Toolbox Consensus

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Impact driver vs drill: which one do you actually need? It’s one of the most common questions new tool buyers ask, and the honest answer is that they do different jobs. A drill makes holes and drives small to medium screws with a clutch that protects the work. An impact driver adds a hammering action that sinks long screws and lag bolts with less effort. We pulled together what Bob Vila, HGTV, ToolGuyd and Pro Tool Reviews say about the difference, then matched it to five tools the experts have actually tested: two drills and three impact drivers, with every score carried over from our earlier guides.

Quick picks

Award	Tool	Where to buy
Best drill for most people	DeWalt Atomic 20V Max DCD794	Home Depot · Amazon · Ace Hardware · Northern Tool · Rural King
Best drill for heavy work	Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2904-20 (hammer drill)	Home Depot · Amazon · Ace Hardware · Northern Tool · Rural King
Best impact driver overall	Kobalt XTR 24V Max KXID 1424A-03	Lowe’s
Best impact driver for power	Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2953-20	Home Depot · Amazon · Ace Hardware · Northern Tool · Rural King
Best compact impact driver	DeWalt Atomic 20V Max DCF850	Home Depot · Amazon · Ace Hardware · Northern Tool · Rural King

How we built this list

This is an explainer, so the picks are the best-reviewed examples of each tool type rather than a fresh ranking. We started by reading, in full, how Bob Vila, HGTV, ToolGuyd and Pro Tool Reviews explain the difference between the two tools. Then we chose tools whose exact models have independent expert reviews, using the same Consensus Score method as the rest of the site. We don’t run our own lab tests: every result below is credited to the reviewer who measured it.

Impact driver vs drill at a glance

	Drill/driver	Impact driver
How it works	Steady rotation only	Rotation plus rapid hammering strikes when the load gets heavy
Best at	Drilling holes, small and medium screws, anything needing a gentle touch	Long screws, lag bolts, decks, framing, stubborn fasteners
Clutch	Adjustable clutch stops the screw before it strips	No clutch, so it keeps driving through resistance
Bits	Keyless chuck takes round and hex bits	1/4-in. hex collet takes hex-shank bits only
Size and noise	Longer and heavier, quieter, steadier	Shorter and lighter, but louder, with vibration you feel on each strike

The mechanics come from the HGTV, ToolGuyd and Pro Tool Reviews explainers. Pro Tool Reviews’ own comparison puts Milwaukee’s 2953 impact driver at 4.5 in. and 2.2 lb bare against 6.9 in. and 3.3 lb for the 2903 drill, and the loudness figures come from TechGearLab, which measured every impact driver in its test at roughly 92 to 97 dB.

1. DeWalt Atomic 20V Max DCD794 — Best drill for most people

Why reviewers love it: If you buy only one drill, most testers would hand you this one. TechGearLab named it the best drill it has ever tested (88/100), scoring 9.4/10 for drilling and 9.6/10 for driving while weighing just 3.2 lb. Its short head gets into cabinets and between studs, and it has a battery gauge and work light built in. CNN Underscored’s 2026 hands-on test also named it the best drill overall, though its tester had to switch to drill mode to sink 3-inch lag screws, which is exactly where an impact driver earns its keep.

• Speed: 0–450 / 0–1,650 RPM
• Chuck: 1/2 in.
• Weight: 3.2 lb with battery
• Typical price: about $120 tool only; kits with a battery cost more

What to watch for: It isn’t the fastest spinner, and in TechGearLab’s toughest lag-screw test it stalled just short of the finish. A few YouTube owners have posted gearbox problems, though that isn’t a common theme in store reviews. It works with every DeWalt 20V Max battery, and it pairs naturally with pick 5. Northern Tool sells the DCD794D1 kit, which is this same drill with a battery and charger.

2. Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2904-20 — Best drill for heavy work

Why reviewers love it: This hammer drill is the tool the experts keep handing awards to. Popular Mechanics named it Best Overall after about a year of use against nearly a dozen drills, and Outdoor Life also made it Best Overall as the fastest and most powerful drill in its test. Pro Tool Reviews found it the most compact high-performance hammer drill in its nine-drill test, within half a second of the leader in three of four tests. It adds a hammer mode for masonry and AutoStop kickback control to save your wrist if a bit binds.

