Worx WX372 Hammer Drill review

Worx WX372 Hammer Drill review in a sentence: A solid, affordable addition to any toolbox that will withstand regular DIY use.

Worx might not have the same reputation as Bosch, DeWalt or Milwaukee when it comes to producing ultra-tough power tools that you might see on a building site, but they are plenty good enough for the DIY enthusiast and the company’s WX372 Hammer Drill is a great solution to light drilling and fastening jobs around the home. That's why it makes our pretty damn definitive list of the best cordless drills to buy. 

It is powered by the latest Lithium-ion battery technology that, like DeWalt and  Ryobi – see our Ryobi One 18v Impact Driver review – can be used to power an entire catalogue of tools. More importantly, it charges quickly (via the provided charger) and holds its juice well, even after long stints of inactivity.

Being a hammer drill, it has the option to either act as a standard drill, for drilling holes into wood and metal or using the double bit for tightening screws, as well as the percussive drilling action that is great for making holes in tougher masonry and brickwork.

With no cord to worry about, there’s no need to trail long extension leads around the home and the Worx WX372 Hammer Drill can easily be clipped to a belt or thrown into a tool box, allowing you to move from job-to-job easily. 

Granted, it’s not as powerful as the corded hammer drill options, which can draw more power and therefore tend to offer a lot more grunt for the money. But it still delivers 50Nm of twisting force, it is slightly cheaper than more professional models and tends to come bundled with multiple batteries, a carry case and in multiple drill combo deals.   

Worx WX372 Hammer Drill review: build quality 

Newer models of this drill have moved away from the cheaper plastic housing and have started to incorporate metal materials to protect the motor and gearing, while more performance orientated brushless motors are used. Wit that in mind, the Worx WX372 now looks and feels quite cheap.

Adjusting the torque settings via a rotary dial around the chuck doesn’t have the weight or heft of the more expensive rivals and the rubberised plastic grip offers only a slight amount of vibration resistance when attempting to drill big holes in brick work.

Regardless, it remains a tough tool and shy of dropping it from a great height or running it over with your work van, it will last a long time. The battery packs are chunky and slide in to place with a reassuring click.

After many months using this drill, it has never once failed and the batteries do a good job in keeping their charge. It’s possible to let the drill gather dust for a few months and then come back to it, only to find it’s ready to go. 

• Keep your tools in check with the best tool boxes

Worx WX372 Hammer Drill review: features

There isn’t much in the way of fancy features here, merely the drill body itself, a battery and a charger. Oh, you do get a fairly tough plastic carry case and some of these drills come bundled with a bunch of handy accessories, such as drill and driver bits, or come as part of a multi-drill combo kit.

There is an optional belt loop attachment, that screws on to the base of the unit near the battery, while a small LED light is positioned at the front of the base and is angled upwards so it lights up the work surface when the trigger is depressed.

It is a keyless chuck set-up, so you won’t need to hunt around for a key when swapping drills bits, but this does mean the drill can have a habit of working bits loose if they get caught or snag on a work surface. Thankfully, there is a safety function that should stop the drill before this happens. 

Worx WX372 Hammer Drill review: performance

For any larger masonry jobs, I tend to dig out an old corded hammer drill that I own, purely because it delivers more torque than this improved precision when putting large holes in tough materials.

That said, the Worx WX372 Hammer Drill does a great job when tackling the smaller tasks and will easily handle shelf-hanging, woodwork and a little bit of metal drilling, so long as you invest in the correct drill bits.

I found the provided double bit is fairly poor for screw driving work and is awkwardly sized for many applications. It pays to head out and invest in some bits that have been well made and have been constructed for the task in hand.

Aside from that, the two-speed gearbox offers plenty of control over the torque emitted and even has a specific screwing setting so you don't round screw ends with an over-aggressive trigger finger. Plus, there are 22 settings on the impact function, so you can avoid going right through a soft wall surface.

The small LED light does an OK job of illuminating the work surface, but Ryobi’s Tri-LED set-up, for example, is far better for casting light on properly dark subjects. As previously mentioned, I’ve used the drill for months and the battery life is incredibly strong, plus batteries seem to charge in double-quick time.

It’s also really easy to swap that battery out and use it with any other compatible Worx products, including a small impact driver that I own. It makes for a decent two-drill set-up that can be quickly transported and used for multiple tasks. 

Worx WX372 Hammer Drill review: what customers say

From Amazon UK 

“I am converted to Worx they really are well made and robust. I have now used both numerous times and I can't fault them. I handy carry case which was included is great I usually leave it in my car so its on hand when I need it.” 

“Very poor battery life, drill has more power than impact driver, drill chuck consistently works loose.” 

“The hammer drill struggled a little in carboniferous limestone but normal brick and cinder block was fine, wood/metal no problems.” 

“Got them for some DIY work while thinking that they will die by the end of it. Both survived the 4 days challenge, and they look like they will be here for another try. Great value for the money. Could do with a second charger if intense work is thrown at them.” 

Worx WX372 Hammer Drill review: verdict

On its own, the Worx WX372 Hammer Drill probably isn’t powerful enough for serious hard stone or concrete work, but it does make for a superb, low cost addition to any DIY project. Built to last and with great battery life, it can easily handle common plasterboard and house brickwork, while it doubles up as a handy screwing device to speed up annoying flat-pack builds with the correct bit.

The battery life is good and recharge times not too long, while the drill itself is very easy to operate, compact and light, allowing hours of use without straining the arm and wrist too much.

Above all else, the drill is typically sold as a set with either a bunch of handy accessories and bits, or with an accompanying Worx impact driver. Get the latter, and you cover pretty much every DIY base and as many reviews attest, these hardy units last longer than their cheap construction would suggest.