Harbor Freight Quietly Releases Cheapest High Torque Ever: Bauer v M18 v Hercules
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- Опубликовано: 9 мар 2023
- Our lifetime of TOOL RANKINGS : torquetestchannel.etsy.com For some reason the M18 dropped to $210 today: amzn.to/3ZLqAQk The NOT JUNK SeeSii impact: amzn.to/3T7H8PR
Today we test the new Bauer 2085CR-B High Torque 1/2" Impact Wrench from Harbor Freight. It's $130, which is reason enough to test it as even Amazon brands cost more than that. Is it cheap as in bad or cheap as in just affordable. We find out.
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As always Torque who started this channel is working in product development for Astro Tools who also make impact wrenches (air), always consider multiple sources when looking at tool! 
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The M18 High-torque was $249 here, now its $215: amzn.to/3ZLqAQk Just a heads up
Holy cow! If i didnt already have 4 of em id get another!
208 now
I'm interested in your broken tools
Milwaukee is definitely on notice. HF is finally shaking up the industry👍🏾😎
Things just got more interesting for the new Bauer high torque impact. The 8amp battery is now rolling out some stores have already received theirs hopefully a 12amp follows it closely
This is great. Good option to have for when you’re not going to use it all the time but need something strong
Exactly. I don't need tradesman quality for things I might use once a month
I like seeing that Harbor Freight actually cares enough to invest in the improvement of their products, and that they are seemingly more honest about their numbers than most of the name brands.
I wish we had Harbor Freight in Canada. By the looks of things, they're shaping up to be a seriously legit tool company.
@@torinireland6526 they single handedly enabled a poor man like me to get tools I need to do whatever I want. Problem is you'll wanna keep spending there
@@torinireland6526they are a legit company and the best source of decent hand tools. They never fail and have great warranty.
Powertools are something they need to work on and are working on. Be cautious of those if they ever come to canada!
@@torinireland6526Exactly. I personally use Bauer and I’ve had absolutely no problems with that brand. Hope they move up there.
dude harbor frieght is the goat, has damn near evrything you could need for any job ever
@@torinireland6526
As a HFT employee I really do love seeing our tools get much needed improvement. Also Hercules released a tool kit 1/4 in impact driver kit. Brushless. As far as warranty I know a bit of videos ago you wondered if it's over the counter return policy is true it definitely is it's just like our extended warranties bring it in and swap it out
What is going on with earthquake cordless tools, they should do more with earthquake cordless tools, I love the name
@MtaNyctrainAtlantaMartatrains not to sure on earthquake I know the 1/2 short anvil and long anvil are clearanced out maybe finally updating the tool I know it's been a bit since they did an update
@@mtanyctrainatlantamartatra7164 I think Earthquake cordless are just rebranded Durofix/ACDelco tools -- the batteries are compatible iirc. HF is phasing them out
@Paul As another employee that picked up that tool for $70, I went back and swapped out the tool in the box and got the kit for $90. It's a beast for sure.
@@mtanyctrainatlantamartatra7164 been using Earthquake impact and a ratchet for few years, definitely not cool they're being phased out.. But I'll squeeze a little more life out of them before i buy something else. Will probably be a Milwaukee or something similar. Those extra few foot pounds of torque do come in handy when you need them. Even though I have a bunch of Bauer tools, when it comes to impact wrenches i would skip Bauer and Hercules - i need the torque!
Man...HF stepping up their game is nice to see. Particularly with the way their warranties work. They just keeping raising the bar on quality. Can't wait for their Series 3 US General boxes to drop in May.
the us genereral stuff is so fucking quality at half the price
Keep an eye out in mid April we should be getting displays for stores by then hopefully my store gets the slate Grey to display
@@seirraalpha937 Really hoping we get Hutches on the top that are actually useful! I love my 56 double bank but the top ""hutch"" is just useless.
