GoYwato 140N·m Cordless Hammer Drill Review: budget-friendly power with a few rough edges

I picked up this GoYwato 140N·m cordless hammer drill because my old DIY-store drill was struggling with even light masonry and the battery barely held a charge. I wasn’t expecting miracles at this price, especially from a brand I’d never heard of, but the specs looked decent on paper: brushless motor, 21V, two 4.0Ah batteries and a full accessory kit. So I decided to give it a proper workout around the house and in the garage.

Over a couple of weeks I used it for typical home stuff: driving 50–80 mm screws into fence posts, drilling into brick for wall plugs, putting up shelves, and a bit of metal drilling on some steel brackets. I also tried it as a general screwdriver for flat-pack furniture and some odds and ends. Basically, all the annoying jobs that pile up and need a drill that doesn’t die halfway through.

My first impression when I opened the case was mixed. The drill itself looks and feels pretty solid, but the case and some of the accessories clearly scream “cost cutting”. I’ve had other budget kits before, and this one fits right in that category: the main tool is where most of the value is, the rest is more of a bonus than something you’d rely on long term.

Overall, after using it in real situations rather than just reading the spec sheet, I’d say it’s a powerful but slightly rough-around-the-edges drill. It absolutely has more torque than the cheap brushed drills I’ve used before, but it’s not a magic solution for heavy masonry and you can feel its limits if you push it too hard. If you keep your expectations realistic, it gets the job done for home and light DIY work.

Looking at the price and everything you get, the value is actually pretty good, as long as you’re clear on what’s good and what’s just filler. You’re essentially paying for a brushless 21V hammer drill with two 4.0Ah batteries, and that alone would usually cost more with big brands. The fact that it sits around rank 19 in hammer drills on Amazon and has a 4.1/5 rating with about 30 reviews suggests that most people feel they’re getting fair value.

Where the value drops a bit is the accessories. The bits, sockets and flexible shaft are usable but not great. I see them more as a bonus for beginners who don’t have any tools yet. If you already own decent drill bits and screwdriver bits, you’ll probably ignore most of what’s in the case. One reviewer was disappointed a bit snapped quickly, which shows the limit of this "all-in-one" approach. Personally, I’d factor the accessories at maybe 10–20% of the value and focus on the drill and batteries.

Compared to a Bosch, Makita or DeWalt kit with similar torque and battery capacity, you’re obviously paying less here, but you’re also giving up on brand ecosystem, top-tier build, and service network. For a casual DIYer who pulls the drill out a few times a month, that trade-off makes sense. For a tradesperson using it every day, it doesn’t. The 5-year customer service promise is nice, but it’s not the same as a full no-hassle pro warranty from a known brand.

In practice, I’d say the GoYwato kit is good value for a home user who wants more power than the cheapest supermarket drills without jumping to pro prices. It’s not the best on the market, and there’s definitely better stuff if you’re willing to pay more, but for the price bracket it sits in, it’s a pretty solid deal as long as you upgrade the bits and don’t expect it to handle constant heavy masonry work.

Design-wise, this drill is on the chunky side but not ridiculous. With the 4.0Ah battery attached, it’s not a featherweight, but that’s pretty normal for a 21V hammer drill with a big pack. In the hand, it feels sturdier than the usual bargain-bin drills, mainly thanks to the metal self-locking 13 mm chuck. That’s a big plus: it grips bits properly and doesn’t loosen during use, even when the drill is hammering away in masonry.

The grip is rubberised and reasonably comfortable. I used it for a couple of hours in short bursts putting up shelves and driving screws into fence posts, and my hand didn’t feel wrecked. The included side handle is useful when you’re drilling into harder materials or using big flat bits in wood. You do need to take a second to line it up and tighten it properly, otherwise it can twist on you when the drill bites.

The controls are standard: trigger with variable speed, forward/reverse switch above it, a ring for torque settings, and a switch on top for changing between the two speed ranges. There’s also a selector for screwdriving / drilling / hammer drilling. Everything is straightforward, no weird gimmicks. The integrated LED work light is basic but handy in dim corners or when you’re working under a shelf. It’s not super bright, but enough to see your mark on the wall.

If I compare it to a mid-range Bosch or Makita, you can feel that the plastics and finish are a bit cheaper. The case is flimsy and the moulding isn’t perfect. But in actual use, the overall design is practical and functional. It doesn’t feel like it’s going to fall apart in your hand, and for a home user that’s good enough. Just don’t expect premium feel or super refined ergonomics.

The battery side is one of the strong points here. You get two 4.0Ah 21V lithium-ion batteries, which is generous for this price range. Each one takes around 2.5 hours to charge according to the specs, and that matches what I saw more or less. The charger is basic, with a simple red/green light system: green when plugged in, red while charging, back to green when it’s done. Nothing fancy, but it works.

In actual use, the runtime is pretty decent. I did a full afternoon of mixed work – assembling some furniture, driving a bunch of screws, drilling a few dozen holes in wood and brick – and I didn’t manage to kill a single battery. I swapped batteries halfway just to test both, not because the first one was empty. GoYwato claims up to 135 minutes of runtime, and while that depends a lot on how hard you push it, it doesn’t feel unrealistic for stop-and-start DIY use.

