SEALEY 12V IMPACT WRENCH KIT

SCORE 9/10

Part number: CP1204KIT Price: From £88 including UK delivery sealey.co.uk

Sharing the same batteries and charger as Sealey’s entry-level impact ratchet (part number CP1202KIT – see page 38), should you wish to buy this impact wrench/ driver on its own, it costs from £41.90 including UK delivery. It’s powered by a 12V 1.5Ah lithium-ion battery, which can be recharged in one hour. This impact driver has a in square drive, so it can be fitted with a number of impact sockets. Producing a maximum of 80Nm of torque, we found this to be more than adequate for undoing small fittings and, due to the compact size of the driver, it can be squeezed into some tight spots. There’s a variable speed trigger and the usual lock function to prevent the impact wrench being accidentally operated. Unlike the impact ratchets we tested, the impact drivers don’t provide as much kickback when they attempt to undo a fastening that’s too tight or when they fully tighten a nut or bolt, because the motor absorbs more of the impact. With only two impact drivers/wrenches to test, and both of them being from Sealey, the choice of which one is best is quite straightforward. This cheaper tool is suited for lighter jobs and occasional use, whereas the Premier driver (see page 39) can cope with bigger jobs. Despite our professional test mechanics favouring the Premier brand for daily use, this driver at a third of the price is more suited for the average DIYER, unless you regularly tackle bigger jobs. And being the most compact tool on test, it ticks more boxes as an all-round battery-operated impact tool.