@Jordan Russell as far as I'm aware at the moment the 72 is only one with the work center hutch. For the moment and it's the hutch style of the ICON tool box
Can’t trust this guy any longer. He’s got Amazon affiliate links down below to buy the tool. He gets 7-10% from every single one. RUclips is a Sad place. Honestly just watch project farm for stuff like this.
Thank you for vigilantly guarding us all against buyer's regret.
@@codygooch510 his job is dope! Lol
Too late already ordered it 😢
"Bauer's" regret
@@life_of_riley88😂😂😂
The Bauer will be a huge bargain to me, as I already have a bunch of 5.0aH batteries. As a guy who makes my living with tools, I gotta say that I’ve been fairly impressed with the Bauer stuff. I got the drill, driver, heat gun, and tire inflator when I needed tools in a pinch. I liked them so well that I brought them to my shop and use them everyday.
Are you a pro or a maintenance
man/land lord kinda guy? If you’re a pro how have the drill & impact held up?
@@codygooch510 I’m a professional mechanic at a municipal fleet garage. I have a Milwaukee 2767-20, but the rest of my cordless tools at the shop are Bauer. The drill and driver are holding up really well after two years of daily use. I also have the smaller reciprocating saw, jig saw, flashlight, heat gun, and tire inflator. I’m happy enough with the Bauer tools that I’m going to go get the 3/8” impact gun and high torque 1/2” gun the next time I’m in the store.
@@michaelcrumlett187 i read this comment a month ago but rewatching i thought i'd drop some things, my business partner bought the bauer with a 3ah and the charger, i bought the ultra torque hercules with the little 1/2 inch 2 5ah and the charger and holy shit the hercules is infinitely better, some serious power with them.
I actually like the bauer tire inflator. I picked it up open box for ~15usd. It's my go to when I need to top up the tires. I got other options but I like the compact size and it's pretty quick paired with a 4ah battery.
The bauer drill and 3/8 impact are both fine for small jobs. It hasn't let me down. I don't have high expectations for either but they have exceeded them.
Bauer impact drill screw driver attachment
Between you and Project Farm. I seriously love the videos. He does the torture. You guys get the specs. Top best channels for testing tools period.
💯 agree
Same thing happened with me and my local harbor freight. The associates hadn't even heard of the wrench yet, they had no idea what I was talking about. I too finally talked the manager into looking for them and he found a bunch on a pallet. I now have the Ultra torque Hercules and the mid torque brushless Bauer. I already have high output batteries for both, so it was just the price of the tool. I'm pretty stoked!
After investing in Bauer batteries for my other tools, I thought I'd have to eat the cost to get a decent impact. They didn't even have them on the shelf yet at my local HF, thank you for this heads-up.
I always have the perfect timing. I bought the new brushless Bauer 1/2” drive and sold off the old brushed version. Now, this critter comes along. I only had one issue from the old version for removing a lug nut and that was at a Pull-a-Part yard. The lug nut was rusted and I had the 3 a.h. battery which was not fully charged. In using new version the impact seemed smoother and less chintzy. When y’all go for the Bauer take advantage of the 5 a.h. battery deal, I did.
Seems like hf wants to compete with Milwaukee at the highend with the ultra torque, and with ryobi at the mid end with this bauer. Competition is one helluva drug.
Just found your channel and thank you. Just a simple thank you.
I own the 3/8" drive Bauer brushless impact as it was only $44.99 for ITC members. Kind of hard to pass up. Now, they currently have a 15% off ITC coupon for the 1/2' drive brushless you covered in this video and I'm tempted considering it will do the job that I need it to. The ITC bonus 15% off coupon ends today, Mother's Day 2023, so I would need to act sooner than later.
I personally love my 3/8" drive model and I have 2 different batteries, 5mh and 3mh, so I have the recommended battery for power from Bauer/Harbor Freight.
Your channel is killer.
Thanks Torque Test Channel!!! I've been waiting for this review. Keep up the good work.
i saw this drop on sunday night went into the store monday morning and had them go to the back and grab it for me. ive been putting it through the ringer and im fairly impressed with this budget tool. and you answered my question with that bauer mid torque. cant wait for the next video!
