Electric Screwdriver Vs Impact Driver

Electric screwdriver and impact driver are both used to tight or loose screws. Mostly impact drivers are used to drive or remove screws from the hard material. But an Electric screwdriver is used to light tighten works. A manual screwdriver can be used for both. But it is really inefficient hence we can use one of these according to our requirements.

When we consider electric screwdrivers vs impact drivers, both have pros and cons. If you are going to buy one of these, you had better read this first.

Electric Screw Driver is Cheaper Than Impact Driver

electric screw driver
Screw Driver

An electric screwdriver is a versatile tool developed to drive small screws. Depending on the type of tool, the cost of these tools might vary from $10 to 150$. An electric screwdriver helps its users to screw and unscrew easily as expected. But electric screwdrivers are not suitable for tightening into tough or heavy materials and are not the best for daily or extensive use.

When considering the cost of the battery, impact drivers use Li-Ion batteries and screwdrivers use small size Li-Ion batteries. Hence battery cost is also higher for impact drivers than for electric screwdrivers.

Mostly, impact drivers are not sold with batteries and you have to spend money for that. But small size screwdrivers are sold with batteries. Hence you do not need to spend additional money on screwdriver batteries.

Electric screwdrivers are perfect for DIY projects, Particularly in tasks such as installing a lot of screws, creating flat-mounted furnishings, as well as light tasks, such as hanging hooks and fastening appliances and fittings.

Typically, electric screwdrivers are known to be a flimsy option, best for DIY tasks. Electric screwdrivers play clever when setting up flat-pack furniture and fastening it into soft materials.

Moreover,  a screwdriver’s size is advantageous when compared to that of an impact driver, as you can use them in unreachable spaces.  Certainly, electric screwdrivers are an inexpensive choice rather than impact drivers.

Screw Driver Bits Are Smaller Than Impact Driver Bits

There is a hugely diverse range of screwdriver bits available and they are often developed to provide a multitude of various screw shapes and sizes. The most suitable bit choice for different tasks will mainly depend on the certain screw type and size being used and the type of material that is driving it.

Most modern screwdriver bit sets are created with dozens of different bit shapes and sizes, extensions, and appliances produced specifically for the goal of driving and removing screws.

However, screwdriver bits are small compared to the impact drivers. This is one of the reasons why screwdrivers are very popular among DIYers when engaging in tasks like assembling paper-covered furnishings.

Due to these small bits, this tool can reach fewer space areas, unlike impact drills. On the other hand, this is disadvantageous when it comes to heavy working projects with small bits.

Electric Screw Driver Is Suitable for DIY Projects

People who engage with DIY projects might find it confusing to find a suitable tool, from electric screwdrivers to impact drivers. In contrast with impact drivers, when doing DIY projects the size of the electric screwdrivers is advantageous as it makes it easy to make it to hard-to-reach spaces.

Further, the lower torque settings make the electric screwdriver ideal to use on delicate materials that could otherwise get damaged by a more powerful tool, like particleboard, plastic covers, or the small screws used in electronics. 

In the main, electric screwdrivers are a great option when it comes to DIY tasks, especially small tasks such as manufacturing furniture, restoring a light switch cover, or clenching a loose hinge. Subsequently, Electric screwdrivers are an effective choice for both beginners and professional DIY-ers who require backup equipment that can be kept in their pocket.

Both Impact Driver And Screw Driver Are Cordless

Both impact drivers and screwdrivers are cordless and can be easily positioned in the palm, enabling them to be used for numerous unique undertakings, even in households.

Remarkably, a cordless screwdriver is an energy tool formulated to inject and discard screws and drill tiny pilot holes.

Cordless screwdrivers are naturally smaller, fainter and cheaper than cordless impact drivers. Even though the impact drivers are a type of cordless drill driver, it has a 1/4” hex bit holder that grasps small screwdriver bits.

Still, cordless screwdrivers are not relatively substantial and they perform well when driving smaller screws into delicate surfaces. When you need to drive small and large screws into both smooth and harsh substances, it is wise to use a cordless impact driver.

Impact Driver Has Higher Torque

An impact driver is everything about hi-torque, bonded with elevated impact. A regular impact driver produces raised levels of torque than even the high-grade combi drill.

Even though like ordinary drills, they utilize rotating force, they have these additional benefits inclusive of this. Because of the torque, users will be able to drive long, broad, large screws into the heavy materials fast.

Focusing on the torque numbers, the impact driver is distinctive with torque numbers of 200 ft-lbs or more. Subsequently, screwdrivers with higher torque will be more productive at drilling screws into tougher textures.

Impact Drivers Can Be Used For Heavy Task

Impact drivers are the first choice of most professionals and ideal for tools that are constantly being used. Impact drivers add a percussive force that assists in driving screws quickly and into thicker materials.

Also, it is not recommended to use an impact driver for precision drillings and they are ideal for tasks where the size/ placement of the hole is not fundamental but requires more torque (drilling metal and dense or knotty wood). 

Those who work on tasks that demand a lot of screws or long screws into tough material should go with the impact drivers. There are heavy-duty impact drivers specifically created for massive, denser substances and better-extended use.

Impact drivers are used for hard tasks such as construction, carpentry or decking projects, and oil and gas enterprises, which oblige additional tensile force to fasten two connections. Due to the higher torque impact drivers can be used for automotive task

Impact Drivers Have Higher Battery Capacity

Like any other battery-operated power equipment, cordless impact drivers depend on the voltage of the batteries. 

The impact drivers are more powerful when they have a high voltage of the battery. If your work requires a great amount of power and speed, it is smart to use a battery with a higher voltage.

Normally, screwdrivers have 4V Li-Ion batteries, and impact drivers have 12V, 18V, 20V, 24V, 36V, and 56V voltage batteries with different capacities.

You can simply purchase an impact driver with a high voltage, but be wise enough to get the accurate size of the tool that suits your task. The right size and weight will make the tasks more productive, so it is crucial as the power an impact driver provides.

Impact Drivers Use on Hard Material

Impact Driver
Impact Driver

Impact drills fuse higher torque with a forward and back movement like a hammer drill, enhancing the impulsion on the screw. Impact drivers can screw well into heavy materials for expanded or constant use.

Impact driver has a higher impact force. As a result of this, it can use to drive screw inside the hard material. But electric screwdriver is not used to drive screws into the hard material. Those are mostly used to tight or remove screws of the object such as tools, toys etc.

An impact driver is portable and handy by structure. Cordless impact drivers are up for grabs varying from 12 volts up to 56 volts.

More eminently, impact drivers do not have a chuck.  They have a changeable clamp that carries drill bits and driver bits with a hexagonal shank.

This structure is essential to adjust the power production of impact drivers. Impact drivers are exceptional at guiding their force downward, preparing them more easily to use over an extended time.

Commonly, impact drivers are incredibly productive and more costly than an electric screwdriver.


Tom Mackency

Tom Mackency

Hi, I am Tom Mackency. It has been 10 years that I have been working as a professional woodworker since 2013. I am really enjoying my carrier by creating many kinds of projects in my workshop. But mostly I like for home improvement projects. Home improvement and DIY projects are the most interesting things for me. More than that, the coolest things are power tools. Those are very precious and efficient than a decade ago. So I try to introduce so many things about power tools, woodworking, DIY projects, home improvement and many more interesting topics here.


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