I have a corded dewalt sds hammer drill. You wouldn't want a cordless for this tool. SDS hammer drills only use sds bits and aren't compatible with standard bits but the advantage is that the bits dont loosen up on you and are easy in/out versus using a keyed chuck. Here's a link to a similar dewalt. Mine's a 1" dw565. Nice tool for what you are doing light to moderately heavy duty drilling.

Here is a link that might be useful: dewalt sds hammer drill

I dont know the 7/8" capacities, but the 1" drills holes up to 5/8". I have drilled 3/4" no worries with mine. Any larger holes than that you're going to want to consider a core drill rather than a hammer type.

Thanks sierra, I'm looking for light duty homeowner type, under $200. I won't be drilling larger than 1/2" that I can imagine. I was looking at the DeWalt DWD520 which is 10amp. Most of my tools are DeWalt and I'd like to stick with them if their hammer drills are half decent.

I really enjoy using the larger Bosch hammer drills (with the snap-in bits). They have some kind of sophisticated action to the hammering works, and once it starts hammering, you back off on the pressure a tad, and you're off to the races.
Casey

I have had a 1/2" drive Bosch corded model---has a switch for hammer/regular. Have used it for several years and drilled 1/2" holes in new concrete and 40 year old as easily.

Also has a removable handle for the second hand grip.

At my local Home Depot, they often have used tools for sale in the rental department that seem to be in good shape. You might want to see if any local Home Depot stores have hammer drills for sale. The hammer drills and jack hammers I've rented there are usually top quality, commercial duty tools from manufacturers like Bosch and Makita. If you are willing to take a chance on a used tool, it may be a way of getting something higher end, but still in your price range.

Depending on how much you will use it, Milwaukee Dual Speed Hammer Drill Model# 5387-20 is vary good.

Hammer drills are one of those things that the really cheap ones break down very quickly.

A friend had a $75 one and it was dead after about 40 holes in old concrete.

High RPM is NOT to your advantage drilling concrete.

Smaller hammer-drills may also stop dead if they hit tough aggregate in the concrete.

If you do not need it long term, a rental is a good deal.
Buy your own bits.

Thank you everyone for your replies.

Well, I ended up getting the Dewalt DWD520. It is the high end of their hammerdrills before you step up to the more expensive rotary hammers. Got it for $139 at Lowes. It should suit my homeowner needs. All of the better brands, such as Bosch, Milwaukee and DeWalt, seem to have good reviews with the occasional defective product review mixed in. I'll definitely report back here if I have any problems with it. Thanks again!

"It is the high end of their hammerdrills before you step up to the more expensive rotary hammers. Got it for $139 at Lowes. "

Lowe's really only carries homeowner quality tools.
Not anywhere near the "high end" even for a hammer drill.

All of the tool vendors have created lower priced (and quality0 tool lines aimed at weekend warriors.
They are NOT the same as the heavier duty and better quality tools most of the companies built their names on.

Dewalt was purchased by Black & Decker after they ruined there own name selling junk.
B&D also purchased Porter-Cable.

Quality is NOT likely to improve, or even stay as high as it was under PC.

okay brickeye, excuuuuuuse me, "It's the high end of the low end", does that sound better. I am a homeowner not a contractor and I don't need to drop $1K on a DEWALT D25762K Rotary Hammer. I'm not building the Freedom Tower.

BTW, I own a lot of DeWalt tools and have never had one break yet.

It is the high end of the cheap homowner end.

It might last if used VERY carefully in not very old concrete.

Some 40+ years old stuff will probably stop it cold.

Even carbide drill bits have grades, and the cheaper ones fracture when they hit any aggregate beyond soft stone.

You do not need to spend $1,000 or get a rotary hammer.
No one suggested that.

Cheap tools are cheap tools.

For a one off job they may prove adequate.

If it fails all you have wasted is $139 (less than half the prices of a decent tool) and the time to replace it.

I have a Milwaukee "Thunderbolt" 1/2" rotary/hammer drill that I originally bought in 1989 and used it commercially until 2006, and it is still going strong.

Not only did I use it as a hammer drill in concrete, I was constantly using it as a rotary drill to drill up to 8" diameter holes in 2x lumber to run DWV pipe.

It has a very quick 1/2turn on the drive to switch from hammer drill to rotary drill, and on hammer drill the hammer action is about twice as fast as any other hammer drill I ever used. I have used 1" masonry bits with 1/2" drive shanks and drilled through 10" of old concrete repeatedly without any problems.

I have both a Bosch and Hilti, but I find myself always reaching for the Milwaukee first.

The two best types of drills are: Cordless and Hammer. Cordless drills are great for most of the drill work, however, if you have to drill a concrete, then hammer drill is the best option you have got.

Here is a link that might be useful: Best Cordless Drills

Again an newcomer dredges up an old thread. Earlier mention of the SDS bits does not point out that those are for rotary hammers. Hammer drills typically are not nearly as fast or effective as rotary hammers. I have been quite pleased with my Hitachi rotary hammer.

This post was edited by bus_driver on Sat, Apr 27, 13 at 18:47

"Again an newcomer dredges up up an old thread."

And I for one see that as a good thing.

They can be interesting in many ways.

And to stay on subject I'll just say Hilti.

"then hammer drill is the best option you have got."

If you only need smaller holes ion c\newer concrete maybe, but if you eed holes larger than around 3/8 to 1/2 inch, or are dealing withe 50+ years old concrete, an actual rotary hammer or core drill (preferably with a track setup) is what you want.

Rent the tool, buy a few bits for the job if you do not think you wlll need it long term.

Sorry to add to an older thread, just hate starting a new one if my topic is similar. I am looking to buy a new cordless drill. I am looking at the Rigid R8611501K. I am replacing an older B&D hammer drill that the batteries died on. I am drawn to the rigid brand because of the warranty (lifetime on the drill and the batteries). I only used the old drill as a "hammer drill" a few times over the years but it was handy to have the option. Just trying to decide if i should spend the extra to have the hammer drill option or not. My old B&D model had a variable speed drive, but the Rigid model does not. is that something that is a must have.

Here is a link that might be useful: RIDGID 18-Volt Hyper-Lithium-Ion X4 1/2 in. Cordless Hammer Drill Kit