Consumer Reports Ratings of cordless drills include mention of which have a hammer-drill mode. It’s one of those features that you might not consider if you’ve never needed it. But as we recently discovered, there's no substitute for the hammer mode for certain home repairs.

Recently, my wife and I decided it was time to get the basement waterproofed, and part of the preparation was removing the rusty metal baseboard-heating enclosures from the one partially finished room in the basement. But when the job was over and I went to install new enclosures, I realized it wouldn't be so easy. The water-proofers had cut off the bottom eight inches or so of the 2x4 studs. So if I didn’t want to remove the paneling and attach new 2x4s to the old—and I didn’t—I’d have to attach the enclosures to the cinder-block foundation.

I hadn’t been disappointed in my cordless drill yet, but when I tried to drill into the cinder block, I went nowhere. Thinking I could get by with a masonry bit, I bought a few. Did I actually hear the cinder block laughing? That’s when I thought about a hammer drill.

At the time, Consumer Reports hadn’t gotten in the Milwaukee 0726-22 (see photo) and 0824-24 drills, $400 and $300 respectively, for testing. And I couldn't have borrowed them anyway. So I rented a corded Milwaukee, a pro model that made short work of the job. It might not have been the smartest way, but it let me move on with my life. Isn’t that why we get tools?

Drills like these aren’t for everyone. We classify them among “tougher-job drill/drivers” because they’re typically enough for serious handymen and even some professional uses. And with a drill in hammer mode, it’s best to use the second handle—which attaches at a 90-degree angle—if available. Either way, go easy without leaning into the job. Let the drill do the work.