BEST WARRANTY
METABO HPT 18VPrice: $129 Power: 18 volts
Motor: Brushless RPM: 3,100
IPM: 3,400 To r q u e : 1,522 in.-lb.This model from Metabo HPT (for-
merly Hitachi) is part of the company’s
new line of black tools. All that means
is that, while built with the same qual-
ity and warranty as the higher-end green
tools, the black versions lack some of
the advanced features, bringing the
cost down. While it’s nice to have multi-
ple driving speeds and modes, the 18V is
proof that you don’t need them for the
majority of projects you’ll encounter.
It’s a basic impact driver with the same
torque as its green counterpart, and it
drove all the fasteners in our test well
while also being able to remove the bolts
torqued up to 40 foot-pounds. Metabo
HPT’s 18V is a very capable tool, with
one of the best warranties available:
lifetime on the driver, two years on the
battery, and one year on the charger.BEST VALUE
BLACK & DECKER 20V MAXPrice: $60 Power: 20 volts
Motor: Brushed RPM: 3,000
IPM: N/A To r q u e : 1,375 in.-lb.Black & Decker’s Max is a tool for
budget-conscious people with an occa-
sional need for a driver. Don’t expect it to
come with advanced features or a (supe-
rior) brushless motor, but do count on
it to be good enough for most jobs. We
used it to drive the cabinet screws, long
deck screws, and lag bolts into our pres-
sure-treated lumber. The Max struggled
a bit initially with the lag bolts, though it
managed in the end. We also used it to
remove bolts, torqued at 20, 30, and 40
foot-pounds—the 40 caused a moment’s
hesitation in the Max before the impact
driver worked it free. The bottom line: If
you sometimes need an impact driver, this
one will most likely suit you without break-
ing the bank. And Black & Decker throws
in a pretty good warranty (two-year lim-
ited), hard to beat at this price point.MOST VERSATILE
BOSCH 12-VOLT MAX EC
Price: $149 Power: 12 volts
Motor: Brushless RPM: 2,600
IPM: 3,100 To r q u e : 975 in.-lb.
We’ve found 12-volt, compact impact
drivers to be super handy and useful.
Bosch’s is no exception, as it’s become
our go-to tool for random tasks that
need doing. A low-speed, low-torque
setting takes the worry out of small, del-
icate jobs, where overdriving a fastener
can be a problem. In our testing, the Max
completed everything, including driv-
ing the lag bolts without pilot holes. It
did drive slower and work harder than
a larger driver, though it got the job
done. And to be fair, Bosch claims this
is designed to cover 85 percent of the
types of driving needs on even profes-
sional jobsites. So building a deck with it
isn’t ideal. But hanging cabinets, install-
ing drawer slides, assembling furniture
and electrical boxes, and anything in a
confined space or overhead? Fair game.
78 May/June 2020
Tools
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