Accessories

Only rating it against my other screw guns
I've used the DeWalt 18 volt driver/hammer drill for years, and I really have thought it was a good product. I once dropped my drill from a second story and after it bounced a few times it still worked, so I've been convinced that the DeWalt product was a decent brand.

I recently got this 14.4 impact and have loved using it. It's lighter than the 18 volt I'm used to and easy to handle. It drives long screws no problem. There are no dials to turn, no speeds to set and the battery seems to last a long time. I've used it for setting electrical finish, which takes a light touch, to drilling holes in stucco with a masonary bit (doing what I normally would have used the "hammer drill" function for).

I do know carpenters that swear by the Makita impact driver, so I can't compare brand to brand, but if you've always used a normal driver drill and haven't yet tried out the impact driver, you're in for a treat. It really does a much better job.

And to think, I used a Yankee back in the day, and I'm not that old,,,,,well ok, I'm pushing forty, but still, I cut my teeth with a Yankee screwdriver,,,,,how far things have come.

Consider other brand
I would only recommend this tool to someone who uses it for home. I am a contractor whom owns numerous Dewalt cordless tools and am disappointed in most. I own the 14v and the 12v impacts, and in a matter of 6 months of daily use they have both burned up arbors. The batteries will not keep a charge close to origional. B&D service centers have repaired both under warrenty, but they will not admit to any design flaw. "Heavy Duty", I don't think so.

tom; carpenter
this dewalt impact drill spins faster and has more power for driving screws into concrete or steel but the batteries last only half the time as my makita 12 volt impact.so i use my makita mostly cause i dont have time to be changing batteries every 15 minutes..

DeWalt DW055K-2 1/2" 14.4-Volt Cordless Impact Wrench
This thing works great. It is powerful enough to install/remove lug nuts and is easy enough to use in jobs where you might normally use a 3/8" ratchet setup. I bought it to speed up the job of assembling new boat trailers at a marina. No hose to drag around, fast speed, and small size makes it perfect for a job that has many bolts to be tightened but are spread out. With it we can assembly about 3-4 trailers on one battery. Each trailer involves loosening and then tightening about 16 3/8 self-locking nuts (which are hard to turn before they are tight) and then the 10 lug nuts, which are at close to 100 LB-ft. The first test I did when I got it was to remove the lug nuts off our truck, which had not been touched for two years. It did it but just barely. It is not the big brute for high torque, but it is compact and handy. My only gripe is the sockets are held on too tight by the retention pin, maybe as it wears it will release easier.

Throw away your other cordless screwguns
I have many other 12 and 18 volt DeWalt tools. This impact wrench may not replace a compressor and air impact wrench for cars but it sure drives screws and bolts easier than all other screwguns. It makes light work of driving a 3" screw in hard maple without predrilling. It will not bust your nuckles when driving the big screws in hard woods. It dimples drywall beautifully. I will take this over any screwgun of any make.