UniversalImpact 7
Bosch UniversalImpact 700 Hammer Drill
Drilling has never been easier – its low weight and compact design make this tool exceptionally easy to handle.
Great drilling performance for outstanding versatility. Its powerful 700 watt motor makes this the right tool to have for every job – for all materials, even concrete.
The quick and easy forward and reverse rotation function also makes this tool perfect for screwdriving.
- Rated power input: 701 W
- Output power, (max): 530 W
- Rated torque (1st gear / 2nd gear): 1.6 Nm
- Stall torque in accordance with EN 60745: 17 Nm
- No-load speed: 50 – 3.000 rpm
- Impact rate: 45.000 bpm
- Machine weight: 1.7 kg
- Max. drilling diameter in concrete: 14 mm
- Max. drilling diameter in steel: 12 mm
- Max. drilling diameter in wood: 30 mm
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|---|---|---|
Auxilary HandleAuxiliary handle with anti-slip function: Positive engagement fit prevents auxiliary handle from slipping off the collar. | 701 Watt MotorGreat drilling performance for outstanding versatility. Its powerful 701 watt motor makes this the right tool to have for every job – for all materials, even concrete. | 3 Function ModesWith 3 function modes: screwdriving, drilling and impact drilling you can easy and quickly change using the function switch to cater for a variety of material-specific work. |
| | | |
|---|---|---|
Bosch Speed-PreselectionElectronic speed preselection and control using setting wheel – for gearing the tool towards the material and providing it with the right amount of power. | Electronic Speed ControlBosch Electronic speed control: ‘accelerate’ from 50 – max. using the trigger switch, which enables fingertip control of the power, e.g. when starting to drill in smooth surfaces and when driving screws. | Keyless Press + Lock ChuckFast and easy bit changes thanks to the Press + Lock chuck system allowing the spindle to lock at the touch of a button. |
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 550 W | 701 w | 800 w |
| Max. Torque | 9 Nm | 11 Nm | 13 Nm |
| Machine Weight | 1.5 kg | 1.7 kg | 1.8 kg |
| Max. Drilling Diameter in Wood | 25 mm | 30 mm | 30 mm |
| Max. Drilling Diameter in Steel | 8 mm | 12 mm | 12 mm |
| Max. Drilling Diameter in Concrete | 10 mm | 14 mm | 14 mm |
| SoftGrip | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drill Chuck | Twin Sleeve | Single Sleeve and Press + Lock | Single Sleeve and Autolock |
| Kickback Control | ✓ | ||
| Speed Pre-Selection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight: | 1.7 kg |
| Dimensions: | 38.6 x 29.1 x 9.9 cm; 1.7 Kilograms |
| Model: | 0603131070 |
| Part: | 0603131070 |
| Colour: | Green |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | No |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | Bosch |
| Colour: | Green |
| Quantity: | 1 |
This drill replaced a less powerful Bosch drill that has had some serious use over the past 20 years. It has the usual useful features and is easy to use. I prefer a mains powered unit as it will always be ready to work. A rechargeable battery is all well and good but so ofter before you can start work you have to wait for the battery to recharge. The length of the cable isn’t a real issue as most handymen have an extension lead and if they haven’t should buy themselves one.
I lost custody of a beloved SDS drill in a divorce and needed something with some power to do renovations in my home – the cordless drill i had been left with can’t drill through toffee.
This drill is amazing. Locking the drill bits is easy and secure, the power variability is perfect and the grip and handle is flexible and comfortable. And then it powers through concrete with ease
I ordered this drill and then kicked myself for not reading the reviews first. I can only assume there are a lot of bad workmen and women out there blaming their tools. I bought this because the oak beams I had been drilling with my Black and Decker hammer drill had proved too much for it and it burnt out. Having read the reviews I fully expected the same fate for this Bosch drill but quite the opposite. It proved very capable and the drill bits never slipped once which surprised me given it has a keyless chuck. As the headline states I am very pleased with this purchase.
I don’t understand why people are moaning about the chuck on this drill, it works providing you press down the button and make sure you turn the chuck as tight as you can, admittedly you need a strong grip, but most men wouldn’t have an issue with it, but I wouldn’t recommend it to the average lady, as they may struggle with it..
Went for this rather than a cordless and it works a treat. Good for all my DIY jobs so far inside and outside.
Bought this to replace my bosch drill that died…. but i did have it 15yrs… hope this1 lasts as long .. its a bosch… so have no doubts..thats why i bought another… highly recommend
Top quality from Bosch as always! Great drill that can be used on a variety of materials.
