When a bucket won't dig it, you need an attachment that can deal with rock and concrete. The two main options are a hydraulic breaker and a drum cutter. They work in very different ways, so the right choice depends on the job. This guide compares them, using the Auger Torque KDC drum cutter and our excavator breakers as examples.
How a Breaker Works
A hydraulic breaker, also called a hydraulic hammer or pecker, drives a chisel into the material with rapid blows, cracking it into lumps you can load out. It's the standard tool for breaking concrete, rock and hard ground that a bucket can't dig. Our breakers cover 0.8 to 35 tonne excavators, in an Economy range for occasional work and a Professional range for continuous heavy rock work.
How a Drum Cutter Works
A drum cutter grinds the material away with rotating drums fitted with picks. Instead of cracking rock into lumps, it cuts it down in a controlled way, so you can follow a line or a profile. The Auger Torque KDC is driven by a high torque hydraulic motor through spur gearing, and its components are chosen to keep noise and vibration low. It's sealed for underwater work down to 20m, and there's a large choice of drums and picks.
When to Choose a Drum Cutter
- Trenching in rock: cut a trench to line and depth where a bucket or trencher can't get through.
- Scaling and profiling: trim rock faces and concrete walls accurately, with a profiling drum available for some sizes.
- Tunnels: tunnel excavation, with an optional 360° rotation for better access.
- Sites where noise and vibration matter: such as work close to occupied buildings.
- Underwater work: down to 20m.
When to Choose a Breaker
- Breaking out concrete: slabs, foundations, kerbs and floors you need to break up and load out.
- Boulders and oversize rock: reducing large pieces to a size you can handle.
- Hard ground in a dig: loosening ground a bucket can't get into.
- Small machines: our breakers start at 0.8 tonne excavators.
Sizing and Hydraulics
Both attachments are sized by excavator weight and need the right auxiliary flow. The KDC range covers 2 to 60 tonne excavators, from the KDC04 for 2 to 4 tonnes, which needs 30 to 65 l/min, up to the KDC60 for 45 to 60 tonnes. Our guide on what size breaker you need matches breakers to excavators. Check your machine's flow and pressure, and its lifting capacity at the reach you'll work at, before you choose.
Working Safely
- Find buried services before you cut or break, following HSE guidance HSG47.
- Keep people well clear, as both attachments can throw out fragments.
- Control dust from cutting or breaking concrete and stone, which can contain silica, with water.
- Follow the operating instructions for the attachment and your excavator.
Drum Cutter vs Breaker FAQs
Is a drum cutter quieter than a breaker?
A drum cutter cuts rather than hammers, and Auger Torque designs the KDC for low noise and vibration. That's why drum cutters are often chosen for sites where noise and vibration matter.
Can a drum cutter cut concrete?
Yes. The KDC is built for rock and concrete, including trenching, scaling walls and profiling.
Can I use a drum cutter underwater?
Yes. The KDC's heavy duty seals let it work underwater down to 20m.
Choose Your Attachment
See the Auger Torque KDC drum cutter or our excavator breakers, or request a quote with your machine and job details. For trenches in soil, see our excavator trenchers, and for loosening compacted ground, our excavator rippers. Browse all our excavator attachments.
