The Best Cordless Impact Wrenches (Review & Buying Guide) in 2021

That is our list of 10 of the best cordless impact wrenches on the market today; the results of an intensive search to showcase all the top options. But with a price range that stretches from 50 bucks to over 200, what are the features you should look out for in premium models, just what has been trimmed from budget ones – and can you afford to lose them? When it comes down to choosing either a cordless or something with a compressor, it helps to balance higher torque with a good user experience. 

Then once you’ve made your choice, how do you get the most out of it? Your search must end somewhere, but to find the right fit, you need to have all your information together. We’ll look at that and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about these highly useful little tools. Now that the search for products has ended, the search for details begins.

A quality cordless impact wrench is easy-to-use, egonomic, and above all else, effective.

Benefits of Using a Cordless Impact Wrench

Power

When you get an electric tool, it’s only natural to search for raw power. Yes, at the end of the day it’s all about that delicious power, baby! Let’s face it; if a regular wrench were enough for the job, you’d just use that. The fact that sometimes (often in fact) it’s a real struggle to loose some rusted on or tight bolts is the reason Impact Wrenches were invented. They put an incredible amount of power right into the palm of your hand. Some use batteries and others rely on m18 fuel, these often work faster with a higher breakaway speed, but ultimately wear down more quickly. 

When looking at the categories of impact wrenches (commonly broken down by power), you want to select something that helps you get the power you need to get the task done quickly. Every bolt has recommendations for torque, so be sure to make an order on something new, that’s easy to adjust, and has a proven customer satisfaction rating. 

Mobility

Want something that lets you work faster, takes less effort, and lets you breakaway from the restrictions of a wire? By going cordless, you are taking that power and adding a real degree of mobility to it. Yes, there are pros and cons to corded and cordless devices, and you must ensure you get the best battery (and perhaps a pair of them) to offset the biggest negative of cordless devices. Still, the biggest plus is mobility and not having to worry about being tethered to a power outlet.

These products tend to stand out simply because among their menu of different applications is portability. When you’re trying to manage your nuts and bolts, you need to be free to maneuver comfortably. With a portable wrench, you can get the job done, without any of the struggle since the cordless design can make a project way more efficient.

Speed

For you, is finding the right tool about a search for efficiency? Again, if a regular wrench could do all the jobs then we wouldn’t be looking at impact wrenches. Another advantage they have is speed, with an impact wrench able to tighten/loosen many more bolts than you could ever expect to achieve with a traditional wrench over the same time period.

If you’ve ever tried to work with nuts and bolts without a power tool, you know just how time-consuming it can be. Among the categories of features offered by power tools is speed. As new models come onto the market, the menu of ‘components improves. In 2020, brushless motors evolved into one of the standards; a common thing to order because the speed is so much more substantial. So, select something with speed so you can be a satisfied customer. 

Features to Consider when Buying a Cordless Impact Wrench

Air Impact Wrench vs. Cordless Impact Wrench

Air Impact wrenches are the Mack-Daddy of wrenches. They deliver phenomenal levels of torque, more than capable of tackling any job you throw at them. They are also a huge pain in the ass and have to be hooked up to big tanks of compressed air. It’s important to know if your search is taking you to the bulk and intensity of an air operated model or to the compactness and finesse of a cordless. 

That’s why you will see them in many professional garages, but not in many home set-ups. Frankly, the tech has now come to the stage that the best cordless impact wrench is more than capable of delivering the power you need, without the hassle and expense of compressed air versions.

Having to lug around large size tanks is sure to make the job more difficult (and cause a lot of fatigue). Sure, of these categories the air impact is more intense. However, unless you’re working in a pro setting, you can surely be a satisfied customer if you select one of the latest cordless wrenches for your order (and all the compact benefits it offers). 

Battery Type

The search for a good cordless impact wrench will naturally coincide with a search for a good battery. Cordless tools live and die (literally) by their batteries. More basic models will be powered by Nickel-Cadmium battery packs. This style of battery was invented way back in 1899 (when your Grandmother’s Grandmother was nursing a huge crush on teddy Roosevelt). Frankly, as a design, it’s starting to show its age.