• Speed: 0–500 / 0–2,100 RPM, up to 33,000 BPM in hammer mode
• Torque: 1,400 in-lb (manufacturer rating)
• Size: 7.0 in. long, 3.2 lb bare (Pro Tool Reviews)
• Typical price: about $229 tool only (Pro Tool Reviews)

What to watch for: In Pro Tool Reviews’ February 2026 head-to-head it lost every test to the DeWalt DCD1007, though only by a fraction of a second. It is more drill than most homeowners need. See our DeWalt vs Milwaukee guide for the full matchup.

3. Kobalt XTR 24V Max KXID 1424A-03 — Best impact driver overall

Why reviewers love it: Lowe’s house brand beat everyone in the lab. TechGearLab gave the Kobalt XTR its top impact driver score (87/100), timing it at about 13 seconds to sink a big lag bolt and measuring 300 ft-lb of both fastening and breaking torque, matching the Milwaukee M18 Fuel. In its endurance test it drove more than twice as many screws per charge as the Milwaukee. Pro Tool Reviews scored it 9.3/10 and called it the fastest under load of the drivers it had tested at the time, and Torque Test Channel’s dyno testing put it at the top of its impact driver rankings.

• Torque: up to 2,400 in-lb (manufacturer rating)
• Speed: up to 3,400 RPM and 4,000 IPM, 3 speed settings
• Length: 139 mm (about 5.5 in.)
• Typical price: TechGearLab listed it at $189; the Lowe’s kit includes a battery, charger and hard case

What to watch for: TechGearLab rated its LED light dim, and it was the loudest 18V/24V driver in their test (96 dB), so wear hearing protection. Like every Kobalt tool it is sold only at Lowe’s, with a smaller tool lineup than DeWalt, Milwaukee or Ryobi. When we checked on October 15, the Lowe’s page showed it as temporarily out of stock, so check availability before you plan around it.

4. Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2953-20 — Best impact driver for power

Why reviewers love it: Pro Tool Reviews put the 2953 up against DeWalt’s flagship DCF860, and the Milwaukee was faster in all three tests (long screws, breaking loose bolts and lag bolts) despite DeWalt’s higher torque rating, while also being shorter and lighter. TechGearLab gave it 85/100 and an Editors’ Choice, measured 300 ft-lb of fastening torque, and rated its three-LED light ring the best in its test. Four drive modes, including one for self-tapping screws, give you more control than most rivals.

• Torque: 2,000 in-lb rated; 300 ft-lb measured by TechGearLab
• Speed: 3 speeds up to 3,900 RPM, plus a self-tapping screw mode
• Size: 4.5 in. long, 2.2 lb bare (Pro Tool Reviews)
• Typical price: about $149 tool only (Pro Tool Reviews)

What to watch for: DIY Gear Reviews and TechGearLab both found runtime only average with a small battery, so pair it with a bigger M18 pack. Even the lowest speed can be too aggressive for small screws in soft materials, which is why you keep a drill for delicate work.

5. DeWalt Atomic 20V Max DCF850 — Best compact impact driver

Why reviewers love it: The DCF850 is under 4 inches long and about 2.1 lb, yet it is rated at 1,825 in-lb of torque. TechGearLab scored it 83/100, and Pro Tool Reviews found it only about half a second slower than DeWalt’s bigger DCF887 on tough driving jobs, a trade they were happy to make for the smaller size. Torque Test Channel’s dyno test found it doesn’t match a full-size M18 Fuel’s power, but called it the driver to beat for packing power into a tiny body. It runs on the same batteries as the DCD794 in pick 1.

• Torque: 1,825 in-lb (manufacturer rating)
• Speed: up to 3,250 RPM and 3,800 IPM, 3 speeds
• Weight: about 2.1 lb tool only
• Typical price: about $149 tool only (Pro Tool Reviews)

What to watch for: Flagship drivers like the Milwaukee 2953 are faster, reviewers found its high top speed can make bits cam out of screw heads unless you push firmly, and DIY Gear Reviews was let down by its runtime.

Impact driver vs drill buying guide

The short version

Both tools drive screws, but they are built for different jobs. HGTV explains that a drill relies on rotation alone, while an impact driver adds a hammering action on top of the rotation, which gives it much more driving power. Bob Vila’s guide says each is geared to a different job, ToolGuyd concludes they complement each other rather than compete, and Pro Tool Reviews notes that pros typically carry both. One surprise from Pro Tool Reviews: its tests show the drill is actually faster in most cases, and the impact driver only pulls ahead on screws that push a drill to its torque limit.

Which should you buy first?

