shroud tied to a dust collector. Indoors, or for more than four hours a day outdoors, it also calls for a respirator. The rule covers employers, but homeowners breathe the same dust.
These tools are loud. Makita rates the HM1317CB at 101 decibels, so wear ear protection, along with goggles, gloves and boots.
Vibration adds up over a day. Britain's Health and Safety Executive sets an action value of 2.5 m/s2 and a limit of 5 m/s2, averaged over eight hours. Makita rates the HM1317CB, with its counterweight, at 7 m/s2 and the undamped HM1203C at 15.5 m/s2, so the safe trigger time per day is short for both. Take breaks every 15 to 20 minutes, and let the tool's weight do the work instead of leaning on it.
Before You Break: Utilities, Hidden Hazards And Technique
Call 811 a few days before breaking anything that sits on soil, so buried power, gas and water lines get marked. Slabs can hide rebar, radiant heat tubing or post-tension cables; a cut tension cable can whip out with real force, so get a pro to scan a slab if you are unsure. Old floor tile, mastic and some plaster can contain asbestos, and paint from before 1978 can contain lead. The EPA says to test before disturbing suspect material.
Plug into a GFCI outlet and use a short, heavy-gauge extension cord. Unplug the hammer before changing a bit, and check that an SDS-Max bit has clicked into place. Start at an edge or a crack, not the middle of a slab, and take small bites. Use a pointed bit to break and a flat one to clean edges and lift tile. Keep the bit shank greased.
For a few pavers or a cracked step, a sledgehammer may be all you need.
How we researched this
We compared 18 electric demolition hammers and breakers, read Makita's and Milwaukee's spec pages for the finalists, used Bob Vila's jackhammer roundup and a contractor's equipment guide, analyzed owner feedback, and checked every brand against U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall records. We also read OSHA's silica rule and Britain's vibration limits for the buyer's guide.
Sources (10)
- Makita: HM0870C SDS-Max demolition hammer
- Makita: HM1203C SDS-Max demolition hammer
- Makita: HM1317CB AVT demolition hammer
- Milwaukee: 5339-21 SDS-Max demolition hammer
- Bob Vila: The Best Jackhammers
- eCFR: 29 CFR 1926.1153 Respirable crystalline silica
- HSE: Hand-arm vibration regulations
- Call 811
- EPA: Protect your family from exposures to asbestos
- CPSC recalls
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a jackhammer and a demolition hammer?
A jackhammer usually means a big pneumatic breaker run by an air compressor. An electric demolition hammer does the same job from a wall outlet. Light ones chip tile and block; breakers of 35 pounds and up take on slabs.
Can a rotary hammer do demolition work?
Only light work. A rotary hammer drills and can chip in hammer-only mode, but a demolition hammer hits harder and is built to chisel all day. If you need both, a rotary hammer is the more flexible buy.
Do I need SDS-Max or a hex shank?
It follows the tool's size. SDS-Max fits hammers up to about 28 pounds; 1-1/8-inch hex fits breakers of 35 pounds and up, and takes the same steel as air jackhammers. Buy bits to match the tool.
What size demolition hammer do I need for a concrete slab?
A rough guide is about 10 pounds of tool per inch of concrete. A 4-inch patio slab calls for a 35 to 45-pound breaker; a 20-pound SDS-Max hammer works but is slow.
Should I rent or buy a demolition hammer?
For one driveway or a single large slab, renting a heavy breaker is often cheaper. Buy if you remodel often, chip tile regularly or need the tool for more than a few days.
How do I keep dust down when breaking concrete?
Spray water at the point of impact or use a dust shroud tied to a vacuum with a HEPA filter, and wear a respirator. That is what OSHA requires on job sites, because concrete dust contains silica.
