13 Best Impact Drivers in 2023 [Tested and Reviewed]

You can expect a maximum fastening torque of 1,832 in-lbs. and a rotation speed of 2,900 rpm from Metabo HPT's 18V Triple Hammer Impact Driver. It has an IP rating of 56, meaning it has a high level of waterproofing for use in places where it may easily get wet or covered in dust. The torque applied to M12 bolts came in at 522 in-lbs., which isn't quite enough to loosen lug nuts, but is plenty for fastening bolts onto construction material. It took 1.32 seconds to drive in deck screws and a very quick 2.14 seconds for wheel bolts. We can safely say it's powerful enough to be used for larger DIY projects that require lots of screws.

It only weighs two pounds 14 ounces with the battery inserted, and considering how slim the handle is, it shouldn't be a burden to hold for long periods. It also produced relatively little shaking that would impede your work. One small downfall is that the rotation direction switch has a wide trajectory and requires quite a bit of effort to flip. At just over five inches, the head is compact enough to drive screws into corners or other cramped areas. But the LED light is only 376 lux, which is on the weak side, so you may want to keep a separate work light handy for jobs in dark spots. It doesn't have a quick-change hex, either, so you'll need to pull bits off manually when changing them.

Thankfully it includes a belt hook, battery indicator, three rotation speeds, and a Self Drilling Screw mode for compatibility with a wide range of tasks. The included 2.0Ah battery allowed us to drive in 72 deck screws and 63 wheel bolts on a single charge. Building a shelf or table would be no problem, and you could probably even finish putting screws on the boards for a wooden deck in a single day.

Makita's 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Quick-Shift Mode 4-Speed Impact Driver Kit (5.0Ah) boasts a maximum torque of 1,600 in-lbs. and rotation speed of 3,600 rpm. It comes with a mode that automatically stops rotation once a nut has been loosened to a certain degree to help prevent dropping nuts. Torque used for fastening M12 bolts measured 531 in-lbs. This is sufficient for putting bolts on construction material, but probably falls short of the power needed to loosen lug nuts. The time required to drive in a deck screw was 1.53 seconds, while securing wheel bolts needed 2.20 seconds, both respectably fast. It should carry you smoothly through big DIY projects that need a lot of screws.

At three pounds six ounces, it's somewhat heavy, and most of the weight falls on the side with the battery, which put some strain on our arms. The handle, however, is slim and fits nicely in your hand, and the non-slip material also does its job well. The rotation switch flips easily enough, and there's not much unwanted vibration to impede your work. While it does have an LED light, it's a mere 116 lux, so you'll probably want to use a separate work light if you need to use it in a dark area. 

Thankfully, the head is a compact four and 5/8 inches, making it useful for jobs in tight spots. It also comes with most of the features pros would expect, like a battery indicator, belt hook, and quick-change hex. You can select one of four rotation speeds or use the assist mode that prevents screws from flying off when trying to get them in place initially. We found that the 5.0Ah battery held up for 168 deck screws and 162 wheel bolts on a single charge. That's enough battery life to handle a larger scale project like a wood deck or fence, in addition to simpler indoor DIY.

The V20 Cordless Brushless 1/4-Inch Impact Driver Kit with one battery is by Stanley Black+Decker's brand Craftsman, which is targeted at professional construction workers and auto enthusiasts. It has a maximum torque of 1,500 in-lbs. and rotation speed of 2,800 rpm. The torque used for fastening M12 bolts came to 495 in-lbs. in our tests. This is enough to work on construction material but would be insufficient for changing tires on a car.

As for speed, deck screws took 1.82 seconds to drive and wheel bolts took 3.98 seconds to fasten. It's sufficient for building a shelf or table, but would have a negative impact on efficiency when building a wood deck or house frame. The body weights a comfortable two pounds 14 ounces with the battery in place, and didn't weigh our arms down. The handle is also comfortably slim, making for a pleasant experience while working. It didn't vibrate excessively nor did the bit ever come loose while driving screws. However, the rotation switch is far away from the user's fingers when holding the handle, so switching between driving and loosening was a chore. People with small hands wouldn't find it particularly user-friendly.

