Impact cordless drill, depite its name implying it's a drilling tool, should really be called a cordless impact driver, because its primary job is to drive fasteners. It looks small. It feels small. It acts, however, like a big powerhouse. If you haven't seen it before, you may chuckle wonderingly at the prodigious amount of torque it puts out. Then again, the price tag of this baby is no laughing matter.

The impact cordless driver is part of the cordless drill tool family.

Types of Cordless Drill Driver Tools

It can get baffling selecting the correct type of battery-operated drill tool. Nowadays there are hammer drill, impact driver, impact drill, impact wrench, compact drill driver, and cordless screwdriver. Many of them appear similar to the cordless drill driver. What are they? How are they different? Which is the best one for me?

Simply put, the cordless drill driver is a general-purpose tool. The others are specialized version of the same tool. They are made to work better in specific work conditions.

The Right Tool For The Job

The cordless impact driver has a singular impacting mechanism that produces mega high torque. This driver-only tool specializes in driving large bolts and long screws. People like that a lot in cabinet work because it removes the need for pre-drilling holes. Though small in body size, its power is reflected in its high cost. A slight sticker shock if you are not familiar with it. Where no hole-drilling is needed, this little giant can breeze through tasks like fencing, cupboards, deck, gates with perfect ease.

The cordless drill driver is the most common one found in stores. This is an excellent choice for homeowners because it's straightforward to use and is versatile for broad range of jobs.

The cordless impact wrench is created to work on vehicles, especially taking off or installing the lug nuts of the tires. It has a square stem head that can directly couples a socket and matches the nut. It is almost identical to an impact driver. Both throw a high-torque spin. The difference is that the impact driver has a hex head that accepts screw bits, and the impact wrench has a square head that hooks up to a socket.

A hammer drill produces a "hammering" action so that it can drill better into objects like stone or building material. This is done by a distinctive clutch that drives the drill bit back and forth while it spins. The hammer action can be turned off for standard drilling. So a hammer drill is really a cordless drill plus an extra concrete-drilling capability.

SDS hammer drills were introduced to the market in 1975 by Bosch. SDS stands for Special Direct System. They are cordless hammer drills for professionals. Their improved hammer action allows for more powerful hammer blows during drilling. They need SDS drill bits that are specifically created for SDS hammer drills. These bits improve safety by reducing slips, and are more robust than regular bits.

With its head at right-angle to the body, the right angle drill can work in some cramped spaces where a normal drill can't. For example, inside a cabinet there may be a divider board or rail that's 10 inches from where we want to drive a screw. This restricts the length of a tool that can go in there. In such a case, only a right angle drill will do.

A lot of projects are not the heavy construction type. They can be small stuff like electronics or appliances. If you are to add a video card to a computer, fix a door lock, or replace the battery of an overhead smoke alarm, then the compact or pocket screwdriver is the tool of choice. It is powerful enough for the job and is feather-weight. The normal drill driver is too bulky by comparison. Although its price-tag may be a bit high, it is pure delightful to use.

Which Tool Is The Best Choice?

Most name-brand power tools today are high quality so you are not likely to go wrong with any of them.

For a new buyer with no idea what to choose, start with a compact or pocket drill driver. They are easy to use and can do most general work problem-free. Same choice if it's for a DIY hobbist.

If you've already decided that the impact driver is what you want, then check out the buying tips page to see some shopping options.