Best Cordless Impact Drivers in 2024
Reviews & Top Picks
What Are Your Choices in Cordless Impact Drivers?
Impact drivers differ from drill drivers in that they are much more powerful. They are less about precision and more about brute strength. Impact drivers are the go-to tool when you need to drive long screws and lag bolts. Once the drill driver senses resistance, you will hear and feel the impact hammers driving the fastener into the wood with a great amount of force. It is very easy to over-drive fasteners below the wood’s surface, so caution is needed. Impact drivers are not subtle tools, but they get the job done when serious torque (rotational force) is needed.
Brushless vs Brushed Motors
There are two types of motors available today… Brushed and Brushless. Brushed motors are the traditional motors that we have been using for decades. They have carbon wipers internally that brush against copper contacts. The downside to brushed motors is friction, which introduces inefficiency. There is a new type of motor that is becoming more popular; the brushless motor. Brushless motors are more expensive but they are generally more efficient in operation. There is far less friction in a brushless motor and therefore less heat is generated and more potential power is available. We don’t consider brushless motors to be essential today. They’re nice to have but tools with brushed motors are still certainly capable of any job we can throw at them.
Let’s Get to the Reviews!
Let’s take a look at some of the best Cordless Impact Driver choices for every budget in 2024.
best pick overall
Milwaukee “FUEL” M-18 Impact Driver, Pistol Grip, 18VDC
Milwaukee has been making great advances in Impact Driver technology in the past couple years. The word, “FUEL” in their labeling means brushless motor. We really love the compact design (for more access in very tight spaces), the high-torque capabilities (up to 2,000 in-lbs), and its overall rugged design. It fits well in the hand and has that certain indefinable feeling of fine engineering. Most purchasers of this tool are greatly surprised by its power. This Milwaukee M-18 Impact Driver is our everyday carry of choice, bar none.
Pros
- Compact length (4.59″) provides access in very tight spaces.
- Brushless motor delivers up to 30% faster driving speed with power to spare.
- Rated at an extraordinarily high 2,000 in-lbs. of torque.
- Has 3 speed ranges plus an extra surface-sensing mode to prevent over-driving into the workpiece.
- Unlike most impact drivers, bits just press in to lock. Changing bits can be done with one hand.
- See what the buyers are saying
Cons
- We have not found any cons to report, and believe us, we tried!
best BUDGET PICK
Avid Power 20V Impact Driver with 14-Pcs Sockets, 10-Pcs Driver Bits and Tool Bag
The Avid Power Impact Driver kit is a strong contender for the budget-minded DYI-er. Although not as powerful as its bigger brothers, it has plenty of power for most consumer-level tasks with its 1590 in-lbs of torque. Comes with a 20V, 1500Ah battery and a charger. Also comes with a nice compliment of driver bits and sockets.
Pros
- Relatively inexpensive.
- 3 LEDs brightly illuminate your work.
- Comes with plenty of driver bits and sockets.
- Battery has a nice real-time capacity indicator.
- See what the buyers are saying
Cons
- Good for home use but may bog down on the tougher commercial jobs.
- We saw a couple scattered reports of having to remove the battery and then snap it back in because of an electronic lockup. Extremely rare, but we have read of two instances of this, so we wanted to report it.
DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill Impact Driver Kit (DCF787C2)
This brushless cordless impact driver kit features two 20V MAX* lithium ion batteries, charger, and tool bag. The DCF787 cordless impact driver has a compact and lightweight design to fit in tight spaces while providing 1500 in-lbs. of torque. The DCF787 cordless impact driver is equipped with 3 LED lights for superior visibility when working in dimly lit spaces.
Pros
- Brushless motor.
- Holds a charge for a very long time (people are reporting 2+ hours of continuous use).
- Light weight.
- 3 LEDs brightly illuminate your work.
- 5.5″ length makes it easy to work in tight spaces.
- See what the buyers are saying
Cons
- Some are finding DeWalt’s customer service to be not as responsive as they’d like with this unit.
- No belt hook included.
Makita XDT13SM1 18V LXT® Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Impact Driver Kit
The Makita 18V LXT® Brushless Impact Driver (XDT13SM1) combines power and run time for a full range of fastening tasks. The efficient brushless motor is electronically controlled and engineered for longer run time, increased power and speed, and longer tool life. The variable speed brushless motor delivers 0-3,400 RPM, and up to 1,500 inch lbs. of max torque. It has a compact design at 5” long and weighs only 3 pounds (with battery) with an ergonomic soft grip for user comfort. The L.E.D. light illuminates the job area for applications in dark spaces.
Pros
- Includes high-capacity 4.0 Ah battery and charger.
- Brushless motor.
- Extremely compact at only 5″ long.
- Good ergonomic design.
- Light weight (3.3 lbs with battery installed), and relatively quiet.
- See what the buyers are saying
Cons
- We found no cons with the Makita XDT13SM1.
PORTER CABLE 20V MAX* 1/4 in. Cordless Impact Driver Kit, Hex Head, Compact (PCC641LB)
A good, all-around general-purpose Impact Driver for the home or commercial user. The Porter Cable brand is known for consistent quality at a good price.
Pros
- Includes 2 batteries and charger.
- 1/4-inch Quick change hex for one handed quick and easy bit changes.
- Good ergonomic design.
- 20V Brushless motor for extra power.
- See what the buyers are saying
Cons
- Some have complained of limited battery life.
- Good for light commercial use but probably not strong enough for the long-haul in a daily-use environment.