Best impact driver

As part of an incredibly deep line of compatible 12V tools, this Milwaukee M12 FUEL impact driver has little in the way of competition for this crown at the moment.

In our 12V testing, it took another M12 Fuel product to finally knock the M12 Fuel off the top of our charts. The Milwaukee M12 Fuel Surge did it with the highest torque numbers of all our 12V impact driver reviews. One of the features that stands out on the Milwaukee is the self-tapping screw mode. When you kick into it, you start the drive quickly and automatically back down in power to avoid shearing off screw heads in metal fastening.

Or watch the video. The PWRJump charger is a significant upgrade. We greatly prefer brushless motors over brushed, even though you pay more to get them. Hart takes some of the sting out of that premium with their 20V brushless impact driver and drill combo kit. If you want the best bang for your buck to cover those projects around the house, Hart has you covered.

Every manufacturer has a delicate dance to perform between bit hardness, flex, and the variety of materials people like us are going to use with them. These bits are designed to last up to 90 times as long as standard bits in those hard stop situations and still work great for wood fastening. Makita covers a wide range of bit sizes and styles with the line. Check them out for yourself and see if they outperform the bits you normally use.

Not every impact driver we use leads the class, but there are plenty that we still recommend. Below are our choices for the best impact driver models from the top brands in the business. Bosch has announced an upgrade to the brushless Freak. The smart controls give it 4 customizable speed settings, diagnostics, and tracking.

Check out the head-to-head against Makita here. Hart has a couple of impact drivers to choose from and their brushless model is the way to go in our opinion.

A monster in-lbs of torque highlights its performance backed up with RPM speed. In addition to outperforming the brushed version, the brushless motor gives you longer runtime and longer overall motor life. They use upgraded batteries, motors, and electronics to deliver better performance than standard brushless tools.

There are three standard speed settings to go along with an assist mode. The GDT01 is less than 0. The 18V version is excellent but the 36V MultiVolt version steps the performance level up a touch. The 18V shares the same speed and impact rate but with a slightly lower in-lbs of torque. Thanks to a compact MultiVolt battery, you can enjoy the extra torque without having to sacrifice a ton of extra weight.

Realistically, you can go either direction with this one and be in great shape. As part of the 36V MultiVolt line, this model is compatible with the AC adapter in case you need to run corded while your batteries charge.

Ridgid made massive gains with the release of their 18V brushless impact driver and drill. The irony is that those massive gains are a huge reduction in size and weight. Leaving the Octane line behind, this impact driver is more compact, measuring 5. With its 2. Black and Decker is another household name in tools, and their 20V Max impact driver is a solid, low-priced option for getting jobs done around the house. It is reliable, has enough power to do just about any light to medium intensity job, and is light and compact enough to be used by just about anyone, with a comfortable and easy-to-grip handle as well.

For anyone looking for a simple, no-nonsense cordless impact driver to use for everyday jobs, the Black and Decker 20V Max is a nice option. The Black and Decker 20V Max impact driver comes in at a lower price point than a lot of the other impact drivers on this list but still delivers great value for the cost.

When it comes to your standard, around-the-house repair jobs, the Black and Decker will stay reliable and stand up to repeated use. With 1, in-lbs of torque, the Black and Decker 20V Max still packs a punch despite its size and will do a great job driving screws and installing light fixtures. It also features a variable trigger speed between , RPMs, which allows the user to finesse more delicate jobs. This impact driver also features a smaller handle, which makes it easier to handle and control.

However, those with large hands may find the grip cramped and uncomfortable. It takes about 4 hours to charge this impact driver from empty to full, and the battery will last a few hours on a full charge. The 20V lithium-ion battery can also be used in conjunction with other Black and Decker 20V power tools, making it easy to change back and forth.

