It doesn’t matter whether you’re tightening bolts or nut-busting, having the best impact wrench in your arsenal will always improve efficiency. As a construction worker working with heavy equipment, performing regular maintenance, or working a major construction project, this is especially true. The only problem is choosing the right impact wrench that best suits the job you perform.
Here you’ll find a range of options, including cordless and air-powered impact wrenches, so you can pick the right one for the job. These impact wrenches have the most innovative mechanisms, are super-powerful, and won’t leave you exhausted at the end of the day.
As you should already know, impact wrenches go by many names. The common one you’ll often hear are impact gun, air wrench, windy gun, air gun, rattle gun, and torque gun. No matter what you call it, after using an impact wrench you’ll never want to go back to a regular wrench again.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Best Impact Wrenches
1. AIRCAT Killer Torque 1150 – Best Affordable Impact Wrench
The AIRCAT Killer Torque provides killer torque at a low cost. It also features patented quiet technology that allows you to work with this wrench while producing minimum noise. This is a great feature if you do a lot of jobs indoors or semi-indoors, or areas where there is already a lot of noise.
In terms of power, the AIRCAT Killer Torque can produce a massive loosening torque of up to 1295 ft-lbs. Its standard maximum torque is 900 ft-lbs. When it comes to power, the AIRCAT Killer Torque is definitely one of the strongest contenders, especially at this price point.
2. Ingersoll 2235TiMAX – Best Cordless Impact Wrench
The Ingersoll 2235TiMAX Impact Wrench features a sturdy body with a titanium hammer case, a steel-wear plate, and mixed composite housing. This makes it one of the sturdiest impact wrenches on the market.
This impact wrench can easily produce a great amount of reverse torque. With 930 ft. lbs. of maximum reverse torque, the Ingersoll Rand works well with heavy machinery. While it may be overkill for domestic use, it can be used for everyday work at home if need be.
The Ingersoll Rand produces high torque for loosening nuts and bolts. The vibration level is about what you’d expect for an impact wrench with this amount of power.
The Ingersoll 2235TiMAX features nut-busting torque of around 1350 ft. lbs. This means that you can easily use it for almost any job. It packs power with every rotation and every hit.
3. Makita XWT08Z – Best for Disassembling Parts
The most versatile product on our list of top picks will definitely have to be the Makita XWT08Z. It features a 3-speed power selection switch. This switch allows you to easily switch and cascade between different rotation and hammering speeds. This means that you can use this impact wrench for all sorts of purposes.
It allows you to easily control speeds between 0-900, 0-1000, 0-1800 RPM and also 0-1800, 0-2000 and, 0-2200 IPM for better control. This feature is definitely the highlight of the product as it can provide you precision.
The 1/2-inch anvil is offered with a friction ring that makes socket changes easier and better than ever before. This allows you to work with most sockets easily without having to switch between different tools for each job. The tools for each job are present in this one compact impact wrench.
This wrench from Makita is also featured on this list due to the excellent efficiency it has. The BL brushless motor eliminates the use of carbon brushes. This enables the BL motor to run without much heat dissipation.
4. Dewalt Impact Wrench – Best for Residential Use
The Dewalt Impact Wrench is an easy-to-use powerful impact wrench that allows you to easily produce torque to get your work done in a quick and easy way. It can produce a maximum reverse torque of around 650 ft-lbs.
The speed of this impact wrench allows you to break fasteners free easily without having to exert much force. The high power fastening is great for carpenters and workers who work with machinery all day. It works for almost all heavy equipment work and container work as well
The Dewalt impact wrench features one-hand operation that allows you to work it with one hand only. You can easily use the impact wrench for smaller machinery and containers using this feature.
5. Chicago Pneumatic (CP 7748) – Best High-Torque Impact Wrench
The most lightweight impact wrench featured on our list of top picks is undoubtedly the Chicago Pneumatic impact wrench. This tool is very powerful and packs a lot of power when it comes to reverse torque. The lightweight of the impact wrench really helps you to easily use the impact wrench without having to worry much about exhaustion.
