Best Impact Wrenches

1. How We Picked

We started from the jobs people actually buy an impact wrench for, not from the spec sheet. For most readers that means removing and installing lug nuts, followed by brake work, suspension bolts, and the occasional seized fastener on a trailer, mower deck or old truck. A smaller group works on farm equipment, heavy trucks or rusted-out project cars, and they need a very different tool. Every wrench on this list earns its place by being the best fit for one of those groups.

We weighted size and weight far more heavily than peak torque. In our hands-on use, the tool that comes off the shelf most often is the one that fits behind a strut and can be held one-handed, not the one with the biggest number. A wrench that stays in its case because it is too heavy to bother with is worth less than a lighter one that gets used every weekend.

We also looked hard at control features. Modern brushless wrenches offer auto shut-off or precision modes that stop impacting as soon as a nut seats. These do not replace a torque wrench, but they stop you from hammering a lug nut to three times its spec, which is how wheel studs get stretched and brake rotors get warped. Tools with good control modes scored higher than tools that rely entirely on your trigger finger.

Finally, we considered the battery platform. An impact wrench is rarely a standalone purchase. If you already own Milwaukee, DeWalt, Makita or Ryobi batteries, the best wrench for you is usually the best one on that platform, which is why this list includes a strong option for each. We excluded no-name wrenches with inflated torque claims that we could not trust, and we only list tools that are currently sold and easy to find.

2. High-Torque vs Mid-Torque vs Compact

Impact wrenches fall into three practical classes, and choosing the class matters more than choosing the brand. High-torque 1/2-inch wrenches are rated from roughly 1,000 to well over 1,500 ft-lbs of breakaway torque. They exist for large, rusted or heavily torqued fasteners: truck axle nuts, heavy suspension bolts, farm implements and anything that has been sitting in salt for a decade. They are the heaviest and most expensive class.

Mid-torque 1/2-inch wrenches are typically rated from about 500 to 800 ft-lbs. That sounds modest next to the high-torque figures, but it is several times what any passenger-car lug nut should be tightened to. Mid-torque tools are shorter, lighter and easier to control, and for rotating tires, swapping wheels and doing brakes and suspension on cars and crossovers they are the right answer. This is the class most homeowners should buy.

Compact wrenches, usually 3/8-inch drive and often 12V, are built for access rather than raw power. They slip into engine bays, behind fender liners and under dashboards where no 18V tool fits. The newest ones are surprisingly strong, and Milwaukee's current M12 stubby is rated at 550 ft-lbs of nut-busting torque, but their small batteries drain quickly under heavy use. They make an excellent second wrench and a reasonable first wrench for light work on small cars.

Our rule of thumb is simple. If most of your work is on cars and crossovers, buy mid-torque. If you regularly work on three-quarter-ton trucks, equipment or anything badly rusted, buy high-torque. If you already own a 1/2-inch wrench, add a compact 3/8-inch as your second tool rather than stepping up to a bigger one.

3. Our 8 Top Picks

The list covers all three classes on purpose. Two high-torque 1/2-inch wrenches lead for anyone doing suspension, farm equipment or rusted fasteners; two mid-torque tools are what most car owners should actually buy; one 12V stubby handles the tight spaces; and a budget pick, a Makita option and one air wrench round it out for people already committed to a platform or a compressor. Every torque figure below is the manufacturer's own rating, which is exactly why we explain how to read those numbers in the next section.

1

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1/2" High Torque Impact Wrench with Friction Ring (2967-20)

1/2" High-Torque, 18V Brushless

Best Overall

4.7 (1,900 ratings on Amazon)

The 2967 is the tool that closed most of the gap between cordless and air. Milwaukee rates it at 1,200 ft-lbs of fastening torque and 1,600 ft-lbs of nut-busting torque, and while those figures are best-case numbers measured with a big battery, the practical result is that this wrench removes rusted axle nuts, control-arm bolts and trailer hardware that stall mid-torque tools. What makes it our top pick rather than the most powerful tool on the list is the package: at roughly 7.6 inches long it is short enough to get behind a wheel hub or into a wheel well at an angle, which matters more in real work than a few hundred extra rated foot-pounds. The four-mode Drive Control is genuinely useful. Mode 1 is gentle enough to run small fasteners without snapping them, and the auto shut-off mode stops impacting almost immediately after a nut seats, which keeps you from hammering lug nuts to three times their spec. Bolt removal control slows the tool once a fastener breaks free so nuts do not go flying across the shop. The limitation is the same one every high-torque wrench has: it is heavier than you need for tire rotations and brake jobs, and on overhead work the weight adds up quickly. If most of your work is passenger cars, look at the mid-torque 2962 first.

