Best Impact Driver of 2022

Best Overall 18V Cordless Impact Driver

Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2853-20

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$104.00

(23% off)
at Amazon

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84

OVERALL
SCORE

• Speed 9.0
• Torque 10.0
• Convenience 8.0
• Battery 7.0
• Noise 2.0

Weight: 2.5 pounds | Length: 116 mm

REASONS TO BUY

Super fast

Phenomenal torque

Compact

Four RPM settings

REASONS TO AVOID

Mediocre battery life

For a first-class impact driver, look no further than the Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2853-20. In our speed trials, it surpassed almost all of the competition. When tested for torque strength, it hit its ceiling with a 300ft-lb wrench, as it was able to loosen and tighten nuts onto ½" bolts that we had welded to an I-beam. Due to this tool's compact size, it can easily access small places. The M18 Fuel comes with four different RPM settings — three different speeds and one specific setting for finish work.

Our main gripe with the Milwaukee M18 Fuel is the battery life just doesn't live up to some of the other contenders. If it's important to you to have long battery life on your driver, consider upgrading to a larger Milwaukee battery, or seek out a different model altogether that has a longer-lasting battery. Finally, we should mention this driver is quite noisy. While most impact drivers make a bit of a ruckus, the M18 Fuel is surprisingly offensive.

Read review: Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2853-20

Best 12 Volt Cordless Impact Driver

Milwaukee M12 Fuel 2553-20

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$84.94

(29% off)
at Amazon

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58

OVERALL
SCORE

• Speed 6.0
• Torque 6.0
• Convenience 7.0
• Battery 4.0
• Noise 3.0

Weight: 1.7 pounds | Length: 132 mm

REASONS TO BUY

Compact

Light

Convenient

REASONS TO AVOID

Unimpressive battery life

Lacks quick insert

The Milwaukee M12 Fuel 2553-20 is the best cordless impact driver that we've found in the land of 12-volt battery-powered tools. This impressive little driver essentially fits in your pocket. Not only is it compact, but it's also lightweight, easy to use, and comfortable to hold. Our favorite thing about the M12 Fuel is that it kept up with (and in several instances, outperformed) drivers with substantially more girth and voltage. To top it off, Milwaukee offers a fantastic array of tools built on the M12 Fuel platform, so you may only need to buy one battery and charger for a fleet.

The M12 is not without its flaws. Despite its light weight and tiny size, it is still very loud. Also, this model is far from the most affordable cordless impact driver that we tested. If you don't mind a tool that's a little more cumbersome, it might be worth it to get a cheaper model that may not be able to squeeze into the tight spaces that this one can, but ultimately offers the same performance.

Read review: Milwaukee M12 Fuel 2553-20

Best Bang for the Buck

Ryobi P238

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$61.79

(44% off)
at Amazon

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77

OVERALL
SCORE

• Speed 8.0
• Torque 10.0
• Convenience 7.0
• Battery 6.0
• Noise 1.0

Weight: 2.7 pounds | Length: 161 mm

REASONS TO BUY

Fast driver

Lots of torque

Bright LED lights

Magnetic plate to hold loose screws and bolts

Great value

REASONS TO AVOID

Only average battery life

Longer length can be an inconvenience

Ryobi is a name synonymous with both quality and affordability, and the Ryobi P238 is no exception. This was one of the fastest drivers in our lineup, and it was one of the most inexpensive. It's incredibly fast and provided ample torque in our tests, and we love the bright LED light and the magnetic plate that you can toss your extra fasteners on — no more "now where'd I put that screw?" moments.

The P238 is one of the longer impact drivers in our test fleet, which can be a drawback for certain applications where you may need to get into tight spaces. It also has a shorter battery life than some of the other contenders in our review. Still, we think for the money, it's hard to go wrong with this offering from Ryobi.

