The most popular type of chuck on the shelves at home centers today is the SDS-Plus. SDS-Plus bits have grooves on the shanks that lock securely into the chuck but allow the bit to move back and forth independently of the chuck. They’re super easy to insert and remove—no tools required. Some of the really big rotary hammers have a similar system, but larger, called the SDS-Max. And there are a couple brands that have proprietary systems, so make sure the bit you buy matches the tool you’re using.

When set to hammer mode, rotary hammers can be used for all sorts of jobs, and there are a whole lot of attachments to get those jobs done.

A few of the more popular attachments are shown:

Clay spade: Breaks up hard soil.

Cold chisel: For busting up concrete.

Tile remover: Works well for pulling up ceramic tiles.

Bull point chisel: Used to start holes in concrete.

Scaling chisel: Designed to remove rust, concrete and weld spatter.