Cordless Impact Wrenches for Lug Nuts and Big Bolts
Last reviewed October 31, 2026. Prices were listed by the retailer as of Oct 30, 2026 and can change. Confirm the current price and availability on the retailer's page before you buy.
The most common wrong turn is shopping by price or by the biggest number on the page. A tool that looks like a bargain may be a bare tool with no battery, and a tool with a huge torque figure may have a drive size far larger than your work needs.
Start with drive size, because it decides which sockets fit and roughly what class of job the tool is built for. The picks here cover 3/8 inch, 1/2 inch and 1 inch drives. Next comes max torque, the twisting force the tool can deliver, usually listed in foot-pounds. A higher figure means the listing claims more force for breaking loose tight fasteners, but only some listings state it, and the number alone does not tell you how a tool behaves in your hands. Among the picks, the Ridgid kit lists 250 ft-lbs, the DeWalt lists 700 ft-lbs, and the Makita lists 2,950 ft-lbs. The Ryobi listing does not state a torque figure at all.
Then look at the battery platform, which is the family of batteries a brand's tools share. If you already own batteries from one platform, a bare tool in that family can save money. If you own none, a kit matters more. In this catalog, 89 listings are kits, 43 are bare tools and 4 do not say. Only about 30 percent of listings state kit contents, so read the box details closely. Brushless motors, listed on 93 percent of models, are a motor design that avoids carbon brushes; whether a listing states it is worth noting, but it is not a promise of better results.
Our picks from the catalog
These picks come from what the listings state: prices, specifications and kit contents. Each says which listed facts it is based on.
DeWalt 20V MAX XR Cordless Brushless 1/2 in. High Torque Impact Wrench with Detent Pin Anvil and (1) 20V 4.0Ah Battery
$349.00 · Kit · Voltage: 20 V · Brushless motor: Yes (stated in the listing) · Battery platform: 20V MAX · Size / capacity: 1/2 in. · Battery capacity: 4 Ah
The DeWalt DCF899M1 is picked on value because it lists the most specifications and kit items for its price, $349.00, which sits within the middle half of prices in this group. It is a 1/2 inch drive with a stated 700 ft-lbs, 20 V, a 4 Ah battery, and the listing states one battery and a charger. Keep in mind it weighs 7.2 lb as listed, which is worth weighing for overhead work.
Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 3/8 in. Impact Wrench with ONE+ 18V 4.0 Ah Lithium Battery
$212.99 · Kit · Voltage: 18 V · Battery platform: ONE+ 18V · Size / capacity: 3/8 in. · Battery capacity: 4 Ah
The Ryobi PCL250BPBP004 is the lowest-priced model at $212.99 among the 136 whose listings state at least two specifications. It is a 3/8 inch drive on the ONE+ 18V platform with a 4 Ah battery, sold as a kit.
Makita 40V max XGT Brushless Cordless 4-Speed High-Torque 1 in. Sq. Drive Short Anvil Impact Wrench w/ Friction Ring, Tool Only
$1,049 to $1,469 · · Voltage: 40 V · Brushless motor: Yes (stated in the listing) · Battery platform: XGT 40V · Size / capacity: 1 in. · Battery capacity: 5 Ah
The Makita GWT09Z is chosen for heavy use because it has the highest listed max torque in this group, 2,950 ft-lbs, with a 1 inch square drive on the XGT 40V platform. It is priced from $1,049 to $1,469. Keep in mind that it is a bare tool: the listing states tool only, so you would need a compatible battery and charger separately.
Ridgid "18V NUKE SubCompact Brushless Cordless 3/8"" & 1/2"" Impact Wrenches w/ 18V (3) Batteries & Charger Starter Kit"
$328.00 · Kit · Voltage: 18 V · Brushless motor: Yes (stated in the listing) · Battery platform: 18V · Size / capacity: 3/8 in. · Battery capacity: 6 Ah
The Ridgid IW0151R9302460 earns the kit pick because its listing states the most complete contents: three batteries and a charger, at $328.00. It is an 18 V brushless set listing two impact wrenches, 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch, with 6 Ah batteries and 250 ft-lbs stated for the 3/8 inch size. Keep in mind that the torque figure shown is the lower of the sizes, so check the listing for the 1/2 inch specification.