Used it a Couple of times now very happy with my purchase for easy to use would definitely buy agai
Bought as a gift
I’m envious and will buy one for myself. It’s very good quality
Love my new Bosh drill its well made, powerful, light with all you could want for fast drilling work. Highly recomended.
Great product. Bought this as a Christmas present and was recommended by a neighbour. Doesn’t disappoint, a brilliant tool for all it is designed to do accompanied by the reliability and respected name of Bosch. Would not hesitate to buy again.
Read all the negative reviews but decided to risk it due to the extremely good price. I have been struggling to drill into engineering bricks with my old hammer drill, literally taking minutes to drill a 4mm wide hole 15mm deep. I had to put up a tv bracket with six 10mm wide 70mm deep holes so decided I needed a replacement. This just ate through the bricks like they were made of butter. All 6 holes in probably 30 seconds. I am very impressed.
Don’t wish to bore you but you know the drill.
Very handy drill. Not too heavy. I wasn’t sure about the chuck, my previous drills all had keyed chucks, but I find this keyless one better. It fits my drill stand as well – bonus.
ideal for light to medium jobs about the house ,so far .
Very good product, way better then the cheaper random brands , made well and good quality
Very weak as a screwdriver even at low speed setting for intended purpose. Reliable as a drill and chuck works fine.
OK once I got used to the keyless chuck. Good carrying case.
The motor on this drill burnt out in second during a simple task. At first I thought the drill bit may have caused some friction as I smelt burning while drilling through wood. Before I could check the motor started smoking and gave up. This happened in a matter of seconds. The drill was very hot in seconds, started smoking so I stopped drilling. The unit burned for a while and was then completely FUBAR. Very poor from Bosch.
Well made. Feels comfortable to use. Good quality & price. Haven’t used the hammer action yet.
Like a hot knife through butter….well compared to my battery drill anyway.
Really happy with this purchase. very good price for a BF offer.
I bought this specifically for damp coarse rods, but broke it out in anger on pilot holes for two doors, I after ,a really frustrating afternoon having bits constantly slipping, figured out (after other reviews) you have to turn the bit while pressing the LOCK…totally different drill – hex bits help though – but did punch through a door with my own incompetence/inexperience , easily
I bought this after my father demanded his drill back for the fortieth time. I wanted something cheap enough to afford with out breaking the bank but sturdy enough to last.
That is exactly what I got with this. I bought it along with a set of bosch drill bits and driver set. A decision I am glad I made.
The combo of drill and bits have made light work of almost every job. Wood, metal or walls, all I managed to tackle with ease.
Probably ok for most jobs around the house, had difficulty drilling into concrete gate post.
drill was good only used once at the moment the only thing wrong was i could not register it as it had no serial no on it but this has now been sorted after a few emails
Very easy to set up and use straight away. Light but powerful.
ot had the chance to use it over any period yet but is not to heavy good desig
My old Bosch drill has lasted for years. I only bought a new one because I needed a variable speed with reverse. Very pleased. Recommended.
Easy to use and powerful enough for most household jobs
I have used it on drills from 3mm to 13mm without any problems, even on a comical hole drill cutting through 25 mm thick aluminium plate, well over its rated maximum without any problems.
Chose corded over battery as I needed reliability and guts over portability, and battery dress do not fit my bench stand.
However, I will be replacing the keyless chuck, even though it has the lock button to assist the tightening it has still slipped once or twice, call me old fashion buti do like a keyed chuck and the hide and seek that come with one.
Would highly recommend.
The drill worked as expected with a Bosch quality product.
Had no issues on house hold jobs, struggled a bit with lintels and breeze blocks but the hammer setting helps a bi
Good drill and power. Handle makes it feel secure while drilling. Drill bits not included. Cable not very long.
Does everything it’s supposed to. Love the key-less chuck, that you can adjust the handle easily, manageable weight, etc etc.
I had to return the first one though because there was a fault with the trigger.
Love it, does light jobs and heavy jobs good make quality drill
Lady user. Heavier than my old one but no problem. Loved not having Chuck key so quick to change drill
Never had a similar one and I am very impressed with this. After using a cheap ikea combidrill, this is another level. It goes through masonry like butter. It has some issues with the chuck that others mentioned before, it comes loose some times but it’s not a big problem. But if you want to use it for heavy duty works or drill a lot of things it coule be more annoying.