Bauer has been great with their deals lately for some reason. They had a two 5ah battery deal for $80 a little while back, and right now they have the 5ah with a free brushless impact driver, 3/8 impact wrench, or a couple other tools. I've got a handful of their cordless tools like the driver, the brushless multitool, and the hot glue gun; so far I can't complain.
That’s a bananas deal.
I've bought a new 5ah Bauer battery on eBay for 30 bucks. Very happy with that
Just got a bauer 5ah battery and charger, which came with a free midsize 1/2 impact. Gotta love these deals
Really not sure how worthwhile the Bauer is compared to the Hercules high torque. The Herc high torque is now priced at $159.99 with the 5 year warranty while the Bauer is still $129.99. If you add a 2 year warranty you're at $169.99. If you can catch it on a good sale price or already have Bauer batteries and charger then maybe. Otherwise I don't see the point unless you are OK flying with the Bauer 90 day warranty. Of course HF may end up lowering the price on the Bauer as they have on the Hercules impacts, particularly the compact 1/2" which started life 2 years ago at $99.99 and is now at $64.99 (still want to see a TTC re-test on that one!!, hint hint!)
Thanks for all the in depth testing. I would certainly like to see some Amazon high torque guns tested.
Always a Good Friday, new Torque test video to watch!!
I really enjoy watching all the testing you do …it really adds knowledge, for people to make an informed decision on things. Live confidently and peacefully
I own almost every Milwaukee Fuel tool but because of this channel I branched out! I just got new Kobalt right angle $80, new Dewalt Dcf923b $100, and 2 power stack batteries and charger $100 new, all on eBay! Then I Picked up kobalt 24v weed wacker kit with 2 batteries $70 on sale at lowes! Next is Ridgid Octane High torque for back up before they are all gone and some random metabo stuff! I love this channel!
The rigid is on sale today on dto for $112.
I love when y'all do the breakdowns
Episode idea: Test ideas on how to remove wildly over-tightened lug nuts and lug bolts after your best high-torque method thoroughly rounded off the bolt. You could test the different styles of rounded bolt removers, try welding a new nut onto the bolt, or drilling the nut off, etc. Make sure to simulate the lack of access to the nut that many wheels cause (can only get to them from top top because they are in a recessed hole)
I had this problem with over torqued lug bolts done with an air gun. The only way they would come out with the bauer was holding a propane torch on each one for about 4 minutes a pop, then equipped with a short kobalt socket the new bauer high torque finally got them all out. Had to impact for over 10 seconds on some.
@@dirkdiggler8232 Did the wheel around the lugnut get discolored with that much torch time?
Thank you for doing this test. Now my curiosity is answered without me needing to buy it first,lol. I figured that two Ryobi’s & one Metabo HPT, is enough for my three vehicles to break loose lug nuts. I’m glad that HF is stepping up their game on their Bauer & Hercules cordless power tools
A SeeSii gen 1 will be perfect if you’re not removing lug nuts from large trucks (F-450, etc).
@@michigansoundwizard, he has three impacts. Why would he want that thing?
That is my browsers homepage lol. I was curios how the Bauer was going to perform. The drills seem to test good for the dollar, biggest drawback is the battery packs running highstar cells. Nice video!
Agreed on both. The batteries are certainly the weak-point and with that in mind there's only so beefy they can make any cordless tool in the line. Something they've basically solved with Hercules.
@@TorqueTestChannel Yep with the Extreme packs using Samsung cells.
I'm a tile & stone contractor going on 40 years. The cheap power tools at HF work just as good as one of the name brands, but they do not work/last very long. Great for an at home do it yourself-er, but not made for every day use on job sites. You get what you pay for.
Love to see it. With my Ultra Torque living at the Kustoms shop, I was curious if this would be worth having at home, but luckily(or unluckily), I already broke the bank on the DCF891 so it’s become my de facto high torque at the home body shop. I love the size, but man it definitely deserves its wrist breaking score haha.