The drill and batteries also have some built-in protection (overload, overheat, overcharge, overvoltage). I didn’t hit the overload protection in normal use, but you can feel the drill warming up if you stay in hammer mode for a long time in harder material. The manual and the product page both insist on not using it continuously under heavy load, and that’s fair. It’s not a pro site drill that runs all day, it’s more of a “do a job, take a break, do the next one” kind of tool.

Having two batteries included is a big practical plus. You can keep one on the charger while you work with the other, and for a casual user that’s more than enough. Overall, the battery situation is one of the reasons this kit has good value for money. If they had cheap 1.5Ah packs, it would be a different story, but with dual 4.0Ah packs you’re covered for most home projects without worrying constantly about running out of juice.

After handling it for a bit and doing some real jobs, my feeling is that the drill body and batteries are reasonably robust, but the rest of the kit clearly cuts corners. The metal chuck is a good sign: it feels tight, doesn’t wobble, and after several bit changes and some hammer drilling there was no play. The housing hasn’t shown any cracks or worrying flex, even when I accidentally knocked it off a low workbench onto a concrete floor. It picked up a scuff but kept working fine.

On the flip side, the carry case is pretty flimsy. The plastic is thin and the hinges don’t inspire confidence. One Amazon review mentioned storing the drill in an old drill box instead, and I get that. If you open and close this case a lot, I wouldn’t be surprised if the latches or hinges give up after a while. It’s okay for storing everything in the garage or a cupboard, but I wouldn’t trust it for daily transport in a van.

The included bits and sockets are the weak point in terms of durability. I didn’t break any myself, but they don’t feel like they’ll last long with heavy use. Another buyer reported a drill bit snapping quickly when trying to drill off a screw head, and that matches the feel you get when you hold them – they’re more “starter pack” than long-term gear. For light woodwork and the occasional hole, they’re fine. For anything more serious, I’d treat them as temporary and buy a decent set separately.

Long term, the brushless motor and the stated overload protections should help the tool last longer than the usual cheap brushed drills, as long as you don’t abuse it in heavy concrete all the time. GoYwato also advertises 5 years of customer service and 365-day support, which is reassuring on paper, though I haven’t had to test it. Overall, I’d say the core tool feels durable enough for regular home use, but don’t expect pro-grade toughness from the case and accessories.

In terms of raw power, this thing is no toy. The 140 N·m torque rating is probably optimistic, but it definitely has more punch than the cheap 18V brushed drill I was using before. Driving 50 mm screws into fence posts was easy – on screwdriver mode with the right torque setting it just sinks them without stalling. I tried a few 80 mm screws into treated timber and it handled them too, but you need to hold on properly because it can twist your wrist if the bit catches.

For drilling in wood, it’s more than enough. With the supplied flat bits (16/20/25 mm), it went through standard construction timber without complaining. The low-speed gear is useful for that – you get more control and it doesn’t burn the bit. For metal, using the HSS twist bits, I drilled into some 3–4 mm steel brackets. It did the job, but I quickly switched to my own better-quality bits because the included ones don’t inspire much confidence for repeated use.

The hammer drill function is where the limits show. It works fine for light masonry: brick walls, blocks, and small holes for wall plugs. I used it to drill several 6 and 8 mm holes in brick to hang shelves and a TV bracket, and it got through, just not as fast as a dedicated SDS drill. One Amazon reviewer said it’s “not good for heavy masonry work but fine for wood”, and I pretty much agree. If you’re trying to drill lots of big holes in hard concrete, you’ll be there a while and you’ll feel the motor getting warm.

Overall, the performance is solid for home and light DIY use. It’s strong on wood and screwdriving, decent on metal with good bits, and acceptable on brick and light concrete. Just don’t expect it to replace a proper SDS hammer for heavy renovation work. If you respect its limits and don’t try to use it flat-out for long periods, it does what it says on the tin.

In the box you get a pretty complete set: the drill, two 21V 4.0Ah batteries, a desktop charger, a side handle, a flexible shaft, a bunch of drill bits (wood, metal, and a couple for masonry), sockets, screwdriver bits, and a plastic carry case. On paper it looks generous, and for a first-time buyer with no tools, it’s enough to start working right away. You don’t need to run to the shop for bits just to drill a couple of holes in wood or drive some screws.

The drill itself is the star of the package. It’s a 1/2" (13 mm) hammer drill with a brushless motor, 20 torque settings plus three modes (screwdriving, normal drilling, hammer drilling). You’ve got two speeds: 0–700 RPM and 0–2300 RPM. Max torque is advertised at 140 N·m, which is high for a DIY drill, and you do feel it when you drive long screws or when the bit snags. The hammer function is rated at up to 24,000 impacts per minute, which is fine for light masonry.

The accessories are where things get more mixed. The screwdriver bits and sockets are okay for occasional use, but they’re not pro quality. One Amazon reviewer mentioned a drill bit snapping while trying to drill off a screw head, and honestly, that doesn’t surprise me. The supplied bits are fine for soft wood and light work, but if you plan to drill a lot into metal or brick, I’d buy a proper set from a known brand and keep these as backups.

So in terms of presentation, you’re getting a complete starter kit that looks good on paper but needs a bit of upgrading if you’re going to use it regularly. The drill and batteries are the main value. The rest is “nice to have” but not something I’d rely on for serious or repeated jobs.