DEWALT DCF870E2T 18v Brushless Hydraulic Impact Driver with 2x1.7ah Powerstack Batteries

The thing that sets Cordless Impact Drivers apart from standard drills and drivers is their torque. Impact Drivers typically drive screws with a great deal of force and typically much more force than a standard drill or driver.

Because they are such forceful tools, an Impact Driver is great if you need to drive large screws quickly, or if you need to do repetitive driving work. They can be used to make holes and another advantage of Impact Drivers is that they don’t require as much force from the operator as a standard driver would to prevent ‘cam out’.

When you use a standard drill to drive screws or make holes, you usually have to put your weight behind the tool and push to stop ‘cam out’ from happening. Because of the extra torque they provide, that isn’t required with an Impact Driver, meaning that you can use them one-handed in a way that would be difficult with a conventional drill. Impact Drivers are a lot more compact than a standard drill, so they can be really useful if you work in confined spaces.

Brushed motors use carbon brushes to transfer power from the fixed part of the motor to the rotor. This creates a reliable and relatively inexpensive motor, but brushed motors do require regular maintenance, in order to either clean the brushes or replace them as they wear out. A brushless motor, by contrast, uses a magnet mounted on the rotor to generate the power and electrical switching to perform the function carried out by the brushes. The additional complexity of the motor’s working means that brushless motors are usually more expensive than brushed.
However, eliminating the brushes also eliminates internal friction and maintenance, meaning that brushless motors offer both increased power and a longer working life. Brushless motors also generate less heat and noise and so, on balance, are considered superior to brushed motors.

Our range of Cordless Impact Drivers starts with 12v machines, but the increased power and relative affordability of 18v tools means this has become the industry standard, particularly as the 18v machines offer much more power without a huge increase in tool size. Professionals who need more power from their Impact Driver for working on site could also consider the 40v XGT range from Makita.