Best Cordless Impact Wrenches of 2021 – Complete Buyer’s Guide

| Last Updated: December 30, 2021

Finding the best cordless impact wrench might be a challenge. But if you have a good understanding of what they are and how they operate, the search won’t be as tough as you think.

A great cordless power tool will make all the difference. And it can be convenient in so many ways. It’s no secret that cordless tools will often excel better in some aspects compared to those that have cords.

To help you find the best cordless impact wrench for your use, we’ve listed eight of the best impact wrenches that are popular on the market. First, let’s talk about the perks of a cordless impact wrench and how you can find one for your personal use:

Comparison of the Best Cordless Impact Wrenches

IMAGEPRODUCT
  • Max torque of 700 ft-lbs
  • The overall length of 8 inches
  • Best overall cordless impact wrench
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  • Over 330ft/lbs of torque
  • The maximum speed of 1650 RPM
  • Best cordless impact wrench for the money
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  • Includes a Lithium-Ion Battery
  • Best Cordless ⅜ Impact Wrench
  • Hog Ring Anvil for quick socket changes
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  • Weight 3.4 pounds
  • Small and compact size
  • Best cordless ½ impact wrench
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  • 1100 ft-lb of torque
  • Includes a long life 20v Lithium Battery
  • Best impact wrench for automotive use
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  • Equipped with LED work light
  • Best cordless impact wrench for changing tires
  • Heavy-duty torque ranging from 700 to 1200 pounds
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Perks of Going Cordless

There are a dozen reasons why using cordless tools are much better than those with cords. If you decide to go with the latter, then you risk missing out on a lot of great benefits. Here are some of the perks that you’ll get to enjoy with cordless impact wrenches:

No Tangling Wires

Nothing can be more frustrating than dealing with wires and cords that tangle. Not to mention, it can be a nightmare to untangle them. With cords ranging well over 8 feet in length or more, it could also be quite time-consuming. You won’t have to deal with this when you’re using a cordless impact wrench.

Less Power Consumption

Stating the obvious, if you’re using a cordless impact wrench you’re not using electricity. Using a corded power tool can take a bit more energy than usual. And it could pave the way for your energy bill to take a bit of a hit. If you’re all about saving money on electricity and want a viable alternative, going cordless would be the no-brainer option. 

What to Look For When Buying a Cordless Impact Wrench

Knowing which features and characteristics that make a cordless impact wrench stand out are key. Plus, you’ll need to know how to distinguish a great cordless impact wrench from one that might be considered disappointing and unreliable in performance. Here are some of the things to look out for while you’re shopping around for a wrench:

Price

We understand that people are on a budget. Is it possible to get a high-quality cordless impact wrench at a price that you can afford? The short answer is yes. What you need to do is look for one that is excellent in quality and performance but fits your budget. While it may sound like an impossible task, it isn’t. Even if you spend a bit more on the higher end of the scale, you’ll get better value than a cheaper model.

Purpose

Not every impact wrench is created equal. Some will excel at one application or another despite being useful for general purposes. If you’re considering a cordless impact wrench for a certain purpose, you should determine whether or not if the wrench you’re looking at has the right kind of ability to be useful for such a purpose. 

Ease of Use

The last thing you want to do is use a power tool that will be complicated to use. Even if you have never used one before, you should find a model that is simple and easy to use. Most of them will have an owner’s manual that will show you how to use a wrench step by step.

Review of the Best Cordless Impact Wrenches

Below is a list of the eight best cordless impact wrenches that are currently on the market. While going through the list, you should take notes on any of the features and characteristics of each wrench. That way, you can find one that matches your description of your ideal wrench. It’s better to find one that is close enough to what you’re looking for than finding nothing. Now, let’s begin by taking a look at the first cordless impact wrench on our list -- our “best overall choice”:

Best Overall:
DEWALT 20V MAX XR DCF899HB

DEWALT 20V MAX XR Impact Wrench, Cordless, 1/2Inch, 700-lbs of Torque, 2,400 IPM, Bare Tool Only (DCF899HB)

PROS

  • Solid quality
  • Has quite a bit of torque
  • Excellent gripping ability
  • Fastens quickly and securely
  • Battery life is pretty impressive

CONS

  • May use up a lot of battery juice
  • It may take a little longer than normal to charge
  • Some say it doesn’t have enough torque for larger bolts

What Recent Buyers Report

A lot of new buyers were happy with the wrench. One user said that he was impressed with the overall torque. He says that it has become more reliable than most of the wrenches he used in the past for his plumbing business.

Why it Stands Out to Us

This wrench has quite a bit of power. And it’s got an excellent grip that gets almost any home improvement project done in fewer amounts of time. Plus, the battery life is pretty solid and can last you a long time (even when it gets recharged so many times throughout its lifespan).