Read review: Ryobi P238

Best for Battery Efficiency

Makita XDT13

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$83.00

(36% off)
at Amazon

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We found a lot to love about the Makita XDT13. This model performed exceptionally in our tests when it was used to loosen tight nuts. This tool's length (or lack thereof) also won us over — its length from front to back is one of the most compact that we have laid eyes on, making it possible to tighten long fasteners in small spaces or between studs. Especially noteworthy was the long-lasting battery on this model, which is compatible with various other tool offerings from Makita. We also found its fastening speed to be stellar, if that is something you're looking for.

One thing we found somewhat disappointing was that the Makita XDT13 only has one speed, as this detracts from its finish or light-duty capabilities. This model is also incredibly noisy, so if that is an issue for you, you might want to look at a different model.

Read Full Review: Makita XDT13

Compare Products

Compare select up to 5 products to compare

	Score	Product	Price	Our Take
	84	Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2853-20	$135	This impact driver offers fantastic speed and torque in a compact package
	80	Makita XDT13	$129	If you want a high performance impact driver that can hang with the best, this is a good choice
	77	Ryobi P238	$110	An exceptionally fast and powerful tool that is slightly held back by an average battery
	74	DeWalt MAX XR DCF887B	$140	A solid addition for those that already have a bevy of DEWALT tools, but carries a heftier price tag than most
	63	Milwaukee M18 2850-20	$120	The M18 has plenty of torque and an industrial-grade feel but couldn't quite clinch one of the top spots
	62	Porter-Cable PCCK647	$150	While the PCCK647 didn't claim an award, we think it's a decent product that can handle most tasks fairly well
	59	DeWalt DCF809B Atomic	$120	We found the ATOMIC to be a fairly uninspiring impact with a lack of noteworthy results in our tests
	58	Milwaukee M12 Fuel 2553-20	$120	When it comes to 12-volt impact drivers, it's hard to beat the performance of this model
	38	Black+Decker 20V Max Impact Driver BDCI20C	$110	An affordable impact driver that offers less performance than top models, but still gets the job done
	33	Bosch PS41BN 12V	$90	The PS41 can handle light-duty projects with ease but lacks the power for big jobs
	28	Bosch GDR18V	$130	Outperformed by some 12-volt models, we weren't impressed at all with the GDR18V-1400's score
	21	DeWalt DCF815S2 12V	$165	The DCF815S2 failed to impress us with its very lackluster results across the board

Why You Should Trust Us

Here at GearLab, we strive to offer our readers the most accurate and thorough reviews possible. We purchase all of the products that we test at full price, and we never accept any demos or freebies of any kind from manufacturers. The GearLab cordless impact driver review team is comprised of Ross Patton, David Wise, Max Mutter, and Austin Palmer. Review Editor Ross has spent countless hours with an impact driver in his hands during his years working in the HVAC industry as well as building custom features for a world-class snowboard park. Senior Review Editor David grew up using power tools and also has a degree in mechanical engineering from MIT. He has also used a plethora of tools for a multitude of projects, including deepwater surveying robots. Austin, our senior research analyst, has plenty of experience with impact drivers from his experience working on oil rigs in Texas as well as being an avid DIY specialist. For this category, we also left the lab to spend some time testing at our friend Chris Liscola's workshop to get his opinion on the drivers. Chris has 30 years of construction experience under his belt and has been creating his own custom live-edge wood slab furniture for more than a decade.

In order to make the most accurate assessments about which cordless impact drivers are truly the best for which applications, we researched the subtleties of their design, how they work, and found out which features are gimmicks vs. which ones are must-haves. To test them side-by-side, we drove several hundred fasteners to measure speed and exhaust the batteries. We maxed out each driver's torque, measured the noise they produce, and then carefully inspected each one for any tiny detail that might set it apart or give it an advantage over the competition. To complete the test, we spent dozens of hours with them away from the lab, working on projects ranging from changing furnace air filters, fastening TV mounts to interior walls, and assisting with custom furniture construction.

Analysis and Test Results

We spent days on end researching each model and manufacturer claims for these products, then purchased the most promising models for an extensive hands-on comparison. To help you find the right product for your specific needs, we did dozens of different assessments over several weeks of testing, using five weighted rating metrics in which to group our findings and results — speed, torque, convenience, battery life, and sound.

