Tolsen 88531 rotary hammer review: 5.5 J of impact energy

The Tolsen 88531 is our Best Heavy Duty rotary hammer: 1500 W and 5.5 J reaching 32 mm in concrete for around ₱4,900, which is more impact energy per peso than anything else in the category.

32mm through concrete for rebar dowels and pipe runs

1500 W, 5.5 J, 780 rpm, 4300 bpm, drilling to 32 mm in concrete, 13 mm in steel, and 50 mm in wood through an SDS Plus chuck.

That 5.5 J is more than double what the 800 W class delivers, and the difference in use is not subtle. A 25 mm hole that makes a 2.5 J tool labour and overheat is ordinary work here. The 32 mm concrete capacity opens up rebar dowels and pipe-run through-holes, and the 50 mm wood capacity is the largest in this comparison, enough to drive a decent auger.

The price is the surprising part. This delivers the same 5.5 J and 32 mm as a better-known 1500 W rival that asks meaningfully more.

The 2 m cable needs a properly rated extension

Tolsen publishes a full instruction manual and data sheet, and lists a VDE-approved plug and cable, an electrical safety certification most listings at this level do not mention. On a tool pulling 1500 W, a properly rated cable is not a trivial detail.

The box is generous: SDS Plus drill bits, point and flat chisels, dust cover, lubricating oil, a wrench, spare carbon brushes, and a hard case.

The real complaint is the 2 m cable. That is short enough that an extension lead is effectively mandatory, and on a 1500 W tool it needs to be a properly rated one rather than a thin household reel.

Twice the hitting power for the price of an 800 W tool

Around ₱4,900 as of August 16, 2026. Check the latest price on Shopee.

For roughly the price of an 800 W tool you get more than double the impact energy and a 32 mm ceiling. On raw capability per peso nothing here beats it.

What you give up is finesse. 780 rpm is the slowest no-load speed in the category, so it is poor as a general-purpose drill. There is no anti-vibration system, and 1500 W of hammer action is genuinely tiring overhead. This is a tool for the job, not a tool for everything.

For renovators opening walls and drilling through slabs

Buy this if you are renovating rather than maintaining: opening walls, setting dowels, chasing conduit, drilling through slabs. If your list is shelves and brackets, buy lighter. See how it ranks in our best rotary hammers in the Philippines roundup, or browse more on our Home Improvement page.

INGCO’s RGH9028 is easier to handle for home jobs

For lighter household work the INGCO RGH9028 at 2.5 J is easier to handle and cheaper to run. If the job is breaking concrete rather than drilling it, step up to the Powerhouse PHB-RH-40D, which delivers 10 J through an SDS Max chuck.