Best Cordless Impact Wrenches of 2022 | Comparison Chart & Reviews

If you are working with an automobile or any other mechanical types of machinery, then you know how difficult and frustrating it is to loosen and tighten the bolts using conventional wrenches.

In a situation like that, the air-powered impact wrenches or electric impact wrenches become your best bet. In all of them, the cordless impact wrench is best because it does not involve any cords and gives you the independence to work wherever you like.

That being said, if you look online for the best cordless impact wrenches, then there are hundreds of products available, and choosing one of them is difficult especially when all the manufacturers claim their product to be the best.

Well, to help you solve this problem, we have tested many impact wrenches according to their detent pin size, torque output, and running time. After testing them for so many days, we came up with the Reviews of Best Cordless Impact Wrenches in 2020.

Best Cordless Impact Wrench

1. DEWALT DCF899B  Brushless Cordless Impact Wrench

Dewalt is famous for its durability, performance, and warranty period. Most manufacturer gives a warranty of 1 or 2 years, but Dewalt gives a warranty of 3 years.

Dewalt DCF899B is a battery-operated wrench that incorporates high torque brushless motor.

The impact wrench produces up to 700ft pounds of front torque and up to 1200ft pounds of reverse torque and it generates 2400 impacts per minute.

The Dewalt impact wrench comes with 3 modes of speed, and each one is capable of giving 400/1200/1900 RPM. The impact wrench has ½ inch anvil with a detent pin, also available with a hog ring.

It comes with an LCD light on the tool with the 20 seconds delay timer that is really useful when you are using at night or somewhere there are poor light conditions. The light is actually bright and gives enough light to work at night.

The manufacturer recommends using a 20 V three amp-hour lithium-ion battery with this impact wrench. You can use any heavy-duty battery but make sure it is a 20-volt battery.

This high torque ½ inch impact wrench only weighs about 6.5 pounds with a battery. As we know, Dewalt always gives more warranty period than other brands; this cordless impact wrench come with 3 years limited warranty.

2. PORTER-CABLE PCC740LA 1/2-Inch Cordless Impact Wrench

Porter-Cable company is known among impact wrench users because of its affordable prices and performance capacities. Porter-cable is backed by a parent company Stanley Black & Decker which is famous for making innovative power tools.

Porter-cable PCC740LA is a battery-operated powerful ½-inch impact wrench.

This impact wrench is capable of generating 330ft pounds of torque for heavy-duty works. It delivers 1700 rotations per minute and 2500 impacts per minute.

This unit is equipped with ½ inch anvil with a hog ring for changing the socket easily. It comes with full variable speed control that gives precision during tightening and loosening of fasteners. Overmold grips for comfortable use for a long period of time without getting fatigued.

It includes an LED light that makes it easy to work in poor lighting areas and at night. The Porter-cable cordless impact wrench comes with a 4 Ah Lithium-Ion battery with pro graded cells that provides maximum performance.

Porter-cable PCC740LA is 9.9 inches long and weighs only 6 pounds with a battery and 4.6 pounds without a battery, which is less than the Dewalt impact wrench.

This lightweight and powerful ½ inch impact wrench comes with massive 3 years limited warranty.

3. Makita XWT11SR1 Brushless Cordless Impact Wrench Kit

Makita was founded in 1915 over 100 years ago in Japan. Since then, this Japanese company has become a household brand for DIYs, enthusiastic, and professional workers because of durability, more performance, and the great warranty.

Makita XWT11SR1 is a compact brushless ½-inch cordless impact wrench.

Makita XWT11SR1 impact wrench delivers 210ft pounds of fastening torque and 295ft pounds of nut-busting torque. Efficient BL the brushless motor is electronically designed to optimize the battery energy use for up to 50% longer run-time per charge. The battery takes only 25 minutes for a full charge, which means the battery spends more time on work and less time on the charger.

Extreme Protection Technology (XPT) provides improved dust and water resistance to the impact wrench. The 3-stage battery light indicates the charge of the battery, and the LED light illuminates the workplace and allows you to work easily in poor lighting areas.

The impact wrench only weighs 3.2 pounds with a battery, and a soft rubberized grip increases comfort and reduces fatigue. Star Protection Computer Controls protects the tool from overloading, over-discharging, and over-heating.

The Makita ½-inch cordless impact wrench comes with 3 years limited warranty on the tool, battery, and charger.

4. Milwaukee 2767-20 M18 1/2-Inch Cordless Impact Wrench

Milwaukee is a brand you can trust blindly for all your power tools. Milwaukee 2767-20 M18 fuel is a high torque ½ inch impact wrench. It is powerful and durable than its competitors.