Start with a drill/driver. It is the only one of the two that makes clean holes in wood, metal and drywall, and its clutch protects small screws and soft materials. Pro Tool Reviews gives the same advice: if you are only buying one tool, buy a drill or hammer drill. Add an impact driver once you regularly drive long screws, build decks or fences, or fight stubborn fasteners. Our cordless drill guide and impact driver guide cover more picks for each.

Do you need both?

Most people who work on projects regularly end up wanting both, and a two-tool combo kit is usually the cheapest way to get them because the batteries and charger come bundled. Our drill and impact driver combo kit guide compares the best ones. Pro Tool Reviews recommends a kit if your budget allows, because you can use the two in tandem: drill the pilot hole with the drill, then set the fastener with the impact driver, with no bit swapping.

Where does a hammer drill fit?

A hammer drill, like the Milwaukee 2904-20 above, is a drill with a hammering mode for brick and concrete. That is different from an impact driver, which hammers around the rotation to drive fasteners. Pro Tool Reviews says a hammer drill is usually the better buy even if you only use the hammer mode occasionally, because you can switch it off and use it as a normal drill. Bob Vila adds that hammer drills tend to be the heaviest of the three, and most people don’t use them as an everyday drill, so a regular drill/driver is still plenty if you never drill masonry.

Pick the battery platform first

Batteries only fit one brand and they are the expensive part. If you already own DeWalt, Milwaukee or Kobalt batteries, buy the tool-only version of the other tool from the same brand. The DCD794 and DCF850 share DeWalt 20V Max batteries, and the 2904-20 and 2953-20 share Milwaukee M18 batteries.

Protect your ears and use the right bits

TechGearLab measured every impact driver in its test at roughly 92 to 97 dB, loud enough that hearing protection is a good idea for anything more than a few screws. Impact drivers take only 1/4-in. hex-shank bits, and impact-rated bits hold up best under the hammering.

Frequently asked questions

Is an impact driver better than a drill?

Neither is better; they do different jobs. An impact driver is better at driving long screws and lag bolts, while a drill is better at making holes and handling small screws without stripping them. Most people who build things end up owning both.

Can an impact driver replace a drill?

For driving screws, often yes. For drilling, only partly: impact drivers take hex-shank bits only and have no clutch, so they are a poor fit for large or precise holes and for delicate fasteners. Bob Vila notes you can fit an impact driver with hex-shank drill bits, but drilling that way isn’t as precise as with a drill.

Can I drill holes with an impact driver?

Yes, with hex-shank drill bits. HGTV warns an impact driver can easily break a bit that isn’t built for it, so use bits labeled impact ready. Pro Tool Reviews lists drilling holes in wood or drywall as fine for an impact driver, and says it would be rare for one to drill faster than a drill. For metal, tile, glass, hole saws and other precise work, use a drill.

Should a beginner buy a drill or an impact driver?

A drill/driver. It covers more everyday jobs, and you can add an impact driver later. If you want both from the start, buy a combo kit, which costs less than buying each tool and its batteries separately.

The bottom line

Buy a drill first: the DeWalt Atomic DCD794 is the easy pick for most people, and the Milwaukee 2904-20 is the step up if you drill concrete or do heavy work. Add an impact driver when you start building decks or driving long screws: the Kobalt XTR at Lowe’s has the best lab results, the Milwaukee 2953-20 is the power pick, and the DeWalt Atomic DCF850 is the one for tight spaces. Stay with whichever brand’s batteries you already own.

Sources: Bob Vila (hammer drill vs impact driver vs drill), HGTV, ToolGuyd, Pro Tool Reviews (impact driver vs drill), CNN Underscored, TechGearLab (DCD794), Tools in Action, Consumer Reports (DCD794), Popular Mechanics, Outdoor Life, Pro Tool Reviews (best cordless drills), TechGearLab (Kobalt XTR), Consumer Reports (impact drivers), Pro Tool Reviews (Kobalt XTR), Torque Test Channel (Kobalt XTR), TechGearLab (Milwaukee 2953), Pro Tool Reviews (Milwaukee 2953), DIY Gear Reviews (Milwaukee 2953), Pro Tool Reviews (DeWalt vs Milwaukee impact driver), TechGearLab (impact drivers), Pro Tool Reviews (DeWalt DCF850), DIY Gear Reviews (DeWalt DCF850), Torque Test Channel (DeWalt DCF850), and buyer reviews at Home Depot and Lowe’s. Specs and prices were accurate as of October 2026; check the retailer for current pricing.

Header photo: Louis Hansel on Unsplash.