For 30 plus years, I’ve been a slave to monster screw guns—replacing one after another when the batteries died. When it came time for another replacement, I realized that one of those new svelte lithium-ion powered impact driver might be the ticket. So I opted for the Makita 10.8-volt version for $175 (ouch!). But I do love it. I can drive 3-in. screws with this little dynamo. But man is it loud! Loud like a mini-Gatling gun. I guess that’s how the little monster can drive in big screws. It works like a hammer-drill, only the hammering is sideways instead of up and down. That keeps it from camming out screwhead slots too. But that hammering only happens when it has to get down to business and do some serious driving. At slow speeds without the need for much torque, it operates like a regular variable speed screw gun. I give it five thumbs up!

I thought the little LED headlight was a worthless gimmick. That was until I climbed inside a cabinet to drive some screws. Just a little pull on the trigger and the light comes on for a few seconds. Plenty of time to find that little pilot hole in the dark.

--Travis Larson, senior editor
 

Travis Larson, senior editor, shows off his Makita impact driver.