Best cordless impact driver vs drill driver: which one do you actually need?
Walk into any hardware store and you will find a wall of cordless drills and a smaller shelf of impact drivers that look almost the same. They are not the same tool. Buy the wrong one and you will either strip screws all day or wonder why your "drill" will not take a normal drill bit. This guide explains the difference, which voltage to choose, why brushless matters, and which battery platform to buy into, using the tools we stock at Power Tool Services in Cape Town. Prices are from our store on the day of writing and everything ships nationwide, free over R2,000.
Browse the full ranges here: cordless drills, cordless impact drivers and cordless impact wrenches.
Drill driver, impact driver, impact wrench: the three-minute version
- A drill driver has a three-jaw keyless chuck (13 mm on the 18 V tools here) that grips round or hex shanks. It has a clutch with numbered torque settings and two gears. Most also have a hammer mode for masonry, in which case it is sold as a combi, hammer drill or impact drill. It drills holes and drives screws with controlled torque.
- An impact driver has a 6.35 mm (1/4 inch) hex collet and no clutch. When the fastener gets hard to turn, an internal hammer strikes the anvil thousands of times a minute, delivering far more torque in a shorter, lighter body. It drives long screws, coach screws and bolts without twisting your wrist, but it cannot drill with round-shank bits and it is loud.
- An impact wrench is an impact driver with a 1/2 inch (or 3/8 or 3/4 inch) square drive for sockets, built for wheel nuts, structural bolts and anything over M12. Torque starts around 300 Nm and climbs past 1,000 Nm.
The short rule: if you only buy one tool, buy a drill driver. If you fix decks, build roof structures, fit kitchens or run cable tray, add an impact driver and you will never drive a 100 mm screw with a drill again.
Why the numbers look strange
An 18 V drill driver like the Bosch GSB 18V-65 is rated at 65 Nm of hard torque. An 18 V impact driver like the Bosch GDR 18V-215 is rated at 215 Nm. The impact driver is smaller and lighter. The reason is the hammer mechanism: it converts motor speed into short bursts of rotational force, so the body does not need big gears and your wrist does not take the reaction. The price is noise and a less controllable start, which is why a drill with a clutch is still better for small screws into hardwood and for anything with a torque spec.
12 V or 18 V?
18 V is the standard platform for trade use in South Africa and the one with the widest range of tools on the same battery. 12 V tools are smaller, lighter and cheaper, and modern 12 V brushless impact drivers are far from toys. The DeWalt DCF801N 12V Max impact driver (from R1,599, bare) delivers 163 Nm in a 125 mm body, handles up to M10 bolts and has a three-mode switch with Precision Drive for delicate fasteners. For electricians, shopfitters, cabinet installers and anyone working overhead, 12 V is often the better choice.
Choose 18 V if you also want a saw, grinder or SDS drill on the same battery, or if you drive coach screws and 150 mm structural fasteners regularly.
Brushed or brushless?
A brushless motor has no carbon brushes to wear out, runs cooler, and gives more work per charge. On impact drivers it also enables electronic modes that limit speed for self-drilling screws or stop the tool when a bolt seats. Nearly every tool worth buying is now brushless; brushed only makes sense for a cheap second drill for the bakkie. Makita's own lineup shows the gap: the brushed DTD152Z and the brushless DTD153ZJ cost a few hundred rand apart, and the brushless tool is smaller, faster and comes in a Makpac case.
Which battery platform?
You are buying a battery system for the next ten years, not a tool. All four major platforms are good; pick on the tools you will add later.
- Makita 18V LXT has the deepest catalogue of any platform, from drills to garden tools, and the 40V XGT line above it for heavy work. See Makita 18V LXT.
- DeWalt 18V XR covers everything a builder needs, with FlexVolt 54 V batteries that also run 18 V tools and PowerStack compact packs. See DeWalt 18V XR.
- Bosch Professional 18V is the value leader on bare tools and shares the AmpShare battery standard with other brands. See Bosch Cordless.
- Metabo 18V uses the CAS system shared with Mafell and others, and makes some of the strongest impact wrenches on the market. See Metabo.
HiKOKI 18 V and 36 V MultiVolt tools are also in stock.
The impact drivers we recommend
Makita DTD153ZJ
The Makita DTD153ZJ (from R2,449, bare in Makpac) is the brushless workhorse of the LXT range. It is rated at 175 Nm, spins to 3,400 rpm with 3,600 impacts per minute, and measures just 126 mm long with an aluminium hammer case. It handles M5 to M16 standard bolts and coarse-thread screws from 22 to 125 mm. If you already own Makita batteries, this is the default answer.
DeWalt DCF870NT hydraulic impact driver
The DeWalt DCF870NT (from R2,599, bare in TSTAK) replaces the metal hammer with an oil-pulse mechanism. The result is a tool that is far quieter and has much lower vibration than a conventional impact driver, in a 100 mm body with a three-mode switch and a nine-LED ring light. The trade-off is a lower torque rating of 56 Nm, which is still plenty for decking and cabinet screws. For installers who work in occupied houses, offices and shops, this is the tool customers thank you for.