The head size of the 20V is five and a half inches across, which is compact enough to handle jobs in tight spots. It has both a battery indicator and quick-change hex, so you won't have any trouble keeping it charged or replacing bits. The LED light is 1,204 lux, making usage in dark areas a breeze. Unfortunately it doesn't come with a belt hook, so people who work in high spots will need to buy a separate holder. Speed and mode options are also missing, so beginners will need to be careful to not accidentally fasten screws too tight.

The included 1.5Ah battery was able to drive 42 deck screws and fasten 37 wheel bolts when fully charged. You probably won't run out of battery if you're building small furniture, but you'll definitely need a second battery if you plan on using it for something like a deck or fence.

The M12 FUEL SURGE 1/4 in. Hex Hydraulic Driver by Milwaukee has a maximum torque of 1,300 in-lbs. and rotation speed of 3,300 rpm. It claims to be light enough to prevent muscle fatigue in the user. In our tests, it exerted 548 in-lbs. of torque when fastening M12 bolts, which is plenty for getting bolts fastened onto reinforcements used for construction; but it probably wouldn't replace an impact wrench for loosening lug nuts. Driving in a deck screw took 2.53 seconds, and fastening a wheel bolt took 2.68 seconds. That's speedy enough to efficiently get you through pretty much any job.

This impact driver was the lightest of all the products we looked at, a mere two pounds with the battery inserted. It won't put a strain on your arm whether you're using it for a long project or carrying it around. Unfortunately, the handle is rather thick, making it difficult to grip for people with small hands. The direction switch is also stiff and requires a bit of effort to flip. We noticed a bit more vibration when driving in screws compared to some of the other impact drivers, but it wasn't to the point where it felt like an additional burden on our arms. The LED light is only 253 lux, so you'll want to consider keeping a work light on hand for jobs in the dark. But the head is under five and a quarter inches, making it useful for jobs in corners or other tight spots. It also has all the features needed for improving work efficiency, like a battery indicator, quick-change hex and belt hook. 

As for modes, there are three rotation speeds and a drill mode, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding the one that fits your task. Our tests revealed that a single charge with the 2.0Ah battery held up through 32 deck screws and 26 wheel bolts. You won't have to worry about running out of battery when putting together smaller pieces of furniture, but you would need at least two batteries to handle a larger project like building a wooden deck or fence.

DeWalt's 20V MAX XR Li-Ion Brushless 0.25" 3-Speed Impact Driver has a maximum torque of 2,000 in-lbs. and rotation speed of 2,800 rpm. It sports three LED lights to improve visibility for your task. We measured the amount of torque used for fastening M12 bolts at 522 in-lbs., which is plenty of power for getting bolts onto wooden beams but not enough to loosen lug nuts. Deck screws took 1.75 seconds to drive, while wheel bolts took 2.4 seconds to fasten, which is fast enough to make quick work of even large scale DIY projects. Taking into consideration the three-and-a-half-pound weight with the battery inserted and the unresponsive trigger that needs to be held down all the way for it to work, your hands and arms could get tired after using it for a while. 

On the bright side, the rotation direction switch is easy to flip. It also keeps vibration down to a minimum when driving screws, which helps prevent fatigue. The head is relatively compact at five and 3/8 inches, and you'll rarely feel inhibited by the size, even when working in areas with limited space. The three rotation speeds should be enough to match whatever job you've got at hand. 

It doesn't have a battery indicator, magnet strip, or belt hook, but it does have a quick-change hex, so you can change bits with a single hand. And the 982 lux LED light is definitely bright enough to make your workspace easy to see. The 5.0Ah battery lasted through 37 deck screws and 32 wheel bolts on a single charge. It's unlikely you'll run out of battery when building smaller furniture like a shelf or table, but for a larger DIY project like a wooden deck or fence you'll probably want to have a second battery on hand to be on the safe side.