@@TorqueTestChannel One thing I love about my Ridgid Octane tools is that most have a light on the snout, unfortunately the moved them in the newer subcompact and max tools. Unlike DeWalts which are bright enough to make up for being on the base they are useless. It is nice to the newest revision of subcompact 3/8 have it back on the snout with the triple lights.
I think its a bit deceiving, as he pointed out later its a high torque masquerading as a mid torque, as far as that goes its a tossup with Harbor Freight.
@@elliotkane4443 much better warranty on the Skil, though. It's HF counterpart would be the Bauer High Torque and that one as a bare tool costs as much as the Skil kitted with a battery and charger. Torque numbers when compared to high torque impacts are meh, but still very usable
@@engineer_alv Decent amount of power for the price I guess but so what really? Its underpowered as a high torque and too big as a mid torque. If you need a high torque gun a lot then you're working on bigger gear and you've probably got a bigger wallet 🤔 I guess If I was to only have 1 gun and was on a budget I might buy it, but it probably wont fit where its needed.
Thanks to your videos, I got a 891, really satisfied with it ! It effortlessly removed the crank pully bolt on my bmw e46, when the spec is 420 nm (nice) from factory, without even locking the crankshaft in place. I love the "precision wrench" mode as well, allows me to start bolts by hand and then run them down (or up) with the impact, and it's incredible on suspension parts. Thanks for the effort put into these videos, and thanks to you people can make the correct decision when buying tools.
Just bought a 891 yesterday myself. Eagerly waiting for it now. Been trying to refresh the rear suspension and drop the subframe on my 92 MX5 and having struggled with every bolt, I just said fuck this and caved and finally spent the money on a good impact. Nearly a weeks wages spent on it but I know it'll feel completely worth it when I can zip off bolts in 5 seconds that'd take me 5 or 10 minutes struggling with using hand tools.
So glad I locked in with Dewalt more recently. At first i regretted it and thought "should have just gone Milwaukee and got that 3/4 monster impact wrench" but holy sh* working on a farm the dcf891 does literally everything i need it to, packs a massive punch and its light enough to not be such a nuissance to carry all day like that 3/4 fuel wrench. There were nuts i was doing up today on a grader blade with the dcf that the bosses 3/4 fuel had trouble undoing, no joke.
I’m thinking about upgrading my 10+ year old Ridgid collection. I’m leaning towards Dewalt because of the mid torque and the fact that a lot of their good tools are made in the US now.
@@LESLASLESLAS It's a best for sure. Nearly everyone on this page has enjoyed theirs. Shame dewalt isn't really pushing them, and reusing the case of an anemic tool doesn't help any either.
Have you given any thought to testing the Right Angle Stud/ Joist drills? Eager to see what the Flex full size and compact do on your test rigs. Great video guys as always
Would you consider testing bosch's standard impact drivers? They claim the same torque as the freaks but id like to know if they actually get those numbers
@@TorqueTestChannel you’re honestly missing out on a massive market by not doing more videos on drivers. Arguably more people use impact drivers every day anyways. It’s only really automotive and some specialty jobs that need the big boys, but most trades have a 1/4” as their daily driver. Been quite a few times I’ve tried to find videos on your channel actually too lol but a lot of times, there’s just not a video from you
I'm specifically curious about this too, I wonder if since the Freak needs an extension anyway to get higher torque, maybe it's pointless and to just get the standard 1/4 only.
Phew! Still feeling safe with the DCF891, but shaking in my boots with every release that Milwaukee has to watch on the sidelines… I just know they’re gonna come out swinging with a shorty that’ll tempt me.
Just ordered the flex because of this video. I need something that packs a punch, but can still fit in some tight spots. Dewalt powerful, but I’m worried I wouldn’t be able to get it into most engine bays. Looking forward to buying that new flex high torque that barely beat out Milwaukee‘s new big one
Always love your content too! I would also echo the other comments on the desire to see some more testing on the torque output of drills, as I do tons of drilling and tapping into steel and aluminum for work.
Nice...Flex is starting to win me over for some of their tools. I just wish they offered a larger range of tools. So far it's always hard to justify jumping off the Makita battery platform, cause they always got something for whatever I need. Plus I genuinely love most of their tools anyway, and have had great experiences with their customer/technical service.
I'm aware for some it can be a royal pain to work with more than one set of charger and batteries, But I'm a strong believer of using 2 platforms. You don't need to jump off your current battery platform to try something else. It doesn't get too cumbersome and you'll need two or more chargers anyway if you carry a handful of batteries that may need charging at the same time. And using 2 platforms gives you more freedom, price competitiveness and can ultimately led you to a more capable tool. There are way more upsides than downsides about it.
Makita, dewalt, Milwaukee, they have the best range of tools for their platform Flex, Kobalt, skil, they are growing, but their sizes and weight need a huge improvement.
@@engineer_alv That sounds good in theory, and maybe if my main platform wasn't Makita it would make sense. But in practice it almost never does. If I need a new hammer drill, I could spend $140 on a new Makita XPH14 drill, or spend $300 on a Milwaukee M18 Fuel Kit. Except the Milwaukee drill isn't twice as good, so no reason to spend the extra cash, and I don't have any other Milwaukee cordless tools, so no need for the batteries either. That's what I mean, there's almost never a time where spending the extra cash makes sense...at least for me.