It is cordless, lightweight and compact, so it can be wielded by just about anyone and used in small spaces and tight corners. It offers good torque for its size and has a variable trigger speed that allows for both delicate and high-impact drilling. While its brushed motor makes it more susceptible to long-term wear and tear, it is still a great, low-cost option for getting jobs done around the house.

The great thing about this offer is that it comes as a combo set, so you will get an impact driver and a power drill, along with a carrying case and charger. But still, for people looking to get some basic things done around the house, this Porter-Cable combo set is a bargain.

The Porter-Cable PCL2 combo set is a great, inexpensive set that gives you both a power drill and an impact driver. This means that it is a great option for those looking to start up a tool collection on a low budget. The impact driver delivers 1, in-lbs of torque, which is quite good given its size. It weighs in at just under 3. Both drills also feature very comfortably, rubber grips that prevent your hand from slipping and give you a secure feeling when you are drilling.

You also get a nice balanced feel while holding the drill with the battery pack attached. All this being said, the fact that you are getting both an impact driver and a power drill for such a low price leaves a bit of justifiable skepticism in the mind of the consumer.

Its compact size and lightweight make it perfect for jobs in tight spaces, and the fact that this set comes with a couple of bit tips and a carrying case adds to the appeal of this product. While it may not be suitable for a professional who uses it every day for extended periods of time, it will do just fine for those simple, light to medium-duty jobs. Bosch is another well-established company that has a great track record of making reliable tools for both professionals and amateurs.

Despite this, it is still able to deliver considerable power, although not enough for those looking to do more heavy-duty projects. Nonetheless, the Bosch PS41 is perfect for your every-day handyman, and it has great features that make it a superb choice for anyone in the market for an impact driver. The best thing by far about the Bosch PSA impact driver is its compact size.

It is probably one of the smallest impact drivers on the market, with a head size of just 5. It also has a battery that loads a bit like a handgun, as you insert it up into the handle of the driver, making it very easy to handle.

Much easier to handle than most other drills or drivers that slot into the bottom lengthwise and leave you with a large rectangle under your hand that can get in the way as you are trying to maneuver in tight spaces. And although it weighs just 2. According to Bosch, the PSA is good for about 85 percent of all jobs required by an impact driver, no not too shabby. It also comes with a nylon, zippered carrying case, which although it is not the sturdiest thing in the world, it will still provide you with a decent way of carrying the drill, and has securing straps inside that prove to be reasonably secure.

The Bosch impact driver also features a Durashield housing that is very durable. Bosch claims that this housing has been tested to withstand 25 drops from 12 feet high onto solid concrete with no damage to the mechanisms in the drill itself. Furthermore, it has a spring-loaded impact mechanism that makes it softer on the arms and reduces fatigue.

The Bosch PSA 12V Max impact driver is one of the best drivers on the market if you are looking for something compact enough to fit in super tight spaces, but powerful enough to get just about any job done around the house. It is one of the lightest impact drivers out there, and its design has been improved to maximize torque. Makita is known for its high-quality, dependable tools that can be used by both professionals and DIYers.

Their drills are no exception, and this low-budget impact driver offering from them certainly is no exception. The XDT is an excellent impact driver that comes with a nice array of extras that makes it a very alluring option for professionals and amateurs alike. All in all, this Makita is a good buy at a good price. The Makita XDT 18V LXT impact driver is a nice, compact cordless option for those looking to work around the house, or even get into more heavy-duty projects.

This will allow the user to extend the amount of continuous work on a given job and maximize time spent on a project, while also protecting the driver from any damage that could be incurred because of over-use.

It also features a brushless motor, which basically means that the electrical current inside the motor is not delivered on the moving part of the motor, eliminating friction, wear-and-tear, and noise. This also means that the battery life will be longer, and the drill will be more durable and able to withstand more prolonged use. Another nice thing about this Makita impact driver is its compact size. The head is only 5 inches long, which is quite short compared to other drivers in its class.