Pros

• Rated 1,200 ft-lbs fastening and 1,600 ft-lbs nut-busting, enough for seized suspension and truck hardware
• About 7.6 inches long, short enough to fit places older high-torque wrenches could not
• 4-mode Drive Control including an auto shut-off mode that stops at a light snug for reassembly
• Friction ring anvil allows fast one-handed socket swaps
• Runs on the widest pro battery platform in North America

Cons

• Around 6 lbs bare and more with a large pack, which you feel overhead
• Far more tool than a homeowner rotating tires on a sedan needs

The Bottom Line

The high-torque wrench to buy if you regularly fight rust, trucks or equipment, and the one that proves high torque no longer has to mean a long, clumsy tool.

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2

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1/2" Mid-Torque Impact Wrench with Friction Ring (2962-20)

1/2" Mid-Torque, 18V Brushless

Best for Most Car Owners

4.8 (2,600 ratings on Amazon)

If you are buying an impact wrench mainly to rotate tires, swap winter wheels and do brake and suspension jobs on cars and light SUVs, this is the one we would buy. Milwaukee rates the second-generation 2962 at 650 ft-lbs, and passenger-car lug nuts are typically specified somewhere around 80 to 140 ft-lbs, so even a stubborn, over-tightened nut from a tire shop is well within its reach. The payoff for choosing mid-torque over high-torque is size and weight. The 2962 is about 6 inches long and roughly 5 lbs with a 5.0Ah battery, which means you can hold it one-handed at arm's length while your other hand steadies the wheel. That is the difference between a tool you reach for and one that stays in the case. The four-mode Drive Control is the same system as on the high-torque model, with an auto shut-off setting for reassembly that runs nuts down and stops before it can over-tighten them. It is not a finishing tool: you still torque lug nuts with a click-type wrench. Where the 2962 runs out of road is large rusted fasteners on trucks and older equipment; if that describes a lot of your work, spend the extra on the 2967. For everyone else, the extra torque would only add weight.

Pros

• Rated 650 ft-lbs, which covers lug nuts and most suspension bolts on cars and light trucks
• About 6 inches long and roughly 5 lbs with a battery, easy to hold one-handed
• Four drive modes including auto shut-off and bolt removal control
• Friction ring anvil for quick socket changes
• Pin-detent version (2962P-20) available for people who drop sockets overhead

Cons

• Will stall on large, badly rusted fasteners that the 2967 handles
• Premium price for a mid-torque tool compared with Ryobi or store brands

The Bottom Line

The impact wrench most people should buy: enough torque for every lug nut on a passenger vehicle, in a tool light enough to use all afternoon.

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4

DeWalt 20V MAX XR 1/2" Mid-Range Impact Wrench with Hog Ring Anvil (DCF891B)

1/2" Mid-Torque, 20V MAX Brushless

Best Mid-Torque for DeWalt Users

4.7 (3,800 ratings on Amazon)

The DCF891 is DeWalt's mid-range 1/2-inch wrench, rated at 600 ft-lbs of fastening torque and 800 ft-lbs of breakaway, and it plays the same role on the yellow platform that the 2962 plays on the red one. That breakaway figure is several times what a passenger-car lug nut should be tightened to, so as long as your wheels were not installed by someone leaning on a 4-foot breaker bar, this wrench removes them without drama. At around 4 lbs bare it is light, and with a 5.0Ah battery it stays comfortable for a full set of four wheels plus brakes. The four-mode selector includes Precision Wrench, which slows the tool as a fastener seats in forward and slows it again as it breaks free in reverse, so nuts do not spin off and disappear under the car. The hog ring anvil holds impact sockets firmly; you will need a pick or a firm pull to remove them, which some people prefer to a friction ring. The only real complaint in daily use is that the push-button mode selector can be bumped without noticing, so check the setting before you run lug nuts on. If you are on DeWalt batteries already, buy this before you consider the much heavier DCF961. Most people will never miss the difference.

Pros

• Rated 600 ft-lbs fastening and 800 ft-lbs breakaway, plenty for passenger-car lug nuts
• Around 4 lbs bare, one of the lightest 1/2-inch wrenches here
• Precision Wrench mode for controlled reassembly
• 4-mode push-button speed selector
• Widely sold bare and in kits at every big-box store

Cons

• Not the answer for heavily rusted truck or equipment hardware
• Push-button mode selector is easy to bump by accident

The Bottom Line

The DeWalt equivalent of Milwaukee's mid-torque wrench, and the right buy for DeWalt owners who work mostly on cars.

