An impact driver is the tool that drives long screws, bolts and fasteners fast through rotational hammer blows, with a 1/4in hex chuck - a different job from a drill. The real decision is which battery platform you buy into - Bosch 12V, or DeWalt, Ryobi, Craftsman and Makita on 18V - and whether you want a kit or a body-only skin. These six run from a 99 dollar Bosch up to a 299 dollar DeWalt.
Before you compare torque figures, answer the question that actually shapes the decision: which battery system will you live on? An impact driver is a different tool from a drill - it drives long screws, bolts and fasteners fast by adding rotational hammer blows on top of rotation, gripping bits in a 1/4in hex chuck rather than a keyed jaw. But the body is only half the purchase. Most of these are sold body-only or as a skin, so the real cost is the platform: Bosch 12V for the most compact option, or DeWalt, Ryobi, Craftsman and Makita on 18V or 20V for more grunt. If you already own batteries from one brand, that is usually the smartest place to start.
The six picks below run from a 99 dollar Bosch up to a 299 dollar DeWalt, and they split cleanly. The Bosch is the compact 12V budget option. The Craftsman is the only one that includes a battery and charger, so it is the genuine open-and-go kit. The DeWalt, Ryobi and Makita are body-only or skins for people already on those platforms, and the premium DeWalt DCF887N is the recognised 18V benchmark. The other things worth weighing are brushless versus brushed motors, the number of speed and assist settings, and how short the head is for tight work.
Bosch GDR 12V-105 Impact Driver
If you want the cheapest, most compact way into a proper impact driver, the Bosch GDR 12V-105 is the entry point. At 99 dollars it is the lowest price here, and at only 137mm it is the shortest in its class - which matters enormously when you are driving screws overhead or reaching into a cramped cabinet where a longer body simply will not fit.
It is very light at 0.96kg, carries three LED lights for dark spaces, and its 105 Nm of torque handles around 80 per cent of common driving jobs in metal and concrete. The honest trade-off is that it ships in carton excluding batteries and charger, so you will need a Bosch 12V battery to run it, and 12V naturally tops out below the 18V skins for the very heaviest fastening.
DeWalt DCF850N 18V XR Impact Driver
The DeWalt DCF850N is the value pick if you want full 18V grunt without premium money. It packs 205 Nm into a compact 100mm body, so it has the punch to sink long bolts and lag screws while still fitting between studs, and the brushless motor runs cooler and longer than a brushed equivalent.
Three speed settings plus a precision drive mode let you back off for delicate fastening so you do not strip heads or over-sink screws, and the 3 LED ring light keeps the work piece visible in awkward spots. The honest caveats are that it is sold as a skin only, so you supply your own DeWalt 18V XR battery and charger, and stock can be scarce, so it is worth grabbing when you see it available.
Ryobi RID1801M One+ Impact Driver
The Ryobi RID1801M is the obvious choice if you are already in the Ryobi One+ ecosystem, because every One+ 18V battery you own drops straight into it. That single fact saves you the cost of a whole new platform, which is the real expense with most of these tools.
It keeps the fundamentals right: variable speed for control, reverse and an electric brake for clean stops, and a keyless hex chuck for fast one-handed bit swaps. On-board bit storage and the GripZone over-mould make it a comfortable everyday driver for renovations and around-the-house jobs. The honest notes are that it is sold body only with no battery included, and stock can be scarce - so it makes most sense as an add-on to a One+ kit you already run rather than a cold first purchase.
Craftsman CMCF800C1 V20 Impact Driver Kit
The Craftsman CMCF800C1 is the pick if you want to open the box and start driving screws the same afternoon, because it is the only product in this guide that includes a battery and charger rather than a bare body. For a first-time buyer with no existing platform, that removes the hidden second purchase that catches people out.
It delivers 1,460 in-lbs of torque at up to 2,800 rpm for quick fastening, and the quick-release chuck makes one-handed bit changes painless, with an LED light for dark corners. The honest trade-off is that it commits you to the Craftsman V20 platform rather than a more widely stocked Australian brand, and the kit ships with a single battery - so if you work in long stretches you will want a spare to avoid downtime while one charges.
Makita DTD173Z 18V LXT Impact Driver
The Makita DTD173Z is the pick for someone already invested in Makita LXT who wants a refined, compact driver to add to the kit. At just 114mm the body is genuinely slim, so it reaches into cabinets and between joists that bulkier drivers cannot, and the brushless motor keeps it efficient over long sessions.
A power selection switch and a quick mode-switching button let you adjust fastening control on the fly, while twin LED job lights with pre-glow and after-glow keep the work piece lit both before and after each drive. The honest caveats are that batteries and charger are not included, so it only stacks up if you already own Makita 18V packs, and at 249 dollars it is the most expensive body-only option here.
DeWalt DCF887N XR 18V Impact Driver
The DeWalt DCF887N is the standout in this guide and the impact driver most tradies name when you ask. It carries by far the largest review base here, well over 4,900 ratings, and the highest rating at 4.8 stars, which tells you it has earned long-term trust on real job sites.
