Bosch PS130-2A 12V Max 3/8-in Hammer Drill/Driver Kit review

The Bosch PS130-2A is a 12V Max hammer-drill/driver kit built around the PS130 body. Bosch’s U.S. package list includes two 2.0Ah lithium-ion batteries, a 12V charger, two screwdriver bits and a carrying bag. This is a desk-researched assessment of Bosch’s exact model page, family manual and battery/charger instructions—not a hands-on test or a claim about current seller stock.

One machine, three distinct operating modes

The PS130’s selector ring separates screwdriving, ordinary drilling and hammer drilling. Bosch’s manual describes ordinary drilling for wood, metal, plastic and other non-concrete materials, and hammer action for concrete, asphalt, tile or similar hard materials. That is a useful capability distinction, but it is not a promise that every masonry bit, hole or substrate is appropriate. The manual’s stated maximum masonry capacity is 3/8 in; use the exact manual, bit instructions and material limits for a real task. This conventional hammer-drill mechanism is not a rotary hammer.

The manual lists two no-load ranges—0–380 rpm in low gear and 0–1,300 rpm in high—and a variable-speed trigger. It also describes 20 clutch positions, a work light and a battery charge indicator. Bosch’s manual says the clutch operates in the driving position; drill and hammer settings override it. That operating distinction matters: choosing a numbered clutch setting does not control the drill or hammer modes. Bosch’s 265 in-lb torque and speed figures are maker-published specifications, not measurements from this review.

Chuck fit and the compactness claim

The keyless three-jaw chuck accepts shanks up to 3/8 in. A half-inch shank request is therefore a mismatch, even though the manufacturer separately names a 3/8-in masonry maximum. Chuck capacity concerns bit shank fit; the masonry number concerns a material-specific recommended capacity. They are not interchangeable. Bosch’s page gives an 8-in length and a 6.75-in height; its sibling PS130N page explicitly calls the same PS130 body’s 8-in measurement a head length. That is longer than the finder’s inclusive six-inch cutoff and does not establish clearance once a bit, battery, hand and approach angle are added.

There is also a weight ambiguity worth preserving rather than smoothing over: the PS130-2A page markets a 2.3-lb figure but its technical table says 1.9 lb; the bare PS130N page also identifies 1.9 lb as tool-only. The product page does not clearly reconcile whether its 2.3-lb phrase is a battery-equipped figure. This review does not present either as a verified all-up kit weight. Likewise, the PS130N marketing bullets say 350 rpm low speed and 19,000 bpm, while that page’s technical table and the PS130 family manual say 380 rpm and 19,500 bpm. Those source differences are not test results; the manual/table figures are used here with the conflict disclosed.

What the -2A box adds

For a buyer starting without Bosch 12V Max batteries, the defining advantage of this exact suffix is the written kit list: two 2.0Ah packs, a charger, two screwdriver bits and the bag are included. Bosch does not identify the battery or charger model numbers on the -2A page. Its linked battery/charger list names PS130 and specifies approved Bosch 12V packs and chargers, so an existing owner should check the exact compatibility document and item labels rather than assume a similarly named battery fits. The photo shows the drill body only; it does not establish the kit’s full contents.

The companion PS130N is a different retail package, not an alternate name for the -2A kit. Its exact page lists the PS130 drill and two bits, says battery and charger are sold separately, and does not list the -2A bag. If you already own a verified compatible power set, compare that bare-tool package; if not, count the additional battery and charging cost separately. Neither suffix establishes what a seller currently has on hand.

Who should consider this configuration?

The PS130-2A is worth comparing when you need Bosch 12V Max continuity, integrated hammer mode and a package with batteries and charger, and when its 3/8-in chuck and stated capacity suit the planned bits and work. It is not a fit for a required half-inch shank, and its documented 8-in head length is not a short-head match. For another Bosch 12V hammer-drill assessment, the GSB12V-300 family is a distinct brushless design with its own package and manual; do not transfer the PS130 kit contents or figures to it.

Before purchase, verify the PS130-2A suffix, the included-items list, compatible battery/charger identifiers and whether the carrying bag is sufficient for your storage needs. Bosch’s published modes and capacities are useful boundaries, not independent performance evidence. Runtime, loaded speed, comfort, drilling rate, durability and fit in a particular workspace remain unmeasured here.