@@AToolWithTools Huh!? Flex has been around since 1922. They produce all sorts of tools from wood working to grinders and metal working, masonry, even a full line of pro car detailing. They've had forever...
I think locking into a battery platform with a wide range of tools is also a really important consideration. Just happens I chose Dewalt for the durability (another important factor), range of tools and price. Nice to see DeWalt also kicks ass.
I've been using battery tools forever (like most people) but I finally realized that you no longer need to stick with a platform. The days of needing to charge your battery several times to finish a project, are long past. Modern batteries are such high capacity, that they last for days, or even weeks. I decided to stop only buying Milwaukee tools (after multiple M18 tool failures due to humidity and poor quality on their circular saws) and I purchased some Dewalt and Flex tools. Flex has the quieter motors, and the best circular saws (their circular saws are better than Milwaukee). Dewalt has the best 12 volt tools with the best ergonomics and battery design. Now I realize that it was stupid trying to stay with one single brand. Modern batteries charge so fast, and last so long, that you rarely need to have a backup battery.
It’s great to see these store brands delivering the beans. Although, I have a feeling that an extra cell in series would send the Dewalt into the 700+lbft territory. 24v in a 20v tool is kinda cheating, but it works…
Yeah, 18/20 vs 24v is a great point here. 18v to me seems like the best size. 21700 packs in a 24v battery would be very bulky. The kobalt 8ah is the only one that comes to mind currently.
It might be interesting to have an episode that shows an evolution over time for the last few years. A graph with the date on the x axis maybe, torque on the y, ploting each brand or something. It would be interesting to see any jumps, who leads, who follows, perhaps even project when the tools would reach a point where the worst possible scenario would be surpassed.
awesome review! Can't believe that makita still costs 350 in the US market, in EU it is 235USD... And funny enough the high torque 3/4 is only $25 more lol
yeah, that's why many people haven't switched from LXT. Because the XGT lineup here comes with a big tax. It's unfortunate because the tools are very good but not almost double the price good.
@@engineer_alv I mean I don't get it, compared to eu prices some tools really have weird price tag. Of course you get some of the tools cheaper and have more sales and promotions, but still. Usually it is the opposite lol
I'd like to see you test the Hercules brushless half inch mid, the one that advertises 555ft/lbs breakaway. Last time you had a 5ah with 18650s, put the 8ah on it with 21700s
All these manufactures try to outdo each other to be "King of the Hill". But, I'm heavily invested in the 18v Makita system since it was first announced. So when I move to battery impacts wrenches, I bought the best Makita had, guess what, they get the job done. I did buy the new 40v 3/4" Makita impact because it tested well on here, and it does the job when I needed that much power.
I was looking for an impact to keep on the car just in case, after watching this video I figured I'll go for the Skil since it's a good bang for the buck and comes with it's own battery (That way I wont have to be getting it in and out of the car) thanks for the info
@@RealJeep cry some more. If home brands made better tools we would not use tools made by TTI or Chevron. Why would anyone buy a Snap On impact that is 3 or 4 times the price and delivers half the performance. 😂
My flex tools stay at the repair shop more than I have gotten to use them if it's running hot in those test I'd think it would burn out fast like using turbo on other tools just burns them out faster
Go Makita my friend. My first tool was Dewalt, later on my retired construction uncle gave me most of his Milwaukee and Makita tools. After using them for an extended period, I'm gearing toward Makita for comfort and longevity. Sure there are stronger model and brand, but they overlook the durability of the tool. Makita hit the sweet spot for me.
@@FentoQioZz Flex is very reliable under normal operation, Turbo should only be used when needed, plus, you cant be cant beat that lifetime tool and battery warranty.
Flex is really killing it lately. The biggest problem with them is distribution (at least in Canada).. Some smaller tool stores carry them, and Rona, and Lowes don't really carry much..🤷
it's weird just a few years ago Milwaukee used to be the top of the pack in impacts, while Dewalt was mid to low on them. how the tides have turned. I was thinking about waiting for the new dewalt large impact to come out but I might get the mid one too.
Certainly it seems DeWalt owns the numbers at every size/power range up through 1/2", DCF961 > DCF891 > DCF923 > DCF850 all top the competition. When DCF964 comes out soon they'll likely take the 3/4" too. That said, the paper numbers aren't everything...lot of discussion in these videos about DeWalts having a lot more popcorn jittering and wrist breaking, and just being not as nice to work with as the MKE stuff. Not that surprising...a lot of what separates really high quality tools from others is hard to put a finger on. All my stuff is yellow, but I admit the red stuff turns my head sometimes.
Any particular reason why? FX1451-Z doesn't mean anything to me just looking at it, and I pretty much live and breathe impacts. This vid is 1/2 hour old and already a top search result for that model number in youtube. That's why we include it in the description.
@@TorqueTestChannel Thanks for replying. I find myself scrolling through your channel often and from the channel view, you can't see model numbers. If someone starts with a specific model number and goes searching for it, then yes, they will find your video. But it might help other viewers who do not start with that info. Anyways...thanks for doing what you do. You and Project Farm are tops.
@@Keifsanderson Hey thanks, i'll talk with everyone here about it. I think it's been a couple years since we included models numbers in the title, they just don't tend to tell the average viewer much about the video and sometimes there's like 3, 4, 5 tools being tested.
