Just Might DIY

It’s time for our first #tooltuesday post! We make no secret of the fact that we love working with tools. So every Tuesday, we’re going to highlight our favorite tool—and tell you why it made the list. Daniel and I will alternate each week picking our faves – and I’m up first!

My Pick: DEWALT 20V MAX Impact Driver Kit, 1/4-Inch (DCF885C1)

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I’ll be honest—until a couple of months ago, I had never even heard of an Impact Driver. To me, a drill was what you used when you needed to make holes or drive screws. I’d had my handy dandy Black & Decker 12V drill for years and never found it wanting…until we needed to firout a wall by about 5.5 inches and had to attach 6 x 10s to the wall in the garage. That 12V battery died faster than a snowman in the desert.

We ultimately gave up that night, and I started to look for extra batteries the next day. Instead, I happened upon a Dewalt special at Home Depot—one of those buy X tool and get this other tool for a discount. I’d been wanting to expand my saw collection anyway, and they had a 20V Max Drill Driver / Impact Driver set that would get me the reciprocating saw I’d been eyeing for a good price. My other option, though, was a Drill Driver, Recip Saw and Circular Saw combo. 

A quick call to my dad—who could give Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor some serious competition—confirmed that while getting a more powerful drill was nice, what I really needed for the job at hand was an Impact Driver. The torque alone would make that project—and many others—a breeze. 

And he was right.

We zoomed through the next set of boards, and bolting in the cabinets, with little effort. And we’ve used it many times since. 

This little powerhouse is worth the investment. You could upgrade and get the brushless version, but for the occasional DIYer, the 20V Max should suffice. You can find this as the tool only, but it might be good to buy in a set or lookout for specials at your local hardware store. 

Check out a few options on Amazon:

DEWALT 20V MAX Impact Driver Kit, 1/4-Inch (DCF885C1)

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DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill Combo Kit, 2-Tool (DCK240C2)

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And don’t forget the bits! We have a set like this and love it:

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DISCLAIMERS

• Use these tools at your own risk. We accept no responsibility for any injury that results from your use of any tools on this site. 
• Links above are Amazon Affiliate links, which enables us to earn a commission when you purchase something.