Power tool comparison
Determine the right cordless and air tools for your shop based on function, features and size.
Power tools are the workhorses of
any shop. Whether you are looking
to upgrade an existing tool, or try
something new, it pays to research and
compare the latest models available. We’ve
compiled a guide of some of the newest and
most popular power tools to help you in this
pursuit. The criteria in this guide include
torque requirements, available space, tool
category and battery size. See the specs
side-by-side, and consider which model will
best stand up to frequent, repeated use and
certain vehicle-specific tasks.
For the 2018 guide, we focused on the cordless
and air tool configurations most commonly
used in automotive repair — impact wrenches
and ratchets — in the most common voltages
and drive sizes. Each cordless tool is broken
out by voltage to illustrate like-comparisons.
Cordless impact wrenches are categorized by
www.AIRCAT.com
12V/14V and 18V/20V, and impact ratchets
12V/14V of battery power. Voltage is important
to note as battery dictates both the run-time
and size of a cordless tool. Although batteries
add weight, today’s Li-ion cells have made
great strides in the last few years to enhance
run-time and performance for frequent and
prolonged use. Take a look and consider the
right balance of weight, power and run-time
for each featured tool.
We’ve also incorporated air tools into this
year’s guide. Air tools remain a staple in many
shops, as they can help to speed up work and
help to remove tough fasteners, and loosen
stubborn nuts and bolts. The air tools in this
guide are broken out by drive size: 1/2”, 3/4”,
3/8” and 1” for impact wrenches, and 3/8” and
1/2” for ratchets.
Whether you are looking to purchase a cordless
tool or an air tool, consider the application
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the tool will be used for most often. Will you
need to get into an extra-snug area? If so, a mini
drive impact wrench might be your best bet.
Also consider power-to-size and power-toweight
ratios. As drive size and torque ability
increase, so does overall tool size and weight.
Smaller, low-torque 1/4” and 3/8” impact
wrenches are popular choices for light duty
vehicle work where space is limited, while high
torque settings and increased size and weight
are ideal for heavy duty applications.
These days it seems there is a power tool
available for just about every job, preference
and price range. In fact, the hardest part may
be deciding which one will be the best fit for
your toolbox.
Note: On the following spec guide pages, blank
fields indicate information not provided by
manufacturer; other fields indicate function not
available on tool.
*Cover photo provided by Ingersoll Rand
/www.AIRCAT.com
/VehicleServicePros.com
/www.aircat.com