How To Choose A Dewalt Impact Driver - Best Advice From Experts

When selecting the finest DeWalt impact driver, torque may be the most significant feature to take into account. Still, other elements like motor type, size, weight, and battery life are all very important. Learn more about these and other characteristics of DeWalt impact drivers by reading on.

DeWalt Impact Driver

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Motor

Impact drivers from DeWalt are available in brushed and brushless variants. The type of motor within the impact driver is known as brushless. A revolving aperture of a brushed motor comes into touch with the brushes, generating a lot of friction. By doing away with brushes, a brushless motor dramatically lowers friction. As a result, a brushless motor has more torque and speed since it can run faster than a brushed motor without overheating. Additionally, more effective, brushless motors can operate for up to 50% longer on a charge. Additionally, more expensive to produce than a brushed motor, brushless motors drive up the cost of the tools they power.

Torque

The purpose of a DeWalt impact driver is to install or remove fasteners that need more torque than a typical cordless impact drill can provide. As a result, when it comes to impact drivers, torque is considerably more significant than speed. The torque produced by the majority of impact drivers is roughly 1,500 inch-pounds, which is sufficient to remove lug nuts torqued up to 100 pounds or push longer screwdrivers through thicker dimensional lumber. DeWalt impact drivers have torque capacities between 1,400 and 1,825-inch pounds. When working with tiny fasteners, DeWalt's most potent impact drivers have speed options that let the user reduce the torque.

Ergonomic Grip

The ergonomic handles and grips of DeWalt power tools are well known, and the company's line of impact drivers is no different. All its impact drivers feature ergonomic grips that have been sculpted and covered in a lot of soft rubber. DeWalt's drivers also contain massive variable-speed triggers, essential for controlling a power driver's output. The user may stretch the tool into small spaces and operate it for extended periods without experiencing hand fatigue because of its lightweight and simple-to-engage trigger.

Batteries

Impact drivers need a lot of power because they are made to produce a lot of torque. DeWalt's 20-volt Max batteries, which offer around 40 minutes of continuous operation, are used in all its impact drivers. An XR suffix is appended to a few of DeWalt's batteries. The battery has up to a 33 percent longer runtime than its conventional battery packs thanks to these two letters, which stand for extended runtime. For individuals who already own DeWalt batteries and a charger, DeWalt impact drivers are available as basic tools. They are also available in kits containing one or more batteries and chargers.

Batteries of DeWalt Impact Driver

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Best Dewalt Brushless Impact Driver

The Dewalt DCF888B with Tool Connect is the DeWalt impact driver with the most features. The DCF887BR, on the other hand, is what we consider to be the greatest DeWalt brushless impact driver. It produces the same outstanding torque and speed when loaded without costing an extra $20. Of course, if you can purchase the additional connectivity features during a deal, do so.

DeWalt DCF887BR - Brushless Impact Driver

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During our tests, the DeWalt DCF887BR consistently scored in the top half for performance; design, and price. Nothing about this tool jumps out at us as anything that needs fixing. It just operates... reliably.

The product team at DeWalt sometimes aims for different sales figures than other companies do. Instead, they appear content, knowing that their effect driver is superb. The only choice you have as a DeWalt user is whether you want the Tool Connect functionality offered by the DCF888B.

It is specified to have 1825 in-lbs of torque. In our tests, the brushless DeWalt DCF887 impact driver broke our pre-torqued bolts at 3,000 in-lbs and needed 2,237 in-lbs from our torque wrench to loosen its fastening efforts.

250 ft-lbs equal 3,000 in-lbs, the same power as a compact impact wrench. The best DeWalt impact driver is available as a standalone item in various kits. The range of costs is $130 to $199.

Dewalt 12 Volt Impact Driver

Two choices exist for compactness. We'll start with our recent evaluation of the DeWalt 12 Volt impact driver. The DeWalt 12V tool line is quite small. But if you want the lightest experience possible, the DeWalt DCF801 will do. It also replaces the company's outdated DeWalt DCF815 12V impact driver with a brushless replacement, which has been much demanded.

Smaller DeWalt 12V tools sometimes go unnoticed because 60V FlexVolt tools enhance their 20V Max cordless tools with more power. In contrast, the DeWalt DCF801 performs admirably in our tests, achieving 80% or more of what you would anticipate from a full-size impact driver.

The brushless DCF801 reduces the head length of the previous model by a full 1.2 inches, bringing it down to just a hair over 5 inches. Additionally, the maximum speed increases to 2850 RPM and three electronic speed modes are available, including High, Low, and Precision Drive Assist. Using a 2.0Ah battery pack, the maximum torque soars to 1450 in-lbs in terms of power. This 12V impact driver is awesome, and the kit costs only $129!

Dewalt 20v Impact Driver

The DeWalt DCF809 impact driver, performs like a pro-level impact driver with a value-oriented focus. Direct replacement with 12V wouldn't feel the same. Its size is more akin to the feature-rich DCF887, but its power places it in the middle of the 18V/20V Max group.

The tool is a less expensive alternative for professionals looking for DeWalt ergonomics and dependability without a flagship tool's price. Additionally, it prevents you from unleashing a Pandora's Box of new 12V platform battery and charger options.

The value and superb ergonomics are appealing to us. It provides 20V compatibility for the cost of a 12V tool at $109 for the basic tool. Or, for about $129, purchase the kit.

DeWalt 20V Impact Driver

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DeWalt tools are still relatively reasonable even though they are a well-known brand in the industry. Kits for 12-volt impact drivers that come with a battery and charger or just the tool Models with 18 and 20 volts can be found for as little as $100. Depending on how many batteries and other components are included, 18 and 20-volt packages can cost as much as $200 or more.

It's important to know what tasks a DeWalt impact driver can complete before selecting a model. Discover what a DeWalt impact driver can and cannot achieve in the sections below.

Do DeWalt 20V Batteries Have Significantly More Power Than 18V Versions?

No. The batteries are the same in reality. When an 18-volt battery initially turns on, it produces a burst of 20 volts before settling into a continuous stream of 18 volts. Some tool makers, like DeWalt, mark the battery with this 20-volt peak, whereas others use 18 volts.

Can I Drill Holes With an DeWalt Impact Driver?

A DeWalt impact driver can be used to drill holes. However, they could be better at drilling precisely. They should only be used to drill through materials like metal, some masonry, and extremely dense or knotty wood that a conventional drill cannot.

DeWalt impact driver has more than one impact driver in its inventory, in contrast to many other brands that may only have one or two items. Knowing this, grouping individuals based on strengths might be useful. The most powerful DeWalt impact driver could be better for your application. Additionally, there might be more affordable options.