Professional Tool Reviews for Pros

We don't expect a new brand to enter the scene and immediately jump to the top of the charts, but that's exactly what the Flex 24V hammer drill in our Time Trial. Even in its first generation, Flex is proving they belong in the conversation as one of the best. In fact, they've set the performance benchmark that everyone else is going to have to chase.

The Flex 24V Brushless Hammer Drill with Turbo is one of the most impressive first-generation tools we’ve seen in this class. It has the design and performance to shake up the charts and move ahead of some of the biggest names in the industry.

Editor’s Note: Think you know everything? Our How to Use a Drill article might still manage to show you a thing or two.

Flex posts some pretty impressive stats. For starters, they geared their brushless motor to deliver 700 RPM in low and a blazing 2500 RPM in high. In addition to incredibly high speed, there are 1400 in-lbs of torque to back it up. That’s currently the best in the industry.

But what is it capable of with a bit in its 1/2-inch chuck?

To find out we ran it on the PTR Drill Test Track to see how quickly it can complete a series of real-world tests in a 2×4 stud. Here’s what it entails:

Going into the test, DeWalt’s Power Detect hammer drill (DCD998) had the fastest time with a 2:05 effort. By the time the sawdust settled, DeWalt had to move out of the way for a new king of the mountain—Flex with a 1:56 Time Trial. It’s also the only drill or hammer drill we’ve tested to beat 2:00.

We wanted to see what it could do with a heavier load, so we chucked up a 2 9/16-inch self-feed bit. That’s a tough task for any handheld drill, but Flex took it all in a stride. Roughing in through a 2×4 stud, it completed the task in high gear, even without Turbo mode. Kicking turbo in, it finished the job even faster.

Switching over to concrete, we saw impressively quick drilling speeds as well. With a 1/4-inch bit, it took 3.99 seconds to drill down 3 inches. The only one we’ve tested faster is Metabo’s 3000 RPM beast.

Just for kicks, we also tried with a 1/2-inch concrete bit. This time the hammer drill needed 5.37 seconds. That’s a bit bigger than most cordless hammer drills are rated for, but Flex didn’t seem fazed.

Considering such high performance, Flex packed their flagship hammer drill in a pretty compact package. It measures just 7.1 inches from front to back.

It’s not the lightest flagship drill we’ve tested, though. It weighs 3.8 pounds bare. The 2.5Ah battery brings it up to 5.1 pounds. You’ll likely want to use this model with the 5.0Ah battery primarily and that brings it to 5.9 pounds.

Even though it’s on the heavy side for its size, it doesn’t come across as cheap heavy. It has more of a feeling of quality from using metal components whereas some brands might turn to plastic.

The handle ergonomics are excellent. The shape contours your hand well and the overmold has more texture on it than most cordless drills we use. It should provide a better grip than smooth overmold as your hands get sweaty and oily.

Both the drill and hammer drill versions of this tool come with a good side handle. With so much power, especially in low gear, you’ll want to use it with larger bits.

To further protect you, there’s a built-in kickback protection sensor. If your bit binds up and begins to spin out of control, the motor automatically shuts down before it can wrench your arm too far around.

The Turbo button is on the foot. It lights up green when you engage it.

Look for the Flex 24 Brushless Hammer Drill at your local Lowe’s and online. Packed with a 2.5Ah battery, 5.0Ah battery, and 160W fast charger, it retails for $249.99. If you’d prefer the drill driver version instead, that kit is $20 less.

There’s no bare tool option available at the moment.

If you want the higher value of a combo, one way is to pair the same kit from above with the Quick Eject impact driver for $349.99.

We don’t expect a brand to enter the scene and immediately be the best cordless drill, but that’s exactly what the Flex 24V hammer drill in our Time Trial. Even in its first generation, Flex is proving they belong in the conversation as one of the best. In fact, a year after its initial launch, it’s the performance benchmark that everyone else is going to have to chase.

On the clock, Kenny dives deep to discover the practical limits and comparative differences for all kinds of tools. Off the clock, his faith and love for his family are his top priorities, and you'll typically find him in the kitchen, on his bike (he's an Ironman), or taking folks out for a day of fishing on Tampa Bay.

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Would it be correct to say that we finally have a hammer drill that performs close to a small SDS plus rotary hammer? I always found my hammer drills to be practically worthless for tapcons. It takes forever unless i use a rotary hammer

I’d be curious to know who makes this. Is it a new house line for Lowes?

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Professional Tool Reviews for Pros