I really do love the Amazon testing videos you do. Not that I’d ever buy one, the novelty of it makes for great entertainment. And keep the flashlight videos coming
Excellent review - a vote for more Amazon reviews - I could watch tests of those no names all day.
Really nice review. IMO these new Bauer tools should be a top pick for the DIY user.
Exactly what I was thinking by the end. For someone who doesnt work on cars for a living, this would be a great investment short of buying a massive air compressor and air tools. Would probably also work nicely for someone just starting out
Love the videos! I would love to see the Bauer with 8ah and maybe vs other Bauer impact models. Thanks for the vids!
yes please review the smaller bauer 1/2 brushlees impact
RE: The HF Bauer, Same with me i had to ask a manager at HF about this model, they had them in the "back" storage, they werent out yet on display. I needed this to take off my Lug Nuts and it worked great.
Ive been using the hercules high torque model professionally and it really does get the job done although it does struggle with some bigger jobs like heavy duty or lifted trucks with heavy aftermarket wheels, and also the battery isn't very well secured to the tool so it likes to fall off sometimes, its a good value for the lube tech whos starting out. Only thing I regret is not getting the ultra torque model.
Just got the BAUER HIGH TQ and have a ADAPTER coming to RUN FLEX BATTERY it should put out more RPMs with the 6AMP STACKED LITHIUM
I appreciate the info I was planning on headed to harbor frieght tomarrow but wasn't sure if I wanted to Bauer or hercules definitely helped me decide
Would honestly love to see a test on that HF compact bauer 20v 1/2in impact you mentioned.
Thanks for this video i had the baure mid torque but once i got the email for the new high torque i returned it so fast my store said they didn't even have the high torque on shelfs yet
Was really impressed with the quality of the Hercules tools .
Grabbed one immediately. Works great
I RARELY need anything other than my 3/8” stubby for what I do so honestly… I’m tempted to pick this up for the few times a year I need a high torque.
This will be a nice tool to have for those emergency tire swaps on the side of the road. 😂
Market competition driving prices down! awesome to see! I wish all our Canadian monopoly businesses had to content with competion like we're seeing in the world of mid\high torque impacts.
Would love to see other non Amazon budget brands like Worx and Masterforce
Thanks for this vid. I was just about to buy that new Bauer but after seeing this vid I think I'm going with the Hercules Ultra Torque..
Amazon high torques is a must make must see video, the carnage should be beautiful.
And you put this out right after I get home I guess this the next tool for the camper
Many questions answered. Thank you.
Awesome review
I have the milwaukee and i like it. Original bought it for axle replacement. Then needed it to replace engine mounts which touch out to be great. Breaks them 14 year old bolts right loose
Not bad at all! Especially if you are already in the Bauer line, this would be a great upgrade. 🐺🔧
I have yellow, red, and blue platforms....I've been running the yellow tools since 2005 with the 18V stuff then gradually switched to the 20V as the 18V batteries bit the dust. I've been picking up the Hercules and Bauer stuff along the way now as well, for a throw the tool bag in the truck for pick a part yard visits stuff. I keep my yellow tools at home now, the blue and red stuff is the only thing that leaves the property LOL.
Random using the Support Haiti hat to show it's 2010 lol tf
Haha, I thought it was Hilti
I've been waiting a long time for a good 1/2 Bauer impact gun. The old one is the ony thing from them that I have bought that I absolutely regret getting. I've been eyeing this new one since it was quietly announced. As soon as I saw this review, I went to HF and bought one....they offer ly had the in the back of the store.
Great Review - Thanks!
HF has been killing it for the last year or so. But honestly I'd pay the $50 premium for the Hercules High Torque and its 5 yr warranty
5 year warranty on a Harbor Freight tool VS a 3 year warranty with Dewalt, and the Hercules is still cheaper....I have a lot of Dewalt stuff, but their prices have gotten ridiculous as of late, so I've been picking up the Bauer and Hercules stuff lately as they come in stock. No idea how long the Bauer or Hercules stuff will last, but with the prices of Dewalt going up, I'll use the Bauer & Hercules stuff for trips to the pick a part yards and leave the Dewalts at home.
