Not always. A drill/driver can drill holes and drive many ordinary screws. An impact driver earns its place when fastening becomes a regular job instead of an occasional one.
Keep the drill for drilling and controlled screwdriving
A drill has a three-jaw chuck that accepts a huge variety of round and hex-shank bits. Its adjustable clutch can also be useful when you want controlled screw depth.
The impact driver is built around fastening
DEWALT describes impact drivers as using rotational hammering action to apply force in short twisting blows. They commonly use a 1/4-inch hex quick-change chuck. That makes bit swaps fast and helps with tougher fastening jobs.
The two-tool workflow is the real luxury
Drill a pilot hole with the drill. Leave the drill bit in it. Pick up the impact driver and drive the screw. No opening the drill chuck, swapping bits, tightening the chuck and then reversing the process for the next hole.
When you probably do not need one
If you hang an occasional shelf, assemble furniture and drill small holes a few times a year, your drill may already do everything you need.
When you will probably appreciate one
- You drive lots of screws.
- You use long or larger fasteners.
- You are constantly swapping between a drill bit and a driver bit.
- Your drill is frequently living in its low-speed, high-torque range for fastening.
An impact driver is not a reason to throw away the drill. The best homeowner setup is often both.
Drill vs. impact driver at a glance
| Task | Usually nicer tool |
|---|---|
| Drilling ordinary round holes | Drill/driver |
| Driving lots of screws | Impact driver |
| Precise clutch-controlled furniture assembly | Drill/driver |
| Long screws and tougher fastening | Impact driver |
| Using round-shank bits | Drill/driver |
| Fast swapping of 1/4-inch hex driver bits | Impact driver |
What an impact driver is not
It is not an impact wrench. Impact wrenches are built around sockets and larger nuts and bolts. It is also not automatically the right tool for every screw. Some fasteners and materials require controlled installation torque, so follow the fastener manufacturer’s instructions.
The low-friction buying decision
If you already have a good drill and compatible batteries, a bare-tool impact driver in the same battery system can be the economical add-on. If you are starting from nothing, compare combo kits because the extra battery and charger can change the value.
Sources used for this answer
Back to class: Cordless Drill Class.