Do I need an Impact Driver or an Impact Wrench?

While they can perform similar tasks and look alike in shape, each tool has advantages depending on the job.

An Impact Driver is a lightweight tool designed for driving screws and fasteners quickly. It is commonly used for decking screws, landscaping batten screws, and roofing Tek screws. Impact drivers typically produce between 180 Nm and 300 Nm of torque and feature a ¼-inch internal hex chuck, which accepts a wide variety of driver bits.

An Impact Wrench is generally heavier than an impact driver but delivers significantly more torque. This makes it better suited for fast and powerful fastening and loosening of nuts and bolts. Impact wrenches are commonly used for removing wheel nuts from car tyres and securing large construction bolts to anchor frameworks, poles, and other structures. They usually produce between 300 Nm and 2000 Nm of breakaway torque and have a square anvil that accepts impact-rated sockets. With an adaptor, they can also accept ¼-inch hex bits.

Important Note: Due to the high torque output, using an impact wrench on standard screws is not recommended. It can easily snap or strip screws, damage the workpiece, and create a safety hazard. Always choose the correct tool for the task.