I don't think it would necessarily help to have them in the title. I think if the description is accessed in searches, that's more than enough. Plus, leaving out the fax-machine coding from the rotor just makes it cleaner. *_However..._* adding the P/N to the _thumbnail_ might be handy, and not disrupt cleanliness. Personally, I like a video that packs in as much video details between the thumbnail *and* title. Keeping the title short helps because on mobile devices, the long titles get cut off and then the viewer won't see it anyways when they're scrolling (I usually add vids to my Watch Later, *just* to read the title; 95% I don't actually watch, but the cut-off title piqued my curiosity). Just my 2¢ 😊
its not always about the power. look at the lean in on the milwaukee moving the battery further from the work space allowing more access for the working part of the tool.
Amazing how quick the value is increasing and competition in tools, the gloves are off! I got a corded SKIL jigsaw recently, its really strong, the value on that impact, amazing! no nut is safe anymore anywhere, ever for even the most amateur of mechanics!
Do you have the Boost Impact Driver? That one is sweet, I owned it for a few months and it seemed to overpower my Bosch and Ryobi impacts. Its halo light ring was also superb
been doing mechanic work for over 35 years and never heard of flex , still would not trade my Makita 18V/36V for anything on the market, reliability is my reason. Try testing the breaking strength of anvils in the impacts.
I recently bought the dewalt mid torque and when putting on semi lug nuts it easily over torques them. It's my go to tool now Can you test the DCG418 grinder.
I'm curious about the physical durability of the stacked cells versus cylindrical ones. Cylinders have some inherent advantages in crush and puncture damage. Are the stacked lithium-ion cells (in the commonly seen pouches many of us are familiar with) well protected against drops and the damage that can occur in such scenarios? Not that a 4+ft from a 'poorly setdown toolbox edge' drop should be enough but knowing how spicy they can be when physically damaged makes me wonder what the shell of such battery is like internally.
Does anyone else remember the main air vent holes for the fan motor being on the front of the housing? I was about to buy this Flex impact, and one of the only things stopping me was the price (It's very expensive for the kit--about $300) and the motor fan being in the front. The front mounted fan was a serious problem for me, because it ruined the aesthetics--but now the thing looks beautiful, with it's rear mounted fan. Hopefully someone can chime in on this, because it appears to be a pretty serious Mandela Effect.
The problem with Maximum impacts is that they are less powerfull, bigger, more expensive and less desirable for resale compared to Dewalt for example. They currently sell a 200 ft pound impact wrench similar to a DCF923 in size for more money than a DCF891. No thanks! I would like to see a test of the maximum impact sockets though…
I remember back in college when I first started buying tools I started out with Milwaukee. I started out with just their impact driver for screwing things down. After only two months the switch broke on it. I got a new one and after about six months the motor stopped working. I went to Makita and have never looked back. I've never had a Makita tool fail me. I still have their first mid torque that they came out with that used the 18 volt battery. I've dropped it in multiple buckets of oil on accident. It's fallen off excavators, I even ran it over with my car one time. Still goes, granted not as strong as it use to be. I'm a heavy equipment mechanic now and I use my Makita tools everyday almost. I know it would be tough to have a tool longevity test, I don't even know how you would test something like that besides using these tools to their full capacity over the span of months even years. However, it would be very interesting.
The only thing that keeps me away from Makita is the way they program their bms in the battery to brick under certain conditions. I can't remember what those are, think attempting to charge a certain number of times in an overheated condition is one of them. I mean if you take care not to abuse them it shouldn't happen, but most brands just lock it out until it is safe not brick so you have to buy a new one for almost the price of the tool
Nut-busting is always a requirement when working with your hands. 😏 Wow, those are some impressive results! Almost as impressive as you getting ready to hit 300K!! 🐺🔧
I don't know if it's in the cards at all, but what about the compact harbor freight impacts like the Hercules hd82b? I just purchased one for some light work like lug nuts of mine and my wife's personal vehicle and I'd be very interested to see where it ranks
The newer brushless skil tools this company makes are a fantastic deal. I ended up getting their rear handle circular saw for $178. Came with 2 5Ah batteries and a dual battery charger. I like it so much I took back some Ryobi tools I had recently bought to get the Skil 20v brushless tools which came with additional batteries and chargers. And it was all Ryobi price range for just the tools. I feel like it’s an open secret that Skil isn’t just a bargain bin Bosch side brand now. They still make even cheaper brushed tools that are pretty mediocre. But these new brushed ones are great.
On the Nut-bust mode what was the reduction.... that was pretty slick. In the past 3yrs I have become a serious $$$ shopper. The Batteries for these units are just insane. That said I am truly interested in the Flex and Skil. For the home wrencher, Flex and Skil fit the budget. My only fear... durability
Great job. I'm not selling my Makita stuff, but.... You do a great job of presenting the information..... Your tests are very fair.... If I didn't already have the Makita products.... I'd be looking, I can't lie....
Hey guys, I’ve asked this on other videos, but I would love to see a lumens test of the energizer headlamp series offered at Home Depot. I am a tradesmen and a hunter and wonder how the energizer headlamps stack up against the over priced headlamps offered to hikers.
Not the testing team. But as someone that worked retail and sold a variety of the Energizer headlights. (And bought a few!) In a pinch, they work and are better than the $1-5 ones you find. But they never lasted more than a year for me without something breaking and being repaired in a manner involving epoxy/tape. Personal recommendation for a budget but long-lasting has been Nitecore. I have the Nitecore HC30, bought it in 2015 and it's still going! (Did replace the strap after 3 years though.) Armytek is one I got on sale in 2016 for a buddy and his is also still going strong.
