Skil Brushless 20V Heavy Duty Hammer Drill & Impact Driver Kit

A capable two-piece combo that punches above its weight

The Skil 20V kit showed up ready to work: hammer drill, impact driver, one 2.0Ah battery with a USB port, the PWRJUMP rapid charger, belt clips, a side handle for the drill, and a couple of PH2 bits. There’s no bag or case in the box, so plan storage accordingly. After a quick read of the controls and a fast top-up on the charger, I put the pair to work across a week of mixed tasks—framing, cabinet install odds and ends, and some light masonry.

Hammer drill: strong, controllable, and genuinely useful in concrete

This drill is the star of the kit. It has a metal 1/2-inch single-sleeve chuck with a mechanical lock that holds bits securely without walking loose under load. The mode ring offers screw, drill, and hammer settings with 24 clutch positions for fastening. On paper it lists 850 in-lbs of torque and two impact-rate ranges (0–8,800 / 0–32,000 ipm). In practice, it has the grunt I expect from a “heavy-duty” 20V drill.

In wood, it handled 1-1/2-inch self-feed bits in SPF studs on low gear without bogging down. Hole saws up to 2-1/8 inches in plywood were fine if I kept the speed modest and the side handle attached. In metal, 1/2-inch holes through 1/8-inch plate were uneventful with appropriate step drilling and oil. The clutch is predictable and the transitions between screw/drill/hammer are positive.

In hammer mode, the drill was better than I anticipated for a compact kit. Drilling 3/16- and 1/4-inch holes for Tapcon anchors into cured slab, the drill maintained speed and didn’t overheat. It won’t outrun a dedicated SDS-plus, but it’s absolutely adequate for small anchor runs. The spec’s 32,000 ipm seems realistic based on the feel in the handle—lots of high-frequency blows that keep the bit clearing dust. The LED “pre-light” is handy when you’re lining up a hole in a dim garage or basement; the light comes on before the chuck spins, so you aren’t fumbling to get on target.

At 3.28 lb bare, it’s balanced and doesn’t feel nose-heavy even with a medium-length bit. The side handle is appropriately sized and easy to reposition. If you’re new to higher-torque drills, use it—850 in-lbs can surprise you when a hole saw binds.

Impact driver: plenty of torque, with usable speed control

The impact driver is compact and light at 2.47 lb bare, rated at 1,800 in-lbs with two speed ranges (0–1,700 / 2,700 rpm) and variable speed via the trigger. On site, it sank 3-inch deck screws into PT lumber in high speed with clean starts and minimal cam-out. For cabinet hardware and smaller screws, low speed gave me the control I needed to avoid overdriving.

On lag work with a 1/4- to 3/8-inch socket adapter, it was competent on 5/16-by-3-inch lags in predrilled pine. It won’t be my first pick for large structural fasteners all day long, but it covered the entire range of homeowner and light carpentry tasks without complaint. The driver’s LED has both pre-light and after-glow, which is genuinely useful when you’re backing out a fastener inside a cabinet or crawl space.

A couple of notes: the collet requires pulling the sleeve to insert bits. It’s positive and secure, but not the push-to-insert style some drivers have; if you do a lot of quick bit swaps, that’s a small speed penalty. Also, the lowest drive setting is very gentle—which I appreciate for delicate work—but if you expect speed right off the trigger, you’ll likely bump up to the higher setting for most tasks.

Battery and charging: fast top-ups offset the single-pack limitation

Skil includes one PWRCORE 20 2.0Ah battery. Runtime is what you’d expect from a compact pack: enough for a round of pilot drilling and hardware, or a small batch of Tapcon holes and anchor installs, but not a full day of heavy drilling. Where the system wins is charging. The PWRJUMP charger consistently gave me a usable boost in about five minutes—enough to finish a run of screws—and full charges landed around the 30-minute mark from near empty. That’s quick enough that I didn’t feel stuck, but it does assume you build charging breaks into your workflow.

The battery cells are wrapped in a cooling material. I noticed the pack stayed touch-cooler during repeated drilling than some similarly sized packs I’ve used, which likely contributes to maintaining speed as the pack depletes. The onboard USB port on the battery is more than a gimmick; it topped off a phone and headlamp during a late finish without hauling an extra power bank.

If you plan to work continuously, a second battery is a must. With one pack, you’re trading workflow interruptions for the convenience of a compact, fast-charging setup.

Ergonomics, build, and controls

Both tools share Skil’s current design language: rubber overmold where you want it, a slim handle, and good trigger feel. The belt clips mount on either side and are robust enough to trust on a ladder. Balance is better than expected for this class; the drill doesn’t tip backward on the battery, and the driver sits flat.

The hammer drill’s metal chuck and overall fitment feel solid. Nothing rattles, and the clutch ring clicks positively through 24+1+1 positions. The driver’s speed selection is intuitive, and the trigger is linear, which makes precise starts easy. Noise levels are typical for brushless tools in this class—snappy under load without a harsh pitch—and vibration is well controlled, particularly in the hammer drill where some budget tools can get buzzy.

Performance notes and limits

• Hammer drilling: Good dust ejection and steady advance with 3/16- and 1/4-inch bits; expect to clear dust periodically on deeper holes.
• Wood boring: In low gear, the drill muscles through larger spade and self-feed tasks; in high gear, stick to smaller bits and cleaner holes.
• Fastening: The driver’s high speed is the go-to for framing screws; low speed is great for finish hardware and self-tapping screws in thin steel.
• Heat management: After back-to-back hole saw cuts and anchor holes, the tools were warm but not hot. The pack cooled quickly on the charger.

The main ceiling you’ll hit is battery capacity. A 2.0Ah pack simply isn’t meant for hours of uninterrupted high-demand drilling. Also, the impact driver’s bit collet isn’t the fastest design for frequent swaps.

What could be better

• Only one battery in the box. This is a two-tool kit; a second pack would match the intent.
• No bag or case. Storage matters for a kit—plan to add your own.
• Impact driver collet requires pulling to insert bits; some competitors offer push-in collets that are faster.
• The lowest driver speed is very conservative. It’s excellent for delicate work, but many users will live in the higher setting.

Who it’s for

This kit makes a lot of sense for homeowners, DIY renovators, and value-oriented pros who need a reliable drill/driver pair for general carpentry, light electrical and plumbing, and occasional concrete anchoring. The hammer drill is legitimately capable in masonry for common Tapcon sizes, which extends the kit’s usefulness beyond basic wood and metal. If you’re a contractor running impacts and hole saws all day, you’ll want more battery capacity and probably a second or third pack on hand.

Recommendation

I recommend this Skil 20V kit. The hammer drill is strong, well-controlled, and genuinely useful in concrete thanks to its 32,000 ipm hammer action and metal 1/2-inch chuck. The impact driver delivers real-world torque with sensible speed control in a compact package. The PWRJUMP charger’s quick top-up and 30-minute full charge make the single 2.0Ah battery livable, and the battery’s USB port is a practical bonus on site.

The trade-offs—no case, one battery, and a pull-to-insert collet—are easy to work around, and none affect fundamental performance. Add a second battery and you’ve got a capable, well-balanced combo that covers the core tasks most users face, without the price or bulk of heavier-duty systems.