Ask two heavy-trade lads which SDS drill to buy and you will get an argument. One swears by Bosch — solid, sensibly priced, and on the same battery platform as the rest of his kit. The other runs Hilti on a fleet contract and would not go back if you paid him. Both are right, because they are answering different questions. This guide is about which one is right for you, your work and your money in 2026.
We are comparing the two ranges as a UK builder, groundworker or fit-out trade actually buys them: Bosch GBH against Hilti TE, SDS-plus for the everyday and SDS-max for the heavy breaking and big-diameter work. We will look at price, drilling performance, durability, the cordless platforms and — the part most reviews skip — what each one really costs to own over its life once you factor in Hilti’s repair and Fleet model. Prices are approximate UK street prices for 2026 and move with stock and promotions, so treat them as a guide.
Our quick verdict
If you are buying with your own money and you want the most capable tool per pound, Bosch GBH wins for most trades. The 18V GBH 18V-26 is a genuinely professional SDS-plus hammer at a price a one-man band can justify, it sits on the Bosch Professional 18V platform alongside your other tools, and the corded GBH range covers everything up to serious SDS-max breaking for less outlay than the equivalent Hilti.
If you run a fleet, drill concrete all day, and downtime costs you more than the tool, Hilti TE makes its case. You pay a clear premium up front, but the TE drills are built to be rebuilt, the Fleet Management deal turns a capital cost into a predictable monthly one with repairs and theft cover included, and the dust-extraction integration is the best in the trade for anyone working to silica regs. The honest summary: Bosch for value and platform, Hilti for fleets and total uptime.
The two ranges at a glance
Prices are approximate UK street prices for 2026 and vary by retailer, kit and promotion.
| Spec | Bosch GBH (e.g. 18V-26 / GBH 5-40) | Hilti TE (e.g. TE 6-A22 / TE 60) |
| Typical class | SDS-plus 18V & corded; SDS-max corded | SDS-plus 22V & corded; SDS-max corded |
| SDS-plus cordless price | ~£190–280 bare to kit | ~£700–850 kit |
| Impact energy (SDS-plus) | ~2.6 J (18V-26) | ~2.0–2.7 J (TE 6-A22 class) |
| Battery platform | Bosch Professional 18V | Hilti Nuron 22V |
| Dust extraction | GDE attachments / L-Boxx | Integrated TE DRS, class-leading |
| Repair / ownership | Standard warranty, pay-per-repair | Fleet Management, lifetime service deal |
Drilling and breaking performance
SDS-plus — the everyday anchors and fixings
For the bread-and-butter work — drilling 6 to 16mm holes for anchors, running clips, fixing unistrut and the odd core through a cavity — both ranges are more than capable, and on a single hole you would struggle to feel a meaningful difference. The Bosch GBH 18V-26 puts out around 2.6 joules of impact energy and pulls through C30 concrete without complaint, and the kinetic balance is good enough to drill overhead without your wrists hating you by the afternoon. The Hilti TE 6-A22 class is in the same ballpark on raw speed and feels slightly more refined in the hand, with very well-judged vibration control. On performance alone this one is close to a draw; it is the surrounding factors that separate them.
SDS-max — heavy breaking and big diameter
Step up to SDS-max and the gap is more about feel and longevity than headline figures. A Bosch GBH 5-40 or GBH 8-45 will break slab, chase heavy chases and drill big anchor holes all day, and for most groundworkers it is all the breaker-drill they need. Hilti’s TE 60 and TE 70 class run hotter and harder on continuous heavy work and, crucially, are designed to be serviced and rebuilt rather than replaced, which is why you see ten-year-old Hilti breakers still earning on site. If you break concrete for a living, that durability is the argument; if you break it occasionally, you are paying for headroom you will not use.
The cordless platform question
Increasingly the SDS drill is bought to match a battery platform, not on its own merits, and this is where many decisions are really made. If your impact driver, combi and grinder are already Bosch Professional 18V, the GBH 18V-26 drops straight onto the same batteries and chargers, and that convenience is worth real money. Hilti’s Nuron 22V platform is excellent and the batteries report their own health and usage, but it is a closed Hilti world — you buy into it as a system. For a small firm already invested in one ecosystem, the platform you own often matters more than any spec on the box.
