Bosch Socket Ready Impact Driver Review

It’s no secret that tools are expensive. When making such large investments, it’s important to combine and save where you can. Tool manufacturers have combined tools in the past, some with great success, others not as much. Impact Drivers have a huge place in a tool arsenal, as do Impact Wrenches. Often times you’ll find both in a garage. What if you could combine them, without losing stability and power? Well, Bosch did just that in their newest model, the GDX18V-1600N. Let’s take a look at this in the Bosch Socket Ready Impact Driver Review and see if it stacks up to their individual counterparts.

Bosch Socket Ready Impact Driver Review Overview

There are tons of adapters on the market made to do just what Bosch aims to do with this tool. But, my experience has been pretty sour. A, generally they don’t work all that well, giving some shake to the socket. B, you certainly can’t get the full use of torque from the driver. I know some people who love to use their drivers this way, I just have never had much luck with it myself.

Now, Bosch decided to make their latest Impact Driver socket ready, meaning no adaptors to hassle with and no loss of power to use them. Bosch has blown my mind these last few months, they’ve launched a slew of new and innovative tools, like their Cordless Palm Router, or Cordless Planer. They’ve also continued to improve upon their staples too, like their new Core Batteries and tools like grinders.

Bosch Socket Ready Impact Driver Review Features

The Bosch Socket Ready Impact Driver is cordless and weighs in at 2.4 pounds without a battery and runs on Bosch’s 18V battery line.

With 1600 In. Lbs of torque and no-load speeds of 2600 RPM and 3600 BPM this impact driver packs quite a powerful punch using a hammer and anvil system.

The driver features a unique head, allowing for both 1/4 inch hex shank bits or 1/2 in. square impact sockets.

The variable speed trigger allows for customization of speed by the user and works in both forward and reverse. The impact has three modes, reverse, lock, and forward controlled easily by the push button on the tool.

The electronic cell and motor protection protect the tool from overheating.

Bosch includes an LED light for maximum workplace visibility.

The included belt clip can be mounted on the left or right of the tool. The included dual-ended bit is always a nice touch for quick and simple jobs.

Bosch Socket Ready Impact Driver Review Performance

The driver side of this tool works great, the simple chuck grabs the bit securely and performs well. I did have to lubricate the chuck slightly after the first few uses as the bits seemed to be a bit snug but it was not a problem once greased. I use drivers a lot, and this one certainly has its place in my shop. There is more than enough power in this driver for virtually anything you throw at it.

I used the socket side of this even more lately. My first test was on my truck. When I purchased the truck, quite a few lug nuts were stripped, and naturally, I discovered this when I ran over a nail about two weeks into owning it. I gotta say, it’s pretty hard to change a tire with partially stripped lugs with nothing more than the manufacturer provided lug wrench. I put off switching these lugs out because despite the frustration I felt that day, life got in the way. The perfect first test was replacing the lugs and wheel locks on the truck, and that was a breeze with this tool.

I ended up also using this tool a lot on my old John Deere as well. If you follow us on Instagram, you’ve seen me talk about that a bit. It’s still a work in progress, as it seems each time one thing gets fixed, something else goes kaput. This Socket Ready Impact Driver saved me so much time and energy. Replacing pulleys, blades and some of the base assembly was a breeze even on rusted bolts. Ultimately, you can find a stronger impact wrench separately. But, for the vast majority of users, this driver is more than sufficient.

Bosch Socket Ready Impact Driver Review Value

The Bosch Socket Ready Impact Driver is available on Amazon for $120 dollars for a bare tool. To me, this is an incredibly fair price point, and I think most people will agree. As of now, Bosch is the only maker of a socket ready impact driver.

This is a great value for a new homeowner looking to purchase both tools, and professionals will love it for the space savings and solid power. If you are into Bosch’s 18V line, the value is even better. Adding in a battery and charger will add some cost to the mix, but Bosch makes a lot of 18v tools that are worth investing in too.

Bosch Socket Ready Impact Driver Review Final Thoughts 

All said and done, this is a great tool. In the time I’ve owned it, I’ve used it much more than I thought possible. It’s been consistent and dependable. Bosch priced this tool well, especially given they are the only manufacturer using this combination design as of now. I love the combination of the tools uses, allowing fewer trips to the toolbox. Less hassle and solid performance, I couldn’t ask for anything more.