Craftsman
Craftsman V20 BRUSHLESS RP CMCD726 Hammer Drill
Launched in Craftsman's October 2024 V20 BRUSHLESS RP line expansion, the CMCD726 displaced the older made-in-USA CMCD721 as the brand's most powerful hammer drill, jumping from 400 to 495 UWO. A 2-speed gearbox (0-500/0-2,000 RPM) drives up to 34% faster drilling, hammer mode hits 34,000 BPM for masonry anchors, and the 3.09 lb body carries an LED light, bit holder, and belt hook. It is sold tool-only at $119 with a 3-year warranty and VERSATRACK compatibility.
Specifications
Features
Pros
- ✓495 UWO makes it the strongest drill in the entire V20 lineup - roughly 24% more power than the CMCD721 flagship it replaced.
- ✓Deal-forum owners rate the BRUSHLESS RP tier as Craftsman's genuinely good hardware, with some describing the tools as 'sometimes rebadged DeWalt XR' thanks to shared Stanley Black & Decker engineering.
- ✓At 3.09 lbs bare and about 8.5 inches long, it is light and short enough for overhead work and cabinet-tight spaces where 5+ lb pro flagships wear you out.
- ✓The 1/2-inch keyless ratcheting chuck carries over the strong bit retention Pro Tool Reviews praised across Craftsman's brushless drill family.
- ✓V20 batteries are cheap and everywhere - Lowe's runs constant promos, and owners note the platform's value is unbeatable when you catch battery deals.
- ✓Onboard bit holder and belt hook cover jobsite conveniences that even some premium drills skip.
- ✓Street pricing is aggressive: $119 list with regular sub-$100 sale prices, versus $150-180 for comparable-power pro-brand bare tools.
- ✓One owner summarized the RP tier value bluntly: the $100 price was 'well worth it' with plenty of power for every house project.
Cons
- ✗No side handle is included or supported - Pro Tool Reviews flagged the same omission on the CMCD721, warning that big spade bits and hole saws in low gear can wrench your wrist in a bind-up.
- ✗There is no kickback-control electronics, a safety feature now standard on DeWalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, and even Ridgid flagship hammer drills.
- ✗Craftsman only publishes UWO rather than in-lbs of torque, making honest comparisons hard - the class-leading pro drills still out-muscle it in heavy boring.
- ✗Sold tool-only with no dedicated kit SKU, so newcomers must buy batteries and a charger separately or through a combo kit.
- ✗34,000 BPM handles Tapcons and 3/8-inch anchors fine, but owners consistently recommend stepping up to an SDS rotary hammer for repeated or larger concrete holes.
- ✗It is made in China, displacing the made-in-USA CMCD721 - a sore point among longtime Craftsman loyalists.
- ✗The V20 ecosystem tops out at DIY-grade batteries and tools, so there is no path to the high-output packs that unlock more performance on pro platforms.
Compare the Craftsman V20 BRUSHLESS RP CMCD726 Hammer Drill
Related tools
More from Craftsman →
The PBLHM101 pairs Ryobi's HP brushless motor with its High Performance batteries to deliver 750 in-lbs of torque, 0-2,100 RPM, and 31,000 BPM from a compact 7.5-inch, 2.8-lb body. It uses a 24-position clutch with dedicated hammer mode and a 1/2-inch ratcheting metal chuck, and runs on the 300-plus tool ONE+ 18V ecosystem. Pro Tool Reviews found it outdrilled Ryobi's older P251 flagship by a wide margin while shrinking in size and weight.
The XPH12 has been Makita's volume-selling 18V hammer drill since late 2016: 530 in-lbs and 30,000 BPM in a 7-1/8 inch body that weighs just 3.6 lbs with a compact 2.0Ah pack. It sits well below the 1,250 in-lb XPH14 flagship, trading top-end grunt for the class-leading power-to-weight ratio and glass-smooth trigger control Makita is known for. Nearly a decade in production with a 4.4-star record makes it the known quantity of the compact class - even if the spec sheet now reads dated.
Launched in August 2023, the 3602 is the volume mid-tier of Milwaukee's M18 drill lineup: their first compact brushless hammer drill, slotting between the entry cordless line and the M18 Fuel 2904/2905 flagship. It packs 550 in-lbs and 25,500 BPM into a 5.8-inch, 2.3 lb body - more torque than the old 2801-class compact in a body over 12% shorter, replacing the larger 725 in-lb 2902 as the sensible-money pick. What you give up versus the Fuel is top-end torque and speed, not build quality: the all-metal chuck and gear case carry over.