And at 3. This makes it ideal for working in tight spaces and overhead, and, when coupled with the built-in LED lights, make dimly-lit spaces easily accessible as well. Its brushless motor means it will be more durable, make less noise, and have a longer battery life than other impact drivers with brushed motors, but it also means that it will be a bit more expensive. The lithium-ion LXT battery will give this driver juice for a long time, as well as protect against overheating and overuse.

This Makita really is a good bargain for its price. Ryobi is another well-established company that makes dependable tools. It is reliable and has a battery that will last a long time.

It is also really good at removing lug nuts stuck too tight on tires. It offers excellent performance and value for the price and is a great choice for just about anyone looking to add an impact driver to their arsenal of tools.

One of the best things about this Ryobi tool is the amount of torque it offers compared to its size. It also features a variable speed trigger, which allows you to increase or decrease the speed and power with which you drill based on your finger pressure, which means more precision when you need it. It is also a pretty user-friendly tool. It also features a magnetic bit holder just below the handle, so you can keep an extra bit handy.

Finally, the handle is rubberized to minimize slipping, and the casing is sturdy and will protect the drill from the everyday bumps and bruises associated with any home project. Although it is not recommended for working in auto shops, it will get the job done in just about any other capacity. It has a great battery life although the battery is sold separately , and the torque is excellent. The DCFS2 is a nice little driver. While it may not pack in as much torque as its bigger brother, it still handles really well, has nice ergonomics, and comes with a nice package that includes a carrying case, two batteries, and a quick charger.

It is a sturdy, lower-priced, reliable little impact driver that can be used around the house with drywall or wood. The battery is a 12 volt, 2. DeWalt is known for making tools with good ergonomics, and this 12V impact driver is no exception. The handle is very comfortable, the dill fits nicely into your hand, and the balance is excellent.

The rubberized grips prevent your hands from slipping when they get sweaty. The DeWalt DCFS2 12V Max impact driver is a proven and reliable tool that gives the everyday homeowner all the power and precision they probably need. Popoman is probably the least-known company on this list, and while this may be a concern in a lot of areas, their 20V Max impact driver actually comes with a ton of extra accessories and the driver itself seems like a solid deal.

In fact, Popoman is a relatively unknown company when it comes to power tools, but they do make a few different tools that sell pretty much exclusively on Amazon. The set comes with the driver, two batteries, a quick charger, five socket and driver bits, a carrying case and a belt clip. Its variable speed trigger offers easy control, between , RPMs, so you can ease up the power on delicate surfaces and go all-in on tough ones. It does offer an LED light, although its position at the bottom of the handle gives it an awkward angle that is not as ideal as the LED lights places around the heads of most other impact drivers.

The LED lights are also trigger activated, meaning they only work when the drill is running, which makes it a bit inconvenient if you need to line up the driver and screw beforehand. The Popoman 20V Max impact driver is a powerful cordless option that comes with a lot of nice accessories. Kimo is another brand with less of a track record than other companies like DeWalt or Milwaukee, but it has been around for almost 30 years, and this 20V impact driver from them seems like an excellent option for both professionals and amateurs.

It comes in at a reasonable price point, comes in a set with lots of accessories, and features a brushless motor, which makes it more powerful, durable and efficient than impact drivers with brushed motors.

The Kimo 20V Max brushless impact driver is a super powerful tool that comes with an excellent variety of accessories. This Kimo combo set comes with the impact driver, a quick charger, one 20V battery, six-driver bits, four-driver sleeves, a hard plastic carrying case, a belt hook, and two adjustable tool belts.

All this at a low-to-mid price point! It also packs a wicked punch, with a whopping 2, in-lbs of torque. This is a ton of power that will get professional-grade jobs done, and make any around-the-house drilling super easy.

This tool also features LED lights mounted in the head to help out with visibility in dark areas. All power tools run off of motors, so naturally, the top impact drivers are powerful and output more torque. Ideally, you want to get yourself a torque brushless impact driver. Brushless impact driver models are stronger and use less power than the alternative, meaning you get better performance and torque for a longer amount of time. The higher the RPM, the more rotations your impact driver is going to deliver.