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5

Milwaukee M12 FUEL Stubby 3/8" Impact Wrench (2562-20)

3/8" Compact Stubby, 12V Brushless

Best Compact

4.7 (600 ratings on Amazon)

Milwaukee's M12 FUEL stubby has been the reference compact impact wrench for years, and the current 2562-20 replaces the older 2554 with a large jump in output: Milwaukee rates it at 400 ft-lbs of fastening torque and 550 ft-lbs of nut-busting, from a tool that is only about 4.8 inches long and roughly 2.2 lbs bare. Those numbers put it in the territory that full-size 18V mid-torque wrenches occupied not long ago. The point of the stubby is not raw power, though. It is access. Engine-bay bolts, brake caliper brackets, exhaust hangers, seat bolts and anything behind a fender liner are all easier with a tool this short, and 3/8-inch drive is the right size for the 10mm to 19mm fasteners that dominate modern cars. It has the familiar four-mode Drive Control with an auto shut-off setting, so you can run bolts down quickly and finish them by hand with a torque wrench. We would not make this anyone's only impact wrench if they deal with trucks or rusted suspension, because 12V packs run down fast on repeated heavy breakaways. As a companion to a 1/2-inch tool, or as the only wrench for someone doing light maintenance on small cars, it is excellent. If you would rather keep one socket set, the 2563-20 is the same tool with a 1/2-inch anvil.

Pros

• Rated 400 ft-lbs fastening and 550 ft-lbs nut-busting from a 12V tool
• About 4.8 inches long and roughly 2.2 lbs bare, fits where 18V wrenches cannot
• 3/8-inch drive suits the socket sizes most engine-bay work uses
• Enough output for many lug nuts on small cars in a pinch
• 1/2-inch version (2563-20) exists if you want one socket set for everything

Cons

• Small 12V packs drain quickly on heavy, repeated breakaway work
• Not a substitute for a 1/2-inch wrench on large rusted fasteners

The Bottom Line

The wrench that actually lives in a mechanic's hand all day, and the best second impact wrench you can buy.

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6

Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless 4-Mode 1/2" High Torque Impact Wrench (PBLIW01)

1/2" High-Torque, 18V Brushless

Best Budget

4.6 (2,500 ratings on Amazon)

For a homeowner who already owns Ryobi ONE+ batteries, this is the easiest recommendation on the page. Ryobi rates the PBLIW01 at 1,170 ft-lbs of breakaway torque and 700 ft-lbs of fastening torque, which is well into high-torque territory, for considerably less money than the pro brands. In practice, that means every lug nut on a car, SUV or half-ton pickup comes off without hesitation, and most suspension and trailer hardware does too. There are four modes, including an Assist mode that stops the anvil after a handful of impacts once a nut seats, which is helpful for running lug nuts down without hammering them past spec. The friction ring anvil makes socket swaps quick. The compromises are real but acceptable at this price. The tool is bigger and heavier than a Milwaukee 2967 with comparable ratings, which makes a difference in tight wheel wells, and it needs one of Ryobi's larger HP packs to deliver its full output; with a small 2.0Ah battery it feels noticeably weaker. Ryobi also does not have the pro-grade accessory ecosystem, but for a garage mechanic that rarely matters. If you are choosing a platform from scratch for automotive work only, a mid-torque Milwaukee or DeWalt is the better long-term tool. If you are already on Ryobi, buy this and a good 5-piece impact socket set.

Pros

• Ryobi rates it at 1,170 ft-lbs breakaway and 700 ft-lbs fastening
• Costs much less than pro-brand high-torque wrenches
• Assist mode stops rotation after a few impacts to help avoid over-tightening
• Friction ring anvil for quick socket changes
• Runs on the same ONE+ batteries as hundreds of homeowner tools

Cons

• Larger and heavier than Milwaukee's high-torque wrench for similar rated output
• Needs Ryobi's larger HP batteries to perform like its rating suggests

The Bottom Line

The best value if you already own Ryobi batteries and want a wrench that will never struggle with lug nuts.