Total cost of ownership — the part that decides it
This is where the comparison stops being about the tool and starts being about the business. A Bosch GBH costs less up front, runs on batteries you may already own, and when it eventually fails you weigh up a repair against a replacement like any other tool. For a sole trader or small firm that is the lower-risk, lower-outlay route, and it is why Bosch sells so well to trades buying their own kit.
Hilti’s pitch is different. The TE drills cost more, but Fleet Management spreads that over a fixed monthly fee that bundles in repairs, loan tools while yours is being serviced, and theft cover — turning unpredictable tool spend into a line on the books and largely removing downtime from the equation. For a firm running a dozen drills across multiple gangs, where a dead tool stops a pour or a fix, that predictability can work out cheaper over the life of the fleet even though every individual tool costs more. It is an accountancy decision as much as a tool one, and it is exactly why big contractors run Hilti and one-man bands usually run Bosch.
Dust, silica and the regs
No SDS comparison in 2026 is complete without dust. UK silica exposure rules mean on-tool extraction is increasingly not optional, especially on commercial sites, and this is an area where Hilti has historically led. The integrated TE DRS dust removal systems are genuinely the slickest in the trade and built around the drills from the ground up. Bosch’s GDE attachments and extraction-ready GBH models are very good and improving, and paired with a decent M-Class extractor they keep you compliant, but the integration is a notch less seamless. If you are routinely audited on dust control, factor this in — it can tip a marginal decision towards Hilti.
Which should you buy?
Buy Bosch GBH if…
You are a sole trader or small firm spending your own money, you want a professional SDS drill without the fleet premium, and you value being on a battery platform shared with the rest of your kit. The GBH 18V-26 is the obvious everyday cordless choice, with a corded GBH stepping in for heavier or continuous breaking. For the vast majority of UK trades buying one or two drills, Bosch is the sensible, capable, value answer.
Buy Hilti TE if…
You run a fleet, you drill or break concrete continuously, downtime costs you real money, and you want predictable tool spend with repairs and uptime handled. Fleet Management and the rebuildable TE drills make most sense at scale and on long contracts, and the dust integration is a bonus if you are tightly regulated on silica. Pay the premium and you buy uptime, not just a drill.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hilti actually better than Bosch, or just more expensive?
On a single hole, both drill concrete extremely well and the difference is marginal. Hilti’s real advantages are durability under continuous heavy use, rebuildability, dust integration and the Fleet ownership model — all of which matter most at fleet scale. For occasional or one-tool use, Bosch gives you most of the capability for a lot less money, so calling one simply better misses the point: they suit different buyers.
Can I mix Bosch and Hilti batteries?
No. Bosch Professional 18V and Hilti Nuron 22V are closed, incompatible platforms with their own batteries and chargers. Choosing your SDS drill often means choosing or committing to a platform, which is why trades usually buy the drill that matches the kit they already run.
Do I need SDS-max or is SDS-plus enough?
For anchors, fixings and holes up to around 30mm, SDS-plus is enough and far easier to handle. Choose SDS-max only if you regularly break slab, chase heavily, or drill big-diameter anchor and core holes — it is a different, heavier class of tool. Many trades carry an SDS-plus for daily work and hire or own a single SDS-max breaker for the occasional heavy job.
Is the Hilti Fleet deal worth it for a small firm?
It depends on how much downtime costs you. For a one or two-man outfit, the maths usually favours buying Bosch outright. Fleet Management starts to pay off when you run enough tools that predictable spend, included repairs and loan tools outweigh the premium — typically a growing firm with several gangs and tools on long contracts rather than a sole trader.
The bottom line
Bosch GBH and Hilti TE are both excellent; they are just aimed at different buyers. Spend your own money, want value and platform fit, buy one or two drills — Bosch GBH, every time. Run a fleet, break concrete daily, need uptime and predictable costs — Hilti TE earns its premium. Be honest about which describes your business and the decision makes itself.
