Flex 24V Brushless Hammer Drill Headlines Impressive Line of Top-Tier Cordless Tools
The Flex 24V Brushless Hammer Drill with Turbo is one of the most impressive first-generation tools we’ve seen in this class. It has the design and performance to shake up the charts and move ahead of some of the biggest names in the industry.
Pros
- Top overall speed on the PTR Drill Test Track
- Excellent concrete drilling speed
- Impressive 2500 RPM top speed and 1400 in-lbs of torque
- Compact design
- Anti-kickback sensor
- Competitive pricing ($249.99 kit)
Cons
- On the heavy side
- Not as deep of a line as other top brands (so far)
Flex 24V Brushless Hammer Drill Performance
Flex posts from pretty impressive stats. For starters, they geared their brushless motor to deliver 700 RPM in low and a blazing 2500 RPM in high. In addition to incredibly high speed, there’s 1400 in-lbs of torque to back it up. That’s currently the best in the industry.
But what is it capable of with a bit in its 1/2-inch chuck?
To find out we ran it on the PTR Drill Test Track to see how quickly it can complete a series of real-world tests in a 2×4 stud. Here’s what it entails:
- 20 drywall screws
- 10 x 1/2 twist bit holes
- 10 x 3/4-inch spade bit holes
- 10 x 3/4-inch auger bit holes
- 1-inch hole saw
- 2 1/8-inch hole saw
Going into the test, DeWalt’s Power Detect hammer drill (DCD998) had the fastest time with a 2:05 effort. By the time the sawdust settled, DeWalt had to move out of the way for a new king of mountain—Flex with a 1:56 Time Trial. It’s also the only drill or hammer drill we’ve tested to beat 2:00.
We wanted to see what it could do with a heavier load, so we chucked up a 2 9/16-inch self-feed bit. That’s a tough task for any handheld drill, but Flex took it all in a stride. Roughing in through a 2×4 stud, it completed the task in high gear, even without Turbo mode. Kicking turbo in, it finished the job even faster.
Switching over to concrete, we saw impressively quick drilling speeds as well. With a 1/4-inch bit, it took 3.99 seconds to drill down 3 inches. The only one we’ve tested faster is Metabo’s 3000 RPM beast.
Just for kicks, we also tried with a 1/2-inch concrete bit. This time the hammer drill needed 5.37 seconds. That’s a bit bigger than most cordless hammer drills are rated for, but Flex didn’t seem fazed.
Flex 24V Brushless Hammer Drill Size and Weight
Considering such high performance, Flex packed their flagship hammer drill in a pretty compact package. It measures just 7.1 inches from front to back.
It’s not the lightest flagship drill we’ve tested, though. It weighs 3.8 pounds bare. The 2.5Ah battery brings it up to 5.1 pounds. You’ll likely want to use this model with the 5.0Ah battery primarily and that brings it to 5.9 pounds.
Even though it’s on the heavy side for its size, it doesn’t come across as cheap heavy. It has more of a feeling of quality from using metal components where some brands might turn to plastic.
The handle ergonomics are excellent. The shape contours your hand well and the overmold has more texture on it than most cordless drills we use. It should provide better grip than smooth overmold as your hands get sweaty and oily.
Design Notes
Both the drill and hammer drill versions of this tool come with a good side handle. With so much power, especially in low gear, you’ll want to use it with larger bits.
To further protect you, there’s a built-in kickback protection sensor. If your bit binds up and begins to spin out of control, the motor automatically shuts down before it can wrench your arm too far around.
The Turbo button is on the foot. It lights up green when you engage it.
Flex 24V Brushless Hammer Drill Price
Look for the Flex 24 Brushless Hammer Drill at your local Lowe’s and online. Packed with a 2.5Ah battery, 5.0Ah battery, and 160W fast charger, it retails for $249.99. If you’d prefer the drill driver version instead, that kit is $20 less.
There’s no bare tool option available at the moment.
If you want the higher value of a combo, one way is to pair the same kit from above with the Quick Eject impact driver for $349.99.
The Bottom Line
We don’t expect a new brand to enter the scene and immediately jump to the top of the charts, but that’s exactly what the Flex 24V hammer drill in our Time Trial. Even in its first generation, Flex is proving they belong in the conversation as one of the best. In fact, they’ve set the performance benchmark that everyone else is going to have to chase.
Flex 24V Brushless Hammer Drill Specs
- Model: Flex FX1271T-2B
- No-Load Speed: 0 – 700 / 0 – 2500 RPM
- Max Torque: 1400 in-lbs
- Weight: 3.8 lbs bare, 5.9 lbs with 5.0Ah battery
- Length: 7.1 inches
- Warranty: 5 years
- Price: $249.99 kit with 2.5Ah battery, 5.0Ah battery, and fast charger