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7

Makita 18V LXT Brushless High Torque 1/2" Square Drive Impact Wrench (XWT08Z)

1/2" High-Torque, 18V LXT Brushless

Best for Makita Users

4.6 (1,400 ratings on Amazon)

The XWT08Z has been Makita's 18V high-torque 1/2-inch wrench for several years, and it is still a strong tool: Makita rates it at 740 ft-lbs of maximum fastening torque and 1,180 ft-lbs of nut-busting torque, which is more than enough for automotive work and most light-truck hardware. The three-speed power selector is simple and effective, and Makita's Extreme Protection Technology is a genuine advantage if the tool will live in a farm truck, on a trailer or anywhere dust and rain are part of the job. The LED lights are placed well for undercarriage work. Where it shows its age is in features and size. It lacks the auto shut-off or precision modes that Milwaukee and DeWalt now use to stop a wrench from over-tightening fasteners, so you have to control the trigger yourself when running nuts on, and it is the heaviest cordless wrench on this list. For overhead work or long days, that weight adds up. The honest recommendation is simple: if you own Makita LXT batteries, buy this before you buy into a second platform, because it will handle anything a homeowner or small shop throws at it. If you do not, the Milwaukee 2967 is more compact, more modern and has better control features for similar money.

Pros

• Rated 740 ft-lbs fastening and 1,180 ft-lbs nut-busting
• Three-speed power selection for matching output to the fastener
• Extreme Protection Technology for better dust and water resistance
• Built-in LED lighting for dark wheel wells and undercarriages
• Runs on Makita's widely owned 18V LXT batteries

Cons

• Heaviest cordless wrench on this list
• Older design without the auto shut-off modes Milwaukee and DeWalt offer

The Bottom Line

A durable, strong high-torque wrench for people already invested in Makita LXT, but not one to switch platforms for.

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8

Ingersoll Rand 2235TiMAX 1/2" Drive Air Impact Wrench

1/2" Pneumatic, Titanium Hammer Case

Best Air Impact Wrench

4.7 (3,200 ratings on Amazon)

The 2235TiMAX is the air wrench most professional shops standardized on, and it remains the benchmark for a reason. Ingersoll Rand rates it at 1,350 ft-lbs of nut-busting torque and up to 930 ft-lbs of working torque in reverse, from a tool that weighs around 4.6 lbs thanks to its titanium hammer case. That power-to-weight ratio is still something cordless tools only match with larger, heavier bodies and big batteries. It also runs indefinitely: there is no battery to go flat, and the twin-hammer mechanism has been refined over decades, with parts and rebuild kits easy to find. The catch is everything outside the tool. To perform like its rating, it needs 90 psi at the tool with enough volume behind it, which means a real garage compressor rather than a small pancake unit, plus a 3/8-inch hose and quality fittings, since restrictive quick-connects sap much of its output. It is loud, noticeably louder than cordless wrenches, so hearing protection is not optional. And the hose keeps you tethered to the garage. If you already own a capable compressor and do most of your work in one bay, this is the most power per dollar and per pound you can buy. If you do not, the cost of the compressor usually makes a cordless wrench the smarter choice.

Pros

• Rated 1,350 ft-lbs nut-busting and up to 930 ft-lbs in reverse
• About 4.6 lbs, lighter than any cordless high-torque wrench here
• Titanium hammer case keeps weight down without giving up durability
• No batteries to charge or replace, runs as long as the compressor keeps up
• Decades-old design with parts and rebuild kits widely available

Cons

• Needs a compressor that can keep up, plus 3/8-inch hose and fittings
• Loud, and the hose limits where you can take it

The Bottom Line

Still the benchmark air wrench, and the right pick if you already have a capable compressor in the garage.

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4. Breakaway vs Fastening Torque

Impact wrench boxes usually list two numbers. Fastening torque is the most a tool can tighten a fastener to, measured in forward. Breakaway torque, sometimes called nut-busting torque, is the most force the tool can apply to loosen a fastener, usually measured in reverse. Breakaway is always the larger figure, often by 30 to 50 percent, which is why it is the one printed biggest on the packaging.

Both are marketing numbers in the literal sense: they are the best result the manufacturer could achieve under its own test conditions. Those conditions usually involve the largest, highest-output battery in the range, a fresh charge, a specific fastener and joint, and ideal socket fit. Change any of those variables and the real figure drops. DeWalt's own DCF961 listing illustrates this: its highest torque ratings are quoted with a specific high-output battery sold separately. With a smaller pack, the same tool delivers noticeably less.

