The next time you have a lot of large screws to drive, don’t waste time with a drill. You need an impact driver.
An impact driver doesn’t just turn screws; it hammers them into place. An average impact driver has at least twice the power of a common drill. Even with all that torque, drivers tend to be smaller and lighter than drills.
Let’s look at these two impact driver kits from DeWalt to see which one will be the best for you.
DEWALT DCF886M2 20V MAX Lithium-Ion Brushless 1/4-Inch Impact Driver Kit
The centerpiece of this review is the DCF886 ¼” impact driver.Both the DCF886M2 and the DCF886D2 kit (described below) contain this award-winning tool. Tools in Action declared it the Best Pro Impact Driver in 2014. They loved the ergonomic design, its power, and compact size. They said it had great runtime due to its brushless motor.
Professionals prefer brushless motors because they are more efficient and have a longer lifetime. They don’t need maintenance like a brushed motor does. A brushless motor gets more runtime out of a battery than a brushed motor does. That’s important on a tool like a cordless impact driver.
Another pro benefit of the DCF886 driver is the quick-release all-metal hex chuck. You can swap bits with one hand. Lock off the motor using the middle position of the forward/reverse switch above the trigger. Pop in the bit, and let the collar lock the bit into place. To remove the bit, pull the collar forward. Since the driver is so powerful, DeWalt recommends using only hex impact bits that are hardened to resist additional force.
The variable-speed trigger makes it easy to control driving a fastener to the correct depth. The top no-load speed is 2800rpm and the top percussion is 3200ipm (impacts per minute).
Above the trigger around the chuck are 3 LED work-lights. They stay lit on a 20-second delay after the trigger is released. Three lights mean no shadows on your working area.
The 20V MAX XR Lithium-Ion batteries that come in this kit have a 4.0Ah capacity, double that of the batteries in the DCF886D2 kit below. They have a built-in fuel gauge so you can see when they’re ready to go, or if they need a refill. The charger has a temperature sensor so it doesn’t try to recharge a battery that’s too hot or too cold. You may already know that you can use a Li-Ion battery in cold weather, but letting one of these batteries get too hot can shorten its lifetime.
It takes less than an hour to refill a battery on the included charger. With two batteries in this kit, you may never get a break!
More features of the DeWalt DCF886M2 kit
- DeWalt offers a 3-year warranty, 1-year free service contract, and 90-day money-back guarantee
- The kit includes the impact driver, two 20V MAX XR 4.0Ah batteries, charger, belt hook, and carrying case
- Driver weighs 3.4lbs with battery and measures 5.55” back to front
DEWALT DCF886D2 20V XR Lithium Ion Brushless 1/4-Inch Impact Driver Kit
The DCF886D2 kit is exactly the same as the DCF886M2 kit described above with the exception of the batteries. This kit has two 20V MAX XR Lithium-Ion batteries with a smaller capacity of 2.0Ah. As a result, their runtime will be shorter than the other kit’s batteries. They weigh a little less and are a little thinner.
The award-winning DCF886 impact driver is the essential part of this kit. You can read its description in the section above. Use it with these two 2.0Ah batteries, or any other 20V MAX XR battery from DeWalt.
More features of the DCF886D2 kit
- DeWalt offers a 3-year warranty, 1-year free service contract, and 90-day money-back guarantee
- The kit includes the impact driver, two 20V MAX XR 2.0Ah batteries, rapid charger, belt hook, and carrying case
- Driver weighs 2.9lbs with battery and measures 5.55” back to front
Recommendation
Since both kits contain the same DCF886 impact driver, the decision is really based on battery capacity.
If you want the longest operating time before having to recharge, get the DCF886M2 kit with the 4.0Ah capacity batteries.
If runtime isn’t as important, get the DCF886D2. You’ll have the advantage of a lighter-weight tool. You can always upgrade to higher-capacity batteries later if you need them.
Click here to purchase DEWALT DCF886M2 on Amazon!
Click here to purchase DEWALT DCF886D2 on Amazon!