@@wildbill23c good point.
I like how I can take my non working tool to HF and leave with a brand new replacement while neither SBD, Milwaukee or Makita would do that.
@@engineer_alv I think those brands you have to return them for warranty work to a warranty service center? Then you'll probably never see them again...yeah its nice to just walk into a store and make a simple counter exchange and be on your way.
Just got one love it already have all the batteries can't go wrong
Bought the 2960 mid torque from Milwaukee and I love it..
I bought a Bauer 1/4 impact for $50 6.5 years ago and it finally quit on me today. And I used it regularly and abusivly lol dropped off ladders 14+ feet up, dropped off second story walls and roofs, forgot it in the rain and snow for 3 months… and has always until today maintained 90lbs torque when I used it for lug nuts
Awesome review worth every second spent watching, this is the go to channel to get the beans on the tools you're interested.👍🏻
Who will win the FIRST PLACE BEAN FLAN?🏁
Will buy soon ty
I mean this is awesome considering I already have a 5 year old Bauer 1/2 inch, 3/8,1/4, grinder,circularsaw, Bluetooth radio, fan, light, and usb charger for home use and always looking for more. I do believe I will add this to the collection. We only
Use Milwaukee at work but like I said most of my Bauer stuff is better than five
Years old and never had a problem. Plu
I bought the Bauer 2085CR-BR (shorter 1/2" Impact) and it does what I bought it to do. For $60 its dang cheap for a knock around 1/2 impact and its fairly short so it will fit into smaller spaces. I would love to see you guys eventually throw this impact onto your tester for comparison. Thanks for the great videos!
$60 ? the hek how u get it for 60 lol. it's 129 on shelf
He's talking the non brushless 1/2 bauer impact there's a coupon right now for it 49.99
@@slicktmi No, it's brushless. It's the shortest 1/2" impact they offer. The brushed 1/2" is the old one.
@v10viper04 oh yes how do you like it is it strong enough i have my bauer brushless 1/4" driver that i use with socket adapter that thing rips off 3/4 ton lug nuts only thing it has trouble with was the shock bolts and some suspension parts of that 1/2" has a little more nuts it should be perfect
Hate to break it to you but that one is really weak. Its only got the power of a mid torque gun. Does not do lug nuts too well.
Sweet I was looking for a backup HT Impact
Hey I have that Bauer! I use it to work on my car and it’s been pretty good so far, makes short work out of some pretty tight bolts
My old IR coldless gave up the ghost and I need to replant axle and both front lower control arms on the daily. I think this will fit the bill
Nice. I'm happy with my $80 ridgid octane. Thanks direct tools outlet.
I have this one with the 5ah battery. Quite a good unit.
I have the new Hercules ULTRA Impact and it's a beast! HF has come a long way
Let’s assume same power, but it needs a long term quality test for longevity!!!!!! Another awesome video 👍👍
This is the tool I've been waiting for, the lastest big 1/2" Bauer impact was such garbage, I was waiting for this to drop.
Except last month I found the Flex on sale for $170 for the entire kit. So I guess I can't complain!
Would love to you guys keep bringing these Amazon brands into the light 👍🏻
Would be interesting to see the numbers with the new 8ah 21700 cell batteries
Can you do a 3/8 impact test? Everyone always wants the big bad high torque tests but a 3/8 and maybe even 1/4 would be great also
Value-wise, this one is way better than the Earthquake.
100000% agree 👍🏾 it's HF's time to shine in this arena
I still love my SeeSii gen 1 mid torque. I was sad to see this SeeSii high torque fail. lol
It’d be interested to gut both and see what the visible differences in build quality are if there are any.