There is also no single industry standard for how these numbers are measured, so comparing ratings across brands is unreliable. A Milwaukee rated at 1,600 ft-lbs and a DeWalt rated at 1,750 ft-lbs may perform very differently from what those figures suggest on a real rusted bolt. Independent teardown and torque tests regularly find that real-world output bears only a loose relationship to the headline rating.

The practical takeaway is to ignore small differences in rated torque. Use the ratings to sort tools into classes, then choose on everything else. And remember that the battery you pair with the wrench changes its output: a high-torque wrench on a compact 2.0Ah pack will feel like a mid-torque wrench, so budget for a 5.0Ah or larger battery if you want the tool to perform as advertised.

5. How Much Wrench Lug Nuts Need

Lug nuts are the reason most people buy an impact wrench, and they need far less torque than the market suggests. Most passenger cars and crossovers specify lug nut torque somewhere between about 80 and 140 ft-lbs, and many half-ton pickups fall in a similar band or a bit higher. Your owner's manual lists the exact figure. Even a nut that was over-tightened by a tire shop is usually well within the reach of a 600 ft-lb mid-torque wrench.

Where things get harder is corrosion. Lug nuts on vehicles in salted-road states can seize to the stud, and aluminum wheels can corrode around the hub. Here, extra breakaway torque helps, but technique helps more. Let the tool hammer for a few seconds rather than giving up after one burst, use a six-point impact socket that fits properly, and consider penetrating oil on truly stuck nuts. A high-torque wrench makes sense if you live somewhere rust is the norm and work on older vehicles.

The bigger risk with lug nuts is installing them, not removing them. A full-power impact wrench can drive a lug nut to several times its specified torque in a fraction of a second. That stretches wheel studs, distorts brake rotors and makes the nut nearly impossible to remove at the roadside with the factory lug wrench. This is why auto shut-off, Precision Wrench and Assist modes matter: they run the nut down and stop at a light snug instead of hammering on.

Our method is to run each nut down with the wrench on its lowest setting or its auto shut-off mode, lower the car so the tire bears weight, and then torque every nut to spec by hand in a star pattern. It takes a couple of extra minutes per car and prevents the most common and most expensive impact wrench mistake.

6. Why You Still Need a Torque Wrench

An impact wrench is a removal and run-down tool, not a precision tightening tool. It applies torque in rapid hammer blows, and how much torque actually reaches the fastener depends on the joint, the socket, the battery charge, lubrication on the threads and how long you hold the trigger. Even the best control modes are designed to stop early, not to hit a number. Nothing in the impact wrench category tells you the actual torque on the nut.

That is why every wheel, caliper bracket and suspension bolt should be finished with a click-type torque wrench set to the manufacturer's specification. If you do not own one, our guide to the best torque wrench explains which type and range to buy. For lug nuts, a 1/2-inch drive click wrench covering roughly 20 to 150 ft-lbs handles nearly every passenger vehicle.

Some shops use torque sticks, which are calibrated extensions that flex to limit how much torque an impact wrench delivers. They are better than nothing and much faster than finishing by hand in a busy shop, but they depend on the wrench having enough output and are not as accurate as a torque wrench. For home use, the torque wrench is cheaper, more accurate and takes only a minute longer per wheel.

Re-check lug nut torque after the first 50 to 100 miles on any wheel you have removed, especially aluminum wheels, which can settle slightly against the hub. It is a small habit, and it catches the rare nut that was cross-threaded or not fully seated. Combined with a controlled run-down from the impact wrench, it means you get the speed of power tools without the risks that come from letting them do the final tightening.

7. Impact Sockets and Anvils

Use impact sockets with an impact wrench, every time. Chrome hand-tool sockets are made from harder, more brittle steel designed for steady torque. Under repeated hammer blows they can crack or shatter, sending fragments across the garage. Impact sockets are made from tougher chrome-molybdenum steel, have thicker walls and a black oxide or phosphate finish, and are designed to absorb impacts safely. They also tend to fit fasteners more snugly, which reduces rounding.

Drive size follows the wrench. A 1/2-inch wrench needs 1/2-inch drive impact sockets, and a 3/8-inch compact needs 3/8-inch sockets. Adapters exist, but each one adds slop that wastes energy and can snap under load. If you are building a socket collection around an impact wrench, our guide to what drive size socket set you need covers which sizes to start with. For lug nuts, most people only need a short set of deep 1/2-inch impact sockets covering the common sizes, typically 17, 19, 21 and 22mm plus 3/4 and 13/16-inch.

