Step Up the Speed Using the Best Impact Wrench

Matco is a professional tool company, servicing mechanics, like Snap-On does. However, their tools don't usually have as high a price as Snap-On's do. I won't get into a discussion about which is better, although I did choose their 1/2" cordless impact over Snap-On's offering. That's mostly for the high amount of power it offers. This impact gives you 780 ft. lbs. of reverse torque, with burst of 1,100 ft. lbs. of torque for busting nuts loose. That's ties for the most power than I've found in any cordless impact. The power train is all metal to handle that much torque. At 6.8 pounds, that's an incredible power to weight ratio. It comes with two 3.0 Ah Li-Ion batteries, a charger, and a storage case.

Makita offers this unit as either a bare tool or a kit but I've selected the bare tool, simply because I have other Makita tools, so I already have the batteries and charger. This one produces 325 ft. lbs. of max torque. The manufacturer doesn't list a breakaway torque, so I have to assume that there isn't one. One thing I like about this tool is that the handle is shock absorbent. This not only protects your wrists, but it also reduces fatigue on the tool thereby reducing chances that the handle, which is the battery compartment on all these tools, will break. This tool also is equipped with an LED worklight which illuminates your work area. It uses Makita's standard 18V LTX Li-Ion batteries.

DeWalt's corded impact wrench comes in real close to the following two models, in the power department, at 345 ft. lbs. of torque. No load speed is 2100 RPM and it delivers 2700 IMP of impact power, making it very comparable to the other two. The manufacturer's web page states that this one has ball bearing construction which the others on our list don't mention, giving this tool the number one slot. However, this one does not have a work light or the power indicator light; while those are minor features, they do come in as a tie breaker. The anvil on this tool has a detent for holding the sockets in place, rather than the friction ring the others had. I prefer the friction ring, but some prefer the detent. The power switch is a rocker for ease of use and the handle is nicely padded for comfort.

Kobalt tools are a brand of Lowe's Home Improvement Centers, manufactured to compete with Craftsman. I have a few of their tools and from what I've seen of them, they are well built, rugged tools that are intended to last. We can see that from the five year "hassle-free" guarantee that they put on this tool. At 350 ft. lbs. of torque, this one ties for first place in overall power. The 8 amp motor gives you plenty to work with, running at 2100 RPM and 2700 IPM of impact power. The trigger is a toggle switch, making it easy to change directions, when you need to. It also includes a live wire indicator for safety and comes with 7 deep well impact sockets. Sockets are held in place by a "bull-nose" friction ring.

Craftsman's 1/2" corded impact wrench has specification close enough to the Kobalt that one could almost wonder if they came out of the same factory. However, they are different enough in appearance that it's doubtful that's the case. This one also provides 350 ft. lbs. of torque, running at 2100 RPM and 2700 IMP of impact power. That makes the two tools comparable. However, the Craftsman doesn't have the five year warranty of the Kobalt, which is why I gave the number one slot to them.
This one also has a toggle operated trigger, giving you excellent control over tool operation. They add a LED work light located at the base of the handle so the tool's nose doesn't put a shadow right where you need to see. It also has the green power indicator light at the base of the handle which Craftsman has been putting on a lot of their power tools. Lastly, a "bull-nose" friction ring holds the sockets in place.

My initial inclination was to give Milwaukee the number one spot on this list, just due to their quality and ruggedness. Impact wrenches receive a lot of hard usage and I have a lot of confidence in Milwaukee's tools to handle that, but the specs pushed it out of that top spot. While this is an excellent impact wrench, it's not quite as powerful as the one's we've already looked at. This wrench is rated at 300 ft. lbs. It's motor runs at 1800 RPM and the impact hammer provides 2600 IPM. However, I have to say that from my experience with Milwaukee's tools, I'd say it might still outperform one of the others. At 6.0 pounds, it appears to be lighter than the others (although they don't all give their weight). The anvil on this one uses a friction ring retention system and it has a rocker switch trigger.

I'm a big Makita fan, but I have to admit that the other tools on this list actually beat out Makita's impact wrench this time around. However, this tool has some nice features that are important to see. First of all, the tool is producing 258 ft. lbs. of torque, running at a variable speed of 0 - 2000 RPM. The other tools were not variable speed, so if you need a tool which you can use for a variety of types of equipment, this one might actually be a better choice. At 2000 RPM, it also provides 2000 IMP of impact power, as well as running off of much less electrical power than the competition, needing only 3.5 amps of power. If you're running off an already overburdened generator or trying to use a voltage inverter for power, that's an important consideration. Finally, the tool is built with ball bearings for the motor, to ensure long life and the brushes are externally accessible for easier maintenance.

This is not the most powerful impact wrench out there, but for the home mechanic and do-it-yourselfer, it just very well might be the most useful one. The really short length of this tool at 4.4 inches and light weight at 2.86 pounds, make it ideal for working on a wide number of projects. Even so, it provides 450 ft. lbs. of maximum torque, from a motor running at 9,000 RPM. That means it's going to be working faster than most other impacts out there. The forward/reverse control is located right at the trigger where they are easy to get to, as well as the power setting to access the three different levels of power in both forward and reverse. A steel front cover and aluminum body make it durable so that it will provide years of useful service.

Ingersoll Rand's 2135TiMAX provides an impressive power to weight ratio, in a 3.95 pound package. Even though it's light, this impact wrench provides 780 ft. lbs. of torque when needed. When it's time to bust the nuts loose, that increases to 1100 ft. lbs. Twin hammers make fasteners come off quicker by increasing the number of blows provided. A feather touch trigger helps to provide excellent control over the tool and how much power it is providing. Direction change is accomplished with the same hand that's holding the tool, meaning you can do anything one-handed.

Chicago Pneumatic has confronted the biggest problem with impact wrenches in this tool. When used for assembly, impact wrenches tend to provide too much power, causing you to tighten fasteners beyond their specified torque. This wrench limits the torque on tightening, allowing you only enough to snug the fasteners. You have to come back with a torque wrench to finalize. In a forward direction, the tool only provides 60 ft. lbs. of torque; enough to snug down any fastener, but when used for disassembly, it has 925 ft. lbs. of power at 8200 RPM. That's enough to break just about anything loose. The reverse switch is located on the back of the housing, where it is easily accessible to the thumb of the hand which is holding the tool. A full teasing trigger allows for smooth control at any power.