Great drill and I got it at a fantastic price
Easy to use, sturdy and a welcome addition to the tool nox
The other half loves this!! He’s started looking for projects to do around the house and garden just so he can use it. It’s very powerful – as you’d expect. No problems so far and we’ve been using it for drilling through wood, walls and brick.
Perfect drill easy to use light weight which is essential when doing DIY.
Fantastic piece of kit for the money. Made easy work of masonry drilling even without using hammer function which my previous drill struggled with.
only used the drill once on drilling housebricks not a problem , the lock button for the keyless chuck is a good additio
For me its ideal, good in the hand lots of control and price ok. Had Bosh tools before and they lasted after a lot of hard work fingers crossed this is the same.
Perfect for using around the house. I’m much happier using a mains operated drill as it gives consistent power.
The lock is a bit weird but you get used to it.
I’ve used it on wood and brick so far and it’s done a great job.
ice drill, lightweight. and a good addition to my tool box
Bought as a back up to battery drills – does the job.
Great driill if you are not bothered by the cord………….drills through brick like butter !
I don’t know why I didn’t buy one of these years ago absolutely fantastic and thoroughly recommend even for a woman like me!
Good for the price and handy to have round the house. Hubby was happy
Love the drill my only critique is locking the drill in the chuck , slips a lot.
I bought this drill for my husband he is over the moon with it and he has used it for numerous jobs around the house
It goes through anything like it is drilling through air.
Comes in a very compact and sturdy carry case, easy to operate.
Bought this last year and reviewing it because i’m in lockdown. I’ve used this drill many times now and it was a good choice, well designed and user friendly. The power has always been good enough for jobs around my house.
Ia
general work around the house and garden after my previous drill (same make and model) was stolen.
Very disappointed! Product was broken within days! Wouldn’t recommend it .
compact size, enough power for the home user, quality as usual from bosch, only niggle is plastic depth gauge, would prefer steel,all in all excelle
Better quality than most but thats what you expect from Bosch
Excellent drill all the features one would expect from a mid range drill
Fantastic item, does exactly as described, speed control is brilliant.
I love Bosch tools , always great products and robust enough to do the job . Cable isn’t very long though , may need an extension, as I did up a ladder .
If you are looking for a capable, good quality drill for home DYI projects, this is the one for you.
If you are looking for a capable, good quality drill for home DYI projects, this is the one for you.
If you are looking for a capable, good quality drill for home DYI projects, this is the one for you.
Fantastic drill, very powerful and the handle makes it easier to line up. Drilled through solid brick walls with ease. There is no dust catcher so have to tidy up afterwards. Handy carry case. Much prefer this to cordless version which ended up breaking as was not up to the task.
Good value for money.I liked the drill with keyless chuck as my last drill had a key chuck and I found it a pain every time I changed a drill
Usual Bosch high quality product, I wouldn’t buy any other make!
A good drill/driver for home use, good value for the money
Excellent product – neat and smart and powerful enough to do household jobs easily
The speed increases as one presses the trigger harder which makes starting a new hole just so much easier as the drill bit does not skid.
A powerful drill that can be used anywhere. Who needs cableless ?
I am very pleased with this Drill. It’s easy to use and adjust and the keyless chuck is brilliant in use. I’ve had two Black and Decker Drills which didn’t last very long so hopefully this Bosch will be better.
This drills rocks!! Spins up faster than my cordless Bosch drill so ideal if you are drilling through harder materials like brick or concrete. Only question is can the drill bits keep up!
This drills rocks!! Spins up faster than my cordless Bosch drill so ideal if you are drilling through harder materials like brick or concrete. Only question is can the drill bits keep up!
This drills rocks!! Spins up faster than my cordless Bosch drill so ideal if you are drilling through harder materials like brick or concrete. Only question is can the drill bits keep up!
This drills rocks!! Spins up faster than my cordless Bosch drill so ideal if you are drilling through harder materials like brick or concrete. Only question is can the drill bits keep up!
This drills rocks!! Spins up faster than my cordless Bosch drill so ideal if you are drilling through harder materials like brick or concrete. Only question is can the drill bits keep up!
Pleased with this though it is only for odd use in a commercial building. Our building is made from very hard brick and it has coped fine.
Excellent Drill easy to use,drilled through two layers of bricks with no problems.
Excellent machine, quality built and performs as expected, love it well worth that bit extra, strong box to carry around in, did not want a battery model as it’s for occasional use only, looking forward to using this more.