I have a fenix one. Built like a brick shithouse and can run one 18650 or two cr123a batteries. Usb rechargeable if you have the 18650 in it. (I have a desktop battery charger already so I don't use the usb anyway) cr123a are expensive non rechargeable but work really good in extreme cold and I don't have to worry about leaving it in my work truck when it's goes below -20°C like I do all my lithium ion batteries that I bring inside The other posters reccomendation of a nitecore is also a good one.
Flex are really stepping up their game. Are they sold in Europe? I can find a red power tool brand called Flex in the EU, but I don't think it is the same.
Looks like Dewalt still owns the mid-torque category handidly. Especially at only $29 more than the Flex. That being said... I'm sticking to my Milwaukee's due to the same reason most people stick to a brand... To have just one charger and one brand of battery. I do also own some Snap-On 14.4 V stuff, but that's from when I had an account and got a rebate for buying everything at once.
You should test Makita XWT12ZB 18V impact wrench. I got one for $60 to work on my car with and for the money I've been very pleased. I'm curious how many beans it puts out.
Do test out devon impact wrench, the daughter company of chervon.sister company of skil & brother company of flex.i wanted to get flex, then skil but i only could get my hand on devon.their 1 year warranty is tempting but their service centre location seems questionable in my country.
Loving that ring light, I hate when manufacturers move them to the base. Especially when they use dim bulbs.
I feel like some brands are getting even worse over time. The SKIL RA impact driver proves it doesnt need to take up a lot of space to do it.
@@TorqueTestChannel One thing I love about my Ridgid Octane tools is that most have a light on the snout, unfortunately the moved them in the newer subcompact and max tools. Unlike DeWalts which are bright enough to make up for being on the base they are useless. It is nice to the newest revision of subcompact 3/8 have it back on the snout with the triple lights.
Sometimes the bright ones are even worse because they are in such a dumb spot that they create a shadow over the very thing you're working on.
Same, looks pretty nice.
@@TorqueTestChannel could you test the lights in different tools? It would be interesting to know who has the brightest one
Bustin' makes me feel good
The manual literally has a line where it says "High speed mode -> Nut Busting"
Can confirm, bustin' nuts in stuff makes me feel good. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
I ain't afraid of no nut
That joke was kinda premature
Most won't even get the 80s reference. 😢
When he turned on the nut busting mode on the SKIL my jaw actually dropped 😂 that is WILD for that price!!
I think its a bit deceiving, as he pointed out later its a high torque masquerading as a mid torque, as far as that goes its a tossup with Harbor Freight.
@@elliotkane4443 much better warranty on the Skil, though. It's HF counterpart would be the Bauer High Torque and that one as a bare tool costs as much as the Skil kitted with a battery and charger.
Torque numbers when compared to high torque impacts are meh, but still very usable
@@engineer_alv Decent amount of power for the price I guess but so what really?
Its underpowered as a high torque and too big as a mid torque.
If you need a high torque gun a lot then you're working on bigger gear and you've probably got a bigger wallet 🤔
I guess If I was to only have 1 gun and was on a budget I might buy it, but it probably wont fit where its needed.
Thanks to your videos, I got a 891, really satisfied with it !
It effortlessly removed the crank pully bolt on my bmw e46, when the spec is 420 nm (nice) from factory, without even locking the crankshaft in place.
I love the "precision wrench" mode as well, allows me to start bolts by hand and then run them down (or up) with the impact, and it's incredible on suspension parts.
Thanks for the effort put into these videos, and thanks to you people can make the correct decision when buying tools.
Just bought a 891 yesterday myself. Eagerly waiting for it now. Been trying to refresh the rear suspension and drop the subframe on my 92 MX5 and having struggled with every bolt, I just said fuck this and caved and finally spent the money on a good impact. Nearly a weeks wages spent on it but I know it'll feel completely worth it when I can zip off bolts in 5 seconds that'd take me 5 or 10 minutes struggling with using hand tools.
I don't watch sports, I cheer for my favorite brand of powertool on TTC
Scared me when I saw the title of the video… had to watch it quick to make sure my dewalt was still king of the hill 👌😁
That skil is super impressive for its price point and impressive in size lol Flex made an impression as well
So glad I locked in with Dewalt more recently. At first i regretted it and thought "should have just gone Milwaukee and got that 3/4 monster impact wrench" but holy sh* working on a farm the dcf891 does literally everything i need it to, packs a massive punch and its light enough to not be such a nuissance to carry all day like that 3/4 fuel wrench. There were nuts i was doing up today on a grader blade with the dcf that the bosses 3/4 fuel had trouble undoing, no joke.
I’m thinking about upgrading my 10+ year old Ridgid collection. I’m leaning towards Dewalt because of the mid torque and the fact that a lot of their good tools are made in the US now.
I upgraded to Dewalt from my milwaukee gear recently. It's been great.
it failed for me. i was tightening 1 1/2 inch hydraulic plugs with a 1 inch hex drive. it didn't like being dead ended i guess.
@@ronblack7870 what failed for you? The dcf891?
@@LESLASLESLAS It's a best for sure. Nearly everyone on this page has enjoyed theirs. Shame dewalt isn't really pushing them, and reusing the case of an anemic tool doesn't help any either.
