Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Power Tools). This thread is read-only.
Hey all, new to the forums and looking to buy my first impact driver. I had been using the trusty DeWalt 18v Drill/Driver for years but a contractor friend told me about how magical impact drivers are. I have researched high and low and still haven’t settled on anything because there are so dang many. 12v 14v 18v 20v, brushed, brushless, high end name brand, low end name brand, etc etc.
I am heaving leaning toward this…
For a casual home user, would Ryobi, or Porter Cable be fine? I feel like $157 for a brushless 1200 inch lb torque, 2 amp hour drill with a hard case and extra battery is a steal.
Dewalt has a 20v max impact and drill/driver on sale for $159 at lowes. I would go with that.
Trying to stay away from NiCad batteries. Thanks though.
All of the Dewalt 20v max tools are lithium batteries.
The Milwaukee M12 fuel is a sweet little impact driver. It’s what I use all the time because it is so light weight.
you will be hard pressed to find a better little impact driver than the M12 fuel kit….
Yeah, I was wondering if the M12 non-fuel was plenty of juice for a DIY’er. It’s only $99 @ HD.
there is nothing wrong with that driver either, will do any task you need to do at home…….and then some I have all 3 the m18 fuel the m12 fuel and the m12 regular none of which disappoint ……
you should definitely hold some in your hands before making a decision. i think that M18 impact drivers are much more comfy than 12V impact drivers (with the exception of Dewalt).
For a CASUAL HOME USER (looking at you DR and comp! :P), Ryobi and PC would be just fine. But if you have the cash to spring for a Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita, Bosch, then go for it. You won’t need the runtime (or slight power increase) of a brushless unit…
i agree now days any new brand will do but the first tool you buy usually dictates future tool purchases brand wise especially in the cordless world…..
Beyond the shear awesomeness of the M12 Fuel Impact is it’s two power settings. If you ask me, you can’t get a better impact kit without nearly doubling the price, and you still might not get any setting options. For a DIYer, it should do the trick and then some.
Power settings are a must in my book for an impact: Low for delicate (and the M12 Fuel CAN do delicate plastics and finer work without destroying it), and high for heavy duty (with two batteries you’ll be capable of getting a lot done).
If you like it, don’t even hesitate. If it feels good in your hand, pull the trigger. In my opinion, though not the most powerful, the M12 Fuel may be the most well designed impact on the market. The sucker’s just powerful and sleek.
Without disagreeing with you, it still must be pointed out that the FUEL is the upper end of a well-loved trade quality tool. Casual DIY-ers should not be given the impression that anything less is a waste of time.
I do agree that the ‘platform’ should be considered, if the user is likely to expand later on. So far we don’t know this to be the case.
Having said that, the FUEL kit is priced reasonably. I’d still recommend an 18V platform over a 12V for most users.
Look what you could get for similar money:
I have that M12 fuel impact driver. It’s awesome. I bought it to replace a DeWalt 20v Max brushless impact driver. I haven’t run across anything where I felt like I was missing anything not having a 18/20v driver.
I think that is great impact driver, and one that I hope to purchase in the future. Having said this, I’m sure that a casual diy’er could do just as well with a Ryobi or even a Rigid. Ryobi has a ton of tools on their battery platform for a great price. Rigid has a lifetime warranty on their products. Not sure if you heard of Jay Bates, he is a DIY guy on YouTube. I noticed he uses the Ryobi Platform. A ton of DIY YouTuber’s use Ryobi. You can take a look at what they have done using those tools and decide if that would be good for you. Good luck buddy
I pulled the trigger on the m12 fuel. Thanks for all the positive feedback guys. I feel like I would have been fine with just about anything name brand but in the grand scheme of things, 160 for a widely loved driver seemed like a no brainer.
Yes I could have bought a combo kit but I’m still very happy with my Dewalt 18v and I didn’t want the hassle of selling one or the other.
Jay congrats on the m12 fuel kit!! U have just opened the door to a line of great tools man.
enjoy!