Bosch GDR 18V-215
The Bosch GDR 18V-215 (from R1,322, bare) is the strongest value in this guide. It is rated at 215 Nm, 3,300 rpm and 3,800 impacts per minute, weighs 1 kg without battery and is 121 mm long. Two Auto Driving Modes sense the material and back off the speed to reduce cam-out and overdriving. It is sold in a carton without a case.
DeWalt DCF801N 12V Max
Already covered above: 163 Nm, 125 mm long, three speeds and Precision Drive. The best small impact driver we sell for finish and fit-out work, and the batteries are compatible with DeWalt's older 10.8 V tools.
The drill drivers to pair with them
Bosch GSB 18V-65
The Bosch GSB 18V-65 (from R1,759, bare with case) is a compact brushless combi drill with a 13 mm keyless chuck, 65 Nm hard torque, 20 clutch settings, two gears to 2,100 rpm and a hammer mode at up to 27,000 blows per minute for masonry. It has switchable KickBack Control that cuts the motor if the bit jams and the drill tries to twist out of your hand. It weighs 1.12 kg. Together with the GDR 18V-215 it makes a brushless drill-and-driver pair for under R3,100 before batteries.
DeWalt DCD805P2T
The DeWalt DCD805P2T kit (from R3,999) is the way to start a DeWalt system: a brushless 18V XR hammer drill with 90 Nm hard torque, a 13 mm chuck, 15 clutch positions, two-speed all-metal gearbox to 2,000 rpm, and 55 mm wood, 13 mm steel and 13 mm masonry capacities, supplied with two 5.0 Ah batteries, a charger and a TSTAK case. Add the DCF870 or DCF801 later and you are set.
Comparison table
| Tool | Type | Voltage | Max torque | Length | Weight (no battery) | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosch GDR 18V-215 | Impact driver | 18 V | 215 Nm | 121 mm | 1.0 kg | R1,322 |
| DeWalt DCF801N | Impact driver | 12 V | 163 Nm | 125 mm | not stated | R1,599 |
| Makita DTD153ZJ | Impact driver | 18 V | 175 Nm | 126 mm | not stated | R2,449 |
| DeWalt DCF870NT | Hydraulic impact driver | 18 V | 56 Nm | 100 mm | 1.0 kg | R2,599 |
| Bosch GSB 18V-65 | Combi drill driver | 18 V | 65 Nm hard | 175 mm head | 1.12 kg | R1,759 |
| DeWalt DCD805P2T | Combi drill driver kit | 18 V | 90 Nm hard | not stated | 1.34 kg | R3,999 |
Torque figures are the manufacturers' ratings as listed on our product pages and are not directly comparable between impact and clutch tools. Bare tools exclude batteries and charger. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
Our pick for...
- First cordless tool, any trade: Bosch GSB 18V-65 or the DeWalt DCD805P2T kit. A combi drill does 90 percent of jobs.
- Decking, roofing and framing: Makita DTD153ZJ or Bosch GDR 18V-215. Both have the torque for 150 mm screws and M16 bolts.
- Working in finished homes and offices: DeWalt DCF870NT. Quiet, low vibration, and short enough to fit between joists.
- Electricians, cabinet installers and overhead work: DeWalt DCF801N 12V Max.
- Best value drill-and-driver pair: Bosch GSB 18V-65 plus GDR 18V-215, under R3,100 for both bare tools.
- Wheel nuts and structural bolts: skip the impact driver and buy an impact wrench; DeWalt, Makita, Bosch, Metabo and HiKOKI 1/2 inch models are all in stock.
Frequently asked questions
Can an impact driver drill holes?
Only with hex-shank bits. Small hex-shank twist bits and hex-shank spade bits work fine, and impact-rated hole saw arbors exist. For precise holes in steel, masonry or large holes in timber, use a drill driver. The impact action hammers the bit and will wander.
Can I use a drill driver to drive screws?
Yes, and for anything under about 60 mm it is the better tool because the clutch stops the screw at the depth you set. The impact driver earns its place on long screws, coach screws and bolts, and on repetitive work where the lighter body saves your wrist.
What is the difference between an impact driver and an impact wrench?
The drive. An impact driver takes 6.35 mm hex bits; an impact wrench takes sockets on a square drive and has much more torque. A 2-in-1 tool such as the Bosch GDX 18V-285 has both a 1/2 inch square and a 1/4 inch hex in one holder, which suits mechanics and fencing contractors.
Do impact drivers damage screws?
They can strip heads if the bit is worn or the wrong size, and they will snap small screws in hardwood if you hold the trigger too long. Use impact-rated bits, choose a lower mode for small fasteners, and feather the trigger.
Do you repair cordless drills and impact drivers?
Yes. We are an authorised dealer for Bosch, DeWalt, Makita, Festool, Metabo and HiKOKI and we repair tools in our own workshop in Cape Town. Customers outside the Western Cape courier tools to us.