Who Will Use This Most

This will be an excellent wrench for those who want something that is simple, powerful, and gets the job done around the house (or for all kinds of building projects). If you want a cordless wrench that will be reliable, powerful and has quite a bit of torque, this is what you may want to consider.

Bottom Line

The DeWalt 20V Max Impact Torque Wrench proves itself as one of the best impact wrenches in the business. It can handle a lot of heavy-duty applications and will put a lot of power in your hands for just about any project.

Best for the Money:
PORTER-CABLE 20V

PORTER-CABLE PCC740B 1/2' Cordless Impact Wrench, Baretool

PROS

  • Excellent torque power
  • Great for most projects
  • Affordable for most budgets
  • Socket changes are quick and easy
  • Super fast fastening and unfastening

CONS

  • May not be powerful for lugnuts
  • Impact driver might be a little heavy
  • The battery may drain a little faster than some wrenches

What Recent Buyers Report

As expected, new buyers were quite impressed with the wrench. They were able to quickly switch out the sockets and also found the wrench to be easy for fast tightening and untightening. One user said that he was able to get some projects done around the house with this wrench with just enough speed and power.

Why it Stands Out to Us

This wrench is perhaps one of the more affordable on the market. But make no mistake, it’s fast, tough, and can get the job done for pretty much any task you use this wrench for. The torque power is pretty good for a budget wrench. But the speed factor makes up for whatever shortcomings it may have.

Who Will Use This Most

This would make a great general purpose impact wrench. Especially when you need to get a project done to where you need something that will pack a bit of a punch. A regular wrench and a little elbow grease probably won’t get the job done. But an impact wrench like this just might.

Bottom Line

If you want something fast, full of torque, and doesn’t suck the life out of your bank account the Porter-Cable 20V Max Impact Wrench will probably be what you’re looking for. For any project that requires a really good impact wrench, this could be the one that sticks with you for a long time.

Best Cordless ⅜ Impact Wrench:
DEWALT 20V MAX 3/8-Inch DCF883M2

DEWALT 20V MAX* Cordless Impact Wrench Kit with Hog Ring, 3/8-Inch (DCF883M2)

PROS

  • Compact and powerful
  • Has an excellent amount of torque
  • Fast at tightening and untightening
  • Affordable for many budget shoppers
  • Has the potential to last you years or even decades

CONS

  • Not suitable for automotive use
  • May need some rubber on the bottom of the battery pack
  • Some of the magnetic sockets may not stay in place over time

What Recent Buyers Report

Most of the new buyers loved this impact wrench. They say that one of the things that stood out to them the most was the quick attaching magnetic sockets. They said that they stayed in place for a long time and didn’t wiggle around as much. The projects the new users have worked on with this wrench were mostly home improvement projects.

Why it Stands Out to Us

This can handle the right kind of nuts and bolts that are common for most household projects. So if you like to work on plumbing or work with projects were ⅜ nuts and bolts are usually the norm, then you may want to consider giving this wrench a go. To top it off, it’s a compact size wrench that is not so heavy. But it makes portability that much easier.

Who Will Use This Most

This will likely be used by homeowners who are in the process of completing some home renovation projects or just doing maintenance work around the house. If you want to use this for projects that will get done much quicker, this might be your cup of coffee. Plus, it’s a wrench that won’t take up too much room on your workbench.

Bottom Line

The DeWalt 20V Max Cordless Impact Wrench Kit with Hog Ring will certainly stand out as the go-to choice for all your ⅜ nut and bolt tightening and untightening needs. If you want a great wrench that’s good for home projects, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything else quite like this. 

Best Cordless ½ Impact Wrench:
DEWALT DCF880HM2

DEWALT 20V MAX* Cordless Impact Wrench Kit with Hog Ring, 1/2-Inch (DCF880HM2), Yellow

PROS

  • Really fast operation
  • Great for automotive use
  • Powerful enough for tightening lug nuts
  • Battery charge time isn’t too ridiculously long
  • Super lightweight and small enough for storage

CONS

  • Hog ring connection might be a little weak
  • Some lug nuts may be difficult to unfasten with this wrench
  • Torque may not be as powerful for some projects as expected

What Recent Buyers Report

A lot of new users were using this impact wrench for automotive projects. They were able to quickly change their old tires with new ones using this impact wrench. The tightening and loosening of lug nuts were lightning-fast and took seconds to do either task.

Why it Stands Out to Us

This handles ½ inch nuts and bolts. Like its ⅜ counterpart, it’s powerful and also really compact. So if you’re a sucker for saving space, this wrench won’t take up too much room on your workbench. That’s a good thing if you have so many tools laying around your auto shop. Plus, it’s got a good amount of torque to simply change tires on most cars and trucks. 