The lightweight is due to the composite housing in that it is cased. Do not be fooled by the lightweight as it is very sturdy. The housing is made from composite plastics and carbon steel alloys.
The Chicago Pneumatic impact wrench features three different speeds that make it versatile and suitable for use in any situation. The lowest speed offers a torque of around 180 ft-lbs that are enough for most domestic work and woodwork. The medium setting features 480 ft-lbs. of torque and the high setting offers 730 ft-lbs. These settings can be used for most heavy work and machinery.
6. Ingersoll (285B-6) Impact Wrench – Best Industrial Impact Wrench
The Ingersoll Rand 285B-6 is a powerful pneumatic impact wrench that is mostly used for heavy-duty applications. The powerful impact wrench makes use of a 6-vaned motor that delivers 1500 ft-lbs. of maximum reverse torque. The motor produces a torque that allows you to work on heavy-duty applications such as maintenance of heavy machinery and repairing large vehicles.
The Ingersoll 285B-6 offers ergonomic design with its swept-back handle and a top-mounted dead handle. The ergonomic design really helps you to properly control the impact wrench without having to worry much about the vibrations.
When tested this product was found to be heavier than most other impact wrenches but it does not produce a lot of vibration. This is great for those who work with an impact wrench for long periods because you won’t be feeling like you are shaking for too long after you finish a job.
The 6-inch extended anvil provides you with much more reach and accessibility than most other impact wrenches out there in the market. You can effectively use this impact wrench for hard-to-reach places with this feature.
7. Milwaukee (2864) – Best Impact Wrench for Rusted Bolts
The Milwaukee 2864 impact wrench is a very sturdy tool that helps finish the job in the quickly. It is also a powerful impact that offers up to 1200 ft-lbs. of fastening torque. This torque is enough for most jobs where you might need to have a lot of power to turn bolts and nuts. In fact, this impact wrench features a nut-busting torque of around 1500 ft-lbs.
This product is quick and easy to use even without any professional training. We also tested it for overheating. This impact wrench does not overheat even in hot conditions and when used heavily.
The power state brushless motor is the best feature on this wrench. The brushless motor prevents damages as well as helps with wear and tear. This also allows you to save much more battery and use the Milwaukee 2864 for a longer period of time than most other impact wrenches on the market.
8. SP Air Wrench – Best Lightweight Impact Wrench
The SP Air wrench is a durable impact wrench that offers high reverse torque and excellent nut-busting torque. The sturdy yet lightweight design really sets it apart from almost any other impact wrench on the market.
The heavy-duty impact wrench features 1200 ft-lbs of maximum torque that is more than enough for most applications. This impact wrench can be used effectively for any sort of stubborn fasteners. You can definitely use it for repairing and performing maintenance on heavy machinery and vehicles.
The lightweight housing allows for quicker and easier operation than most other impact wrenches. The aluminum housing is made to be strong yet lightweight. This is a major selling point for SP Air wrench. The aluminum housing reduces the overall weight of the impact wrench making it easier for you to use.
The regulator system featured on this product offers mechanics and technicians to maintain full torque power in multiple directions.
9. Chicago Pneumatic (CP 7773 D) Impact Wrench – Best for Heavy Equipment Maintenance
If you’re looking for impact wrenches that are powerful and provide versatility, then the Chicago Pneumatic Impact Wrench is definitely made for you.
The Chicago Pneumatic Wrench uses a brushless BL motor. This motor reduces the chances of wear and tear to a great extent and allows you to save up on battery time as well as battery life. The brushless BL motor allows you to use this impact wrench for an extended period of time.
The Chicago Pneumatic Wrench features 1300 ft-lbs of maximum reverse torque. This is ideal for all heavy machinery and other heavy-duty work such as repairing large vehicles. The 6600 RPM free speed also makes it easier to deal with large nuts and bolts on heavy machinery as well.
The Four Position power setting on the Chicago Pneumatic Wrench provides a lot of versatility as it offers four different speeds for different purposes. The Four Position power setting is best for people who want to use this tool for domestic as well as heavy-duty use in workshops and elsewhere.