Excellent machine, quality built and performs as expected, love it well worth that bit extra, strong box to carry around in, did not want a battery model as it’s for occasional use only, looking forward to using this more.
It’s a Bosch drill, what more is there to say!
For years I’ve been either struggling with an underpowered cheap supermarket battery powered drill (which wouldn’t cut butter) or regularly borrowing my Dad’s trusty old Black and Decker when I needed to drill something.
I’ve been a fan of Bosch power tools for a while, having acquired a power screwdriver and a jigsaw in recent years, and that familiarity in style and ergonomics carries through to this drill. The second handle allows for precise drilling (no skipping drill bit once you’ve lined it up) and the body feels robust enough for any job. The hammer action means drilling masonry is a breeze, and I’ve also used it with the hammer off to drill tiles (without cracking!) with success. The only drawback is that it’s cabled, but I think that’s the trade off for enough power in this price bracket. Very happy.
Excellent drill, light and powerful. Well worth the money I would certainly recommend this drill for DIY use.
My son is the practical member of our family and he has been in charge of testing this drill. He says he’s found it to be a good all-purpose drill which is powerful enough (on hammer setting) to use to drill into the masonry walls of our old cottage, but at the flips of a switch also makes a good electric screwdriver.
He has a more lightweight cordless Makita drill which fulfills most of the same functions, but he says he likes to take that out on jobs and use the Bosch when he’s working in his shed or indoors where there’s a power supply handy. He liked the keyless chuck, has no complaints about it in use and says it’s compact in size, not too heavy and feels comfortable in the hand. Doesn’t come with any drill bits, though there is a useful carry case.
Just what I wanted, does all the jobs needed around the house.
First off, apologies for my lack of technical knowledge! I’m no DIY expert though I like to be able to fix things around the house. I use my old drill quite a bit but it couldn’t always stand up to the heavy stonework in my flat. This one takes care of that problem neatly, having an impressive amount of power for the weight and the price (69.99 at time of writing). Having left a few unwanted shallow holes in the walls previously, I am thrilled to have the right tool for the job at last. This drill comes with a sturdy plastic case. The power lead is 2.5m long. The whole thing weighs just over 1.5 kg so it’s not too heavy and it is well balanced so feels pretty comfortable in use. There are no drill bits included, but presumably that’s because this is already pretty good value for the quality on offer. Definitely a handy bit of kit to have around and I’m sure I will continue to find lots of uses for it!
This is my second auto-lock chuck drill, the first being a Black & Decker KR604CRESK. I’m definitely a fan of keyless chucks, the ease of changing drill bits is definitely a big plus, but both drills tend to come undone during prolonged hammer action drilling. Tightening the chuck again is, of course, dead simple, but it can be a little annoying.
Compared to the B&D, the Bosch definitely feels like a better quality drill, though looking at the price difference it might not be a fair comparison. All the accessories on the Bosch have lovely, well designed actions. The grip has a nicely visible, easy to tighten nut, the depth gauge has a nice notchy movement and is easy to lock and release. A shame then, that the button for locking the chuck is a bit awkward at times. If the chuck is rotated at a point where the lock button doesn’t line up to a hole you can’t push the button in. You can’t turn the chuck on its own to align it either, the teeth have to get just enough purchase on the drill bit as you tighten to allow the cuck to turn and ‘clack’, the button pops in. At the end of the day it works, but it does feel weird at first, especially after the B&D, where pushing the button causes the chuck to turn until it is aligned.
The drill is a good size and weight and feels great to hold. It is nice and compact, meaning you can get it into some tightish spaces between wall and furniture, but don’t expect miracles. Power is as you’d expect for an amateur DIYer and will get you through most materials you’ll encounter at home. The cable is also long enough to be practical and the carry case has some handy crannies for storing drill bits and such.
If all you want is a drill for home that you can use to put up the occasional shelves or whatever, I’d have no problem recommending this Universal Impact 700. At the end of the day, like tyres affecting the driving experience of a car, it is the drill bits that will define your experience with a drill. This Bosch, combined with a set of good quality bits, will probably do you for a good few years.
The Bosch Universal Impact 800 Hammer Drill is an excellent tool for DIYers or for simply using to do the odd job at home. My husband particularly likes the Bosch range of tools as you can almost always guarantee that build quality is above average. This impact drill is a solid machine, comfortable to hold and use as well as not being too heavy to use for sustained drilling or screwing.
This impact drill comes neatly packed inside a solid green heavy plastic case with carrying handle, the drill has an 8′ 2″ lead length and also comes with a keyless chuck. The case also has room in it to store extra drill bits.