Prefer six-point impact sockets over twelve-point. Six-point sockets grip the flats of a nut rather than its corners, which matters enormously when you are applying hundreds of foot-pounds in rapid blows. Twelve-point sockets are more likely to round off a rusted or slightly undersized nut, turning a five-minute job into an extractor job.

The anvil matters too. Friction ring anvils, used on most Milwaukee and Ryobi wrenches here, hold sockets with a spring ring and allow fast one-handed changes. Hog ring anvils, as on the DeWalt models, are essentially the same idea with a firmer grip. Pin detent anvils lock a socket in place with a spring-loaded pin that engages a hole in the socket; they are slower to change but will not drop a socket overhead. For general automotive work, a friction or hog ring is the better choice. For overhead or suspended work, consider the pin detent version where one is offered.

8. Impact Wrench vs Impact Driver

Impact wrenches and impact drivers look similar and work on the same hammer-and-anvil principle, but they are built for different jobs. An impact driver has a 1/4-inch hex chuck that holds screwdriver bits and is designed to drive screws, lag bolts and small fasteners. Typical drivers produce well under 200 ft-lbs of torque, which is excellent for construction and far too little for automotive hardware.

An impact wrench has a square drive anvil, usually 3/8 or 1/2-inch, that accepts sockets. It is built for nuts and bolts and produces several times more torque than a driver. Trying to remove lug nuts with an impact driver and a hex-to-square adapter is a common mistake: the driver will struggle, the adapter can snap, and the tool will run hot.

If your projects are mostly decks, framing, cabinets and furniture assembly, you want an impact driver, and our guide to the best impact driver covers the right options. If your projects are mostly vehicles, mowers, trailers and equipment, you want an impact wrench. Many people end up with both, which is one of the strongest arguments for choosing a single battery platform and staying with it.

There is some overlap at the small end. A 3/8-inch compact impact wrench can drive large lag screws with a hex bit adapter, and a strong impact driver can remove small bolts with a socket adapter. But if you find yourself doing either regularly, buy the right tool. They are not expensive as bare tools once you own the batteries.

9. Cordless vs Pneumatic

For most home garages, cordless has won. A modern 18V or 20V brushless impact wrench matches or beats a typical air wrench on real fasteners, needs no compressor, no hose and no fittings, and goes wherever you do, from the driveway to the side of the road. The cost of a cordless tool plus a battery is often less than the cost of a compressor large enough to run an air wrench properly.

Air still has real advantages. A good pneumatic wrench like the Ingersoll Rand 2235TiMAX has an excellent power-to-weight ratio, never runs out of battery, and has a simple mechanism that can be rebuilt for decades. In a shop that already has a large compressor and air lines running to every bay, air tools remain cheap to buy and cheap to keep running.

The catch is supply. An air wrench needs roughly 90 psi at the tool with enough flow behind it, which requires a substantial compressor and a 3/8-inch hose with quality fittings. Small pancake or hot-dog compressors cannot keep up, and restrictive quick-connects can rob a big air wrench of a surprising amount of its output. Many disappointed air wrench owners have a supply problem, not a tool problem.

Air tools are also louder and tie you to one place. If you have the compressor already, a quality air wrench is the cheapest way to get strong breakaway torque. If you are starting from scratch, a cordless wrench is almost always the better investment, and the batteries will run other tools too.

10. Pick the Battery Platform First

The most expensive part of a cordless impact wrench is not the tool, it is the batteries. A bare tool plus one large pack from a platform you already own usually costs a fraction of a full kit on a new platform. If you have a garage full of DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita or Ryobi tools, the best impact wrench for you is almost certainly the best one on that platform.

If you are choosing a platform from scratch, think beyond the wrench. Milwaukee's automotive range is the deepest, with the widest choice of wrenches, ratchets and specialty tools. DeWalt is close behind and stronger in construction tools. Our Milwaukee vs DeWalt comparison covers where each brand is ahead, and our broader guide to the best cordless tool brand looks at Makita, Ryobi and the rest.

The same batteries will run the tools you use around the house. The pack that powers your impact wrench on Saturday can run a drill, a circular saw or an oscillating tool on Sunday. If you are weighing a platform, our guide to the best oscillating tool is a good example of how the same brands compare in a very different category, and it is useful for seeing which platforms are strong across the board.

Finally, buy at least one 5.0Ah or larger battery for the wrench. Compact 2.0Ah packs are fine for drivers and small saws, but they cannot deliver the current an impact wrench needs for heavy breakaway work, and they will make even a high-torque tool feel weak. The larger pack is the cheapest performance upgrade you can make.