Milwaukee 2767-20 delivers 1000ft pounds of fastening torque and 1400ft pounds of nut-busting torque. It comes with a friction ring design for quick and easy socket changes.

This cordless impact wrench removes stubborn fasteners 2x times faster than its competitor, thus allows you to work more in less time. The impact wrench comes with 4 mode drive mode with bolt removal mode to remove any stubborn and hard bolt without any hindrance. Bolt removal mode serves maximum nut-busting torque to lose fastener-free and then slow down to the required speed for easy removal of the fastener.

Its premium rubber is corrosion resistant and provides comfort when in use, thus reduces fatigue during long use. Milwaukee’s special REDLITHIUM batteries offer more performance on a single charge.

The Attached LED light illuminates the low lightning areas at work. The Milwaukee 2767-20 weighs 7.5 pounds with the battery, and it is 8.39-inch, so it is capable of working in a tight space long. The M18 ½ inch impact wrench comes with a massive 5 years warranty.

5. Makita XWT07Z Square Drive Brushless Cordless Impact Wrench

Makita XWT07Z is a Lithium-Ion brushless cordless high torque ¾ inch drive impact wrench.

Makita XWT07Z produces 780ft pound of fastening torque and 1250 ft pound of nut-busting torque. The ¾-inch anvil comes with a friction ring and a thru-hole retention system that increases the productivity of the tool.

Like other Makita products, the brushless motor is electronically controlled to optimize the battery to provide a 50% longer run time on a single charge.

The 3-speed power tool provides 0-900 RPM and 0-1800 IPM on speed 1, on speed 2 it provides 0-1000 RPM and 0-2000 IPM, and finally, in speed 3 the ¾ inch driver impact wrench delivers the 0-1800 RPM and 0-2200 IPM.

The brushless motor eliminates the carbon brushes; thus, it keeps the tool cooler and makes it more efficient. The electronic controlled brushless motor efficiently uses the energy to match the torque and RPM according to the demand of the application.

The product weighs only 8.1 pounds with a battery, and its rubberized soft grip increases the comfort and reduces the operator’s fatigue. Built-in LED light makes it easy to work in poor lighting areas and at night time.

Makita claims that they have the fastest charge time in this category. Rapid Optimum Charger has a built-in chip throughout the charging process to optimize the battery life by controlling current, volts, and temperature.

This cordless impact wrench comes with 3 years limited warranty.

6. Makita XWT08Z Brushless Cordless Impact Wrench

Makita LXT 1XWT08Z is a brushless cordless high torque ½-inch square drive impact wrench.

This cordless impact wrench produces 740ft pounds of fastening torque and 1180ft pounds of nut-busting torque. The ½ inch anvil comes with a friction ring for quick and easy socket changes.

The 3-speed power tool provides 0-900 RPM and 0-1800 IPM on speed 1, on speed 2 it provides 0-1000 RPM and 0-2000 IPM, and finally, in speed 3 the ¾ inch driver impact wrench delivers the 0-1800 RPM and 0-2200 IPM.

The impact wrench has an electric brake for maximum productivity and easy to operate forward/reverse switch. Impact wrench hammer and anvil mechanism are manufactured from the best raw material available in the market.

The Rapid Optimum Charger has a built-in fan to cool for faster charging taking Makita to the no.1 spot in charge time among the competitor in this category.

The tool with a battery weighs 7.9 pounds and a rubberized soft grip reduces fatigue during a long time of work.

Bright LED light improves visibility during the dark time or at the place where there are poor lightings. The tool is compatible with the Makita 18 V Lithium-Ion battery with a star symbol. The ½ inch impact wrench comes with 3 years limited warranty.

7. Craftsman CMCF920B Brushless Cordless Impact Wrench

Craftsman products are cheaper than Dewalt, Makita, and Milwaukee but performance-wise the Craftsman products are giving tough competition to these brands. Craftsman products are more reliable and also comes with a good warranty.

Craftsman CMCF920B could be a great choice for DIY persons and professionals for small works. It is lightweight and compact so it can work perfectly in a tight space area.

This mid-torque impact wrench delivers 275ft pounds of max fastening torque and offers 2 mode speed settings giving you the freedom to use it on numerous vehicles. The brushless motor increases the run time by 26% on a single charge.

This cordless impact wrench comes with a hog ring anvil for easy socket changes. Bright LED light improves visibility during the dark time or at the place where there are poor lightings.

This powerful cordless wrench only 4 pounds with a battery. It is equipped with a 4Ah Lithium-ion battery which is capable of providing 4x more power than other types of batteries. So it allows the 1/2-inch impact wrench to work for a long period of time in a single charge.

