I've always used Milwaukee, have always been satisfied. I don't know if this would be in your price range.

This might help your decision...

Home Depot is currently running a special where if you buy the Ryobi 18V brushless impact driver for $99, you get two batteries and a charger for free. That brings the whole package, with tax, in under your $120 budget.

It's normally $99 for just the bare brushless model, with batteries extra.

Impact Driver:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RY...-Clip-P238/301853896

Free battery 2-pack:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RY...d-Bag-P166/308056104

(Add both to your cart for the discount to appear.)

I've got a 20V brushless 1/2 Dewalt that's been great.


If I were going to buy a new one today I'd look for:

• Something that works with any existing cordless tools I have (I had some 20V Dewalt before, so it was a natural for me)
  
• Pay attention to the torque specs - I know the Dewalt line has several different 1/2", but some are lower in the torque specs
  
• I'd prefer brushless if possible
  

If I didn't have any cordless tools already, I'd be pretty tempted by that Ridgid - Batteries that come with the tool are warrantied forever (as long as you fill out the registration).

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Impact Driver:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RY...-Clip-P238/301853896

Free battery 2-pack:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RY...d-Bag-P166/308056104

(Add both to your cart for the discount to appear.)

^^^ That's a 1/4" impact driver and at 2000 inch pounds == 167 foot pounds. Pretty sure that wouldn't take the lug nuts off my Dodge 3500.
It is cheap though.

Good catch. I totally overlooked the 1/4" vs. 1/2" aspect.

It doesn't look like Ryobi offers an 18v brushless 1/2" impact driver in the US.

But there are several options for brushed 1/2", and there's apparently a brushless 1/2" model available overseas (R18IW7).

I borrowed a Milwaukee Fuel impact driver. It took the lock nuts off of my 18 year old bush hog. My air impact wrench wouldn’t touch it, nor would a 4’ cheater bar.
The Milwaukee is a beast. I think it was their HD model.
I have tons of Dewalt 18V and 20V stuff. I would buy that Milwaukee impact driver if I needed one more often.

quote:

Originally posted by p113565:
I borrowed a Milwaukee Fuel impact driver. It took the lock nuts off of my 18 year old bush hog. My air impact wrench wouldn’t touch it, nor would a 4’ cheater bar.
The Milwaukee is a beast. I think it was their HD model.
I have tons of Dewalt 18V and 20V stuff. I would buy that Milwaukee impact driver if I needed one more often.

It was probably the 28 Volt model. I've used one, once, and it was a beast and a half.

Milwaukee 18v Fuel fan here. I have various tools of theirs: 1/4" impact, hammer drill, 7 1/4" circular, small blower, large blower, sawzall, 18 gauge nailer. I work in new home construction; the most common brands I see are Milwaukee, DeWalt with some Makita mixed in there.

I do what you are describing all the time. I use a Makita, but its not in your budget range. But what I can add is just plan on getting two batteries. Mostly because someone at the track will ask you to borrow yours and that's that.

quote:

Originally posted by BurtonRW:
+1 for Milwaukee. I have a significant collection of their 18V FUEL lineup, however, so I’m kind of battery-biased. Extremely happy with them, though!

-Rob

Same here, but even the Fuel 18V bare tool is a lot more money than the Op's budget.

In my business we used 1/2" cordless impacts all day every day. We were driving 5" to 7" lag screws into redwood to assemble playground equipment all day long. Nobody I've met put 1/2" drive impacts to work like we did.

We used DeWalt for years. It was durable, and could withstand hours of use every day and even heavy rain. I liked that I could get them rebuilt at the local DeWalt distributor, but rebuilds became cost prohibitive over time. What sucked was the cost of batteries. They damn near broke me.

Milwaukee was equally bad for battery prices, crazy expensive for the impact units, and just plain uncomfortable if you were using them for 5-8 hours a day. Quality, well built, but poor ergonomics and stupid expensive.

Rigid was the solution. They are comfortable for hours of use per day, the warranty covers everything including the battery. Made by the same folks who make Makita, so it's good quality to begin with, but if you can take it in and swap it out for a new unit with little hassle, including the battery, you're wasting your money on anything else.

Let me repeat that. They will replace the batteries when, not if, they fail for free. That's $50 odd bucks or so per battery. I was buying 25-35 per year. That's simple math. The warranty was almost everything in my case.

I have a Milwaukee 1/4” drive that has been very good.

HK Ag

Rigid for me.

Whichever quality brand you plan to go cordless with. Milwaukee fan here, power tools and OPE all Milwaukee bought on sale. My HD 9.0 battery basically just migrates between tools.

I've got a bunch of Makita 18V LXT brushless tools; just looked up their 1/2 inch drive impact wrench model on Amazon and it is selling WITH a 2.0 amp/hr battery and case for $149. A steal for a Makita IMO. Too bad I don't have a truck; nor am I going to be putting 6 inch lag screws into beams.

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