by When you are interested in having some tools at your house just in case you need them, a drill is probably the first one that you would buy.
However, the more you get involved in this field, you find out that there are situations where the drill cannot handle the job, due to the fact that it does not have the torque of the capacity that an impact driver has.
Still, you should know that the impact driver is not a replacement for a drill and it should just be the additional tool in your tool kit.
Now, being that you are reading this, you are in search of an impact driver, but you probably do not know where to begin and what to look for.
In order to help you, we have collected all the necessary information related to impact driver and created this article which includes a detailed buying guide.
By the end of this page, you will know what the best impact driver is for you.
Spoiler Alert - Check out my top choice here >>Top Rated Impact Drivers
5 Best Impact Drivers Reviewed
#1. DEWALT DC825B Impact Driver
On a list of the best impact drivers available on the market, five of them found their places.
The list is made according to the specifications of products and customers‘reviews.
Being in the first place, the most worthy impact driver is due to its durability and performance is the DEWALT DC825B model.
Again, DeWalt could not but produce the top quality tool that leaves all the other models behind.
One of many reasons why this is the best 18-Volt impact driver on the market is the fact that the machine delivers 1330 in/lb of torque at 2400 rpm and 2700 rpm.
This proves the fact that this tool is ideal for heavy-duty tasks and it can drive fasteners into wood, metal, or concrete.
Additional outstanding feature is a variable speed trigger which enables you to increase the speed, number of impacts, and torque and that is regulated by the pressure on the trigger.
The quality of DeWalt’s trigger’s responsiveness and control is not in question.
What makes it even better is that the tool is lightweight and compact and the way of changing the accessory is quick and easy.
The body of the device has an anti-slip ergonomic grip, the gear case is made of magnesium and the transmission is all metal, so the combination of these materials makes the tool both comfortable and durable.
Still, each device has its drawback, and DEWALT DC825B model was not an exception.
The tool is powered by a NiCad battery and not Li-ion.
When the power is in question, both NiCad and Li-ion batteries deliver the same amount of power, but NiCad batteries are prone to memory effect and self-discharge.
Another disadvantage of this model is the cost.
The tool itself costs about $100 but you will need a 2 Ah battery and its charger which will cost you around $150 to $175.
Nevertheless, the tool comes with a 3-year limited warranty which proves the faith of its producers in this model.
The price is high, but you should know that what you get is the tool with amazing performance, long life, and excellent purchase protection.
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Pros
- Great performance
- Durability
- Weight
- Purchase protection
- Long battery life
Cons
- NiCad battery
- Pricey battery and charger
#2. Ryobi P236 ONE Plus Impact Driver
If you do not have too much money to spend on an impact driver, but you still need one, you should go for the Ryobi ONE+.
Its excellent performance at the price that is 40 percent lower than the DeWalt’s one is definitely worth consideration.
What is even better is that the Ryobi delivers more torque than the DEWALT DC825B and runs on a Li-ion battery.
If you take into account that you will have to pay the cost of the tool, battery, and charger, buying the ONE+ is the better choice.
Still, this model is not on the top of our list, and there are good reasons for that.
The difference between our top pick and this model is inside the machine.
Actually, in the DC825B, the power from the motor goes directly to the hammer assembly.
In the case of the ONE+, a planetary gear system transfers the power from the motor to the hammer assembly causing less durability.
All that lacks on the inside is complemented by the outside.
The features of this model are the auto-load chuck, a magnetic bit holder and screw holder, comfortable grip, and an LED illumination light.
This product greatest advantage is that it comes with a 3-year limited warranty.
So, the ONE+ is ideal for people who have never owned an impact driver and people who intend to use one occasionally.
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Pros
- Price
- Great performance
- Amazing features
- Purchase protection
Cons
- Internal parts
#3. DEWALT DCF887B 3-SPEED IMPACT DRIVER
DEWALT did not stop on just one impact driver model, but has created another one which is on the third place on our list.