The intuitive forward and reverse lever allows for an easy switch between two different modes of operation.
10. Chicago Pistol Grip – Best for One-Handed Operation
If you’re looking for a compact impact wrench that packs a lot of power then the Chicago Pistol Grip impact wrench is the one you want. The Pistol Grip is an ergonomic tool that features a special Pistol Grip handle that makes it easier for you to take control of the impact wrench while working with it, even during one-handed operation.
It may not seem like much of an improvement given that many other impact wrenches have ergonomic features as well. However, when tested in action the Chicago Pistol Grip allows much greater control than other impact wrenches.
The Chicago Pistol Grip can produce a maximum reverse torque of 800 ft-lbs. This is a high value for the reverse torque even though it may not be as powerful as others on this list. With the many other features, it makes up for its not so powerful reverse torque. The free speed is relatively high at 8400 RPM.
Impact Wrench Buying Guide
1. Max Torque
The basic function of the impact wrench is to produce torque. The maximum reverse torque is an important factor that you must consider before buying the impact wrench. Make sure that the impact wrench has a considerably high amount of torque rating for heavy-duty work. For domestic work, we would recommend a lower torque rating. However, in general, it is better to have impact wrenches that can offer different torque ratings in one power tool.
For domestic work, we would highly recommend impact wrenches that feature a maximum reverse torque of around 400 ft-lbs. This is because domestic work does not usually need a lot of power or torque for repairing or installing.
For all kinds of heavy-duty work such as working on heavy machinery and large vehicles, we would recommend impact wrenches that have a max torque of around 700 ft. lbs. Keep in mind that the greater the value of this maximum reverse torque is, the better chances you have of getting all your work done with one tool.
Overall, we would recommend impact wrenches with a high maximum torque rating and different speed levels in order for you to have better control and versatility.
2. Ergonomic Design
Having control over the impact wrench while working with it is also another major factor that you must keep an eye out for. Make sure to research the product and figure out if it is ergonomic or not. Believe it or not, the ergonomic design is important when working with impact wrenches because you never know when it may get out of your control.
Keep in mind that an impact wrench is a power tool that works on hydraulics and compressed air. Any sort of mishap with this power tool can result in either serious injury or it can cause your work to be destroyed. In any case, you would not want to face either situation.
For ergonomic design, mostly it all depends on the handle and the kind of handle grip you’re given. Make sure to have rubber handles and a closed-loop handle. The closed-loop handle stops your hand from slipping away when doing work. This is important as it can save you from getting your work destroyed. The rubber handles offer better control as they provide you with a solid grip.
3. Corded or Cordless
It is important to remember that corded impact wrenches are usually much more constricting due to their corded nature. The corded impact wrenches usually do not offer much mobility and often cause problems if you’re doing sequential work. If you move a bit further from the socket, you can easily and accidentally pull the plug on it. However, the benefit you get from corded impact wrenches is the fact that you do not have to charge it or worry about battery timing, etc.
The cordless impact wrenches are better in the sense that they provide you with a battery that makes for better movement. However, batteries usually mean that you will have to keep the impact wrench charged at all times and take care not to let it discharge too quickly. If you are not careful with the battery timing, you can easily cause the impact wrench to run out of battery.
Summary of the Best Impact Wrenches
Thanks to modern day engineering and physics, the best impact wrenches now give you more power, torque, and convenience. However, you should only buy the one that fits your job requirements and budget. Also, buy one you know you will be comfortable using for long periods of time. Don’t skimp on an impact wrench you don’t need just because it is cheaper, sometimes paying a little extra can pay off in the long run. Good luck out there.
Hey, don’t leave yet, be sure to check out our article on the best torque wrenches too!
Hey,
Excellent review and guide on impact wrench for construction works.
I prefer air tools. I can have better control over the device, and better control leads me to a better result. And when it comes to construction work, an excellent result is the key. Thanks for pointing out the list of high-quality wrenches. I would like to try them out.
Off to share.