Craftsman CMCF920B impact wrench comes with the 3 years limited warranty.

Buying Guide

Before buying a cordless impact wrench or any other power tools, considering all the needs before making any buying decisions is very important.

Everyone has different needs; homeowners and hobbyists do not necessarily need more torque, but the professional, on the other hand, requires high torque, IPM, and even the higher RPM cordless impact wrench for completing heavy-duty works. Professional workers tend to work for a long hour every day, so the ergonomic design handles make them less fatigue during the operation.

You have to go through long hours of research before buying any power tools but with our in-depth buying, it would take only a few minutes to decide.

What is a cordless impact wrench? And How does it work?

The cordless impact wrench is the wrench that draws power from the battery. A battery-powered impact wrench can serve the same power as the corded impact wrench and the air-powered impact wrench.

You can carry battery operated impact wrench anywhere because of the compatibility and lightweight. Thanks to the advancement in battery technology, you can work for a long period of time on a single charge and a quick charger charges the battery from 0-100% in a very short time.

The motor of the cordless impact wrench generates energy from the battery using rotation. The motor pushes the generated energy to the anvil that is located at the end of the tool and it also comes with a brushless motor. The Brushless motor has almost 3 times the life expectancy of the brushed motor.

What to look for in a cordless impact wrench

There are factors you need to consider in your purchase process of the cordless impact wrench.

Torque

Torque determines the power of the impact wrench. Higher torque enables you to use large bolts. So you need to determine first how much torque do you require.

If you are a hobbyist looking to fix some bolt in the house, then buying a wrench with higher torque will only make you pay extra. So look for a lower torque impact wrench, but the impact wrench must be capable of generating minimum power of 200 ft-lb of torque.

For professionals, selecting a cordless impact wrench is highly dependent on the nature of the project. Bigger the work, the higher the torque is required.

The torque adjustment feature gives you the flexibility to choose the torque-speed according to the size of the nut bolt. Imagine if your impact wrench doesn’t come with the adjustable torque feature, and it only works at the same speed.

In the worst-case scenario, if you are using it on small bolts, then chances are you are going to break the nut because of more power. Always choose the cordless impact wrench with the adjustable torque feature.

Motor

All the cordless impact wrenches come with a brushed motor and a brushless motor. A Brushless motor impact wrench is more expensive than a brushed motor variant. I would suggest you should consider a brushless motor over a brushed motor.

Well, the reason is pretty simple; the brushless motor is better, more efficient, and has a long life span. More efficiency means the brushless motor works for 50% longer on a single charge than the brushed motor.

Brushless motors have a long life and it also requires less, really less maintenance than a brushed motor. A Brushless motor is known to make less noise and less heat during the long process. Brushless motors are more reliable than the brushed motor.

Brushless motors communicate with smart tools to optimize the performance and to prevent the impact wrench from getting overload. On average, the brushed motor has a life expectancy between 1000 to 3000 hrs., whereas the brushless motor has a massive life expectancy up to 10,000 hrs. because of the simple reason, it does not have any brushes to wear.

Undoubtedly, the brushed motors are still powerful but going with a brushless motor equipped impact wrench would be a smart choice.

RPM and IPM

RPM stands for Round Per Minute, and IPM stands for Impact Per Minute. The speed of work completion depends on the speed of RPM and IPM. Higher IPM and RPM leads to faster work completion.

IPM determines how many times a hammer strikes in a minute to the anvil. Higher IPM loosens the tight nut quickly in comparison to the impact wrench with lower IPM. Of course, the loosening speed is also dependent on the torque as torque and IPM are inevitable in the process. The person trying to remove the stubborn hard bolt will initially require the higher torque.

Talking about the RPM, it determines how quickly the impact wrench removes the loosen fastener. For hobbyists or homeowners, the RPM does not concern that much, they can work with low RPM and can save a few bucks on that, but in the industry, depending on the work, IPM and RPM are very important because the lower RPM can slow down the whole project.

The variable speed trigger varies the RPM depending on the requirement. Always look for the impact wrench that comes with the variable speed trigger features.

Battery type

Choosing the right battery for your cordless impact wrench is very important. There are three types of batteries available for cordless tools, and out of all, lithium-ion batteries have more advantages over both of them.

Lithium-ion batteries are probably the best choice for all kinds of usage. If you use it once a week or month or use it daily for 7-8 hours, lithium-ion batteries are capable of handling both the operations efficiently.

The battery is chosen based on voltage and amp-hours. Voltage refers to the amount of power it can provide, and amp-hours refers to how long the battery will last on a single. On a higher voltage, you can work 50-60% more on a higher voltage battery.