The dcf891 is my go to. It's an awesome combination of power and weight.
TTC and Project Farm are the best review channels on RUclips hands down. Keep it up
Have you given any thought to testing the Right Angle Stud/ Joist drills? Eager to see what the Flex full size and compact do on your test rigs. Great video guys as always
Would you consider testing bosch's standard impact drivers? They claim the same torque as the freaks but id like to know if they actually get those numbers
Well seems enough people agree with you, so next time we do impact drivers (which admittedly isn't often) we'll buy at least one Bosch as well.
@Torque Test Channel I'd love more videos on impact drivers
@@TorqueTestChannel also would like more Drill/Impact driver videos
@@TorqueTestChannel you’re honestly missing out on a massive market by not doing more videos on drivers. Arguably more people use impact drivers every day anyways. It’s only really automotive and some specialty jobs that need the big boys, but most trades have a 1/4” as their daily driver. Been quite a few times I’ve tried to find videos on your channel actually too lol but a lot of times, there’s just not a video from you
I'm specifically curious about this too, I wonder if since the Freak needs an extension anyway to get higher torque, maybe it's pointless and to just get the standard 1/4 only.
Phew! Still feeling safe with the DCF891, but shaking in my boots with every release that Milwaukee has to watch on the sidelines… I just know they’re gonna come out swinging with a shorty that’ll tempt me.
Just ordered the flex because of this video. I need something that packs a punch, but can still fit in some tight spots. Dewalt powerful, but I’m worried I wouldn’t be able to get it into most engine bays. Looking forward to buying that new flex high torque that barely beat out Milwaukee‘s new big one
Always love your content too! I would also echo the other comments on the desire to see some more testing on the torque output of drills, as I do tons of drilling and tapping into steel and aluminum for work.
Amazing comparison as always 😊
Hey thanks SC!
I have the Skill 1/2 and 3/8. Very good impact wrenches and I've been thoroughly impressed. The lights are phenomenal !
Nice...Flex is starting to win me over for some of their tools. I just wish they offered a larger range of tools. So far it's always hard to justify jumping off the Makita battery platform, cause they always got something for whatever I need. Plus I genuinely love most of their tools anyway, and have had great experiences with their customer/technical service.
I'm aware for some it can be a royal pain to work with more than one set of charger and batteries, But I'm a strong believer of using 2 platforms.
You don't need to jump off your current battery platform to try something else.
It doesn't get too cumbersome and you'll need two or more chargers anyway if you carry a handful of batteries that may need charging at the same time.
And using 2 platforms gives you more freedom, price competitiveness and can ultimately led you to a more capable tool.
There are way more upsides than downsides about it.
Makita, dewalt, Milwaukee, they have the best range of tools for their platform
Flex, Kobalt, skil, they are growing, but their sizes and weight need a huge improvement.
Seems to me like they're working on it. They haven't had over 15 years to make stuff like Makita.
@@engineer_alv That sounds good in theory, and maybe if my main platform wasn't Makita it would make sense. But in practice it almost never does. If I need a new hammer drill, I could spend $140 on a new Makita XPH14 drill, or spend $300 on a Milwaukee M18 Fuel Kit. Except the Milwaukee drill isn't twice as good, so no reason to spend the extra cash, and I don't have any other Milwaukee cordless tools, so no need for the batteries either. That's what I mean, there's almost never a time where spending the extra cash makes sense...at least for me.
@@AToolWithTools Huh!? Flex has been around since 1922. They produce all sorts of tools from wood working to grinders and metal working, masonry, even a full line of pro car detailing. They've had forever...
That Skil impact is on sale rn, I couldn't resist buying it.
Influencers out here carrying around Skil tools for the ring lighting
Lmfaooo that’s funny
I think locking into a battery platform with a wide range of tools is also a really important consideration. Just happens I chose Dewalt for the durability (another important factor), range of tools and price. Nice to see DeWalt also kicks ass.
Durability is king
I've been using battery tools forever (like most people) but I finally realized that you no longer need to stick with a platform. The days of needing to charge your battery several times to finish a project, are long past. Modern batteries are such high capacity, that they last for days, or even weeks. I decided to stop only buying Milwaukee tools (after multiple M18 tool failures due to humidity and poor quality on their circular saws) and I purchased some Dewalt and Flex tools. Flex has the quieter motors, and the best circular saws (their circular saws are better than Milwaukee). Dewalt has the best 12 volt tools with the best ergonomics and battery design. Now I realize that it was stupid trying to stay with one single brand. Modern batteries charge so fast, and last so long, that you rarely need to have a backup battery.
It’s great to see these store brands delivering the beans. Although, I have a feeling that an extra cell in series would send the Dewalt into the 700+lbft territory.
24v in a 20v tool is kinda cheating, but it works…
Yeah, 18/20 vs 24v is a great point here. 18v to me seems like the best size. 21700 packs in a 24v battery would be very bulky. The kobalt 8ah is the only one that comes to mind currently.
Great video, as always!
I would love to see the high torque get retested with the stacked lithium battery.
It might be interesting to have an episode that shows an evolution over time for the last few years.
A graph with the date on the x axis maybe, torque on the y, ploting each brand or something. It would be interesting to see any jumps, who leads, who follows, perhaps even project when the tools would reach a point where the worst possible scenario would be surpassed.