If you can afford the extra money, it is well worth investing in a Lithium-ion style of battery. Not only do they hold more charge, but they can also give it out at a steadier rate. That means that the power they deliver is just as useful at 10% of total battery charge as it is as 100%.

Also, remember that battery voltage is the amount of power the battery can kick out, whilst Amp Hours is the amount of time it can hold that charge. Both numbers are important and you want them to be as high as possible. The amount of free and available power you can get relies on the amp settings. 

Grip

Impact wrenches can actually come in a few shapes and sizes, but in this guide, we’ve concentrated on models that – if you squint – look like standard power drills. We’ve done this as most cordless style impact wrenches are of this type. They are also simple to use. Of the categories of features to look at is the ease of use, and this lies in the grip. 

Because of their shape, they do need a good grip, so make sure you bear that in mind. A good grip should be ergonomic, so it’s comfortable to hold, with good trigger placement and a raised or rubberized surface so you can orient the tool in your hand by touch only.

Any customer who’s ever used a power tool knows the struggles of the search for something to hold for a long period of time. As new models become available, they are also more lightweight. Impact wrench products are lighter in 2020 than ever before. That means more emphasis can be placed on grip quality – so you’re free to get the hold that you like and work on as many nuts and bolts and auto products as the day allows.

Motor

It’s no secret that the search for a merit-worthy power tool relies a lot on the motor and the available power it supplies. Yes, pay attention to the torque it is putting out as well as the RPM and IPM as these are key indicators of the motor power. The higher the power, the more useful you’re going to find the tool because it will be able to tackle more jobs (if you’re unsure of the difference between Torque/RPM/IPM, we tackle it in the FAQ section below).

In the search for products that will work well, you’ll want to place a lot of focus on the motor. It’s more than the raw power; the motor dictates the amount of free energy to run the wrench, making it one of the most significant features on the wrench’s menu.

In addition to that though, you also need to be aware of whether your search leads you to a motor that is brushless or not. A brushless motor is almost always going to be seen in premium models because they add quite a few dollars to the price tag. While the latest models lean more towards brushless motors, there are still a lot of other products in the other categories. 

For the purpose of this guide, it’s enough to say that brushless motors have no moving parts (eliminating wear and tear for a longer lifespan) and are more powerful. Basically, if you are investing in new products for your garage’ products that you are sure to like and will hold the power you need, brushless is a good way to ensure that you are a satisfied customer after your order.

Cordless Impact Wrench Charging and Maintenance

After you’ve completed the search (as far as features go), it’s time to think about upkeep. The tools themselves are pretty tough and they are also pretty well locked up in their housings, making it hard to get at their guts for any in-depth repair work at all your job spaces – not that they really need much anyway. Just wipe them down with a rag after use and clean up any chemicals or oil that may spill on them. Since these products can get fairly greasy (pretty much immediately after work) regular cleaning is in order. 

Next comes the grip. Especially if you like a tight hold when fastening bolts,  and use it to get a good angle, this is one of the more important categories for upkeep. As textile science evolves, there are new materials used on the grip. Most comes made out of polymer. Keep it dry and store the equipment in the case to make sure that you get the most use out of your wrench.

The battery is a different matter though and in some ways the weak link of the design. It, therefore, needs some careful (but not difficult) maintenance to ensure it continues to perform to a high level. A good way to do this is to order a spare battery. It will let you always charge the battery fully and providing it a bit of downtime (batteries like to get time off, too) so it won’t risk breaking. Check out websites online to see tips on working with wrenches. 

The tricky thing is that all impact wrenches are different. If you have a 2-inch impact wrench, you might have different demands than an Ingersoll Rand model or a 1 2 impact wrench. Find a reputable website that deals with maintenance. 

First, plug in your specifications: whether it’s a 1-inch drive, a 2-inch impact wrench, or another size. Then, check for manufacturer specifics. It could be Dewalt or an Ingersol Rand or a Milwaukee. Figure out if it's an 18v or 20v max, and how to maintain those systems. 

There are, essentially, endless uses for a cordless impact wrench.