You probably wonder why they needed another one.
Actually, the DCF887B has even better performance than the DC825B.
It possesses a 3-speed operation which enables excellent torque control and you can determine the speed setting for light operations.
For more demanding tasks, you can switch to its second speed setting which is 1500 in/lb or even the third one – 1825 in/lb.
A low torque allows you to use this tool as a drill cum impact driver and save you some money that you would spend on two separate tools.
When it comes to its features, we can say that this model has a brushless motor, a one-hand loading system and an LED illumination light.
Its compact and lightweight design as well as a belt hook makes working with it more comfortable, pleasant and not tiresome at all.
The brushless motor is a great addition and the machine possesses very few moving parts which results in longer durability.
DeWalt did better with this model as they did not use a NiCad battery, but a 20-Volt Li-ion battery.
Furthermore, the battery and charger for this model less expensive, but still quite pricey.
The Li-ion batteries would not allow any issues with memory effect or self-discharge.
The DEWALT DCF887B has a 3-year limited warranty.
Additionally, the producer gives a year of free service and a 90-day money back guarantee.
If you have no drill and you need an impact driver as well, this is the ideal solution for you.
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Pros
- 3-speed setting
- Performance
- Durability
- Weight
- Purchase protection
Cons
- Price
#4. Milwaukee 2462-20 M12 Impact Driver
The models mentioned above are all high-powered 18 and 20-Volt impact drivers.
However, the powerful impact drivers are more suitable for heavy-duty tasks and longer working periods.
For occasional usage, we do not need such powerful devices and the 12-Volt class of impact drivers is quite satisfactory.
The lack of power is complemented by great portability characteristics.
Moreover, it is an economical device.
The M12 Impact Driver Kit includes the M12 impact driver, a 12-Volt Li-ion battery, a charger and a carry case.
If you take a look at the price of this device, you would think that as it is a low-cost machine, the warranty period would be short, but that is not the case with the M12 which comes with a 5-year warranty.
The maximum no-load speed of the M12 is 2500 rpm and it is able to produce 3300 impacts per minute at 1000 in/lb of torque.
The lack of torque is replaced by the increasing number of impacts per minute.
This makes the M12 performance the best in this class.
The machine is powered by the REDLITHIUM™ which delivers 80 percent more runtime than other batteries.
It has a fuel gauge on board showing you the remaining runtime.
Additional features entail one-hand accessory change, ergonomic grip, and a tool belt.
All in all, the M12 is light, cost-effective, compact, and powerful, which means that it is a great value for money.
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Pros
- Economical
- Portable
- Performance
- Battery
- Purchase protection
Cons
- Not designed for heavy-duty tasks
#5. PORTER-CABLE PCCK640LB Impact Driver
On the last place on our list is the Porter Cable model of an impact driver.
This producer has offered a powerful and budget-friendly impact driver.
The PCCK640LB kit includes a 20-Volt impact driver, two 1.5 Ah battery packs, and a charger.
When we think about the device itself, we can say that the PCC640 impact driver runs at a maximum speed of 2900 rpm and produces a torque of 1495 in/lb at 3100 impacts per minute.
If you take into consideration the price, this is definitely worth buying.
There are no critical features missing, in fact there are additional ones such as an easy-load chuck, an LED illumination light, a variable speed trigger, and a battery charge indicator.
All impact drivers have these features, this is not an advantage and if this one would not have them that would be a big drawback.
The disadvantage is that the PCC640’s motor is rather large and weighty so the whole machine is heavier.
The durability is lower than with other models, due to the fact that the internal mechanism has a lot of moving parts.
The last weakness of this model is the fact that Porter Cable offers only a 1-year limited warranty.
This is the good choice only if you are on the budget.
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Pros
- Price
- Battery and charger go with the device
- Power
- Features
Cons
- Weight
- Bad purchase protection
