We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. Rankings are formula-based and never paid for. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Disclosure
Best cordless impact drivers and wrenches, ranked on official maker specs
Cordless impact drivers, impact wrenches and impact ratchets compared on official Milwaukee, DeWalt and Makita product pages. We score official no-load speed, official tool weight, official platform voltage and whether the official page lists a brushless motor. Official maximum torque and official impacts-per-minute are shown as facts when the official page publishes them, and they are not scored, because some official pages omit a torque specification. When a model family has both a tool-only SKU and kits, this page prefers the official tool-only configuration.
Affiliate disclosure: We earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It never affects our rankings, which come from the published scoring formula. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more.
Top pick
D
DeWalt ATOMIC 20V MAX 3/8-in Cordless Impact Wrench With Hog Ring Anvil (Tool Only) (DCF923B)
Score 9.6/10 · Check price
Why it wins: Official 20 V, 3550 RPM, 2.47 lb. Official maker product page lists a no-load speed of 3550 RPM.. Official maker product page lists a brushless motor..
"Not listed" means the official manufacturer specification table we used does not publish that figure. Prices show "Check price" until a retailer feed provides a current price.
A cordless drill, impact driver or saw is a powered cutting or fastening tool. Wear eye protection, and hearing protection when the work is loud. Keep hands, hair and loose clothing away from chucks, bits and blades. Remove the battery pack before changing accessories, clearing a jam or making adjustments, and wait for the bit or blade to stop. Mind kickback, bind-up and recoil, especially in hammer, impact and sawing work, and use work-holding that keeps the material stable. Follow the maker's official operating, charging and storage guidance, including the official battery and charger pairing. Recycle lithium-ion batteries and worn packs through a certified battery or e-waste program. Official figures on this site are taken from the maker's product page for the configuration shown; confirm the current official specification and the kit contents with the maker and the retailer before you buy.
Buying guide: how to choose the right impact driver
This table is for official cordless impact tools
Every product here is a cordless impact driver, impact wrench or impact ratchet with an official Milwaukee, DeWalt or Makita product page. Official drill/drivers and official cordless saws are ranked in their own tables. Official sockets and impact bits are outside this comparison.
Official torque is shown, not scored
Buyers often compare official maximum torque. We show that official figure when the official product page publishes it. We do not score it, because several official DeWalt pages in this set list voltage, no-load speed and weight but do not list a torque specification. Official no-load speed, official weight, official voltage and official brushless listings are the scored fields.
What “Not listed” means
If official no-load speed or official tool weight is missing from the official product page, the field is Not listed and scores at the category minimum. We do not fill gaps from retailer listings.
Safety
A cordless drill, impact driver or saw is a powered cutting or fastening tool. Wear eye protection, and hearing protection when the work is loud. Keep hands, hair and loose clothing away from chucks, bits and blades. Remove the battery pack before changing accessories, clearing a jam or making adjustments, and wait for the bit or blade to stop. Mind kickback, bind-up and recoil, especially in hammer, impact and sawing work, and use work-holding that keeps the material stable. Follow the maker's official operating, charging and storage guidance, including the official battery and charger pairing. Recycle lithium-ion batteries and worn packs through a certified battery or e-waste program. Official figures on this site are taken from the maker's product page for the configuration shown; confirm the current official specification and the kit contents with the maker and the retailer before you buy.
How this ranking is calculated
Score = weighted average of normalised specs, out of 10. Full method
Official no-load speedThe official no-load speed published on the maker's product page, in RPM. When the official page lists a range, we use the highest official figure in that range. Official no-load speed is a free-speed figure, not a measured speed under load. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown. Scale: 1500 → 3500 RPM.
30%
Official tool weightThe official tool weight published on the maker's product page, in pounds. When the official page lists a weight excluding the battery, we use that official tool-only figure. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown. Scale: 6 → 1.8 lb.
25%
Official voltageThe official battery-platform voltage published on the maker's product page (for example M12 / 12V max, M18 / 18V LXT, 20V MAX, 40V XGT or 60V MAX). A higher official platform voltage is not automatically the right tool for tight spaces. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown. Scale: 12 → 20 V.
25%
Official brushless motorWhether the official product page lists a brushless motor (Yes) or a brushed motor / no official listing. An official brushless listing scores at the top of this criterion; Not listed scores at the category minimum. Scale: 0 → 1.
No. Rankings use only figures published on the official Milwaukee, DeWalt or Makita product page, each linked on the product card. We do not publish prices, customer ratings or hands-on performance test scores. Official no-load speed is a free-speed figure, not a speed we measured under load.
Does a higher score mean more torque or a better tool for every job?
No. We score official no-load speed (where published), official tool weight, official platform voltage and whether the official page lists a brushless motor. Official maximum torque is shown as a fact when the official page publishes it, but it is not scored, because some official pages do not list a torque specification. A higher official voltage or speed is not automatically the right tool for tight spaces or fine work. Confirm the official specification with the maker.
Is this the kit or the bare tool?
When the official catalog lists both a tool-only SKU and kit SKUs for the same official model family, we keep one page and prefer the official tool-only / bare-tool configuration. The official model number is the SKU on the official page we used. Confirm whether a battery and charger are included with the retailer listing.
Do commissions change the ranking?
No. Amazon may pay a commission if you buy through a Check price button, at no extra cost to you. Commissions never change the order, and no brand can pay for placement.
Top pick · 9.6/10DeWalt ATOMIC 20V MAX 3/8-in Cordless Impact Wrench With Hog Ring Anvil (Tool Only) (DCF923B)