Best Cordless Impact Wrench Under $200

On a search for something the best impact wrench kit that won’t make a big dent in your bank account? While not quite as cheap as a few screws at the hardware store, you can still get cost-effective bolt removal tools that offer max torque without causing any nut busting damage. A few are even 18v or 20v and offer a long run time for their product class. We’ve identified the options with the top fastening torque that cost less than $200. 

Sure, most tools are worth the investment. Half your garage work is handling heavy duty metal, so why wouldn’t you get a class of wrench that can work with all types of metal without damaging parts or wrecking any nut busting problems. But, if you can get that bolt removal strength, max torque, and a lengthy run time at a low cost, why not go for it? 

It might surprise you that some of the best impact wrench kits, the ones with the friction rings and extensive sockets, fall in this price range. Turns out, you can get 18v, 20 volt (and even higher), max torque, and reliable friction rings for pretty cheap. It might not be able to tackle really heavy duty projects, but it’s sure a good start. 

• Porter-Cable PCC740B Cordless Impact Wrench
• Neiko Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Wrench
• Dobetter Power Wrench Tool Set
• Black & Decker BDCI20C Impact Driver
• Aircat Impact Wrench
• Eneacro Cordless Impact Wrench

Best Cordless Impact Wrench For Automotive Work

Does your search focus on how easily the wrench will work on your vehicle? This all comes down to breakaway torque (especially when loosening in reverse). As a general note, it’s better to have a higher breakaway torque when working on vehicles. It goes along with loosening strength and can help the impact wrench work for longer. 

This isn’t the only thing to look for. In general, you want quality technology that has an extended list of uses. Instead of tripping over a cord line, you want something with a battery that will last longer than you need. Auto work involves loosening both medium and shorter bolts. You need technology that can keep up with these extended demands so you can save time.  

Options like the Dewalt 20v might cost a bit more, but they are more than just a single purpose. Sure, you can get something that costs less, but it might not be a powerful enough fastener to work on your truck. But it isn’t only the Dewalt 20v, there are lots of options with an extended list of capabilities. Cordless impact wrenches that work in mechanical situations are usually better as a fastener, less prone to breaking, and have a shorter time required to recharge the battery (if it runs on one). 

When you opt for something with more than a single purpose, you can cut a beeline through the noise and be sure that the wrench will hold up to the demands. 

• DeWALT DCF899HB 20V Impact Wrench
• Milwaukee 2767-20 High Torque Impact Wrench
• Makita XWT11Z Brushless Impact Wrench
• Porter-Cable PCC740B Cordless Impact Wrench
• Neiko Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Wrench  
• Bosch IDH182-02 Brushless Impact Charger Kit 
• Aircat Impact Wrench  
• Eneacro Cordless Impact Wrench

Best Cordless Impact Wrench For Changing Tires

Is your search geared towards tire changes; swapping out nuts and bolts and other roadside tasks? This breakdown is geared towards fastening torque and bolt removal. You need to choose something that is big enough, with easy to control settings. As far as fasteners go, it doesn’t need to be the toughest for this category. What it needs to be is durable. It needs to travel along with you and be medium-sized or smaller to fit in the trunk. Ideally, it has three speed settings so you can use it in more ways than one. 

But if you blow a tire, having a three speed setting isn’t the most important thing in this category. It needs to be powerful enough to let you change a tire in the time it would take to send an email. The idea is that it is small enough to travel along with you, continue to provide value and not break, and still be a heavy duty tool. Choose something that is big enough to work, comes in a set including multiple sockets, and screws and fastens properly. This way, by the time that your email’s sent, you’re back on the road.

• DeWALT DCF899HB 20V Impact Wrench
• Milwaukee 2767-20 High Torque Impact Wrench
• Makita XWT11Z Brushless Impact Wrench
• Porter-Cable PCC740B Cordless Impact Wrench
• Neiko Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Wrench
• Bosch IDH182-02 Brushless Impact Charger Kit
• Aircat Impact Wrench
• Eneacro Cordless Impact Wrench

Cordless Impact Wrench FAQ

Q:  What is a cordless impact wrench?

It is a powered wrench that draws its power from a battery. That means it has the power to tackle tough jobs with the maneuverability of not being tethered to a power outlet.

Q:  How does a cordless impact wrench work?

