You might be the one getting frustrated with the rusted bolt. It can test you badly when it needs to be removed or tightened. But needless to say that you will fail the test miserably as it generally gets beyond human capacity. It would help if you were Superman to fight these stubborn nuts or fittings. We must count on some power tools for that extra muscle. In this case, the power tool you need to have in your toolbox is the impact wrench. This tool is the only way to exert enough torque to move such things with the lowest effort. You cannot take any chances by using a regular socket wrench instead of the impact wrench, as it can leave you with injuries or damage to the tools. So this is the only option you have for this kind of job.
Another thing that might confuse you is the type of impact wrench. You can use the massively corded or cordless and battery-powered ones. I hope you are smart enough to know which one you need to have. These battery-powered wrenches are very popular for their great battery storage capacity as they can be charged longer for use and are incomparable with their massively corded counterparts.
These battery-powered impact wrenches are becoming more and more favorable to the pros, so different brands are getting into the arena. Choosing the right brand takes a few factors, such as torque, RPM, IPM, and other acronyms. We consider all these to bring you two of the best picks for the cordless battery-powered impact wrench.
Makita XWT041X 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Wrench
Before getting into the product, let’s hear some words from the company itself.
Makita is one of the pioneers in making the best power tools and recently celebrated its 100th year. They are specialists in making reliable tools for industrial and residential purposes. Their products include wrenches, drills, grinders, saws, planers, routers, and nailers. Makita impact wrench is one of the most heard and sought-after names. With such a reputation, we are forced to showcase their most sought-after Cordless Impact Wrench Makita 18V LXT. We have proudly listed this as the best impact wrench in our guide.
Features
Why does Makita 18V deserve to top the list? It is a versatile device suitable for regular mechanics, construction workers, and beginner warriors who need it on weekends. With its brushless motor, the sturdy little device from Makita can surprise you with a maximum torque of 210 ft-lbs. It gets an advantage for being so little and compact, with a head length of only 5-3/4” and a weight of below four pounds, including the battery. It can be easily positioned and maneuvered for a wrench like this. Being that lightweight reduces user fatigue during long sessions of wrenching.
Now it comes to the batteries, which is one of the most important factors when reviewing battery-powered impact wrenches, as anyone can easily understand that it takes a lot of energy and torque to remove rusted bolts and drive fasteners through any hard material. For that, you surely need a battery that lasts longer for not to swap out every fastener. Similarly, a high-capacity battery saves you the expense of buying a pack of spare batteries to get your job moving. Two factors contribute to the Makita 18V battery life. The first one is a switch of 3-speed power selection, which allows you to preserve battery life on less important jobs. Its electrically controlled brushless motor helps battery run time last 50% longer, which is enhanced by the shortage of carbon brushes.
There is a built-in LED battery gauge to indicate the battery life so that you don’t have to guess about recharging the unit. We should also consider that Makita LXT’s battery is made of lithium-ion, which has a significantly better battery life than the impact wrenches of the older generations.
Another simple yet effective feature that Makita 18V offers is a built-in LED light that enhances your work area’s brightness, thus improving your job efficiency. Some regular users might find it unwanted to have the light integrated; for them, that can also be solved as it includes an independent on/off switch to be turned on or off when necessary. It becomes very comfortable to operate for its lightweight grip that has rubberized cushioned on the handle. The Makita 18V is an excellent package with a useful tool-carrying bag and one spare battery. It also comes with a battery charger capable of recharging within 40 minutes (That is why you find the spare battery handy)
Build Quality
Consumers often complain about their impact wrenches getting burned out due to the heavy workload and duty cycle. Makita has taken this issue seriously and is determined to provide excellent features regarding its internal build quality. For instance, they provide a feature called Star Protection Computer Controls™, which is electronic protection against overloading, overheating, and over-discharging. Makita has gained a reputation for using high-standard raw materials in its products. They have made their proprietary hammer and anvil impact mechanism on this driver with quality steel using a unique heat hardening process that boosts fastening and driving capacity. Another neat feature of Makita is Extreme Protection Technology (XPT™) which makes the impact wrench more resistant to natural damages like getting damaged from water, oil, dust, grease, or any other unwanted trash. All these features result in this great impact wrench that is extremely well-built in and out. Overall, it is an out-and-out top-notch tool that you will not regret buying anyway!
Value
The price always seems to be an issue when buying any tool. But with any technical tool like this, you should not mind paying more to get a high-quality, well-performing, durable product. Going for the cheap one makes you spend more to get your tool upgraded in the future. So isn’t it wise to get it right the first time? The price of Makita 18V LXT retails in the high range of $300, which makes it a significant purchase. Remember that this price includes two batteries, a carrying bag, a charger, and a 3-year tool, along with the battery warranty, which makes it a great deal. You also see that the technology it is built with will save it from becoming obsolete for many upcoming years, unlike those aging products available in the market. In the main, Makita 18V LXT is a great value for the price. If you have the coin, look no further and go for this highly recommended impact wrench. To avail of the best deal for this, check it on Amazon, as you can get the most competitive deal. This impact wrench has outnumbered most other tools, so there is no way you can think of its alternative. Click here to check out more of it.
