Best Impact Drivers – Buyers Guide 2020
What is an Impact Driver?
An impact driver is a tool used to tighten the screws that need more torque than a traditional screwdriver can provide. It is also used for loosening up corrosively frozen or over-torqued large bolts and nuts.
Impact drivers also function as effective drilling tools and can easily use big bits for boring large holes. They generally produce more torque than your normal drill. If you are looking for a tool specifically for drilling, a normal drill, or a hammer drill is a better option. Hammer drill provides more control while drilling into tough surfaces like concrete. Nevertheless, an Impact driver has a lot of applications that make it a good investment.
Structure and Functioning-
In manual impact drivers, the inner core is splined to the heavy outer sleeve. When the outer sleeve is struck with a hammer, the downward force on the spine produces a turning force to the core or the work bit or socket attached to itThe heavyvy rotational inertia of the sleeve is to the lighter core by the tool to generate a lot of torque. The cam out is reduced or even eliminated as the hammer blow forces the drivers down into the screw.
A cordless impact driver consists of an Anvil, Motor, Screwdriver bit, Speed control trigger, a gearbox, and a battery pack. In a cordless impact driver, electrical current from the battery is transferred to the motor through the speed control trigger by a switch inside the tool. The battery’s electrical current is converted into rotational energy by the motor which turns the chuck. The torque and speed combine to make power, which is measured in watts.
Now, the motor’s power is transferred through the gearbox to a hammer and anvil mechanism. In case there’s need of high torque, the hammer strikes the sides of the anvil which delivers a strong rotational force to the screwdriver bit to help drive in the screws.
Impact driver is a great tool for any professional or DIY enthusiast. you can use an Impact driver for your home projects. It can also be used for drilling. Before buying an Impact driver, you can consider the following things –
What the torque? and RPM..
Generally, Impact driver produces a lot of toque. More torque means easier handling for you. It also ensures faster and effective functioning of the tool. Different models provide different speed settings to give you more optimal control for different tasks.
The more the RPM, faster the tool works. Faster RPM protects the drill bit and helps prevent the motor from overheating and burning out when you’re using tool to drive in lugs and long screws into hard and thick surfaces.
Design –
There have been a lot of changes in design with improvements in motor technology and fabrication. Nowadays, quality Impact drivers are much lighter, compact and easier to use. Consider the measurement and weight of the product while buying. You want a lighter product with compact design that can deliver appropriate torque and RPM.
Depending on which Impact driver you have, the number of attachments that you can use with it varies. Buy one which can use a variety of attachments for wider range of applications.
Features –
If you’re looking for advanced features, you should get an impact driver that has a brushless motor. Brushless motors allow different speed settings and a speed selector, and typically run longer on a single charge. It is a feature that’ll be good for you in the long run. Other features that you can look into are Keyless chuck and LED Lights and Indicators.
Buy one which has a variety of advanced features. It’s the best choice for home owners who have no need for a lot of power tools. Ease of control is the key ingredient in buying an Impact driver.
Battery life –
Since different products use different type of batteries, the charge time for each varies as well. Ideally, the best product for you is the one that can hold charge for a good period of time so that you don’t have to worry about uit. For example, Lithium ion batteries can hold the charge up to four times than normal batteries.
These are few of the basics that you should know before buying an Impact driver. keeping all these points in mind, let’s look at some of the best Impact drivers for you –
Here are the Best Impact Drivers to Check Out
1. DEWALT DCF885C1
One of the best Impact drivers in the market, DEWALT DCF885C1 is a cordless option which gives you ease of transportation. The Hex drive system in this Impact driver lets you fit any fastener in it, including screws, bolts, and lug nuts. It is very light and weighs around 2.8 lbs. It is 5.5 inches from front to back. With its compact design, it can reach tight spots easily.
The driver can provide 1,400 lbs of torque per charge, which is quite a lot of power. There are three LED lights to light up the areas with low light while you’re working. You also get a carry case to carry the drill and other accessories.
It has a 1.5 Ah lithium-ion battery. The charge automatically shuts off, cutting off the power supply when the when the charging is complete. Changing the bits is extremely easy, and the load speed can go from 0 to 2,8000 RPM. Maximum initial battery voltage is 20V and the minimum voltage is 18V. Maintaining this drill is not that hard, and this is a great option for any professional or non- professional.
2. Bosch CLPK27-120
This combo kit from Bosch includes a drill/driver and an Impact driver, with two batteries, a charger, and a case. The PS 41 Impact driver weighs two pounds and gives you a high torque of 930 in/lbs. It offers variable speed trigger for complete control and can go up to 2,600 RPM. The compact design makes it easier to fit in tight areas. The tools use a lithium-ion battery for better charge time.
To make this a user-friendly product, the Impact driver has an easy to read fuel gauge and a three LED light ring for lighting in the low light area. The handles ergonomically soft and provide a comfortable grip. Bumpers on the side of the tool protect the work surface and prevent hand slipping.
The PS21 has a head length of 5.6 inches and weighs 1.8 lbs and supplies up to 265 in/lbs of torque. Users can drill through wood, 22 gauge metal, and it can also be used to quickly fasten bolts, nuts, and screws. The user can switch between the low gear of 350 RPM to a high gear of 1,300 with 20 clutch settings. There’s variable speed setting for optimal control.
3. Milwaukee 2753-20
The Milwaukee 2753-20 M18 fuel 1/4 hex Impact driver is a powerful and compact product. It weighs only 2.1 lbs and is quite light and easy to carry around. It is 5.25 inches in length. It’s a compact driver with improved ergonomics, giving you a nice hold. The highly efficient brushless power stat motor can deliver up to 1,800 inch pounds of torque, making your job practically effortless. The four mode drive control gives a lot of room to adjust the output according to your requirement. The driver uses lithium ion battery with a voltage of 18V. It is another great tool to have.
4. Makita XDT12Z 18V LXT
Smallest of the Makita Impact drivers, this 18V tool comes with a brushless motor that has four speed settings, giving you better control of its working. It also has a special tightening mode, that slows the speed of the driver before the end of the screw, preventing stripping and material damage. The tool weighs just over three pounds and is quick light and easy to carry around. It can produce up to 1,500 lbs in.lbs of torque and has a maximum speed of 3600 RPM. The dual onboard LED lights help illuminate areas with low lighting. Star protection computer controls are there to protect the tool from discharge, overheating, and overloading. This is quite a solid Impact driver that you can add to your power tools.
5. Makita XDT15ZB
Makita XDT15ZB is a product with a compact and ergonomic design that helps you move it around and you can reach the tighter spots with ease. The Tool weights only 2.6 lbs(without the battery) and uses 18 – volt LXT Lithium-ion battery (sold separately along with charger). This brushless cordless impact driver can produce up to 1240 in-lb torque. It has variable speed setting giving you more control, with the highest speed going up to 3,900 RPM. The dual LED lighting helps you work in areas with low light. The assist mode helps you in eliminating the “screw cam out” and “cross threading”, which is done by driving at low speed until tightening begins.
These are a few good Impact drivers that you can look into in the market, in 2019.
