DEWALT IMPACT DRILL DRIVERS
DEWALT IMPACT DRILL DRIVER

In DEWALT’s case, more than 180 tools can run using the same 20V Max batteries. You can almost never mix different brands, but often they’ve not been compatible even when you have two tools from the same company.įortunately, that has changed. One of the long-standing frustrations with cordless tools has been the variety of batteries they use.

DEWALT IMPACT DRILL DRIVERS

For your money, you are getting one of the most powerful, reliable, and durable impact drivers available. The 20V Max XR kit, with charger, two batteries, and carryall, will set you back between $250 and $290. Mid-rangeĪt around $140 to $160, you’ll find 18V kits and the top-rated 20V Max XR as a bare tool.

You’ll get an 18V bare tool (meaning it comes by itself, with no battery, charger, or other extras) for similar money.

DEWALT IMPACT DRILL DRIVER

The entry-level 12V impact driver kit with battery, charger, and carryall can usually be found for well under $150. The fast chargers usually recharge spent batteries in a couple of hours, but it can be as little as 30 minutes with the 12V 1.1Ah models.Ģ0V Max XR batteries have a useful charge indicator.īestReviews DEWALT impact driver prices Inexpensiveĭespite the fact that DEWALT is a premium brand, its tools remain competitive. Lights and hooksĪ set of three bright LEDs lights up dark corners and stays on for 20 seconds after you release the trigger so you can see what you’ve been doing.īelt hooks are provided, but they’re easily removed if you find them getting in the way. Most DEWALT impact drivers are very compact, making them easier to get into tight spaces than a standard drill driver. For torque, DEWALT quotes inch pounds (in-lbs) rather than the usual foot pounds (ft-lbs) – perhaps because the figure sounds higher! Just divide by 12 to convert from one to the other. Speed (in rpm) tells you how fast the driver rotates, whereas torque tells you the actual rotational force applied – that’s what does the work when you’re driving long screws. This offers high torque at comparatively low rpm, for work that requires delicate adjustment. With the three-speed models, you also have DEWALT’s Precision Drive. The first does provide variable speed, but it depends on trigger pressure, which isn't easy to judge accurately. Single and three-speed models are offered. Although the 18V models offer good value, if you’re looking for maximum performance we would recommend the latter. While this is cheaper, it isn’t nearly as efficient as the brushless motor in the 20V range. The 18V models are gradually being phased out because they use a brush motor. If you’re buying an 18- or 20-volt impact driver, 2Ah is a sensible minimum, though we would always recommend either the 4Ah or 5Ah alternatives.Īs we’ve just mentioned, there are three power options: 12, 18, or 20 volts. The best kits provide two batteries so you can carry on working – but that means extra cost. While highly rated by many owners, there are limits to how long these will run. The smallest DEWALT batteries are 1.1 Amp hour, fitted to the 12-volt impact driver. Amp hours (Ah) tells you how long that performance can be maintained. Voltage defines outright performance – with DEWALT you have a choice of 12-, 18- or 20-volt tools. However, battery performance has increased dramatically in recent years – to the extent that with their impact driver tools, DEWALT has now abandoned corded completely.ĭoes that mean there are no drawbacks? That still depends on the batteries. Cordless tools offer greater freedom, at the expense of outright power and the need to stop – all too frequently – to recharge. With a quick change from the driver bit to a socket, the same tool can also be used for tightening nuts and bolts.īestReviews Home Improvement and DIY Expert Cutting the cordĮver since the introduction of cordless power tools, there’s been a difficult choice between them and their corded counterparts.

It’s something of a specialist tool, but if you’ve got a lot of repetitive driving of substantial screws – let’s say you’re laying decking, for example – you’ll be glad you’ve got one. In addition to increased torque, they also have a hammer action, which radically improves penetration. If you try driving 2-inch wood screws into a piece of 2x4 without first drilling a pilot hole, you’ll soon discover their shortcomings.Īn impact driver is designed to do that kind of job all day long. Why buy an impact driver?Ī standard drill driver will do a lot of jobs around the home and job site, but their performance is limited. If not, you might get better value buying a kit, rather than individually. If you already have other DEWALT tools and batteries, you can enjoy significant savings by buying bare tools that use compatible batteries. ‘Bare tool’ means it’s sold without a battery or charger.

Dewalt impact drill