The differences between an SDS and quick release drill chuck

Which drill chuck a drill has depends on the machine. Sometimes, a drill only has a quick release drill chuck, sometimes only an SDS, and sometimes both. You can often predict which drill chuck a drill has. You can see this in the table on this page.

The largest difference between a quick release drill chuck and an SDS drill chuck is the way the drill bit is attached. On a quick release drill chuck, you twist the drill bit into place with your hand. This is sturdy enough for drilling in soft materials, like wood. For heavier jobs, you need an SDS drill chuck. An SDS drill chuck has a click system. You can click the drill bit into a shaft. This makes slipping impossible, but it does allow the drill bit to move back and forth. This is necessary to drill holes into hard materials like concrete.

There are 2 different kinds of SDS drill chucks: the SDS plus and the SDS max. While the drill chucks are very similar, an SDS max drill chuck has an extra slot and a wider opening. Thanks to this, you can use a drill with an SDS max drill chuck for the heaviest jobs. For example, drilling holes in concrete or demolition jobs. So you mainly see an SDS max drill chuck with hammer drills.

If you buy drill bits and chisels, you need to keep in mind that they fit in your drill chuck. You can't put an SDS drill in a quick release drill chuck and the other way around, for example. The same applies to SDS plus and SDS max. So only buy chisels and drill bits that fit on your drill chuck. Some drills include an extra drill chuck or adapter. In that case, you can use quick release drill bits and SDS drill bits.