@jayjr1105 welcome to the forums dude! I’ve got that M12 Fuel impact and it is an awesome tool! Right now I have three M12 tools since reducing the line. I’ve got the rotary tool (awesome) and the M12 Fuel Hackzall and Impact. Incredibly powerful tools, super comfortable and the tool line up is massive. Good move on your part!
Congrats. You are going to enjoy it.jayjr1105 wrote:
I pulled the trigger on the m12 fuel. Thanks for all the positive feedback guys. I feel like I would have been fine with just about anything name brand but in the grand scheme of things, 160 for a widely loved driver seemed like a no brainer.
Yes I could have bought a combo kit but I’m still very happy with my Dewalt 18v and I didn’t want the hassle of selling one or the other.
I just finished using mine. My A/C unit went down last night. Condenser motor locked up. I managed to use 3 of my M12 tools to fix it.
Impact to disassemble and reassemble the unit.
Hackzall to cut the motor shaft off flush with the fan hub.
Rotary tool to trim the motor bolts off to the right length.
Now I get another reason I need to buy the next tool. Saved a $300-$400 service call today.
Also remember to pair the impact with good bits. The best Phillips bits I have used are the Bosch ribbed tip.
Im still looking for the right square bits. The m12 impact will shear the tips off of the DeWalt flextorq bits when screwing down hardie board.
C Harris wrote:
Congrats. You are going to enjoy it.
I just finished using mine. My A/C unit went down last night. Condenser motor locked up. I managed to use 3 of my M12 tools to fix it.
Impact to disassemble and reassemble the unit.
Hackzall to cut the motor shaft off flush with the fan hub.
Rotary tool to trim the motor bolts off to the right length.
Now I get another reason I need to buy the next tool. Saved a $300-$400 service call today.
Sounds like your next tools should be a hub puller and some penetrating oil.
I have the M12 Fuel and M18 Fuel impact drivers. For it’s cost and size, the M12 is a fantastic tool. That said, there’s not much difference in sizes for impact drivers so you really have to look at systems as a whole. Now that M12 has a circ saw I really think it is the ultimate homeowner system.
RickyMcGrath wrote:
Sounds like your next tools should be a hub puller and some penetrating oil.
LOL. I like the way you think. I’ll have to add a hub puller to the collection. I would loved to have one today. Still cleaning up wd40. Probably should pick up some PB blaster just in case.
So my M12 arrived today. A couple questions for you guys… Are you supposed to charge the batteries extra long (8-12 hours) the very first time you charge them like some other batteries require? The first battery I threw on the charger went green (charged) in about 10 minutes.
Another question is drilling capability. Is this a tool that should only be used for drilling if you’re in a bind? Or is it okay to drill some with it on a regular basis.
Oh and one last question. How is battery shelf life on Li-Ion vs a Ni-Cad? Can a full battery sit on the bench for 2 weeks and still have 90% of its juice still?
Edit: Another quick thing. How often does Milwaukee change the battery design? Seems everyone changes to a new model sooner or later. I like when product lines last a long time so batteries and parts are easily obtainable.
No need to do an initial long charge on a lithium battery. Nimh batteries are the ones that benefit from forming. (Forming = Slow charging and cycling.)jayjr1105 wrote:
So my M12 arrived today. A couple questions for you guys… Are you supposed to charge the batteries extra long (8-12 hours) the very first time you charge them like some other batteries require? The first battery I threw on the charger went green (charged) in about 10 minutes.
Another question is drilling capability. Is this a tool that should only be used for drilling if you’re in a bind? Or is it okay to drill some with it on a regular basis.
Oh and one last question. How is battery shelf life on Li-Ion vs a Ni-Cad? Can a full battery sit on the bench for 2 weeks and still have 90% of its juice still?
Edit: Another quick thing. How often does Milwaukee change the battery design? Seems everyone changes to a new model sooner or later. I like when product lines last a long time so batteries and parts are easily obtainable.