I was just about to comment this! Thats a video id click on for sure.
awesome review! Can't believe that makita still costs 350 in the US market, in EU it is 235USD... And funny enough the high torque 3/4 is only $25 more lol
yeah, that's why many people haven't switched from LXT. Because the XGT lineup here comes with a big tax. It's unfortunate because the tools are very good but not almost double the price good.
@@engineer_alv I mean I don't get it, compared to eu prices some tools really have weird price tag. Of course you get some of the tools cheaper and have more sales and promotions, but still. Usually it is the opposite lol
I got notification, I click
Edit: S,B&D, Makita, Chevron, TTI. The two Chinese brands pushing a German and American name respectively. Interesting
thank you so much for all this information man
I'd like to see you test the Hercules brushless half inch mid, the one that advertises 555ft/lbs breakaway. Last time you had a 5ah with 18650s, put the 8ah on it with 21700s
All these manufactures try to outdo each other to be "King of the Hill". But, I'm heavily invested in the 18v Makita system since it was first announced. So when I move to battery impacts wrenches, I bought the best Makita had, guess what, they get the job done. I did buy the new 40v 3/4" Makita impact because it tested well on here, and it does the job when I needed that much power.
Thank you for your videos. I always look forward to them.
Chervon owns several well-known tool brands in North America, including Flex, EGO, and Skil/Skilsaw
That Skil just won the...I need a cheap impact for lug nuts category.Great power for the money.
Totally agree, I would totally buy one if I wasn't already addicted to a battery platform and didn't care about the size of it
I was looking for an impact to keep on the car just in case, after watching this video I figured I'll go for the Skil since it's a good bang for the buck and comes with it's own battery (That way I wont have to be getting it in and out of the car) thanks for the info
Glad I invested in the flex brand. Haven't been disappointed with any of my purchases from them.
@@RealJeep yes sir
@@RealJeep American capitalism*
honestly, now a days, any of the big brands wont let you down. All of them work really well. Glad youre happy with your purchase
@@RealJeep cry some more. If home brands made better tools we would not use tools made by TTI or Chevron. Why would anyone buy a Snap On impact that is 3 or 4 times the price and delivers half the performance. 😂
My flex tools stay at the repair shop more than I have gotten to use them if it's running hot in those test I'd think it would burn out fast like using turbo on other tools just burns them out faster
Thats what I'm thinking
Go Makita my friend. My first tool was Dewalt, later on my retired construction uncle gave me most of his Milwaukee and Makita tools. After using them for an extended period, I'm gearing toward Makita for comfort and longevity. Sure there are stronger model and brand, but they overlook the durability of the tool. Makita hit the sweet spot for me.
So flex tools not recommended? Damn I just started the transition and have the stack pack, gone have to sell it
@@FentoQioZz Flex is very reliable under normal operation, Turbo should only be used when needed, plus, you cant be cant beat that lifetime tool and battery warranty.
Flex is really killing it lately. The biggest problem with them is distribution (at least in Canada).. Some smaller tool stores carry them, and Rona, and Lowes don't really carry much..🤷
If you're looking at power isolated, yes. Seen videos of the drill driver leaking oil like mad after being tested intense 😂
it's weird just a few years ago Milwaukee used to be the top of the pack in impacts, while Dewalt was mid to low on them. how the tides have turned. I was thinking about waiting for the new dewalt large impact to come out but I might get the mid one too.
Certainly it seems DeWalt owns the numbers at every size/power range up through 1/2", DCF961 > DCF891 > DCF923 > DCF850 all top the competition. When DCF964 comes out soon they'll likely take the 3/4" too. That said, the paper numbers aren't everything...lot of discussion in these videos about DeWalts having a lot more popcorn jittering and wrist breaking, and just being not as nice to work with as the MKE stuff. Not that surprising...a lot of what separates really high quality tools from others is hard to put a finger on. All my stuff is yellow, but I admit the red stuff turns my head sometimes.
Great video as always. Just a recommendation: Include the tool's part number in the title.
Any particular reason why? FX1451-Z doesn't mean anything to me just looking at it, and I pretty much live and breathe impacts. This vid is 1/2 hour old and already a top search result for that model number in youtube. That's why we include it in the description.
@@TorqueTestChannel Thanks for replying. I find myself scrolling through your channel often and from the channel view, you can't see model numbers. If someone starts with a specific model number and goes searching for it, then yes, they will find your video. But it might help other viewers who do not start with that info.
Anyways...thanks for doing what you do. You and Project Farm are tops.
@@Keifsanderson Hey thanks, i'll talk with everyone here about it. I think it's been a couple years since we included models numbers in the title, they just don't tend to tell the average viewer much about the video and sometimes there's like 3, 4, 5 tools being tested.
I don't think it would necessarily help to have them in the title. I think if the description is accessed in searches, that's more than enough. Plus, leaving out the fax-machine coding from the rotor just makes it cleaner.
*_However..._* adding the P/N to the _thumbnail_ might be handy, and not disrupt cleanliness.
Personally, I like a video that packs in as much video details between the thumbnail *and* title.
Keeping the title short helps because on mobile devices, the long titles get cut off and then the viewer won't see it anyways when they're scrolling (I usually add vids to my Watch Later, *just* to read the title; 95% I don't actually watch, but the cut-off title piqued my curiosity).
Just my 2¢ 😊
its not always about the power. look at the lean in on the milwaukee moving the battery further from the work space allowing more access for the working part of the tool.