Also, look how fast the battery can charge from 0-100% because you have a set of 2 batteries. If the battery takes hours to charge, you won’t be able to complete the task if the second battery runs out of juice.

So, when choosing the battery, check the voltage, amp-hours, and the battery comes with a quick charger or not.

Drive Size

The most common size in the impact wrench is ½ inch and it will work for most of the appliances and for DIY projects, the ½-inch impact wrench is perfect. You don’t need to waste your money on a different size. The reason

behind the popularity of ½ inch impact wrench is that this size falls in the middle of the size chart and can do tightening and loosening different sizes of screws as well to some extent.

After ½ inch, the second popular size is ⅜-inch. ⅜ inch is smaller than ½ inch, and due to the small size, it comes with lower torque. Another size is ¼, which is the smallest of all, and as you can guess, it has the lowest amount of torque.

We recommend you to always go for the ½-inch cordless impact wrench because it is more useful than other sizes and it has more torque than others as well.

In the market, you can find impact wrenches of 1 inch, 2 inches, and even 3-inch size of impact wrenches, but they are for commercial use only and are mostly corded or powered with air.

Weight

Even though your impact wrench has an ergonomic design or rubber grip, if it’s heavy, you will get tired after using it for a long time. The battery adds an additional 2 pounds to the cordless impact wrench compared to the corded and the pneumatic impact wrench.

But the evolving technology has successfully developed the lightweight impact wrench. In the market, impact wrench weighing less than 8 pounds are readily available.

A lightweight impact wrench is better when you are fastening or loosening the stubborn bolts. The heavier tool can damage or weaken your wrist in the long run, and it’s only a matter of a few bucks. A lightweight wrench makes the use easier and comfortable.

For a shorter use, a heavier wrench doesn’t make a big difference, but it is still recommended to go for a lighter impact wrench to save yourself from fatigue.

Even the lightweight impact wrench is as powerful as the heavier ones, and their battery life is also the same. The only difference is weight; that’s it. A lightweight cordless impact wrench is more comfortable to carry everywhere.

Ergonomic design

Ergonomic handles are specially designed handles with the motive of reducing the fatigue and strain on the operator when used for a long time. Ergonomic grips are made to fit comfortably on the hand of the operator despite the size of the hand.

Overmold ergonomic design provides comfort to the area between the thumb and index finger. The rubberized plating is done to protect the body of the impact wrench from getting damaged when it falls during the operation.

It also reduces the vibration during the work that reduces the strain along with the fatigue.

Always go for the model with an ergonomic design or over-mold rubber to protect yourself from strain and fatigue and the body of the impact wrench from getting damaged, even if you use it for a very short period of time.

Warranty

Warranty is something you should compare with other brands before clicking the buy now button. Many manufacturers are out there in the market, which provides a warranty of 1-2 years. But if you dig more on the internet, you will easily find the power tool makers that provide a nice warranty of 3-5 years.

But everything comes with a price, and the warranty is nothing exceptional. The tools that come with a warranty period of 3-5 years are more expensive than the tools that come with a warranty period of only 1-2 years. Some companies also offer 30 days money-back guarantee and one-year free service of the tool along with the 3-5 years warranty period.

Just for a few bucks, don’t go for the cordless impact wrench that comes with the small warranty but go for the brands that offer 3-5 years warranty unless they are more expensive and your budget is low.
So these are some specs you should ask yourself before making the long term investment in the impact wrench tool. To make things a little easier for you, we have outlined the top cordless impact wrenches saving you from hours of research on the perfect impact wrench.

FAQ

Q What is a cordless impact wrench?

The wrench that takes power from the battery to generate the energy through the rotation of an electric motor is known as a cordless impact wrench. The motor sends the energy to the anvil that is located at the end of the tool.

Q Can I use an Impact wrench on lug nuts?

Yes, you can use the impact wrench on lug nuts but make sure your model can generate enough torque to remove the stubborn bolt.

Q What are the different types of batteries?

Most commonly, there are three types of batteries; Nickel Cadmium (NiCad), Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH), and Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion). Out of all, Lithium-Ion batteries are widely used because they last longer and more efficient than other types.

Q Why ‘Ah’ is important in cordless impact wrench?

Ah stands for the Amperage Hours. Ah expresses how much power the battery can hold. More Ah means the battery will last longer than the batteries that have low Ah.

Q What is the difference between the torque, RPM, and IPM?

IPM stands for Impact Per Minute determines how many times the hammer strikes the anvil in a minute. RPM, short for Rotation Per Minute, defines how fast the impact wrench can remove the loosen fastener. Torque refers to the power that the impact wrench is capable of generating.