Just charge it up till the charger turns green and go to work. Lithium batteries also have a very low self discharge rate. They will stay fully charged for an extremely long time. (It can sit for months and be ready to go.). If you are used to nickel batteries you are going to love the new lithium batteries. (My other hobby is RC airplanes. I build a lot of my own lithium batteries for the airplanes.)
It’s fine to drill with it. Just be aware some drill bits are not rated for impact use. Many of the manufacturers are making impact rated bits now. Also it’s a good idea to wear glasses in case you break a bit.
Wow what a great tool the m12 fuel is. The #1 and #2 torque setting is worth every penny! I was having some buyers remorse seeing all the drill driver combos for $130 and wondering if I should have just went that route not being a professional and all. Super glad I got the fuel. The low power setting was perfect for the screw terminals on electrical receptacles, plus screwing them into the box. I think I will sell my nicad dewalt drill and replace with an m12 soon too. Maybe the hackzall next. ☺
jayjr1105 wrote:
Wow what a great tool the m12 fuel is. The #1 and #2 torque setting is worth every penny! I was having some buyers remorse seeing all the drill driver combos for $130 and wondering if I should have just went that route not being a professional and all. Super glad I got the fuel. The low power setting was perfect for the screw terminals on electrical receptacles, plus screwing them into the box. I think I will sell my nicad dewalt drill and replace with an m12 soon too. Maybe the hackzall next. ☺
Lol! That’s how it started with me. Except I got the M12 fuel screwdriver first. The drill and hackzall are awesome.
Do you guys think I could replace my Dewalt 18v NiCad drill and a Dewalt Hammer Drill (A/C) with this?…
I might as well start thinking about converting all my tools to m12. I have a brick house and an A/C hammer drill might be worth keeping.
Side question… Is there a buy-sell-trade marketplace for tools on this forum?
Yea, the M12 fuel hammer drill should handle anything you throw at it. We do have a buy sell trade area but you have to have a certain number of posts before you can see/use it.
This is my current hammer drill… http://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-1-2-in-VSR-Hammer-Drill-DW511/100037000?N=5yc1vZc2c6Z4j2
I can’t imagine the M12 getting anywhere close to that power.
If you are drilling small holes for anchors/ tap cons, yes it does surprising well. I have a brick house built in the 50’s. I always reach for the M12 fuel when hanging pictures etc. It does great drilling into plaster.jayjr1105 wrote:
Do you guys think I could replace my Dewalt 18v NiCad drill and a Dewalt Hammer Drill (A/C) with this?…
I might as well start thinking about converting all my tools to m12. I have a brick house and an A/C hammer drill might be worth keeping.
Side question… Is there a buy-sell-trade marketplace for tools on this forum?
I opted for an M18 fuel sds rotary hammer and the 2404 for lighter stuff.
jayjr1105 wrote:
This is my current hammer drill… http://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-1-2-in-VSR-Hammer-Drill-DW511/100037000?N=5yc1vZc2c6Z4j2
I can’t imagine the M12 getting anywhere close to that power.
I would say that corded drill should be faster. If you are doing much drilling in masonry you really should try out a sds rotary hammer. They are awesome.
I’ve got the 2404 on my radar as well. What do you guys think I could get for my 2 year old Dewalt Kit (see below).
This is it I think Amazon
But mine has a hard case.
i like the bostitch impact and drill combo. The only down fall is you cant build on the battery platform which is why i am shopping a new platform. make sure you pick something that you can build on in the future if you want.
Agreed if you’re not doing wild home building I’d get the m12 probably my favorite and go to impact right now even as semi professional.DR99 wrote:
The Milwaukee M12 fuel is a sweet little impact driver. It’s what I use all the time because it is so light weight.
It’s also a huge line so if you want expand later down the road you have tons of options.
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Good decision, you can’t go wrong with FUEL. That driver is great at drilling as well. You made a good decision going with the M12 lineup, it’s the only 12v lineup in my opinion that’s worthy to be called a “lineup”.
I’ll have to agree with that, now that it has a saw it is a well rounded line, and the only one in my opinion that doesn’t feel like sort of an afterthought to the 18v.