Electric Breaker or SDS Drill? Hire, Buy and Keep It Hammering

Your SDS drill keeps bouncing off the slab, or the new breaker only hits now and then. You may need a tool with more impact energy per blow, or steadier pressure on the chisel, and chisels that match the tool’s fitting.

PartsForMachines lists 11 products from Draper, Sealey and Sykes Pickavant in its hammers and breakers range, eight of them electric breakers from Draper and Sealey.

Will My SDS Drill Break Up Concrete, or Do I Need a Breaker?

If your drill keeps bouncing off a slab, step up to a breaker, and compare impact energy: the joules each blow delivers. Check the drill’s manual or spec sheet for its joule rating. The eight breakers in our range deliver 20J to 85J per blow.

For lighter work, the 81077 SDS Max breaker hits at 25J up to 4300 times a minute and, at 7kg, suits breaking down into floors and across into walls. For thicker floors, a 14kg hex breaker at 45J does more with every blow.

Hire or Buy: Is a Breaker Worth Owning for a Few Jobs?

Hire makes sense for one planned job you can finish in a day or two; buying makes more sense when the jobs are small, spread out or unplanned. If you do buy, pick the weight and supply that suit most of your jobs.

Compare joules and weight rather than badge or watts. A middle-weight option such as the 56409 230V hex breaker weighs 14kg and delivers 45J at up to 1900 blows a minute. It comes in a carry case with point and flat chisels, a side handle and a 3.2m cable.

Why Does My Breaker Only Hammer Some of the Time?

It may not be a fault: the breaker may need the chisel kept pressed into the work. Many breakers are built not to strike without that pressure, so you may need to push the point firmly into the concrete before hammering starts. Lifting the tool or letting it bounce can stop it again.

Hold it firmly and keep the chisel bearing on the work rather than lifting it between blows. If it still misses under steady pressure, unplug it and check the lubrication and carbon brushes as the manual describes.

Will Standard Chisels Fit My Breaker, or Do Fittings Differ?

Fittings differ, so match the system and the size before you order. Even within our range there are SDS Max chucks on the 81077 and DHB1300, a 1in SDS-Hex chuck on the DHB1600, and 30mm hex shanks on the T-handle models.

If you run a Kango 900 or a compatible tool, look at the K1SH 280mm locked stem: it fits the Kango 900, other Kango models and some Makita, Hitachi, Atlas Copco and Ryobi tools. Check the manual, measure across the flats of the old shank, or send our team a photo.

What Should I Check Before I Buy?

the job: the concrete’s thickness and area, and whether you are breaking down into a floor or across into a wall
impact energy in joules and the weight, not watts alone
the supply: 230V, or 110V from a site transformer where the site calls for it
the chisel fitting: SDS Max, the hex size or Kango pattern, so the chisels you already own fit
what comes in the box: chisels, side handle, case (wheeled on some heavier models) and cable length

Browse the hammers and breakers range, or contact the PartsForMachines team by WhatsApp, telephone or email with the job, your supply and a photo of your old chisel’s shank.

Product options, delivery options and returns terms are shown on each product page. A 30-day return policy applies to eligible items.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size breaker do I need for a concrete path or slab?

Match impact energy and weight to the thickness and area. In our range: 6–7kg SDS Max models at 20–25J, 14kg models at 45J, an 18.5kg model at 65J and 22.5kg T-handle models at 85J, built for most breaking at ground level.

Will a heavy breaker be too much to handle?

Yes, if you have to hold it up: the 22.5kg 56413 is made for breaking at ground level and, like the 18.5kg 56411, comes in a wheeled case. For walls, the 7kg 81077 suits horizontal breaking as well as vertical.

Do more watts mean a breaker hits harder?

Not always, so compare the joule rating instead. The 1600-watt DHB1600 and the 1500-watt 56409 both rate 45J, while the 81077 at 1050 watts out-hits a 1300-watt SDS Max model rated at 20J.

Do I need a 110V breaker for site work?

Yes, where the site requires it. In Great Britain, for example, construction-site guidance calls for cordless tools or tools on a 110V supply centre-tapped to earth. The 75737 110V hex breaker matches the 56409 on weight and impact energy.

My breaker suddenly stopped: what should I check first?

Unplug it and check the plug and the whole lead for cuts, fraying or signs of overheating, such as burn marks. Never use it with a damaged lead: have it repaired or replaced. Then check the carbon brushes against the manual.

How much grease or oil does a breaker need?

Use the oil or grease, and the amount, that the manual specifies. Some breakers, such as the 56413 T-handle hex breaker, have an oil reservoir with a sight glass; a spanner to remove the glass and a bottle of oil come in the kit.

Will a breaker drill holes as well?

Not a chisel-only model such as the 81077, which has a single function: chisel. Keep a drill for holes, and check the function list before you buy if you want one tool to do both.

Point or flat chisel: which should I use?

Use the point for concentrated breaking and the flat chisel for broader demolition work. Most of the breakers in our range come with one of each, so check what is in the box before you buy extras.