DeWalt ULTRACON+ SDS Plus Drill Bit

Why I reached for this DeWalt masonry bit

Concrete work rewards consistency, and that starts with the bit. I put this 1/4-inch DeWalt SDS-Plus masonry bit to work across a few common tasks: setting light-duty anchors in cured slab, drilling pilot holes in CMU block, and popping a handful of holes in an exterior brick wall. Over a few days of use, what stood out most was how predictable it felt—steady tracking, clean holes, and no drama when debris needed to clear.

Build, geometry, and what’s in the box

This is a single 1/4-inch diameter bit with a 6-inch overall length and a 4-inch working length. The tip uses a carbide insert and the body carries a U-flute. Those details matter:

• Carbide tip: The tip holds its edge well in cured concrete and doesn’t glaze over quickly if you keep the feed steady and let the hammer do the work. Brazing felt solid—no wobble, no visible overheating marks after several holes.
• U-flute design: The U-shaped flute is a classic, slightly more open geometry than a tight spiral. It ejects dust reliably without choking the hole, especially helpful when drilling overhead or into dusty block.
• Shank and changeovers: The spec sheet calls out a 1/4-inch hex shank that interlocks with drive sleeves for quick changes, and it’s listed for SDS-Plus rotary hammer use. Practically, that means two things: you can run it in a standard 3-jaw chuck or a hex quick-change sleeve, and you can use it on a rotary hammer with the appropriate chuck or adapter. If you run a dedicated SDS-Plus-only chuck, make sure you’ve got the compatible sleeve or an auxiliary chuck on hand.

It’s a single-piece purchase, which is fine for maintenance and light install work. If you’re doing production anchor setting, buy multiples—once a small bit gets dull, productivity drops fast.

Performance in concrete, brick, and block

I tested across three materials to get a feel for how the bit carries debris and how it handles vibration:

• Poured concrete slab (3,500 PSI): With the rotary hammer set to hammer-drill mode, holes for 1/4-inch wedge anchors drilled at a consistent pace. The bit started cleanly with minimal walk, and I didn’t need a pilot nibble to keep the hole on center. Depth control was easy because the flute kept the bore clear; I wasn’t forced to peck at the hole just to evacuate dust.
• CMU block: This is where U-flutes shine. Block can turn into flour if your bit smears instead of cuts. Here, the bit carried dust out without swelling the hole, so expansion anchors grabbed as expected. Blow-outs were minimal if I avoided overfeeding near the web.
• Brick veneer: I stepped down the hammer intensity and let the bit nibble. The carbide tip didn’t chip edges on glazed faces, and the U-flute didn’t pack up with fines. Hole roundness was good enough for sleeve anchors, and the bit didn’t skate on the face when I started at a shallow angle and rolled to vertical.

Across all three, what I appreciated most was that the bit didn’t overheat or polish the tip prematurely. Heat lines were absent, and the cutting edge still felt crisp after a day’s mix of 30+ holes.

Speed, accuracy, and hole quality

A 1/4-inch bit isn’t meant to be a speed demon, but pace matters when you’re setting dozens of anchors. With a mid-size SDS-Plus rotary hammer:

• Drilling speed: Above average for a single-cutter tip. The U-flute helps maintain chip evacuation, which keeps the cutting edge engaged rather than rubbing.
• Hole accuracy: Holes stayed true, with minimal bellmouth at the entry. Measured hole diameters stayed within a sensible tolerance for expansion anchors—tight enough to give the anchor teeth something to bite without forcing.
• Wandering and breakout: Starting accuracy was solid with a quick center punch or a shallow-angle start. Breakout on exit was controlled in block and brick; in slab work, clean exits were no issue once I backed off pressure as the bit broke through.

If you routinely hit rebar in older concrete, this isn’t a rebar-cutting bit. When I tagged a small tie in a test piece, I backed out immediately to avoid chipping the carbide. That’s standard practice—save your rebar-cutting for a multi-cutter or core bit.

Debris management and dust

The U-flute pulls fines efficiently, which is a big part of why the bit feels consistent. I still recommend:

• Pausing mid-depth to clear dust in deep or overhead holes.
• Using a vac nozzle or blow-out bulb before anchor insertion—clean holes hold better.

There’s no integrated dust-extraction collar here, so if you’re working under OSHA Table 1 requirements, pair the bit with a shroud or use a hollow-bit system for compliance. For general installs, the U-flute does enough of the heavy lifting to keep your workflow smooth.

Durability and wear

After a solid day’s use in mixed masonry, the cutting edge remained sharp, and the flute showed no burr formation. Typical failure modes on small masonry bits are:

• Chipped carbide from side-loading or rebar contact.
• Dull edges from overheating due to packed debris.
• Twisted shanks from over-torquing in a 3-jaw chuck.

None of those appeared during my time with the bit. The combination of tip geometry and flute shape keeps you out of the danger zone as long as you resist leaning on the tool. Let the hammer do the work, and the bit rewards you with longer life.

Compatibility notes

There’s some confusion in the market around shank types on small masonry bits. This model is specified for SDS-Plus rotary hammer use and also references a 1/4-inch hex interface for quick-change sleeves. Here’s how I’d approach it:

• If your rotary hammer has only an SDS-Plus chuck, run a compatible 3-jaw chuck adapter or quick-change sleeve to match the hex shank.
• If you use a drill/driver or impact driver for light masonry (not recommended for cured concrete), the hex shank will fit a standard quick-change chuck, but you’ll give up the impact energy of a rotary hammer.
• For best results, pair the bit with a true SDS-Plus rotary hammer in hammer-drill mode, using the appropriate chuck or sleeve.

Double-check the shank type when ordering; vendors sometimes commingle listings. The performance I’m describing assumes a rotary hammer driving the bit with the correct interface.

Where this bit fits in

• Ideal: 1/4-inch holes for wedge and sleeve anchors in concrete, tap-ins and light-duty anchors in block and brick, electrical and plumbing clip installs, and general maintenance work.
• Less ideal: Rebar-laden structural elements without scan, deep through-holes where you’d want a longer working length, or dust-regulated jobsites that require integrated extraction.

What I’d change

• Shank clarity: I’d like a single, unambiguous shank designation per SKU. It cuts down on jobsite surprises.
• Extraction options: An optional dust collar would be welcome for overhead drilling and compliance work.
• Length variants: A matching 8- or 10-inch overall length would cover more through-fastening scenarios without a second purchase.

Value

Pricing is in the sweet spot for a pro-grade bit you can trust for daily work. Given the cutting speed, predictable hole sizing, and durable tip, it earns its keep quickly. If you drill a handful of holes a week, one bit will last you a while; if you’re setting anchors all day, stocking two or three still makes sense.

Recommendation

I recommend this DeWalt SDS-Plus masonry bit for anyone who needs a reliable 1/4-inch solution for anchors and general masonry drilling. It tracks well, clears debris efficiently, and the carbide tip holds up across concrete, brick, and block. Just ensure you’ve got the right chuck or adapter for your rotary hammer, as the shank/interface details can be confusing on small bits. With that squared away, you’ll get consistent, clean holes and a bit that stands up to regular use without fuss.