Corded vs. Cordless Impact wrench

Corded vs. Cordless Impact wrench

First of all, it is necessary to understand why impact wrenches are so important. It is a tool that is used for fastening activities. In other words, it is used to unfasten and fasten lug nuts, bolts, fasteners, etc. A perfect example of usage of such tools may be a tire changing. To change a tire you need to unfasten lug nuts.

These nuts are fastened tight enough to make sure they will no unfasten during movement. Having unfastened the lug nuts you can take off the wheel and put a new one. After that, you need to fasten lug nuts. You can do it manually and it is not a big deal if you need to change only one tire, but what if you need to change all four tires? It may be challenging. Another factor to mention is that all nuts have to be fastened with a right amount of torque (quite often, car manufacturers mention the right amount of torque to fasten lug nuts). In this case, the load will be distributed evenly and lug nuts will not experience excessive wearing.

Impact wrenches may be used in different cases as well. You should pay special attention to our articles to know how to choose the best electric impact wrench.

Cordless impact wrench or corded impact wrench

About cordless impact wrench in general

The cordless impact wrench strength focuses on two aspects: portability and universality of battery packs. Since they are cordless, they do not require wires to operate.
Cordless impact wrenches can be brought to different places. Cordless impact wrenches may sometimes have a built-in LED to aid working in dark places. This reduces the need for an additional flashlight while working on a project.

Pros
  • Portability. You can take it with you wherever you go. There are no cords connected to the tool
  • Batteries. Power tools can share batteries, therefore, you can take out a battery from one device to use it with another device. Again, since there are no cords, you can move freely
  • No need for a power source. The source of power for cordless tools is a battery. Therefore, you can use it anywhere
  • Many models have LED lights, which make them perfect to use in dark areas
Cons
  • Batteries need recharging. You should always make sure batteries have enough power
  • Power depends on a battery. If your battery is low, you may experience the lack of power

Impact wrenches may be used in different cases as well

About corded impact wrench in general

Corded impact tools typically have a higher maximum torque output on average compared to their equivalent battery-powered counterparts. Often times the cord is short as well, so this necessitates the use of an extension cord which can increase overall cost and inconvenience. Let’s talk about pros and cons of a corded impact wrench.

Pros
    • High power. Since such devices have a source of electricity, they always provide you with the right amount of power
    • Weight. Some models can be lighter, since batteries can be quite heavy in order to assure a high battery life
Cons
  • Poor portability. The main disadvantage of this type is that such devices have a cord, which limits your movement. Also, it needs a source of electricity

A corded or a cordless device — which one is better?

cordless impact wrench

This is not that hard to answer. If you need a highly-mobile device that can be used anywhere, then a cordless tool is for you. If you need a constant level of power, and mobility is not that important to you, then a corded device is right what you need.

Please check our other articles dedicated to this kind of tools. We are sure you will find them extremely useful.