My husband is a keen DIYer and is very impressed with this hammer drill. We live in a 200 year old Georgian village house which needs a fair amount of refurbishment and a little renovation and this drill is being used regularly. My husband has found that the drill makes quick work of drilling into stone, slate and concrete (although he managed to snap a fair few drill bits). It has a good forward and reverse action and can also be used as a screwdriver great for removing some very old and stubborn screws.
Using the correct sized drill bits this tool will drill up to 25mm holes in wood, 10mm holes in concrete and 8mm holes in metal (according to the manual) I can confirm the concrete and wood we haven’t used the drill for drilling into metal yet.
All in all my husband is thrilled with this impact hammer drill, it is fast becoming his new best friend and he has no hesitation in recommending it.
It also comes with a Bosch three year guarantee.
I’m no DIY expert and don’t know a great deal about power tools so this is very much a layman’s review of a reasonably priced drill which I have used exclusively for drilling holes into walls for childproofing heavy items of furniture.
This is a sturdy yet pretty lightweight drill which is comfortable and “grippy” to hold (both the main handle and the adjustable steadying front grip) and has a pleasing level of speed variation so you can start slow to get a guide hole then punch through the wall with ease.
The quick lock is easy to use and saves faffing around with a separate key as with other drills which I’ve borrowed in the past. It comes in a nice case. Reasonably long power cable so you’re not hindered when trying to reach the area you are drilling.
Really pleased with this drill and would recommend it to the home DIY enthusiast.
My first impression was, what a light, compact drill. I already owned PowerPro 1000w drill, much longer and heavier, but this one just feels like quality.
The chuck is keyless and sliding collar-less, but just works. I set about drilling 1/4″ holes into some tree stumps actually laurel, to hasten their rotting. This drill breezed through that operation, needing little effort. The anti-kickback also works, there is no counterspin of the drill body when the bit starts spinning. This will prove useful on masonry.
The slider on top switches from hammer to normal drilling and the forward handle can be swivelled to be horizontal. Other controls centre round the trigger, where you adjust spin direction and speed, plus lock, which I do not recommend for safety reasons.
One final piece of advice is that the drill takes some time to spin down, so be careful to avoid the bit when finishing a hole.
This is a quality piece of kit, premium priced, but worth it.
The unit has a wide speed range of 50-3,000 rpm to encompass screw driving, drilling and hammer drilling (from less than one rev per second for screw driving). The maximum drilling diameter for concrete and brick is stated as 14 mm, while that for wood is up to 30 mm. I needed to put some 25 mm holes through thick, seasoned pine and it batted through with no trouble at all.
The main rear grip is covered with a large area of rubberised finish which gives a very reassuring sense of grip in the hand. The front handle is easy to reposition or remove and re-fit using the built-in hand key. The keyless chuck with spindle lock button is effective but needs to be tightened firmly in order to keep a grip on masonry bits when used at high speed. The body of the unit is moulded to fit the hand nicely when using your thumb to hold in the lock button while tightening the chuck with your other hand.
There is a forward/reverse rotation switch, reverse being useful for removing screws. The drill comes fitted with a long, 2.5 metre cable, so I rarely need an extension.
The preset dial is not as useful as I imagined, because even on minimum setting it is still pretty fast. To drive screws you just need to be gentle on the trigger. Overall, I really like this drill’s speed and torque which have me covered for tough jobs around the house.
First off this drill looks highly professional the minute you spent the box. It comes in a sturdy storage case which can also hold drill bits and other items. The drill bits were the biggest surprise. There aren’t any. I though this somewhat strange and would have expected at least a couple. Once you find or buy some drill bits the piece of kit comes into its own. It is of the usual high standard you would expect from Bosch. It is powerful and handles any drilling task, with ease. It is sturdy, strong and an impressive drill. Well worth every penny of the money. A great price for a Bosch Drill. The only reason I’ve given four stars is for the lack of drill bits.
Just the job for the job! Powerful, easy to use and rock steady. The adjustable side grip means the bit is less likely to go wandering when drilling tonto plaster or brickwork. A good, efficient no-nonsense power tool.
Bosch have always manufactured professional building tools and the universal impact drill is another high performing tool for the job.
The 800 watt gives the drill a massive amount of power for even the most sturdy of surface’s.
The universal hammer effect really punches through tough plaster and hard bricks with no problem at all. Certainly worth paying more money for.
