The best impact wrenches 2024

If you ever have cause to visit a garage to remove a wheel, there is a good chance it'll cost you a few bob. However, you can do it yourself and save money with one important helper - the cordless impact driver. We've teamed up with our colleagues at Auto Zeitung to have a look at some of the best on the market, comparing recommended tools and explaining what's important when buying.

If you want to, for example, rotate your car tyres yourself to even out wear, you need the right tools. In addition to a jackand a torque wrench, a good cordless impact driver will help you change the wheels without too much effort and avoid long waiting times at the garage or extra costs for a visit from the mobile mechanic at your own driveway.

Cordless impact drivers are offered by a wide range of manufacturers in a variety of price and performance categories. The range extends from the inexpensive Einhell cordless impact wrench, to the high-tech professional device from Makita, whose power can be finely regulated and which has an auto-stop function that prevents nuts, bolts and screws from being overtightened. Some devices have a manually selectable impact driver function. Some, especially brushless ones, have a continuously adjustable torque, others have no torque adjustment at all.

The best impact wrenches 2024 at a glance:

Best impact wrench: Makita DTW300Z - Buy now from Amazon UK
Editor's choice: Bosch GDS 18V-300 - Buy now from Amazon UK
Best for the DIY enthusiast: Einhell Power X-Change - Buy now from Amazon UK

We have teamed up with our colleagues at Auto Zeitung who have combed through a range of popular tools and taken a closer look at five of the best impact wrenches.

The best impact wrenches 2024

FAQs

Why do you need a cordless impact wrench when changing tyres?

It is obvious that an electric cordless impact wrench is a good tool when changing tyres, as it can loosen wheel bolts or nuts that are sometimes stuck due to rust or excessive tightening. Impact wrenches can play an important role among the tools needed for changing tyres, along with a car jack or a lifting trolley for home use and a torque wrench.

How much torque does an impact wrench need to change a tyre?

The answer to this question is: It depends. In the car sector, 80 to 160Nm is usually enough to tighten wheel nuts. If you are changing the wheels on a van or a motorhome yourself, however, you often need up to 200Nm, rarely more. For a truck or a larger camping vehicle such as an integrated motorhome, the tightening torque required can be more than 450Nm. In this case, however, it is worth going to a specialist workshop with suitable lifting equipment for vehicles with a permissible total weight of over 3.5t

In any case, it is important that the torque is used carefully, as is the case when fitting wheels to a car. Impact wrenches should only be used to loosen and refit the nuts, but not to give the final tighten to avoid damage. Always use a torque wrench to manually tighten the nuts to the desired torque. This also ensures that the wheel nuts are not tightened so much that they cannot be loosened by the wheel wrench or other on-board tools in an emergency, for example if you get a flat tyre while travelling.

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What else to look for when buying a cordless impact wrench

Before buying, you should know exactly what you need the tool for and what it should be able to do. Will it only be used twice a year to change a tyre or should it also be able to do other jobs? Are there other power tools in the household that can be fitted with the same removable battery from the same manufacturer? The following criteria will help you choose the right tool:

• Maximum torque: It doesn't have to be a top-brand cordless impact wrench, but models that are too weak can let you down even when changing a wheel. A look at the maximum torque in Newton meters (Nm) can help here and make the purchase decision easier.

• Additional functions : Additional features such as auto-stop, over-tightening protection, overheating protection or individually adjustable power levels, simplify handling. If you have to activate the impact function separately, you lessen the risk of over-tightening the wheel nuts or, in the worst case, damaging safety-relevant vehicle parts.

• Tool holder: Some manufacturers offer devices with different holders for keys, adapters and sockets. Our editorial team has found that ½ inch square holders are ideal for changing wheels, as the most common impact wrench sockets can be easily attached to them. If it will be used for other tasks as well, a wider range of options is recommended.

• Battery system: In addition to the size and durability, when it comes to replacement systems, it is also worth taking a look at the manufacturer's other devices that can be operated with the respective battery. Ideally, you already own a suitable battery with charger you can buy the tool separately, saving money.

Advantages of a cordless impact wrench compared to cable or compressed air

The biggest advantage of battery-powered impact wrenches is that they don't need a power outlet to do a good job during the annual "pit stop" in the garage or on the driveway. They are also good for other home jobs because they don't need to be connected to the power grid or a compressor - like pneumatic wrenches - and aren't tied to a specific location. For the same reason, corded impact wrenches, which were quite common in the past, have now all but disappeared from the market. Thanks to modern lithium batteries, the idea that corded devices are more powerful is no longer true.

In addition, the risk of tripping is reduced with battery-operated devices that do not require a cable. This is naturally different with the pneumatic tools that everyone knows from the professional garage or the drive-in tyre service point. Cordless impact wrenches are, therefore, the tool of choice, especially for occasional wheel changes, such as when changing from summer to winter tyres (or vice versa) that need to be carried out away from a power outlet.

However, the added convenience of cordless operation is offset by a disadvantage when compared to traditional corded or pneumatic impact wrenches. The biggest drawback is their higher weight for comparable performance, especially when the device is used frequently.

In addition, cordless tools are generally more prone to wear and tear than the tried-and-tested compressed air technology. But this is a small consideration when using an impact wrench at home and everyone has to weigh it up for themselves. One thing is clear: in terms of performance, cordless impact wrenches can now keep up with compressed air-powered tools. You also save on having to buy a compressor, which even the small version for home use costs at least £70 to £100 extra. In addition, it would often take up space in the garage at home that many people simply don't have. If you put the battery back in the charger after use, you don't have to wait for charging if you want to grab the tool for an unplanned job.

The advantages of a cordless impact wrench summarized

The disadvantages of a cordless impact wrench summarized

Motor technology: What does "brushless" mean?

For almost two decades, there has been a clear trend towards cordless impact wrenches with brushless motors. What does that mean exactly? An electric motor that does not require carbon brushes and works without sliding contacts. This means that no mechanical connection is needed to allow the current to flow and set the motor in motion. Instead, the rotor is fitted with a magnet and the stator is wound around a coil. Mechanical friction losses are therefore a thing of the past. The motor does not overheat as quickly and is more durable. A battery charge also lasts longer.

This results in a number of other advantages. The speed of a brushless motor can be continuously adjusted due to the properties mentioned. This means that the tool can be set precisely and used more efficiently. Another positive aspect is the more compact design of brushless cordless impact wrenches, which have fewer internal components. This means that they are less bulky, much more manageable and easier to use than their brush-operated counterparts. Nevertheless, brush motors can still be found in some cordless impact wrenches, especially in inexpensive devices.

Keep your eyes open when buying tools: The trick with interchangeable batteries

Another advantage of cordless impact wrenches is their high level of flexibility: the batteries can be used in several devices, as most brand manufacturers offer several dozen electrical tools and garden equipment, from cordless angle grinders to cordless circular saws and cordless robotic lawnmowers. They can then be operated with one and the same interchangeable battery. The small catch: the interchangeable batteries usually only fit in devices from the same manufacturer. So if you decide on a system, you are tied to the brand. Our tip: getting an overview of a manufacturer's entire cordless tool range helps you find the system with the products that best suit your needs.

Alex Boyd is a Commercial Content Writer at CAR and Parkers and loves travel, gardening, DIY and music.

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