Value

Unlike many categories of power tools, there is not anything close to an unequivocal parallel between price and performance when it comes to cordless impact drivers. Our research and test results taught us that there are several models that can outperform more expensive models in certain aspects. We also now know that the most affordable tools in this review can handle a very reasonable workload, especially for light-duty and finish applications.

We found the Black+Decker BDCI20C to be an excellent light-duty impact driver for small jobs and projects around the house. It is a fantastic tool that will barely put a dent in your bank account. However, it should be noted that the Black+Decker scored much lower than high-performance heavier-duty models in all of our assessments. If you're a professional, a serious DIYer, or you just know that you put a beating on your tools, then we'd suggest you go with a model that earned more points. The Makita XDT13 is one of our highest-scoring models, easily outperforming some models that cost substantially more. Same goes for the Ryobi P238. Our favorite model, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel, is one of the most expensive. However, the high cost can be offset if you already own Milwaukee batteries or if you buy the impact driver in a kit with other tools. If you're in the market for a 12V version, the Milwaukee M12 Fuel is well worth the price considering its outstanding performance.

Speed

One of the primary benefits of owning an impact driver is the increased efficiency and project workflow. In this regard, speed is crucial. For professionals, as the saying goes, time is money. If you're a DIYer, the last way you want to spend your limited free time is waiting for a tool that lags during a project. For these reasons, we decided to let this metric account for 35% of the total score.

To determine the various speeds of each model, we clocked a dozen individual time trials per driver using multiple types of screws and lumber. We began with a stack of sheets of plywood that allowed for ample room to completely sink a 3-⅝" ledger screw. For this test, we took five time trials for each model. We then used the same ledger screws, but this time we used a stack of 2x12 boards in order to test an alternative wood, taking seven trials. Finally, we drilled 11/32" pilot holes into the 2x12s to accommodate a ½" x 3" lag bolt. For this experiment, we clocked how long it took each tool to completely drive the bolt and then how long it took to remove it.

The Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2853-20 was the king of the speed tests. While driving ledger screws, it averaged a mere 3 seconds. When we timed this model driving and removing the lag bolt, it easily destroyed the competition, taking 12 seconds to tighten the bolt and only 4 seconds to remove it.

The DeWalt MAX XR DCF887B, Milwaukee M18 2850-20, Makita XDT13, and the Ryobi P238 also had a respectable showing. The Makita, DeWalt MAX, and M18 all tied for both the plywood ledger screw test and the lumber ledger screw test at 4 seconds and 3 seconds, respectively. The Ryobi was barely slower on the plywood at 5 seconds but also had a calculated average of 3 seconds for the 2x12 trials.

At 14 seconds, the Ryobi put up one of the faster times for driving the ½" x 3" lag bolt, and then removed it in 6 seconds. Just behind was the Makita, which also took 6 seconds to remove the fastener, but showed a tad slower time of 15 seconds to sink it. The M18 2850-20 was barely behind at 16 seconds to install and 7 to back it out. The DeWalt MAX was slower at driving; it took 18 seconds for this test, but it made up for it with a time of 5 seconds for removal.

Torque

Compared to most standard drills, torque (or twisting force) is a critical differentiator for most impact drivers. The motors on these tools are designed to allow quick rotational bursts of force that deliver an extra boost of tightening power. The amount of torque that each model offers can be the difference between the tool being able to handle the job or not, so we allotted 25% of the total score to this metric. To test torque, we welded several ¾" bolts to an I-beam that would be next to impossible to shear off with an impact driver. We tightened nuts onto each bolt using a torque wrench to determine the number of foot-pounds of force each driver could loosen. Next, we used each model to tighten the nuts for a total of five seconds and then used the wrench to determine the torque that each driver delivered.

The torque wrench that we used for testing maxes out at 300 foot-pounds of force, so we determined that models that could both reach and break a minimum of 300 foot-pounds should earn a perfect score for the metric.

The Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2853-20 and Ryobi P238 were both able to achieve this standard. The Makita XDT13 could only reach a torque of 285 ft-lbs while tightening, but it was so quick at breaking 300 ft-lbs that we opted to award it a perfect score as well.

Falling just behind the top scorers are the Porter-Cable PCCK647, Milwaukee M18 2850-20, and the DeWalt MAX XR DCF887B. The M18 averaged 245 ft-lbs while tightening, while the DeWalt MAX followed at an average of 238 ft-lbs — both of these models were able to break 300 ft-lbs in under two seconds. The Porter-Cable had a slightly higher tightening average than these two models at 257 ft-lbs, but when it came to breaking 300 ft-lbs, it took this model nearly 10 seconds to pass the test.

Convenience

Convenience is an important element of impact driver efficiency. Therefore, we dedicated 20% of the total score to this metric. To reach a numeric value for convenience, we examined the subtle differences between each model, including the bit holders, the quality and performance of the LED lights, the functionality of the quick connect hex head collet, and any other additional features.

The top scorer in the convenience department was the Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2853-20. This model offers a quick-release chuck, a belt hook, and a bit holder. Additionally, it has four RPM settings, and we found the button to be easy to press and in a great location. One of our favorite aspects of this model is its size — it is only 116mm.

The Milwaukee M12 Fuel 2553-20, the Ryobi P238, and the DeWalt MAX XR DCF887B are equipped with switches to select between different RPM settings.

One of the best bonus features that we found on the Ryobi is the innovative chuck. Not only is it a quick connect, but inserting a bit into the driver cocks a spring-loaded disconnect that makes it very fast and easy to use.

This model comes with a bit holder on the front of the handle and also includes a magnet plate for holding additional bits or fasteners. The RPM switch, located on the driver's back, is very easy to see and access.

The DeWalt MAX has a similar style of LED lights to the Ryobi, and we also love that it has a short total length, which makes it easy to use in tighter spaces.

The Milwaukee M12 Fuel is lightweight and small in size, and we appreciate these attributes about this model. It's about as compact and light as they come, ideal for folks without much storage stage or for pros hoping to carry a lighter load in their tool kit. In addition, its small size makes the M12 Fuel great for driving into weird angles and harder-to-reach places.

We love that the Makita XDT13 is so short — from front to back, it's only 126mm. Regrettably, this driver is devoid of RPM setting controls.

Battery

To wear out the impact drivers, we alternated between sets of sinking 14 ledger screws and 1 ½" x 3 " lag bolts, repeating this process until each battery was effectively dead. Some of the drivers showed impressive battery life. Others, not so much. Because a short battery life can be extremely inconvenient and annoying when you're fully committed to a project, we decided that this metric should account for 15% of the total score.

The Makita XDT13 did a good job of driving five sets of 14 ledger screws and four lag bolts in and out, but it eventually ran out of sauce while loosening the fifth lag bolt of the experiment.

The DeWalt MAX XR DCF887B died on the fifth lag bolt after driving 14 ledger screws five times. The Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2853-20 completed four sets of the ledger screws and the lag bolt but died after driving four ledger screws on the fifth go around.

While the Ryobi P238 couldn't quite keep up with the top models during our battery test assessment, it still outperformed most of its adversaries. It got through 42 ledger screws and drove the lag bolt three times, but when trying to remove the lag bolt on the third round, the battery died.

Noise

As far as noise is concerned, impact drivers are just, well, loud. Period. Nevertheless, we decided to run some experiments and include the results in our overall assessment of these tools. We used an SPL meter to measure the average decibel level that each model produced while in operation. Noise only accounts for only 5% of a product's total score.

Unfortunately, nearly every impact driver basically failed this metric because they all emit absurd amounts of noise. The only driver that was somewhat bearable was the Bosch PS41BN 12V — we measured an average of 86 decibels with the SPL meter during the noise testing for this model.

The DeWalt DCF809B Atomic emitted 92 decibels while in use, earning an average score for noise. All of the other impact drivers were so insanely loud in this assessment that we chose to score them terribly low.

Conclusion