Drummers of the next five-year plan: TOP-5 impact screwdrivers with a bit chuck

The Total tool is not yet well known among us, but in vain. After all, this manufacturer has a good line of drills and screwdrivers, among which the “impulse” Total TIDLI228181 occupies a prominent place. With a torque of 120 Nm, it confidently turns eight-millimeter wood screws and threaded bolts up to M10. Such characteristics are more than enough to work in a home workshop or garage. With this screwdriver, you can assemble furniture, build fences or perform roofing work.

But for professional use and heavy loads, the Total tool is not suitable. Although it surpasses the average “Chinese” in quality, it is still far from DeWALT and Metabo products. For example, many specimens have a slight runout of the cartridge. It does not interfere with turning fasteners with short bits, but it is very noticeable if you try to use a Total screwdriver as a drill (due to eccentricity, a long drill will simply break the hole). Batteries also do not shine with characteristics. They are discharged faster than we would like (however, there are two batteries in the kit at once, so this drawback is not so critical).

But there are also positive differences from a more expensive tool. For example, the manufacturer did not stint and immediately put a set of bits and sockets into the case. Also pleased with the presence of a battery indicator, which is not always found even in the "cool" brands of power tools.

Considering the frankly low cost (there are not so many good “pulses” that cost less than $100 with batteries), you can safely turn a blind eye to the shortcomings of Total TIDLI228181. If you need a screwdriver not for intensive work, but for relatively simple tasks, then this model will definitely suit you.

Owners of Metabo PowerMaxx SSD 12 impact screwdrivers have 115 Nm of torque at their disposal. Is it a lot or a little? On the one hand, this moment is not enough to unscrew the wheel bolts. On the other hand, there is too much of it to tighten fasteners less than 4x30 mm in size (a screwdriver often just tears off the heads of small self-tapping screws if they are made of not the highest quality metal). Therefore, Metabo PowerMaxx SSD 12 is recommended for use with self-tapping screws up to 8x100 mm in size and metric fasteners with threads up to M12. The tool of this power class is optimally suited for assembly and installation work and the manufacture of structures from wooden boards.

The ergonomics of the screwdriver is made at a high level, traditional for the Metabo tool. It is lightweight (only 1.1 kg) and fits comfortably in the hand. The handle and start button are rubberized so that the fingers do not slip off during operation. The LED located above the battery is quite powerful, well illuminates the work area and shines for another 10 seconds after the button is released. The battery itself has an indicator that allows you to control the remaining charge. In the configuration with a 2 Ah battery, the battery charge is enough to screw up to 100 screws 45 mm long into a wooden board.

The only complaints are the tendency of the tool to overheat (it manifests itself if the screwdriver is “set on fire” by taking on really hard work) and a slight but annoying backlash of the battery, which dangles slightly in its seat.

This screwdriver is slightly short of earning the epithet "professional". But it is quite suitable for a small workshop. As an alternative, you can consider its brushless "brother" Metabo PowerMaxx SSD 12 BL 601115500 Price from 8 153 up to 11 840 ₴ which is slightly more powerful, lighter and more compact (but also slightly more expensive).

The Bosch GDR 10.8-LI screwdriver is very light (weighs less than 1 kg) and ultra-compact (only 137 mm in length). Therefore, with its help it is convenient to climb into the most inaccessible places to tighten screws or bolts, or work in a limited space. It is so small that it fits in the pocket of a work suit.

But, despite the compact size and low weight, quite a lot of power is contained inside the tool. Thanks to a torque of 105 Nm, it easily and quickly turns wood grouse up to 100 mm long and self-tapping screws up to 150 mm, and ordinary screws 6x90 mm are just a toy for him. The manufacturer claims that the screwdriver will “pull” any self-tapping screw with a diameter of up to 8 mm and metric fasteners up to M12 in size - that is, such a small and lightweight device “closes” about three-quarters of the tasks that are performed using impact screwdrivers.

