Milwaukee
M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only)
$149Cheaper
Released 2022
Best Impact Drivers · head-to-head
M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) vs 18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool)
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) is cheaper at $149. Every spec and price links to its source.
Bosch
18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool)
$159
Released 2021
Which is better: the M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) or 18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool)?
They split the 2 specs we compare evenly. The M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) is the cheaper at $149.
See M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) on Amazon See 18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool) on Amazon
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) | 18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool) |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $149 | $159 |
| Brand | Milwaukee | Bosch |
| Released | 2022 | 2021 |
| Voltage (V) | 18 | 18 |
| Max torque in (lb) | 2000 | 1860 |
| Max (rpm) | 3900 | 3400 |
| Max ipm | 4400 | 4100 |
| Brushless | Yes | Yes |
| Speed settings | 4 | 3 |
| Weight (lb) | 2.2 | 2.6 |
Sources — M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only): milwaukeetool.com (verified 2026-06-19). 18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool): boschtools.com (verified 2026-06-19).
What's the difference between the M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) and 18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool)?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Max torque in (lb): M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) 2000 vs 18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool) 1860
- Max (rpm): M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) 3900 vs 18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool) 3400
- Max ipm: M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) 4400 vs 18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool) 4100
- Speed settings: M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) 4 vs 18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool) 3
- Weight (lb): M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) 2.2 vs 18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool) 2.6
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
M18 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only)
Only one whitelisted tester, Pro Tool Reviews, yielded a readable hands-on review; TechGearLab was under maintenance and no Popular Mechanics test exists. PTR scored the Gen-4 2953 9.7/10, calling it their best all-around impact driver to date, praising near-top drive speeds, a 4.47-inch compact frame, and a shadow-killing tri-beam LED. No drawbacks flagged. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Rated best all-around impact driver PTR has tested, with performance consistently near the top of the field (fast measured drive times, e.g. 8.6s RSS-screw average on a 5.0Ah pack); Class-leading compactness at 4.47 inches, 0.12 in shorter than the prior gen while keeping 2.2 lb bare weight; Tri-beam ring LED around the collet eliminates shadows better than trigger-mounted lights, plus one-hand bit insertion.
18V Freak Connected-Ready Two-In-One 1/4 in. & 1/2 in. Impact Driver (Bare Tool)
Only one whitelisted tester, Pro Tool Reviews, hands-on tested this exact model, scoring it 9.0/10. They measured 3240 in-lbs breakaway torque and a 14.05-second average screw-driving time, praising the hybrid hex/square drive and unchanged price. Downsides: the hybrid drive lengthens the tool and it uses a single LED instead of the preferred 3-LED chuck ring. No other whitelisted outlet reviewed it. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Combination 1/4-in hex and 1/2-in square drive eliminates socket adapters; More torque than predecessor; drives tough screws ~2 seconds faster; No price increase over the prior model.
Flagged: Hybrid drive makes the tool longer; Single LED below the handle instead of the preferred 3-LED chuck ring.