WORX WX354.1 Review

For most DIYers and even many tradespeople, the tool collection contains a gap: on one side sits the trusty cordless drill-driver that handles wood, metal, and plasterboard with ease; on the other, a dedicated rotary hammer that punches through concrete and masonry but is too heavy and specialised to carry every day. The gap — drilling the occasional 6 mm, 8 mm, or 10 mm hole in brick and concrete — is precisely where a standard drill's hammer function usually fails. The vibrating clutch mechanism on most combi drills produces more noise than progress, and after a minute of buzzing against a hard engineering brick with nothing but a shallow dimple to show for it, most people give up and reach for the SDS drill they did not bring. A cordless hammer drill that genuinely bridges this gap — one that produces real, measurable progress in concrete without the weight, cost, and specialised bits of a rotary hammer — would earn its place in any tool bag. The question is whether the hammer mechanism and motor can deliver enough impact force to make drilling into masonry practical rather than theoretical.

WORX has built its brand around innovation in the consumer and prosumer power tool space, often targeting categories where they can offer a genuinely different approach rather than competing head-to-head on the same features as the established players. The Nitro range represents their brushless PRO line, using higher-spec motors and electronics than the standard WORX tools. The WX354.1 hammer drill sits at the intersection of a combi drill and a light rotary hammer — it uses a cam-and-spring impact mechanism rather than the pneumatic piston of an SDS drill, but WORX claims their mechanism design accumulates and delivers greater impact force than typical hammer drills. The result, they say, is a cordless drill that can genuinely drill into reinforced concrete — a claim that would normally be met with scepticism from anyone who has watched a standard combi drill fail at the same task.

This review examines the WORX Nitro WX354.1 20V Max brushless hammer drill. We test the key claim: can it really drill 10 mm holes in reinforced concrete, or is that marketing ambition outstripping engineering reality? We look at the 60 newton-metre torque rating, the two-speed gearbox delivering 0 to 600 and 0 to 2,000 rpm, the 13 mm metal keyless chuck, the included 2 Ah and 4 Ah batteries, and the 8 mm masonry bit that comes in the box. We also assess how this tool performs as an everyday drill-driver for wood and metal — because if it cannot do the basics well, the concrete capability becomes a party trick rather than a practical feature.

The WX354.1 is powered by a brushless motor in WORX's Nitro PRO configuration, delivering a maximum torque of 60 newton-metres — a substantial figure for an 18/20-volt combi drill that puts it in the same torque class as premium impact drivers. The two-speed gearbox provides 0 to 600 rpm in low gear for high-torque screwdriving and large-hole drilling, and 0 to 2,000 rpm in high gear for faster drilling in wood and metal. The hammer function uses a cam-and-spring mechanism — two serrated discs that ride over each other to produce an axial hammering action at the chuck. WORX claims their cam-and-spring design accumulates more energy and delivers greater impact force than conventional hammer drill mechanisms, enabling the drill to make genuine progress in reinforced concrete at diameters up to 10 mm. The 13 mm keyless metal chuck grips bits firmly and resists the loosening that can occur under sustained hammer action.

The 10 mm reinforced concrete claim is the headline feature and the one that sets this drill apart from virtually every other combi drill on the market. A standard cordless combi drill with a hammer function typically struggles beyond 6 mm in lightweight block and is essentially useless in dense structural concrete. The fact that WORX ships the tool with an 8 mm masonry bit — rather than the 5 mm or 6 mm bits usually included — signals confidence in the hammer mechanism's capability. In real-world terms, 8 mm and 10 mm holes in concrete cover the most common wall plug sizes for heavy fixings: 8 mm plugs for shelf brackets, curtain rails, and light fixtures, and 10 mm for heavier loads like wall-mounted televisions, bathroom sanitaryware, and kitchen wall cabinets. If the drill delivers on the promise, it genuinely eliminates the need for a separate rotary hammer for most domestic fixing tasks.

As an everyday drill-driver, the WX354.1 performs to the standard expected of a brushless combi drill in this price bracket. The 18+1+1 torque adjustment collar provides 18 clutch settings for precise screwdriving depth control, plus dedicated drill and hammer drill positions. The 60 Nm maximum torque drives large screws and lag bolts into timber without struggling, and the two-speed gearbox gives you the low-end grunt for stubborn fasteners and the high speed for rapid drilling. The variable-speed trigger with reverse provides proportional control, and the metal chuck — rather than a plastic-bodied one — contributes to bit-gripping reliability and long-term durability. At 1.8 kg, the drill is light enough for one-handed use and all-day screwdriving without arm fatigue, though the weight increases noticeably with the 4 Ah battery fitted compared to the 2 Ah.

The included accessories set this package apart from the bare-tool SDS drills that dominate the rotary hammer category. WORX ships the WX354.1 with two batteries — a 2 Ah compact for lighter weight during screwdriving tasks and a 4 Ah for extended runtime during drilling — plus an 8 mm masonry drill bit and a charger. This is a complete, ready-to-use kit rather than a bare tool that requires a separate battery purchase. For someone buying into the WORX PowerShare platform for the first time, having two batteries in the box means one can charge while the other is in use, which is practically essential for a cordless tool. The PowerShare ecosystem means these same batteries fit WORX lawnmowers, strimmers, leaf blowers, and dozens of other tools — an unusual breadth of platform coverage that extends the battery investment beyond the workshop into the garden.

The drill measures a compact body size — WORX has kept the dimensions manageable despite the beefed-up hammer mechanism — and weighs 1.8 kg without battery. Customer feedback averages 4.2 out of 5 stars from 187 reviews, reflecting general satisfaction with the concrete drilling performance for a combi drill while noting the expected limitations versus a dedicated rotary hammer. The bestseller ranking places it competitively in the hammer drill category. At approximately 190 euros with two batteries, charger, and a masonry bit, the kit pricing is competitive with mid-range combi drills from established brands. For the homeowner, renovator, or tradesperson who wants one cordless drill that genuinely handles wood, metal, screwdriving, and light masonry work without also carrying an SDS rotary hammer, the WX354.1 makes a more convincing case than any combi drill that merely claims a hammer function as a specification checkbox.

The WORX Nitro WX354.1 is ideal for homeowners, serious DIYers, and tradespeople who want a single cordless drill that handles everyday screwdriving, wood and metal drilling, and occasional concrete work without carrying a separate rotary hammer.