Hilti Shows Off New Cordless Concrete Breaker
We had a chance to test out the new Hilti TE 500-A36 cordless concrete breaker at the 2020 World of Concrete. The new Hilti breaker does all of the “heavy lifting” you need from a concrete breaker, but it does it with a 36V battery to give you cordless freedom on the jobsite.
10-Second Summary
Key Details on the TE 500-A36
Hilti has had options for wall work for a while, though these tools have existed exclusively on the brand’s corded lineup. The Hilti TE 500 and TE 500-AVR both excel at lighter-duty concrete applications, like chiseling on concrete and masonry walls. They also work great for repair work, removing plaster and tiles, and chiseling breaches and penetrations for pipes in walls and floors.
However, those options tethered you to an outlet. The Hilti TE 500-A36 tackles all of the same applications, but it does it on the brand’s 36V platform. The benefits of cordlessness are many. First, the TE 500-A36 offers better mobility on the jobsite so you can be more productive. Second, due to the battery’s high capacity (9.0Ah) you should have enough run-time to get your work done. Finally, this tool offers similar performance to its corded counterpart—enabling its use in a wide range of applications.
Clearly, Hilti designed this breaker as a solution for chiseling for concrete and masonry walls, creating channels for pipe and cable installation, light chipping and tile removal, and enlarging pre-existing breaches.
Cordless Breaking vs Corded
Cutting the cord is great and all, but can the Hilti 36V Cordless Concrete Breaker provide comparable power, performance, and convenience to the job? We took a look at the specs compared to its corded counterparts (both AVR and non-AVR versions).
| TE 500-A36 | TE 500 | TE 500-AVR | |
| Working Direction | Wall | Wall | Wall |
| Chuck Type | TE-Y (SDS Max) | TE-Y (SDS Max) | TE-Y (SDS Max) |
| Single Impact Energy | 5.8 ft-lbs | 5.5 ft-lbs | 6.3 ft-lbs |
| Hammering Frequency | 3300 BPM | 3180 BPM | 3510 BPM |
| Max Chisel Performance | 61 in³/min | 55 in³/min | 61 in³/min |
| Dimensions | 21.4 x 4.6 x 10.1 in | 18.5 x 4.3 x 9.6 in | 18.4 x 4.6 x 10.4 in |
| Sound Pressure Level | 89 dB (A) | 94 dB (A) | 84 dB (A) |
| Voltage/Rated Input Power | 36 V | 1100 W | 1300 W |
| Weight | 17.4 lbs (21.9 w/9.0Ah battery) | 12.3 lbs. | 13.9 lbs. |
| Price | $999 (kitted w/ two 9.0Ah batteries) | $649 | $819 |
For some of you, it might be important to note a few things as they relate to some quality of life concerns. For one thing, the Hilti TE 500-A36 does have Active Vibration Reduction, like the TE 500-AVR. However, Hilti hasn’t released information about how much vibration the tool actually generates. Where the TE 500 kicks out 12.1 m/s² triaxial vibration, the TE 500-AVR reduces that number down to 6.8 m/s². The cordless version is closer to this second number.
Also, all three TE-500 series tools are compatible with the Hilti TE DRS-B dust extractor.
Our First Impressions After Hands-on Use
In demoing the new TE 500-A36, it’s clear that Hilti took great pains to bring cordless freedom to its TE 500-AVR wall breaker. As a chipping tool, you can’t beat the freedom of a cordless solution that also boasts an ability to work with Hilti’s dust collection system. The trade-off, of course, concerns the weight. Hilti added around 8 lbs to the tool—once you factor in the 9.0Ah battery. That presents a much heavier package for wall-demo and chipping but still remains manageable provided cordless convenience stays your primary concern.