It’s a very long time since I last bought one of these, they last so long even when unused for long periods, however, getting this was an education in the subtle improvements that have been brought to an essentially simple tool; so much more pleasant to use, less violent, lighter, just feels good to handle, and the case is properly designed with suitable retentions to keep things in place and space for other odd items. Efficient all round.
I haven’t had a new drill for about 10 years and things have certainly moved on since I bought my last Bosch drill.
First thing to mention is that this drill comes in a protective case. I was not sure if it would but it comes with the traditional Bosch green box case. This is important and I think Bosch have missed a marketing trick by not making this clear anywhere in the description.
The drill itself is lighter than expected but has a really really sturdy feel. The flex is thick and substantial and long enough to not worry. It comes with a substantial balancing handle which can be transferred for left or right handed use and is lockable to be really sturdy.
The switch has a variable resistor built in which makes preselection of the drill speed a doddle. The switch has a really reassuringly quality click to it. There is a switch to easily reverse the direction and it has an easily accessible switch on the top to alternate between hammer drill and driver setting.
The hammer drill setting is a really powerful vibrating setting which cuts easily through tough masonary. I am not sure about the impact protection as I don’t think it has kicked in for me yet but it is reassuring that this feature is built into the drill to increase the safety profile of drilling.
The 800 watt motor feels like more and the technology has obviously come a long way to make those watts more efficient and powerful which is great.
The drill does not come with any bits or even a screwdriver bit which they used to come with but purchasing a good set of drill bits is essential anyway and providing a drill bit is a token gesture that is not needed.
I love this drill! It has taken over in pole position from my old Bosch cordless hammerdrill whose batteries had died. The cord does not bother me and actually provides more consistency and sustained power so I don’t think I am going to miss the cordless side of things.
All in all, a great drill for a nice price. Not the cheapest but definitely fantastic value for money for a powerful drill, in a protective case with a host of features.
Recommended!!
Decent well-made drill range
Ergonomically designed
Reasonable value for money
What’s not so good:
Subtle variations in capability of Easy vs Universal drills
I have been a humble user of Bosch’s home range of drills (green in colour) for some time. I accept that they might not be the last word in professionalism (such as the Bosch blue models, or brands such as Makita which have made a name for themselves in the trades), but they have served me well generally, and have met my needs for the most part. The one drill that has disappointed me has been a Bosch cordless drill which never seems to hold charge or be much use when you really need it. I have a mains-powered Bosch 650RE which does 95% of my drilling work by comparison.
Bosch’s new line of impact drills looks to be a mild evolution of my 650RE offering a drill to suit the majority of home user’s needs.
The ‘Easy Impact 550’ provides keyless chuck, speed control via the amount of pressure you apply to the trigger, and relatively light 1.5kg weight, whilst still providing the impact hammer mode albeit at a relatively low level of capability due to the lower torque of the motor. It can drill concrete up to 10mm drill diameter, or wood up to 25mm drill diameter.
Step up the range to the ‘Universal Impact 700’ and you get a lock-button keyless chuck, as well as variable speed via a rotary dial on the trigger, and an increased torque motor allowing 14mm drill diameter in concrete and 30mm drill diameter in wood. The drill is 1.7kg weight as a penalty, and the storage case has a little less room in it to accommodate the larger size of the drill although there is a greater use of grippy materials around the device.
Next up is the ‘Universal Impact 800’ which has everything the lesser model has, but adds in a ‘Kickback Control’ to prevent the drill snatching violently in the event you come across something unexpectedly rigid whilst drilling. It also features a slightly more powerful motor which provides what Bosch refer to as ‘constant electronic’ to keep the speed steady throughout the drilling process.
Finally you have the ‘Advanced 900’ which is a different kettle of fish, having a 2-speed gearbox, greater power and greater drilling capability as well as weighing a fair bit more – but this likely treads on the toes of the more professional ranges.
I continue to like Bosch’s range of home drills. They are sensibly designed, with useful ergonomics and decent specification. Part of me wonders whether the lower-spec 550 model is simply an exercise in trying to meet a lower price-point, as you might find that this model doesn’t really cut it by missing out on the greater torque, better control of speed, and the spindle lock keyless chuck of the ‘Universal’ range.
For a price of 50 for the Easy 550, 67 for the Universal 700, and 74 for the Universal 800 right up to 107 for Advanced 900 (all at time of review), I think Bosch have something for everyone. Just be sure to check what your requirements are before you buy to make sure that you get a model that will meet all your needs.