The higher the in-lbs torque, the stronger the motor is. Generally speaking, the voltage of your impact driver is going to be a quick indicator of its performance. However, there are plenty of volt models that are worthwhile, like the Milwaukee M12 Fuel. The chances are that, for your tool collection, you want an impact driver kit that sits at 18 volts and delivers a decent RPM and torque.

Depending on the job at hand, the size of your impact driver is likely going to come into question. As well as that, larger units are going to be better at dealing with things like lag bolts. Most products that are small and compact are actually more versatile than the alternative. These drivers have more mode choices that make them useable for a wider range of jobs thanks to their size.

Most brands have a compact impact driver kit, some of which are so small that they can fit even in the tightest of toolbox units. There are areas that these are going to struggle n compared to the larger, higher voltage units out there. For starters, having LED lights is a big bonus. Having LED lights means that your pilot holes are going to be more accurate more often.

As well as LED lights, having a belt clip and coming with fasteners is a necessity for impact driers. Aside from those two, we like to look for extra bit units, screw fasteners for fastening, and chuck units. Having more bit units means that your driving is going to be quicker and easier.

On the other side of that, you also want to consider additional choices like accessories. Having a comfortable front grip, a spare part, or even a socket adapter can help choose a unit when the results are the same. Just make sure you disregard the name and the information that comes with that. Lastly, stuff like head compatibility and if it comes with a rubber overmold are ones to look out for.

The rubber is nice, but you want to make sure that your head can handle the tasks that you need it for. If you have to, test it out before you commit to working with it. The last thing you want is to bring it home only to find out that the tasks you need it for are incompatible with it.

Having a noise-reducing brushless unit is going to make that possible. Just be aware that some of these are going to have fewer speeds available and might struggle with some extra hard materials. There you have it. We did a lot of different test work on different tasks, and out of those test runs, we narrowed down the field to these drivers.

These are our favorites, but we need to deliver a final verdict. There are many other great impact drivers, but this one just outshines them all. The combination of efficiency combined with both rotation power and battery charge makes this second to none in the market right now.

Our recommendations are trusted because we're completely independent. Some reviewers work with free samples from manufacturers, but that can lead to accusations of bias. Instead, we spend our own money, buying from the same places you would.

Our top five tools each deliver outstanding performance and value. There are options to suit all needs and all budgets. For a more in-depth look at what makes the best impact drivers shine, please read the following review. In a nutshell, it comes down to power. An ordinary cordless drill will do dozens of jobs around the home and garden. Everyone should have one. But try using one to put a dozen three-inch screws through decking planks, and you won't get very far. Cordless drills just don't generate enough torque.

An impact driver is designed for jobs like this. In addition to being able to apply vastly increased twisting force to the screw, an impact driver provides the rapid hammer action needed to deliver considerable additional force. It makes for a powerful combination, driving screws and other fixings almost effortlessly. So what should you look for when shopping for an impact driver? Our investigations covered the following topics, each of which we delve into below. Cordless impact drivers now dominate the market to such an extent that corded models are all but impossible to find.

That being the case, the question becomes one of battery power. Torque twisting force is clearly a major factor when doing or undoing fastenings. Impact drivers are known for their exceptional torque. You can expect figures of around 1, inch pounds in.

That said, torque without control can be excessive. Because of this, impact driver triggers are progressive, allowing you to increase power gradually. In addition to torque, impact drills can be rated for speed in rpm.

Faster speed gets screws and other fixings fastened more quickly, so it ought to be a benefit. However, speed figures are not always quoted, not even by top manufacturers. Out research confirmed that assumption, but there is an additional feature on some impact drills that's well worth considering: variable speed. Many top impact drivers offer two or three speed choices.