SeeSii also have a right angle impact wrench akin to the m12 and kobalt. It would be good to see a comparrison between those.
i got the smaller bauer impact wrench and it kicks ass for me
I had quite few Aliexpress impacts. Most of them stalls with original Makita battery, i think this is some overcurrent protection. Best brand i found is heimerdinger, would like to see those tested
This may be a contender for something that I only need to swap out wheels on my car a few times a year.
Now that ive had this for a year now, i can say it does every thing i ask. Thing is a beast,full time mechanic.
When you said " names that make you scratch your head" I was laughing so hard, very true statement.
I know what I'm getting for my birthday next month!!
Something you forgot to mention is that during March and April you can get a FREE tool when you purchase a 5AH bauer battery. I got the new brushless impact driver with my battery but there is 7 or 8 other tools to choose from. Crazy value
We purposefully dont mention sales because people might be watching our videos months or a year from now and then our testing/impressions if tied to that current sale price aren't relevant to them any longer. We try to use normal selling price on everything which also makes it a level playing field. Come winter we sort of get lit up in the comments for the deals you can find vs the prices we show, but then in January people are all reasonable again :P
@@TorqueTestChannel ok gotcha wasn't sure if you knew about it or not. Thanks for the highlight I'm trying to get the word out because it seems no one knows about this sale, even the workers at my local store had no idea.
@@matthewbull5606 Nah it's a good point and we appreciate people highlighting this stuff in the comments
Can you please have a look at the parkside performance impact wrench
@@sublimelove157 Sort of hard to get one and a battery and charger in the U.S. it might be like 400+ EUR
I refer these videos to friends who even mention impacts or anything in your realm..thanks guys
I have the Baur hi torque 1/2 impact. Turn it down when tightening or you'll snap bolts.
I just dont see the aging Milwaukee 2767 being worth $280 these days with plenty of mid-range brands making that level of power. Hopefully we get the new high torque soon.
Well it's currently $217 here: amzn.to/3mBQgjw but yeah who knows how long that will last. Home depot was asking over $300 for it recently. It's a whole battery ecosystem you're buying into though of course, Bauer has some decent tools but still fairly limited.
@@TorqueTestChannelthat’s why I got battery adapters lol
Cut a small tab off the bauer and it will take dewalt batteries. I have an old brushed makita high torque that does the job with a freshly charged 5 ah, but lacking otherwise. Might buy this to replace it. The batterys that were available when Makita came out didn't really have enough amperage to do a good job. I kept it long enough that the newer battteries produce enough to run the brushed motor. If yall want to test an older Makita I'll send it to you. I would be curious as to were it ranked. Its a btw450, very lightly used so should be representative of its era.
Would like to see the New CAT cordless tools tested one day
Have a graphite battery so be interesting to see the pros and cons 👍🏻👍🏻
Gotta love how the SeeSii, the LED light keeps working though the tool does not... In fact it keeps working even w/o the battery on it! lol I get there's some capacitance there but that thing is on for several seconds with no battery?!?
Would be curious to see you revisit this test again with the new 8ah bauer battery, see if the extra juice gives us some more torques.
Can you guys test their compact model next?
there has never been a better time to be in the market for a half in cordless impact... that's for certain. Looking forward to those mystery amazon heavy hitters teased at the end of the video.
I wanted to see the parts store impacts tested a.k.a oreilly’s power torque and such
I am flush in Bauer batteries and high speed charger. Have to account for that when I buy a new cordless tool.
I like my Bauer stuff.
I'm really waiting for a good 3/8 impact from harbor freight. It would be nice to have to ultra torque but not every situation needs such a large tool.
Thanks,I forgot I'd seen this. I subscribed btw.
I would love to see the kobalt right angle impact vs the Seesii right angle impact.
I wish Bauer would come out with à3/8 ratchet
A 20V ratchet is really the only thing Bauer is missing for my needs right now. I recently broke down and bought a DeWalt...these are such handy tools!
Exactly! I'm already invested in their battery line, so I don't want to switch.
I'm a cord guy because batteries die, I bought the corded impact they put out and am becoming a Bauer fan.