Professional Tool Reviews for Pros

What’s the best Milwaukee impact wrench in 2022? That completely depends on what you use an impact wrench for the most. We’ve compiled our top picks across a wide range of options. Let us know which one is your favorite in the comments below!

If you’re going to trust a Milwaukee impact wrench to help you make money, why not rely on their impact sockets, too? For a comprehensive start, we recommend the 36-piece 3/8-inch set (49-66-6805) and the 31-piece 1/2-inch set (49-66-6806).

Both sets include SAE and metric sizes with 6-point sockets that are stamped and ink-filled, making identification easy. They come in Packout cases and have removable trays if you’d prefer to put them in your tool chest. The trays are also color-coded: red for SAE and black for metric.

If you’re going to own just one Milwaukee impact wrench for the widest range of tasks, it has to be the 1/2-inch mid-torque model. Available with a friction ring or pin detent, it’s capable of fastening up to 550 ft-lbs and loosening up to 650 ft-lbs.

3 standard modes control your speed and power, and there’s an auto mode to give you more control. It’s also surprisingly compact for its size, taking advantage of the latest brushless motor technology Milwaukee has to offer.

If you’re on the hunt for a 3/8-inch impact wrench, the M18 Fuel line has an excellent compact model that you have to use to believe. It has 250 ft-lbs of torque and broke 400 ft-lbs in our testing. It comes in a package that’s less than 5 inches long and weighs under 2.5 pounds as a bare tool. Even with a 5.0Ah battery, the total weight is just 4.0 pounds.

Like our 1/2-inch recommendation above, there are 3 standard modes and an auto mode for control.

Milwaukee has a few 3/4-inch impact wrenches (including a corded model) and the one to target is the 2864 if you’re looking for the best. With a monster 1200 ft-lbs of fastening and 1500 ft-lbs of breakaway torque, it’s a high-torque option that’s still manageable in its weight and compact in size.

This model features One-Key, offering customizable modes you can set along with tool tracking and inventory management.

When you need serious power, 1-inch D-handle impact wrenches are the way to go and Milwaukee has two legit cordless models that can replace your pneumatics. They feature a mind-blowing 1900 ft-lbs of fastening torque and 2,000 ft-lbs of breakaway for the toughest jobs. With such a strong brushless motor, they rely on Milwaukee’s 12.0Ah High Output battery as an energy source. It also has a battery isolation section that reduces the amount of heavy impacting that reaches the lithium-ion cells. One-Key integration and four customizable modes are icing on the cake.

Designed around the needs of diesel and heavy equipment mechanics, it’s available with a standard or extended reach 1-inch anvil.

Moving in the completely opposite direction, we head to the M12 system for our top 1/4-inch impact wrench recommendation. Milwaukee’s M12 Fuel stubby line is impressive across all of its drive sizes and the 1/4-inch version drops down to 100 ft-lbs of torque paired with up to 3000 RPM of speed. It’s a great choice when you’re working with smaller fasteners or softer materials and want to avoid over-torquing. Continuing the trend we’ve already seen, this model has 3 standard modes and an auto mode when you need more control.

Our top choice for the best Milwaukee M12 impact wrench stays with the M12 Fuel stubby line, and it’s the 1/2-inch version we prefer. This compact little impact boasts 250 ft-lbs of torque. Considering it’s using a 12V battery as its power source, that’s impressive.

The 1/2-inch drive is available as either a friction ring or pin detent and has a lot of potential for work across most trades along with its expected automotive uses.

Milwaukee’s 2865 is an M18 Fuel impact wrench designed specifically for linemen’s needs with its 7/16-inch hex collet. Behind that specialty connection, the brushless motor is capable of 750 ft-lbs of torque to help set the larger fasteners utility workers frequently deal with. It’s also rated to work around lines up to 69,000 volts and there’s a beefy metal ring at the top for easy tethering.

While the 2300 RPM top speed doesn’t match what hydraulic impacts are capable of, the completely cord-free/hose-free convenience can make up the difference with far less setup time and hassle.

One-Key is onboard offering its tracking and management assets along with the ability to customize your mode settings.

You can be forgiven if you first look at Milwaukee’s 2565 and assume it’s another M12 Fuel ratchet. However, it’s actually a right angle impact wrench with far greater speed and torque than cordless ratchets have. The dead giveaway is at the head where it’s bulkier than ratchets to make room for the mechanics of an impact wrench.

It tops out at 3000 RPM and 220 ft-lbs of torque. With an overall length of just over 14 inches, it helps you reach into spaces you can’t fit a pistol grip tool while offering the power to deal with most of the fasteners you’ll come across in those spaces.

While the auto-mode that’s on several of Milwaukee’s impact wrenches is helpful, it’s particularly useful on this model. In reverse, the RPMs drop way down once the impact stops, and in forward, it ensures you put no more than 15 ft-lbs of torque into the fastener.

Discover more Milwaukee cordless tools by clicking here!

On the clock, Kenny dives deep to discover the practical limits and comparative differences for all kinds of tools. Off the clock, his faith and love for his family are his top priorities, and you'll typically find him in the kitchen, on his bike (he's an Ironman), or taking folks out for a day of fishing on Tampa Bay.

Brush Cutter Attachment Expands Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel Quik-Lok Multi-Head System Capability The Milwaukee M18 Fuel Quik-Lok multi-head system has been […]

If you’re looking for the best table saw in 2022, you’ve come to the right place. In this video, we’ve […]

If you’re buying a Greenworks chainsaw, you’re already starting off on the right foot. They make excellent electric and cordless […]

Milwaukee Tool invited us out for their first large scale in-person event in years, and they had a ton of […]

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn income when you click on an Amazon link. Thanks for helping us do what we love.

See our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Pro Tool Reviews is a successful online publication that has been providing tool reviews and industry news since 2008. In today’s world of Internet news and online content, we found that more and more professionals researched a large majority of their major power tool purchases online. That piqued our interest.

There’s one key thing to note about Pro Tool Reviews: We’re all about the professional tool user and tradesman!

Copyright ©2008-2022 Pro Tool Reviews, LLC. All rights reserved.