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by Peter Brett - October 2006
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Putting the hit into Hitachi
Whenever I have asked a tradesman to try out a particular Hitachi tool for me as part of my review, I have almost had to wrestle it away from him in order to return it.
It seems to me that this situation is a marketing man’s dream scenario - customer loyalty, superb brand image and good products backed by good service.
With this in mind I took on the review of the new Hitachi DH 40MRY Rotary Hammer thinking very positive thoughts about it. And I suppose there is inevitably the feeling that it has to live up to a big reputation.
I will start with the negative bit and get that out of the way. I can’t say that I am convinced about the new livery for many Hitachi drills in particular. On a cordless Hitachi drill I tried out a while back the livery seemed to work as part of the gripping surfaces of the tool, but some of the stuff on this rotary hammer looked a bit like it was straight out of Power Rangers. I know that this is a fairly trivial point, because, as we shall find out, it doesn’t affect the actual working of the tool, but is it a step too far for some buyers?
Sometimes there are serendipitous moments in the world of tool reviewing, and they help me get things in perspective. In the last few weeks I have borrowed a cheaper and less well known brand of rotary hammer to help create a square enough aperture for a large doorframe. This involves knocking a few centimetres off a few bricks and recreating a level floor. Well I did most of it, but it seemed like a lot of hard work, and I was expecting the tool to work a bit better than it did.
The Hitachi arrived only last week, and this weekend I was able to carry on with the tasks involved in fitting the doorframe. Using the Hitachi was a great experience and I had an important principle reinforced to me yet again.
The principle? When buying tools and equipment, you generally get what you pay for. That is not to say that everyone should buy expensive equipment, there is such a thing as horses for courses, but for me there is a much greater pleasure in using quality tools and equipment, because generally it does a job better and it does it easier.
Let me give you some idea of what I mean. The cheaper brand was nearly the same weight as the Hitachi (about 7 Kgs) but felt a bit clumsy in the hand. Something about the weight distribution didn’t feel quite right. On the other hand, the Hitachi was just right for me.
I seemed to whiz through the job in hand without feeling the need to rest my arms at all.
Secondly, the Hitachi seemed to have a much more effective action in all modes. In hammer mode particularly, I really noticed the difference.
I had set aside about an hour to chop away some concrete under the doorframe so that I could re-concrete level with the base of it. Well, I was all done in twenty minutes. I felt as though the performance of the hammer was pretty effortless, and so easily controllable that my sometimes arthritic thumb joints hardly had time to complain.
A colleague who borrowed the Hitachi to drill a hole through a double skinned brick wall complained that the hammer action was too effective - he ended up knocking a brick out of the wall. It says a lot about the build quality of the wall I think!
To be fair on some of the others, Hitachi has been working hard on developing an anti-vibration system. It was partly due to effectiveness of this system that everything seemed to literally go so smoothly. The main trigger handle is effectively isolated from the vibrations of working by being mounted on vibration absorbing system. Even on the relatively short time I used this tool, I noticed the difference.
But of course an anti-vibration system does not alone make a quality tool. If you look at the Hitachi you will notice the rugged switchgear, able to be used with gloved hands. There are also strategically placed rubberized grippy areas for ease of use. Alloy castings are used for strength where necessary (e.g. the hammer action and gearbox cover) and high quality ABS saves weight.
The mode switch cannot simply slip from one mode to another. It has to be moved by unlocking a button switch and rotating the dial to another mode.
Hitachi tools are known to be very practical, and even in the carry case this is reflected. The rotary hammer is held in place so that it can’t move in transit. But there is more than adequate room for the three metres or so of electrical cord to be packed away easily. You don’t end up fighting with a piece of cord and then having to jam the lid down anyway because you get fed up. There is more than enough space for a selection of bits and chisels, the grease that you always need, and probably a sandwich if you are that way inclined! The case latches are really effective and easy to use too.
What’s more, when you have to carry the case, it all seems quite balanced in the hand.
Looking back over the review, I probably haven’t focused enough on the technical bits like the variable speed dial, power available (950 watts) and impact rate (1320-2650 per minute) but what I can tell you is that this is a hugely capable tool, great fun to use, with a high build quality that should appeal to demanding professionals. Once again, I have come away from review of a Hitachi tool with my prejudice confirmed. And that is that Hitachi tools are a great buy!
Independent Review by Peter Brett
Airstream Communications