Good stuff TTC! Thanks again
if you like ring lights, you should test the Menards Masterforce impacts. I believe they are also made by Chervon.
@2:26 I expected you to say "delivers the beans."
Love my dewalt! Still king of the hill!! Keep up the great videos.
This is the way! 💪🏽😎
Have your wheel nuts ever loosened on you, or been loosened by another?
_"No..."_
Then, you are Mandalorian.
This is the way.
_"This is the way!"_
😊
Amazing how quick the value is increasing and competition in tools, the gloves are off! I got a corded SKIL jigsaw recently, its really strong, the value on that impact, amazing! no nut is safe anymore anywhere, ever for even the most amateur of mechanics!
PLEASE get some Masterforce (Menards brand made by Chervon) tools to test! I'd send you one, but I don't have any impact wrenches :(
Do you have the Boost Impact Driver? That one is sweet, I owned it for a few months and it seemed to overpower my Bosch and Ryobi impacts. Its halo light ring was also superb
@@engineer_alv I love the impact driver and use socket adapters to remove bolts. The ring light is the best.
been doing mechanic work for over 35 years and never heard of flex , still would not trade my Makita 18V/36V for anything on the market, reliability is my reason. Try testing the breaking strength of anvils in the impacts.
Great tools , are one battery's, fixing couple of cutting tools . circular saw, recipro saw, angle grinder's, gardens cutting tools. And more ...
I recently bought the dewalt mid torque and when putting on semi lug nuts it easily over torques them. It's my go to tool now
Can you test the DCG418 grinder.
Very informative!
Dewalt still kickin!!.. and last pretty long in my experience... dewalt all day everyday
Do you guys plan on doing a rigid mid torque? Would like to see that if you haven't against these. Great video still
I'm curious about the physical durability of the stacked cells versus cylindrical ones.
Cylinders have some inherent advantages in crush and puncture damage.
Are the stacked lithium-ion cells (in the commonly seen pouches many of us are familiar with) well protected against drops and the damage that can occur in such scenarios?
Not that a 4+ft from a 'poorly setdown toolbox edge' drop should be enough but knowing how spicy they can be when physically damaged makes me wonder what the shell of such battery is like internally.
"Spicy pillow" cells make me a little nervous. I think I'll hold off buying the powerstack for a while.
Such a good mid torque at that size wow i bought it now looking at the new compacts
Does anyone else remember the main air vent holes for the fan motor being on the front of the housing? I was about to buy this Flex impact, and one of the only things stopping me was the price (It's very expensive for the kit--about $300) and the motor fan being in the front. The front mounted fan was a serious problem for me, because it ruined the aesthetics--but now the thing looks beautiful, with it's rear mounted fan. Hopefully someone can chime in on this, because it appears to be a pretty serious Mandela Effect.
Thanks for another great video. Any plans for another AMA video?
at the end it's always a question of durability in the long run
You should test Canadian tire maximum impact guns! They have a new 40v high torque could be really spicy their old high torque was really solid
I second this! its a brand that doesn't get any acknowledgement outside of Canada. I use Milwaukee but id love to see how maximum compares.
Also Canadian tire used to carry a brand called Rockwell which were seriously well built and i still use the 1/2 impact sometimes.
The problem with Maximum impacts is that they are less powerfull, bigger, more expensive and less desirable for resale compared to Dewalt for example. They currently sell a 200 ft pound impact wrench similar to a DCF923 in size for more money than a DCF891. No thanks!
I would like to see a test of the maximum impact sockets though…
I remember back in college when I first started buying tools I started out with Milwaukee. I started out with just their impact driver for screwing things down. After only two months the switch broke on it. I got a new one and after about six months the motor stopped working. I went to Makita and have never looked back. I've never had a Makita tool fail me. I still have their first mid torque that they came out with that used the 18 volt battery. I've dropped it in multiple buckets of oil on accident. It's fallen off excavators, I even ran it over with my car one time. Still goes, granted not as strong as it use to be. I'm a heavy equipment mechanic now and I use my Makita tools everyday almost. I know it would be tough to have a tool longevity test, I don't even know how you would test something like that besides using these tools to their full capacity over the span of months even years. However, it would be very interesting.
The only thing that keeps me away from Makita is the way they program their bms in the battery to brick under certain conditions. I can't remember what those are, think attempting to charge a certain number of times in an overheated condition is one of them. I mean if you take care not to abuse them it shouldn't happen, but most brands just lock it out until it is safe not brick so you have to buy a new one for almost the price of the tool
Nut-busting is always a requirement when working with your hands. 😏 Wow, those are some impressive results! Almost as impressive as you getting ready to hit 300K!! 🐺🔧
I can’t wait to see you test the new ridgid right angle impact wrench!!
Waiting for it to be on sale. Downsides of not accepting any free tools
@@TorqueTestChannel hey don't blame you on that! Thanks for showing us what brings the beans!
Ever test any Napa air tools ?
I don't know if it's in the cards at all, but what about the compact harbor freight impacts like the Hercules hd82b? I just purchased one for some light work like lug nuts of mine and my wife's personal vehicle and I'd be very interested to see where it ranks
I just snagged the Flex kit with a 5Ah battery for $67 on clearance at Lowes.
Please test Parkside branded impacts, curious to see how these perform. They have multiple models so you can probably make a bunch of videos on these!