Who Will Use This Most

This will likely be used by auto mechanics. If you’re fixing your car or simply changing your tires by yourself, this impact wrench is exactly what you need on hand. It’s got enough speed and power to get any project done and will save you an awful lot of time and frustration.

Bottom Line

The DeWalt Impact Wrench will certainly make automotive projects a lot easier for you. Whether it’s a simple task like changing tires or fixing the inner workings of your vehicle, this is the kind of tool that you want to keep in your garage. Plus, you have a lot of battery power to work with so expect this to last through a handful of uses.

Best Impact Wrench For Automotive:
Ingersoll Rand W7150-K2

Ingersoll Rand W7150-K2 Cordless Impact Wrench Kit with W7150 1/2' Impact Wrench, 2 20v Li-ion Batteries, IQV20 Charger and Carry Case, High Torque, Lightweight

PROS

  • Easy to change out sockets
  • Battery lasts you a long time
  • Affordable for a lot of budget shoppers
  • Fast speed. It can tighten and untighten in seconds
  • Super powerful. It has a pretty good amount of torque

CONS

  • Reliability might be an issue at times
  • The battery might be slow to charge initially
  • Some have complained about the trigger stop failing

What Recent Buyers Report

Most of the new buyers were auto mechanics that use this for their auto shops (or occupation). They loved how fast it was able to fasten and unfasten lugnuts. One user said that he was able to change tires in what seemed to be near-record time. Aside from that, they had no complaints about the battery life. 

Why it Stands Out to Us

This impact wrench was built for the auto mechanic. With a lot of torque power, it can do a lot of automotive work. Whether it’s fixing what’s underneath the hood or if you’re simply changing tires, you’ll know exactly what this wrench is capable of doing when you first start using this. While it might not be as compact as some wrenches, it does have some pretty good portability.

Who Will Use This Most

Of course, this will be mostly used by auto mechanics. But if you’re a do-it-yourself kind of users, then this wrench will certainly give make your auto projects much easier. You’ll swear that you might be mechanically inclined. 

Bottom Line

The Ingersoll Rand ½ Impact Torque Wrench is an auto mechanic’s best friend. So if you are one or if you need a tool that will allow you to fix your vehicle or change the tires, this impact wrench will probably be a fixture in your garage for years to come.

Best Cordless Impact Wrench For Changing Tires:
DEWALT 20V MAX XR DCF899P1

DEWALT 20V MAX XR Impact Wrench Kit, Brushless, High Torque, Detent Anvil, 1/2-Inch (DCF899P1)

PROS

  • Compact in size
  • Torque is very powerful
  • Battery life is pretty long
  • Super durable construction
  • It allows for quickly changing tires

CONS

  • Trigger quality may not be the best
  • Anvil assembly may break off over time
  • May have too much torque for some lugnuts

What Recent Buyers Report

A lot of new users were able to quickly change out their tires using this impact wrench. More importantly, the managed to untighten and tighten the lugnuts fairly quickly. One user said it took him nearly 20 minutes to change out his old tires with the new ones. 

Why it Stands Out to Us

This impact wrench has an incredible amount of torque. It’s so powerful that it can work for pretty much any tire changing task. So if you’re switching out tires for a car or even a larger sized truck, there is no other torque wrench that can get the job done better than this one.

Who Will Use This Most

Once again, this is a torque wrench that will mostly benefit auto mechanics and DIY users. Either way, it’s a fast and powerful impact wrench that will save you time and money when you’re changing tires. If you’d rather change the tires yourself, then you’ll want an impact wrench that will last you a long time in both longevity and batter life.

Bottom Line

The DeWalt 20V Max XR Impact Wrench Kit is the only impact wrench that can do tire changing problems without any issues. If you want something tough, reliable, and would be a perfect fit for your garage, this might be a cordless impact wrench worth investing in.

7. Milwaukee 2763-20 M18

Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2- Inch. High Torque Impact Wrench with Friction Ring

PROS

  • Torque is impressive
  • Tightens up bolts well
  • Excellent for many purposes
  • Battery has good longevity
  • Has the potential to last you a few years or more

CONS

  • May not work for undoing tire bolts
  • Torque might be a little too much for some projects
  • Lower settings may not be as powerful as expected

What Recent Buyers Report

A lot of the new buyers were quite happy with the wrench. They report that the clamping and torque power as pretty impressive. The usual tasks for them are related to automotive and home improvement applications. The wrench tightens up good and can untighten bolts fast as well.

Why it Stands Out to Us

This impact wrench is pretty solid in construction. But where it excels is the speed. It can tighten and untighten much faster than some other impact wrenches. Plus, it’s not so heavy in overall weight either. So if you and a wrench to take on the go, this impact wrench might take the cake.

Who Will Use This Most

This will likely be the go-to impact wrench for auto mechanics that mostly fix or replace tires regularly. It can even come in handy for just about any application where a standard wrench just won’t cut the mustard. So if you want a wrench that will be much faster and more powerful, you’d be crazy to pass up on the opportunity to give this a closer look.

