Driven to Outperform: These 3 Impact Drivers Dominated the Field

When we rate impact drivers, we take into consideration performance, size, weight, features, and more. While that gives us a balanced idea of how they compare, it’s performance that drives fasteners. If performance is your number one priority, this head-to-head review is for you!

Each of these three impact drivers scored 90 points or more in our performance tests, setting themselves apart from the crowd. I’ll introduce them to you in alphabetical order so I don’t spoil the end. I’ll also show you how we tested, how these impact drivers performed in each, and which one is the best of the best.

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Best Cordless Impact Driver Head-to-Head Review

Flex 24V Quick Eject FX1371A

• Top Speed: 4000 RPM
• Max Torque: 2500 in-lbs
• Impact Rate: 4450 IPM
• Length: 4.8 in
• Bare Weight: 2.7 lbs
• Tested Weight: 5.0 lbs
• Price: $159 bare, $179 – $279 kit
• 2-Tool Combo Price: $349

Buy at Amazon

Highlighted Features

• Quick Eject: Release the collet with a button just above the trigger for quick bit changes
• Two Self-tapping Screw Modes: Reduces the risk of shearing off screw heads

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Flex 24V Brushless Impact Driver with Quick Eject Review

Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2953

• Top Speed: 3900 RPM
• Max Torque: 2000 in-lbs
• Impact Rate: 4400 IPM
• Length: 4.5 in
• Bare Weight: 2.2 lbs
• Tested Weight: 4.6 lbs
• Price: $179 bare, $319 kit
• 2-Tool Combo Price: $399

Buy at Home Depot

Buy at Acme Tools

Highlighted Features

• Self-tapping Screw Mode: Reduces the risk of shearing off screw heads
• One-hand Bit Insertion: Insert a bit without having to pull out the collet
• Tri-beam LEDs: Surround the collet and greatly reduce shadows

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Milwaukee M18 Fuel Impact Driver Review 2953

Ridgid 18V Brushless R862312

• Top Speed: 3400 RPM
• Max Torque: 2400 in-lbs
• Impact Rate: 4200 IPM
• Length: 5.0 in
• Bare Weight: 2.3 lbs
• Tested Weight: 4.5 lbs
• Price: $149 bare, $209 kit
• 2-Tool Combo Price: $349

Buy at Home Depot

Highlighted Features

• Self-tapping Screw Mode: Reduces the risk of shearing off screw heads
• One-hand Bit Insertion: Insert a bit without having to pull out the collet
• Lifetime Service Agreement: With registration after purchase

READ
Ridgid 18V Brushless Impact Driver Review R862312

How We Test Impact Drivers

You can click the link here to get the full story of how we test impact drivers when we do head-to-head evaluations. For now, here’s a quick breakdown of the batteries we used and the performance tests we run:

Battery Selection

Test #1: Driving Structural Screws

• Material: Stacked and glued OSB subfloor, at least 8 1/2 inches thick
• Fastener: GRK 3/8 x 8-inch RSS screw
• Pilot Hole: 1 1/2-inch
• Mode: Max speed and power

Our first test involves driving large structural screws. If you’ve read our Best Cordless Drill feature, it’s the same test we use for head-to-head drill testing.

Starting with a fully-charged battery, we time how long it takes to drive these screws flush. We take the average of three successful tests to get our final result.

Results

Test #2: Driving Lag Screws

• Material: Stacked and glued OSB subfloor, at least 10 1/2 inches thick
• Fastener: 1/2 x 10-inch lag screw
• Pilot Hole: 2-inch
• Mode: Max speed and power

Driving lag screws is a hard ask for impact drivers, and it’s not an application they’re designed for. But we’re not trying to get them to fasten flush; we use it as a high-torque test to see how much progress they can make in 30 seconds.

Starting with a fully charged battery, we only run this test once to protect the tools and batteries from overheating. The result is a measurement of how much of the lag screw is still exposed—a lower number indicates a better finish.

Results

Test #3: Bolt Breaking

• Nut and Bolt: Semi truck stud and lug nut
• Mode: Max speed and power, reverse

For our bolt breaking test, we use a rig set up with 8 semi truck studs and lug nuts. We set them each to 1500 in-lbs (125 ft-lbs) using a digital torque wrench. Starting with a fully charged battery, we record how long it takes each one and report the average time as the result.

Results

Performance Analysis

While the rankings speak for themselves, it’s fair to ask just how much better these 3 impact drivers were than the competition. Let’s start with a quick look at the raw performance scores compared to the average of the other 5 Pro models we tested:

Another way to look at it is by how much of an advantage these top 3 impact drivers had over the rest of the Pro models, test-by-test:

The point is, these 3 impact drivers had a significant advantage over the rest of the field in our performance tests. They also come away with distinct accolades for Pros to consider:

• Flex: Best overall impact driver performance
• Milwaukee: Best balance of performance, size, and weight
• Ridgid: Best balance of performance and price

So, which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

Just One More Thing…

In this article, I focused on the results of testing Pro-grade impact drivers. However, we tested several DIY/Prosumer models at the same time using the same tests. Ryobi’s HP Brushless PBLID04 posted some impressive results:

Considering the Ryobi’s price and how broad their 18V One+ battery system is, it’s a compelling impact driver for serious DIYers and value-conscious Pros.

Ryobi 18V One+ HP Brushless PBLID04

• Top Speed: 3400 RPM
• Max Torque: 2300 in-lbs
• Impact Rate: 4200 IPM
• Length: 5.2 in
• Bare Weight: 2.3 lbs
• Tested Weight: 3.8 lbs
• Price: $129 bare
• 2-Tool Combo Price: Not available

Buy at Home Depot

Highlighted Features

• Self-tapping Screw Mode: Reduces the risk of shearing off screw heads
• One-hand Bit Insertion: Insert a bit without having to pull out the collet

READ
Ryobi 18V One+ HP Brushless Impact Driver Review PBLID04