How to choose
Drive size
Drive size is the square end that holds the socket. A 3/8 inch drive suits lighter fasteners and tight spaces, 1/2 inch is the common size for lug nuts and many automotive bolts, and 1 inch is a heavy-duty size for very large fasteners. Match the drive to the sockets you own or plan to buy, since adapters add another variable.
Max torque
Max torque is the maximum twisting force a listing states, usually in foot-pounds. Higher numbers suggest the tool is aimed at tougher fasteners, but they are listed figures and not a measure of how any one tool performs for you. Compare torque only within the same drive size, and notice when a listing leaves the figure out entirely.
Battery platform
A battery platform is a brand's family of interchangeable batteries and chargers. In this catalog the largest groups are M18 with 58 models, M12 with 30, XGT 40V with 10 and LXT 18V with 10. If you already own batteries, buying into the same platform can avoid duplicate cost. If you are starting fresh, the platform is a longer-term commitment.
Kit contents versus bare tool
A kit usually bundles the tool with at least one battery and often a charger, while a bare tool is the tool only. Check the in-the-box line rather than assuming. Some listings do not state contents at all, so absence of detail is not the same as inclusion. Total cost of getting working matters more than the headline price.
Voltage and battery capacity
Voltage describes the battery system, such as 18 V, 20 V or 40 V, while amp-hours describe how much charge the battery holds. The picks list batteries from 4 Ah to 6 Ah. Capacity is a stated size, not a promise of runtime, so use it to compare batteries on paper, not to predict how long a job will last.
Skip it if...
- Skip a bare tool if you do not already own batteries and a charger on the same platform, since the listing states tool only.
- Skip the 1 inch drive Makita if your work is lug nuts and ordinary suspension bolts, because the price starts at $1,049 and the size is aimed at heavier fasteners.
- Skip the Ryobi if you need a stated torque figure to compare against your fasteners, since its listing does not give one.
- Skip any listing that does not state kit contents until you have confirmed what comes in the box, as only about 30 percent of listings state them.
- Skip chasing the highest torque number alone, because a listed figure is not a promise of how a tool will behave on your specific job.
Buying checklist
- Confirm the drive size matches your sockets.
- Check whether a max torque figure is stated.
- Identify the battery platform you already own, if any.
- Read the in-the-box line for battery and charger.
- Note whether the listing says tool only or kit.
- Compare battery capacity in Ah within the same platform.
- Check the listed weight for overhead or long jobs.
- Add the cost of missing batteries to a bare tool price.
Frequently asked questions
How many cordless impact wrenches are listed here?
The catalog lists 136 cordless impact wrench models, all of them cordless. Most are from Milwaukee with 88 models, followed by Makita with 20, Hilti and Ryobi with 9 each, and DeWalt and Ridgid with 5 each.
What does a kit versus a bare tool mean?
A kit bundles the tool with extras, typically a battery and often a charger, while a bare tool is the tool only. In this catalog, 89 listings are kits, 43 are bare tools and 4 do not state. Always check the in-the-box line, since only about 30 percent of listings state kit contents.
What is a battery platform?
A battery platform is a brand's family of batteries and chargers that work across its tools. The biggest groups here are M18 with 58 models, M12 with 30, XGT 40V with 10 and LXT 18V with 10. Owning batteries on one platform can let you buy bare tools in that family.
What does max torque mean?
Max torque is the maximum twisting force a listing states, usually in foot-pounds. Among these picks, the Ridgid lists 250 ft-lbs, the DeWalt 700 ft-lbs and the Makita 2,950 ft-lbs. The Ryobi listing does not state one. Compare it only alongside drive size and the rest of the listed details.
Are brushless motors common in this group?
Yes. About 93 percent of the listed models are brushless. A brushless motor is a design without carbon brushes. Three of the four picks state brushless in the listing, while the Ryobi listing does not. It is a listed feature, not a promise of better performance for any particular tool.