The high-power brushless motor delivers up to 205 Nm for fast heavy-duty fastening, three motor speeds plus PrecisionDrive give you fine control so you do not over-drive screws or damage fasteners, and the 3x LED Halo ring lights the work piece evenly. It takes any DeWalt 18V XR pack. The honest caveat is that it is sold as a naked body only, with no battery or charger, and stock can be scarce - so budget for a battery and grab it when you see it in stock.
How to choose an impact driver
The single biggest mistake is comparing only the tools and ignoring the batteries. Most impact drivers here are sold body-only or as a skin, so the true cost is the platform you commit to. If you already own batteries from Bosch, DeWalt, Ryobi or Makita, the smartest buy is almost always the matching body, because a spare battery and charger can cost as much again as the tool. If you have nothing yet, a kit like the Craftsman that bundles a battery and charger is the honest open-and-go choice, even if it ties you to that brand.
After the platform, weigh head length and motor type. A short head - 114mm on the Makita, 137mm on the Bosch - is what lets you drive screws overhead and inside cabinets without fighting the tool, so it matters more than peak torque for most home jobs. A brushless motor runs cooler, lasts longer and squeezes more work from each charge than a brushed one. Then look at speed and assist settings: multiple speeds plus a precision or assist mode, as on both DeWalts, stop you stripping screw heads or sinking fasteners too deep into soft material.
What the key specs mean
A handful of figures do most of the work. Torque - quoted in Newton metres or inch-pounds - is the twisting force the driver can apply, so higher numbers drive longer, fatter fasteners with less stall; 105 Nm suits most home jobs, while 205 Nm handles heavy lag bolts. Note the units differ between brands: the Craftsman's 1,460 in-lbs is roughly 165 Nm, so compare like with like before assuming one tool out-muscles another. Impacts per minute and RPM describe how fast it hammers and spins, which translates into how quickly a screw goes home.
Voltage tells you the platform and rough power ceiling - 12V for compact, 18V or 20V for grunt - rather than being a direct speed rating. The chuck on every driver here is a 1/4in hex that takes standard impact bits and accepts a one-handed push-in change. Body-only or skin means no battery or charger in the box, while a kit includes them. Read torque, voltage, head length and whether it is a kit together, and any product page starts to make sense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an impact driver and a drill?
They look similar but do different jobs. A drill applies steady rotation and uses an adjustable keyed or keyless chuck, which makes it best for boring holes and for driving with a clutch that prevents over-tightening. An impact driver adds rotational hammer blows on top of the rotation, delivered through a 1/4in hex chuck, which lets it drive long screws, bolts and lag fasteners far faster and with less effort from your wrist. For building decks, fixing framing or sinking long screws, an impact driver is the right tool; for clean drilling and delicate work, a drill still wins.
Do these impact drivers come with a battery and charger?
Mostly no, which is the most important thing to check before you buy. Five of these six are sold body-only or as a skin, meaning the tool comes on its own and you supply a compatible battery and charger from that brand. The Bosch ships in carton excluding batteries and charger, and the DeWalt, Ryobi and Makita are all body-only too. The exception is the Craftsman CMCF800C1, which is a kit that includes a V20 battery and charger in the box - so if you have no batteries yet, that is the open-and-go option.
How much torque do I actually need?
For most home and renovation jobs, less than you might think. Around 105 Nm, as on the compact Bosch, covers roughly 80 per cent of common driving in timber, metal and even concrete anchors. You only need the 205 Nm of the 18V DeWalts for heavy, repeated work like long lag bolts, structural framing or large fasteners. Buying far more torque than you will use mostly adds weight and cost, so match the figure to your real jobs rather than the biggest number on the shelf.
Which battery platform should I choose?
Whichever one you already own, if you own any. Because most of these drivers are body-only, the batteries are the real expense, so the cheapest route is almost always the body that matches packs you already have - Bosch 12V, DeWalt 18V XR, Ryobi One+ or Makita LXT. If you are starting fresh with nothing, weigh how many other tools you might add to the same system later, and consider a kit like the Craftsman that includes a battery so you are not making two purchases at once.
Why does head length matter on an impact driver?
Because real jobs are rarely in open space. A short head lets you fit the tool into cabinets, between studs and joists, and up under benches where a longer body simply jams. That is why the 114mm Makita and the 137mm Bosch - the shortest here - are so easy to live with for around-the-house work. For overhead driving especially, a compact head reduces wrist strain and gives you better control, which often matters more in practice than squeezing out the last few Newton metres of torque.
What does brushless mean and is it worth it?
Brushless describes the motor design, and for most buyers it is worth it. A brushless motor has no carbon brushes wearing against the rotor, so it runs cooler, lasts longer and converts more battery charge into actual work, giving you more drives per charge and a longer tool life. The DeWalt, Makita and the premium DCF887N here are all brushless. Brushed motors still work fine and cost a little less, but if you use the tool regularly the efficiency and longevity of brushless usually justify the small premium.
Why is some stock listed as scarce or low?
It simply means availability fluctuates rather than anything being wrong with the tool. Popular body-only skins like the DeWalt DCF850N, the Ryobi RID1801M and the premium DCF887N can sell faster than they are restocked, so the listing may show low availability at times. The practical advice is to buy when you see one in stock rather than waiting, since these models tend to come and go. If your timing is flexible, setting a price or stock alert can help you catch the next batch.