It contains a mass mounted inside which rotates to build stored energy. The order of operations is as follows: The mass is pushed through the socket as a series of tiny but powerful impacts, delivering far more torque than a standard power tool. Removal of this hammering effect would drastically reduce the power. The larger the impact site is, the stronger the effects. For instance, a 1 2 inch impact is weaker than a 1-inch drive, while a 2-inch impact wrench is stronger than both.

Q:  What’s the difference between a standard drill & an impact driver?

See above. A standard drill simply rotates the bit. An impact wrench uses the additional power of the impacts from the rotating mass to deliver extra power in the form of torque. Usually, an impact driver will have a 20v max design while a standard drill will be far weaker.

Q:  Can I use my impact driver on concrete?

No. A hammer drill would be the better tool here. These often-searched products are great at getting bolts free, working on lug nuts and bolts. Generally, a customer will be happier to use a hammer drill on concrete.

Q:  Will a cordless impact wrench remove lug nuts?

Yes and no (helpful, huh). Yes, in that most lug nuts should be fastened with a torque of about 100 lb/ft. So if your impact wrench can generate 100 lb/ft it should be able to remove the lug nut.

However, as time passes and the lug nut is frozen, stuck or starts to rust (or is accidentally over-tightened in the first place) more torque is needed from the impact wrench to get it undone. So it really depends if you’ve got a model with enough torque power to tackle the work. If you like to make the work a bit easier, search for (and order) products that can free stuck-on nuts and bolts and work well at removing lug nuts.

Q:  What does variable trigger speed mean?

It means that that the speed/power being utilized by the tool changes with the degree of force you put on the trigger. Depress it 50% of the way and get 50% of the power in the selected mode. Pull it all the way back to get full power.

It’s useful for easily (but not very accurately) adjusting torque and RPM on the fly. If being free to change the power mid-motion is amongst the more important categories for your criteria, search for products that specifically tout this function when placing your order. This way you can make sure you like the result. 

Q:  What’s the difference between RPM, IPM and Torque?

In the realm of the Impact wrench, Torque is king. Most wrenches will boast of their torque in their product descriptions and with good reason. Torque is after all the sheer power that the wrench can put out, and the best cordless impact wrench is going to generate high torque – if it doesn’t, it won’t be the best wrench, simple. The menu of categories in the specs will usually highlight these metrics to make sure a customer knows what they’re getting into. 

RPM and IPM are important too of course. RPM of course stands for Revolutions per Minute and refers to the times the wrench can spin the attached socket or bit. Impacts Per Minute (IPM) refers to the number of impacts form the internal mechanism (referred to as the “Hammer”) which is the part of the design that puts the Impact into Impact Wrench. Removing this would completely change the function.

When preparing to order your new wrench; one that you like, make sure the products you’re looking at have enough free power to meet all these demands (like the ones on this list). If the new wrench measures well in these categories, you can rely on it to be one of the more powerful new products out there. 

Mechanic Using an Impact Wrench

Our Top Pick

As ever, it’s a real tough field to pick a winner from. It is though hard to look past the Dewalt DCF899HB as the overall winner. It just packs so many features into such a well-designed chassis it simply has to win.

Of all the features it is the brushless, 20 Volt motor that is the real jewel in the crown, combining genuine power with the brushless design’s longer life span. That makes this a great investment tool that should provide years of high quality service, paying for itself many times over.

Add in the traditional top quality construction and high-end build materials you expect from a company like DeWALT and we have no hesitation crowning this tool as the best cordless impact wrench on our list today.

Compact structure and higher range of motion come first when looking at options other than pneumatic wrenches And that’s why we selected the DeWalt: a menu of comprehensive features to help you tackle everything from small nuts and bolts to auto repairs. When you’re working in the garage or big work areas or tight spaces, you need something that can offer higher torque without taking a ton of space. This option is awesome at fastening and loosening, making it one of the most powerful cordless impact wrenches available.

Sources:

1. Impact Wrench - Wikipedia
2. Battery History – BatteryUniversity.com (You have to be a bright spark to graduate from this university).
3. Brushless Motors – HowStuffWorks
4. Battery Care – Today's Home Owner