Found a killer deal on a cordless hammer drill at Harbor Freight - too good to be true?

Hey guys, was picking up some concrete anchors at Harbor Freight yesterday and saw their Bauer 20V cordless hammer drill on clearance for $49.99 with battery and charger. Normally see it for $99+. I'm a concrete guy so I usually stick with my corded Bosch for core drilling, but been wanting a decent cordless for smaller jobs. Anyone have experience with this Bauer model? At that price I'm tempted to grab it as a backup, but worried it won't hold up to occasional concrete/masonry work. Thoughts?

Ooh, that IS a good price! I collect tools (yes, I know, weird hobby) and have the Bauer 20V system. For light to medium duty it's actually not bad - I've used their impact driver for assembling furniture and it's held up for 2 years now. The hammer function on the drill is okay for drilling into brick or soft concrete, but I wouldn't trust it for serious masonry all day. At $50 with battery though? That's less than some people pay for just a battery! If you're just using it occasionally for anchors or small holes, I'd say go for it. The battery alone is worth $30-40.

Harbor Freight clearance can be hit or miss. That Bauer drill will drill holes. It won't be your forever tool, but for $50? Can't complain. Just know its limits - don't expect it to replace your Bosch for core drilling. Check if it's the brushless model (better) or brushed. Either way, at that price it's disposable tool territory. If it lasts you a year of occasional use, you got your money's worth. Pro tip: buy two, keep one sealed as backup. At that price, why not?

Agree with Tim. For restoration work I keep a couple cheap cordless drills around for tasks where I don't want to risk my good tools (think drilling into old plaster full of grit, or working in damp basements). That Bauer would be perfect for that. The hammer function is basically a novelty - it'll get you through mortar joints or soft brick, but real concrete? Nah. Still, at fifty bucks with battery, you can't really lose. Just don't expect Milwaukee/Makita performance. If it dies in 6 months, you're out less than a nice dinner.