Cordless tools from the "blue" line of Bosch differ from cheaper models in increased operating time on a single battery charge (and "Bosch" batteries usually last longer than those of other manufacturers). For example, a two-amp battery of a Bosch GDR 10.8-LI screwdriver is enough to tighten about 200 self-tapping screws 40 mm long. The remaining charge is conveniently monitored using a clearly visible indicator.

The device implements a shadowless technology for illuminating the working area. The LEDs are arranged in a circle around the spindle, so the light always hits exactly where you screw the fastener. The backlight is so bright that the screwdriver can be used as a flashlight.

Despite the fact that the Bosch GDR 10.8-LI screwdriver cannot handle turning wheel bolts or tightening anchors, its power and torque are enough for most assembly, installation and construction work. But it is worth considering that when the fasteners are serially tightened under maximum load, the tool will begin to overheat already at the fifteenth or twentieth bolt or self-tapping screw, and you will need to pause for several minutes. Therefore, if you need a cordless screwdriver for the most serious applications, it is better to look away Bosch GDR 180-LI Professional 06019G5120 Price from 9 157 up to 11 813 ₴ or other professional models with 18V batteries.

The tangential impact mechanism of the DeWALT DCF815D2 screwdriver allows it to confidently cope with quite complex tasks. Despite the average torque (107 Nm), the tool quite easily twists "capercaillie" up to 100 mm long into wood without pre-drilling, and ordinary self-tapping screws enter the boards like butter.

The screwdriver has a very handy chuck. Firstly, it holds the snap well, and even short bits 25 mm long are fixed securely. Secondly, the mounting hole is spring-loaded from the inside. When the ring is pulled, the bit itself “jumps” out of the cartridge. This design allows you to change the nozzles with one hand and spend no more than a couple of seconds to replace them.

The lighting of the working area is very original. Unlike many other screwdrivers, the DeWALT DCF815D2 has a ring light of three LEDs arranged in a circle around the chuck. Therefore, it shines exactly on the working area, and not nearby, and does not cast shadows at any position of the tool.

The battery sits in its place not quite tightly, there is a slight play between it and the guides. The manufacturer explains this by the fact that such a design allows the battery to instantly "unfasten" in the event of a tool falling to the floor and avoid damage. But users, judging by the reviews, this feature is very annoying. Also dissatisfied is the lack of a clip for attaching the tool to a belt (it is not included in the kit, although there is a special hole for a clip or lace on the screwdriver's body).

DeWALT products enjoy well-deserved respect from professionals and amateurs who make high demands on the quality of the tool. Therefore, the lightweight (only 1 kg), convenient and reliable DeWALT DCF815D2 screwdriver will be appropriate both in the home workshop and in production. But it is worth considering that this model uses 10.8V batteries. If you already have a DeWALT tool with more common 18V batteries, then it is better to buy an appropriate screwdriver in order to save on batteries later.

The Makita DTD153RFE professional screwdriver has a large torque(170 Nm) necessary for working with large bolts and self-tapping screws. It is designed to perform complex assembly and disassembly and construction work that requires considerable effort. Thanks to the large moment and the tangential impact mechanism, the tool confidently tightens large bolts and nuts, easily unscrews fasteners that have become stuck due to corrosion, and driving a long self-tapping screw up to the very head into dense wood is a task for him to spit at once.

The screwdriver is equipped with a modern brushless motor. That is, it is more reliable and adapted to work outdoors and in dusty areas than its "colleagues" with conventional collector motors. In addition, such a motor provides higher energy efficiency (the tool lasts longer on a single battery charge) and overload resistance (which is responsible for the electronic protection module). An additional plus, characteristic of all brushless models of hand-held power tools, is the reduced length (only 126 mm in this case), which allows you to work comfortably in conditions of lack of space for manoeuvre.

In this configuration, the device is sold with two batteries of increased capacity (3 Ah), but you can buy larger batteries for it - up to 5 Ah.

The cost of the Makita DTD153RFE is about one and a half to two times more than the average good impact screwdriver. Such a price is quite justified, given its technical characteristics and high reliability. But for a home workshop, the capabilities of this tool are clearly redundant. And if you are not sure that you will use all the available Newton meters by 100%, then among the Makita screwdrivers you can find simpler and cheaper models.