	Name	Purchased for ($)	Link	Made In
	DeWalt 860	$140.00	Search on Amazon	Mexico
The overall winner. Fastest on #10 screws at 1.41 seconds, fastest on lag bolts at 4.95 seconds — nearly a second clear of the Milwaukee — and second in torque at 1,886 in-lb, though that is well short of its 2,500 in-lb claim. It has nine LEDs, three speed modes and a top speed of 3,850 RPM. Trigger control is its weakness at 268 RPM minimum, it hits hard through the hand, and at $140 the battery and charger are extra.
	Milwaukee M18 Fuel	$100.00	Search on Amazon	Vietnam
Second overall and the torque champion at 2,217 in-lb, more than 200 in-lb above its own 2,000 in-lb claim and the only tool here to break 2,000. It averaged 1.63 seconds per screw and 5.86 seconds per lag bolt. It also has the best trigger control in the review, holding 77 RPM, and the highest top speed at 3,889 RPM. It measures just under 4.5 inches front to back, shorter than the DeWalt 860, and reads 98.9 dB under load.
	Hercules	$98.00	Search on Amazon	China
Harbor Freight's brushless tool, sold at $98 with battery and charger and tested on a 5 amp hour pack. Third overall. It drove three #10 screws in 1.79 seconds each — identical times, three times running — averaged 6.27 seconds per lag bolt, and made 1,802 in-lb. It also spins to 3,655 RPM. It is a little louder than the tools above it at 99.4 dB and it hits noticeably harder through the grip.
	Makita	$120.00	Search on Amazon	China
One of only three tools to beat its own torque rating, making 1,723 in-lb against an advertised 1,590. It has a four-speed selector, averaged 2.31 seconds per screw with almost no variation across three attempts, and 8.72 seconds per lag bolt. It is one of the smoothest tools in the review with a subjective comfort rating of two, one of the quieter ones at 96.4 dB, and light at 3.285 lb with a 5 amp hour battery.
	DeWalt Hydraulic	$200.00	Search on Amazon	China
The most expensive tool here and a different mechanism entirely. It reads 91.1 dB under load, roughly 5 dB below anything else in the review, and it took the best possible subjective comfort rating of one. It was second fastest on #10 screws at 1.53 seconds despite being rated for only 500 in-lb — it measured 654. Lag bolts take 7.24 seconds. It is the most compact tool front to back at just under 4 inches, and the trigger will not go below 358 RPM.
	Kobalt	$71.00	Search on Amazon	China
Lowe's 24V brushless platform, with three speeds plus finish and self-tap modes. It made 1,563 in-lb against an advertised 2,000, averaged 2.48 seconds per #10 screw and 10.7 seconds per lag bolt, and was the most consistent tool in the field on the low-torque test at 2.46, 2.46 and 2.52 seconds. It applies force cleanly with almost no in-and-out movement, and at 4.135 lb with a 4 amp hour battery it is the heaviest tool tested.
	Metabo HPT	$149.00	Search on Amazon	China
A $149 kit with two lithium ion batteries and a case, usable on both 18V and 36V packs, with five speed modes. It made 1,430 in-lb against an advertised 1,859, averaged 2.40 seconds per screw and 10.37 seconds per lag bolt, and was the least consistent tool on lag bolts at 9.34 to 11.41 seconds. It is the lightest driver here at 2.715 lb with a 2 amp hour battery, holds 80 RPM at the bottom of the trigger, and transmits far less vibration than its size suggests.
	Ryobi One+ HP	$80.00	Search on Amazon	Vietnam
Brushless, single power setting, tested on a 4 amp hour high performance battery. It averaged 2.19 seconds per #10 screw, faster than the Kobalt, but slipped behind it on lag bolts at 10.99 seconds — it is smoother than it is hard-hitting. It produced 1,422 in-lb against an advertised 2,200. It earned a subjective comfort rating of two, among the best here, and it is the loudest tool under load at 101.8 dB.
	Greenworks	$90.00	Search on Amazon	China
A 24V kit with battery and charger, advertised at 2,650 in-lb — the highest claim in the review. It measured 1,524, the largest shortfall of any tool here. It averaged 2.87 seconds per screw and 13.88 seconds per lag bolt, losing speed as each bolt went deeper. Trigger control is its weak point: 400 RPM is as slow as it will turn. It is quiet at 96.2 dB and light at 3.585 lb with its 2 amp hour battery.
	Craftsman	$94.00	Search on Amazon	Mexico
A 20V brushless driver with the most modest claim of the mainstream brands at 1,500 in-lb, and it came closer to it than most at 1,260. It averaged 2.99 seconds per screw and 13.16 seconds per lag bolt, second slowest of the tools that finished. Peak speed is 2,900 RPM and it will hold 172 RPM at the bottom of the trigger. Noise under load is 97.8 dB and it weighs 3.505 lb with a 4 amp hour battery.
	Ridgid	$106.00	Search on Amazon	China
Advertised at 1,800 in-lb and measured at 1,022, the second-largest gap in the review. It averaged 8.05 seconds per #10 screw and its lag bolt times grew from 19.2 to 20.46 to 25.45 seconds as the tool became warm to the touch. Top speed is 2,535 RPM, the lowest here, though it holds a usable 89 RPM at the bottom of the trigger. It is light at 3.245 lb and reads 99.7 dB under load.
	Excited Work	$45.00	Search on Amazon	China
A $45 kit with two batteries, a charger and a 17V brushless motor advertised at over 1,200 in-lb. It measured 456 in-lb, the least here by a wide margin, and needed 6.3 seconds to drive a 3-inch #10 screw when the fastest tools took 1.4. Given 30 seconds on a 5/16 by 5 inch lag bolt it advanced less than 2 inches. It is the loudest tool under load at 101.3 dB and vibrates hard enough to visibly move in and out of the fastener.