The flex looks so cool😎 😊
The newer brushless skil tools this company makes are a fantastic deal. I ended up getting their rear handle circular saw for $178. Came with 2 5Ah batteries and a dual battery charger. I like it so much I took back some Ryobi tools I had recently bought to get the Skil 20v brushless tools which came with additional batteries and chargers. And it was all Ryobi price range for just the tools. I feel like it’s an open secret that Skil isn’t just a bargain bin Bosch side brand now. They still make even cheaper brushed tools that are pretty mediocre. But these new brushed ones are great.
On the Nut-bust mode what was the reduction.... that was pretty slick. In the past 3yrs I have become a serious $$$ shopper. The Batteries for these units are just insane. That said I am truly interested in the Flex and Skil. For the home wrencher, Flex and Skil fit the budget. My only fear... durability
Great job.
I'm not selling my Makita stuff, but.... You do a great job of presenting the information.....
Your tests are very fair.... If I didn't already have the Makita products.... I'd be looking, I can't lie....
Hey guys, I’ve asked this on other videos, but I would love to see a lumens test of the energizer headlamp series offered at Home Depot. I am a tradesmen and a hunter and wonder how the energizer headlamps stack up against the over priced headlamps offered to hikers.
Not the testing team. But as someone that worked retail and sold a variety of the Energizer headlights. (And bought a few!) In a pinch, they work and are better than the $1-5 ones you find. But they never lasted more than a year for me without something breaking and being repaired in a manner involving epoxy/tape.
Personal recommendation for a budget but long-lasting has been Nitecore. I have the Nitecore HC30, bought it in 2015 and it's still going! (Did replace the strap after 3 years though.) Armytek is one I got on sale in 2016 for a buddy and his is also still going strong.
I have a fenix one. Built like a brick shithouse and can run one 18650 or two cr123a batteries. Usb rechargeable if you have the 18650 in it. (I have a desktop battery charger already so I don't use the usb anyway) cr123a are expensive non rechargeable but work really good in extreme cold and I don't have to worry about leaving it in my work truck when it's goes below -20°C like I do all my lithium ion batteries that I bring inside
The other posters reccomendation of a nitecore is also a good one.
Thanks for the feedback guys. I’m gonna look at those brands.
Performance is one thing, but what about long-term reliability? That is the real question.
Is the Skil one here the same as the SD1E3285CA model? Have you reviewed that one?
This tool with the lifetime warranty is really something.
The Skil is $79.99 on Amazon right now. Really solid impact for that price
Sir thanks so much. Are these the tools to work with a tire bolt?
Yeah, great for that
Yk in a diesel ag world the dewalt still fits everywhere and always has enough power now In automotive i could see the Milwaukee being a huge benefit
Flex are really stepping up their game. Are they sold in Europe? I can find a red power tool brand called Flex in the EU, but I don't think it is the same.
The Kobalt is on sale for $149 4 amp and fast charger included.
Hopefully you can test Impack Dongcheng 3/4 DCBP 998
Something about the Flex line just makes my shorts a little tight. I like their stuff.
Looks like Dewalt still owns the mid-torque category handidly. Especially at only $29 more than the Flex. That being said... I'm sticking to my Milwaukee's due to the same reason most people stick to a brand... To have just one charger and one brand of battery. I do also own some Snap-On 14.4 V stuff, but that's from when I had an account and got a rebate for buying everything at once.
Gosh, for 5 minutes I thought It will beat my dewalt 891 but wasn't even close thank God for that...
Have you ever pole saws? I borrowed the milwaukee m18 put my mower battery on it.
It's a beast, cuts though oak in seconds.
Those batteries are large and cumbersome. I'd like to see the results with smaller and lighter arm-saving 1.5ah or 2ah batteries.
You should test Makita XWT12ZB 18V impact wrench. I got one for $60 to work on my car with and for the money I've been very pleased. I'm curious how many beans it puts out.
Like the flex wish it had a ring light or 4 LEDs around it like the skil may end up getting the flex kit at some point
Do Flex and Kobalt batteries interchange? I'm asking about the standard batteries. Not the stacked batteries with the additional contacts.
They do not :(
@@TorqueTestChannel well pooh, . . . thank you. Have a great weekend, Guys.
Do test out devon impact wrench, the daughter company of chervon.sister company of skil & brother company of flex.i wanted to get flex, then skil but i only could get my hand on devon.their 1 year warranty is tempting but their service centre location seems questionable in my country.
Curious where the Metabo HPT mid torque would come in? WR36DE.
I thought Skil 20v batteries were compatible with Amazon Denali tools? That being is there a like AD tool to this Skil?
Where do you get those BitCoin bolts you use for the testrig?
Can u test worx impact wrench
Could you test the 12v impact drivers from milwaukee, makita, bosch...
Have you seen the new caterpillar cordless tools with graphene batterys
Im buying right now a full set of FLEX tools. At work its mostly Milwalkee, but I used FLEX in Germany and the tools are incredible.
Can you add a CFM gauge to your pneumatic test I am very curious if tools actually live up to there CFM consumption
Just an fyi the Kobalt mid torque is now a $199 kit. Which is an insane deal imo
Please review 1000nm green impact wrench from SeeSii
TTC is out to give its subscribers the best torque wrench. Can you test the Kobalt and Husky pneumatic torque wrenches. Thanks.
Did you ever test the Bauer 1/2 475 ft pounds?