Bottom Line

The Milwaukee High Torque Impact Wrench is perhaps one of the fastest impact wrenches on the market. If you want to get any task done lightning quick, this wrench is the one to rely on.

Best Powerful Cordless Impact Wrench:
Craftsman C3 ½” Heavy-Duty

Craftsman C3 ½” Heavy Duty Impact Wrench Kit Powered By 4ah XCP Cordless Tools High Torque

PROS

  • Very durable
  • Excellent price for most budgets
  • Works well for automotive projects
  • Super fast tightening and untightening speed
  • Excellent for tightening and untightening lug nuts

CONS

  • Might be a little weighty
  • LED lights may not be bright enough
  • Battery life might be a little shorter than expected

What Recent Buyers Report

Most of the new buyers were quite satisfied with the impact wrench. They were quick to say that it was super powerful and got a lot of jobs done in a flash. One user said that he uses this for most of his automotive work since he is an auto mechanic by trade. New users were also happy with the portability of the wrench.

Why it Stands Out to Us

This impact wrench is not something to mess around with. It can reach up to 3,000 rpm and will make any automotive project seem effortless. It’s a fast and tough wrench that will do more than just changing tires. It can be useful for changing brake pads and some of the other parts under the hood. 

Who Will Use This Most

This is a professional grade impact wrench that will be best used by auto mechanics. If you want a wrench that will speed up every project without sacrificing quality, then you’ll fall in love with this wrench rather quickly. 

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a whole lot of power, then the Craftsman Heavy Duty Impact Wrench might be your kind of wrench that will get almost any automotive job done. You’ll be shocked by how fast it will work when you initially use this.

Pros and Cons of Cordless Impact Wrenches

If you’re ever wondering what comes with a cordless impact wrench, then you’ll know of what kinds of advantages it has. Of course, it does come with its set of cons as well. We’ll be taking a look at the pros and cons of each cordless impact wrench. Here are the following:

Pros

These are some of the advantages that you’ll expect if you’re using an impact wrench. Knowing what an impact wrench is capable of is important for certain heavy-duty applications. These are some of the common pros you may get to enjoy:

Complete Projects Fast

Most of the impact wrenches have fast RPM power. This makes it useful if you need to tighten or untighten bolts, nuts, lug nuts, and whatever else. You can do it faster than the manual wrenches. A great wrench will come in handy if you want something that will change tires or replace other parts faster than anything else.

Compact and Small

One of the best things about a cordless impact wrench is that you’ll have plenty of ample space. Not to mention, you won’t have to deal with long enough cords that will take up a great deal of room. So if you’re looking for something that will fit perfectly on workbenches or garage storage spaces, don’t be shocked if a cordless impact wrench is one of your best investments.

Super Long Battery Life

A battery is what makes these suckers powerful. Who needs a cord and electricity anyway? Of course, the only time you’ll ever need electricity related to these things is when you’re charging the wrench itself. There won’t be an impact wrench that will lack a long battery life. 

Cons

Yes, even impact wrenches have their disadvantages. These are to be expected. The following are a list of cons that come with the territory of owning a cordless impact wrench:

Some Batteries May Take Long to Charge

Yes, most of the Lithium-Ion batteries are powerful. But sometimes they can be time-consuming when it comes to charging them. You need to be aware of this if you invest in a cordless impact wrench of your own.

Some May Not be Suitable for One Purpose or Another

Indeed, there are impact wrenches that will work for one application but won’t get the job done with another. So you’ll need to find one that will work with automotive projects only if you plan on using one for tire changes or vehicle maintenance. Any tasks outside of that would be hit or miss. 

Conclusion

The best cordless impact wrench is out there. You must find one that will be worth investing your hard-earned money in. Once you find one, you’ll stick with it for as long as possible. Find one that is fast, tough, and reliable enough for you and you’ll never regret using it in the first place.

People Also Ask

The following are a few frequently asked questions that will help you have a better understanding of how these cordless impact wrenches work. Be sure to take note of the answers so it can better help you find the wrench you need.

How Much Torque Do You Need in an Impact Wrench?

The short answer: it depends. It will depend on the project that requires an impact wrench. On average, most impact wrenches have a level of torque between 700 to up to 1200 pounds. The more torque, the better it will work in some heavy-duty applications.

What’s the Difference Between an Impact Driver and an Impact Wrench?

In short, one of them uses screws while the other is used to tighten and untighten nuts and bolts. However, the impact driver is usually a little lighter in weight compared to an impact wrench. 

Will a Cordless Impact Wrench Remove Lug Nuts?

Yes. It will usually depend on the amount of torque and RPM it has. Specifically, it will need to have heavier torque and faster revolution speed to get the job done.