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1/2″ High Torque Impact Wrench
The second product in our list also belongs to a great name in the field of tool manufacturing. Milwaukee, A renowned brand, is gaining popularity for several quality tools under its banner. Although it stands out with one of its great tools, the M18 Fuel High Torque 1/2″ Impact Wrench (specifically Part Number 2767-22). It leads us to review this great product from the real-life opportunity provided by Milwaukee to take it for a spin; the opportunity came at the right time when we had planned a tire rotation project. After getting the M18 impact wrench un-boxed, we first noticed the bright red molded case in which the impact wrench was housed; apart from it, there was a pair of 18V lithium batteries and a charger. The thick plastic case felt quite robust, and the latches were sturdy enough to match the case. The plastic handle was good enough and didn’t lack anything mentionable, so there is nothing to complain about—all in all, a great case to check out.
Then, we headed to the project after ensuring the batteries were charged using the easy-to-use charger. After getting there, we began our operation by throwing a 17mm impact socket on the anvil, allowing us to test the friction ring. Once we got used to it, the friction ring worked as same as the mechanism of a standard ball detent. It took a little more force than anticipated to get the socket on for the first pass, but after a couple of tries, we successfully had it down. The friction ring was nothing to worry about and was pretty functional and mechanical, but it didn’t leave us surprised with anything revolutionary.
We found this impact wrench very lightweight even after clicking the battery in. This M18 is a compact wrench and weighs under 6 pounds even after getting the battery assembled with the wrench. This weight is a great competitive advantage for the tool. Though we didn’t use it for long, it seems great for reducing user fatigue during long-running projects. Its stellar ergonomics needed to be focused on as we held it to unzip the first rust bolt. The contoured handle covered with a rubber grip felt sublime, whereas many budget impact wrenches have a clunky pistol grip. The rubber was made of a high durometer. Thus, it was hard and kind of non-penetrable. It is something you want when the working condition is wet and oily. This makes the tool easily cleanable after you finish your job to get it nice and fresh enough for your next project.
When we pulled the trigger for the first time, a slightly muffled whizzing sound greeted us, which took us by a welcome surprise as many impact wrenches sounded very loud and noisy compared to this one. Our excitement was enhanced when we pulled the trigger for the LED light to come on and illuminate our working area around the socket. It could not have been better to feel its advantage as we were doing the project in the evening, in a dimly lit garage. Also, it is worth mentioning that the torque amounting to 1400 ft-lbs of twist in the counterclockwise direction made it quicker for our lug bolts. That leaves us embarrassed that we torqued to 85 ft-lbs last time while installing the wheels.
We played with some drive control moods on the next few lug bolts. It allowed us to cap the IPM (impacts per minute) and RPM (revolution per minute). We soon moved on to the fourth mode that the indicator’s circular arrow showed, which is one of the most interesting parts due to RPM’s immediate reduction if the bolt breaks loose and starts spinning. It was useful for removing the last lug bolt from each wheel as it allowed us to control the RPM so as not to back the lug bolt accidentally. We made the last few turns using a ratchet, so the wheels didn’t come off until we got our hands on it.
After completing the project, we can happily say that our tire rotation project went awesome with the M18 Fuel High Torque! Although we didn’t get the chance to use the impact wrench for a long time to see the battery life completely drained. Although we know lithium batteries generally have greater battery life, it goes the same for the M18 batteries. After completing the project, which included removing and re-installing 16 lug bolts (and getting things here and there for some time), the battery indicator seemed to be almost full, with no reduction of torque output from the wrench. Obviously, with the fully charged pair of batteries, we expect it to last for a better part of your busy working day.
The Milwaukee M18 Fuel High Torque Impact Wrench was an absolute joy to work with! We were pretty satisfied with how well the wrench handled and how efficiently it delivered torque to our fasteners. Finally, it is important to mention that Milwaukee offers a 5-year warranty, which boosts confidence in the product and the company and gives a sense of satisfaction that the tool investment will be protected.
You can check Industrial Drill Bit’s website to learn more and buy the product. We are confident that this impact wrench will not disappoint you but rather give you great satisfaction for doing such jobs. That’s why we strongly recommend it from a value standpoint.
Conclusion
We hope we’ve made you understand the significance of the battery power impact wrench and cleared the mud to get you with our top two picks of impact wrenches. If you want more info about impact wrenches, look at our Industrial Drill Bit website to pick the best and wrench happily!
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