Rank	Product	Result
1	DeWalt 860	1.41
2	DeWalt Hydraulic	1.53
3	Milwaukee M18 Fuel	1.63
4	Hercules	1.79
5	Ryobi One+ HP	2.19
6	Makita	2.31
7	Metabo HPT	2.40
8	Kobalt	2.48
9	Greenworks	2.87
10	Craftsman	2.99
11	Excited Work	6.30
12	Ridgid	8.05

Rank	Product	Result
1	DeWalt 860	4.95
2	Milwaukee M18 Fuel	5.86
3	Hercules	6.27
4	DeWalt Hydraulic	7.24
5	Makita	8.72
6	Metabo HPT	10.37
7	Kobalt	10.70
8	Ryobi One+ HP	10.99
9	Craftsman	13.16
10	Greenworks	13.88
11	Ridgid	21.70

Rank	Product	Result
1	Milwaukee M18 Fuel	2217
2	DeWalt 860	1886
3	Hercules	1802
4	Makita	1723
5	Kobalt	1563
6	Greenworks	1524
7	Metabo HPT	1430
8	Ryobi One+ HP	1422
9	Craftsman	1260
10	Ridgid	1022
11	DeWalt Hydraulic	654
12	Excited Work	456

Rank	Product	Result
1	DeWalt Hydraulic	130.80
2	Milwaukee M18 Fuel	110.90
3	Makita	108.40
4	Craftsman	84
5	Hercules	81.90
6	Kobalt	78.20
7	Metabo HPT	76.90
8	DeWalt 860	75.40
9	Ryobi One+ HP	64.60
10	Greenworks	57.50
11	Ridgid	56.80
12	Excited Work	38

Rank	Product	Result
1	DeWalt Hydraulic	91.10
2	DeWalt 860	96.10
3	Greenworks	96.20
4	Makita	96.40
5	Kobalt	97.80
6	Craftsman	97.80
7	Metabo HPT	98.40
8	Milwaukee M18 Fuel	98.90
9	Hercules	99.40
10	Ridgid	99.70
11	Excited Work	101.30
12	Ryobi One+ HP	101.80

Rank	Product	Result
1	Makita	84.70
2	Excited Work	85
3	Ridgid	85.10
4	Craftsman	87.60
5	Kobalt	87.80
6	Greenworks	87.80
7	Metabo HPT	88
8	DeWalt Hydraulic	90
9	Ryobi One+ HP	92.10
10	DeWalt 860	93
11	Hercules	93.10
12	Milwaukee M18 Fuel	93.60

Rank	Product	Result
1	Milwaukee M18 Fuel	3889
2	DeWalt 860	3850
3	Hercules	3655
4	Makita	3384
5	Metabo HPT	3030
6	DeWalt Hydraulic	3021
7	Ryobi One+ HP	2996
8	Kobalt	2958
9	Craftsman	2900
10	Excited Work	2816
11	Greenworks	2731
12	Ridgid	2535

Rank	Product	Result
1	Excited Work	2
2	Metabo HPT	2.71
3	Ridgid	3.25
4	Makita	3.29
5	Craftsman	3.50
6	Greenworks	3.58
7	DeWalt Hydraulic	3.63
8	Hercules	3.73
9	Milwaukee M18 Fuel	3.82
10	DeWalt 860	3.88
11	Ryobi One+ HP	3.92
12	Kobalt	4.13

Rank	Product	Result
1	DeWalt 860	1.30
2	Milwaukee M18 Fuel	2
3	Hercules	3.30
4	Makita	5
5	DeWalt Hydraulic	5.70
6	Kobalt	6.70
7	Metabo HPT	6.70
8	Ryobi One+ HP	7
9	Greenworks	8.30
10	Craftsman	9.30
11	Ridgid	10.70
12	Excited Work	12

Best Impact Driver: 12 Cordless Models Tested From $45 to $200

Top Picks

Price

3-Inch #10 Screw — Average Drive Time

5/16 x 5 Inch Lag Bolt — Average Drive Time

Maximum Torque

Torque Delivered vs Advertised

Noise Under Load

Noise With No Load

Slowest Controllable Speed

Maximum No-Load Speed

Weight With Battery

Overall Average Finish

The Verdict

Related Tests

Top Picks

Price

3-Inch #10 Screw — Average Drive Time

5/16 x 5 Inch Lag Bolt — Average Drive Time

Maximum Torque

Torque Delivered vs Advertised

Noise Under Load

Noise With No Load

Slowest Controllable Speed

Maximum No-Load Speed

Weight With Battery

Overall Average Finish

The Verdict