An impact driver kit is a collection of tools and adapters that includes, of course, an impact driver. A typical impact driver kit will have the impact driver, a battery pack if it’s a cordless tool, a battery charger, and a carrying case.
Some kits will also add in a bit set that you can use with the 1/4 chuck of the impact driver, or an entire tool set you can use for various tasks in the workshop or garage. Some of the more expensive tool kits combine an impact driver with a variety of cutting and drilling power tools, too.
An impact driver goes particularly well in a kit when combined with a circular saw or a jigsaw, as well as a power drill or hammer drill, depending on what tools you will use on a more regular basis.
What an Impact Driver Kit Gives You
What an impact driver kit gives you are basically two things: value and convenience. You will often find that buying an impact driver, then shopping for a separate battery pack, charger, or bit set is often more expensive than getting all of them from an impact driver kit.
You can get your tool, plus all the accessories you need to run it, for a bit less compared to the total cost of getting all the pieces you need separately. Plus, you also get a few bonuses that come with an impact driver kit, like a soft bag to hold everything in to keep your tool and tool accessories organized, or even a hard case to protect everything from falls and scrapes.
There’s also the matter of convenience for you as someone shopping for an impact driver. Not only are you sure that you have most, if not all, of the accessories you need – you also get the assurance that they are fully compatible with each other.
You save on the extra time and effort of tracking down the batteries and accessories you would have needed to search for if you bought a bare tool impact driver. If you are getting the kit online, you also get the entire set on the same day, which means you can get right to work with everything ready.
If you get an impact driver kit that comes with other cordless tools like a circular saw, drill or jigsaw, you also get an entire set of power tools that will all work with the battery packs and chargers that come with that kit. That means you can use the same battery pack on more than one of your power tools and be confident that it will just work.
Impact Driver, Battery, and Charger (Basic Kit)
This basic impact driver kit, consisting of the impact driver, a compatible battery pack, and a battery charger, has all the things you will need to run your impact driver right away. Kits like these don’t have a lot in the way of extras, but you will usually get a carrying case to carry your tools and chargers around.
A bare tool 1/4 inch, 20-volt cordless impact driver from a reputable manufacturer will cost you somewhere around 70 to 80 dollars for the bare tool version. The same tool, with a basic kit that includes a compatible battery pack with 1.5 Ampere-hours capacity and a fast charger, will run for around 100 dollars – just 20 bucks more to get you running right away, so keep an eye out for these types of deals.
The equivalent 20-volt impact driver with a 1/2 inch chuck, together with a bag, battery pack, and battery pack, will cost you around the same as the 1/4 inch version in most cases.
Impact Driver Kit with Drill Driver, Charger and Multiple Batteries
An impact driver kit can also come with a drill driver or a compact drill, which can greatly expand the range of tasks that you can tackle with that kit. Of course, such a kit will also come with battery packs that are compatible with both of the tools, as well as the charger to keep them powered and ready for your use. As a bonus, most multi-tool kits like these also come with a carrying bag that can fit all the tools, accessories and bits in one convenient bundle.
These kits may also come with a few other bonuses like belt clips, extra batteries, or bits. These kits may also offer you a significant discount compared to buying an impact driver and drill driver separately.
An 18 bolt impact driver and drill combo will usually cost around 180 dollars, and it already comes with everything you need to operate both tools as soon as you get your kit.
Impact Driver Kit with Mechanics Tool Sets
Impact drivers are incredibly useful tools for automotive tools, so it just makes a lot of sense for manufacturers to offer them with a set of mechanics tools. These tools may include a set of sockets that you can use with the impact driver itself, as well as a set of hand tools that will greatly expand the versatility of your kit. Of course, most kits will also come with the battery packs and chargers that you will need to operate your power tools.
In most cases, the socket sets that come with your impact driver kits are “impact ready” or “impact rated”, which means that these will be able to withstand the repeated hammering from an impact driver and the stress that comes with it.
You can often tell right away which of your tool kit sockets are impact rated by inspecting the finish – these will usually come with a black oxide finish that adds a layer of corrosion and abrasion resistance. If the sockets in your kit come with a shiny chrome finish instead, chances are these are not “impact rated” sockets, and you should not expect the same amount of life from them as the other types.
Impact Driver Kit with Multiple Tools
There are impact driver kits that combine an impact driver with a drill, or a drill driver. Others add a circular saw or a jigsaw to let you cut through materials as well as drive fasteners. There are also impact driver kits with multiple tools that try to cover all the bases. If you are looking for getting all the handheld power tools you need around the house or in the workshop, going for one of these tool combo kits is not a bad idea at all.
One main advantage you get with such a kit is that you can instantly get a collection of tools that will all work off the same set of battery packs or chargers. Plus, you’re also more likely to get a significant discount compared to buying the tools one by one. The collection of tools you can get with one of these kits can be rather extensive. A typical 8-tool combo kit can include the impact driver as well as a drill driver, circular saw, multi-tool, grinder, reciprocating saw, and a flash light. You also get, of course, multiple battery packs and bags to carry them all.
These kits may not offer all the tools you need and still stay in a reasonable price range. That’s where tool manufacturers step in and give you a choice – for example, you can get an 8 tool multi-tool kit that comes with a grinder, or you can get the same combo set with a sander instead. Depending on the number and variety of tools included in the package, sets of this size usually comes in two bags and can cost upwards of 400 dollars.
Multi tool kits that come with circular saws or grinders cost more than those that come with sanders, for example. A combo kit with an impact driver and grinder in addition to a drill driver, circular saw, reciprocating saw, jig saw and flashlight can cost you 460 dollars or more.
Impact Driver Kit with Bit/Drill Bit Set
If you’re looking for making the most out of your impact driver, then an impact driver kit with bit and drill bit set is probably your best choice. Not only does a set like this come with the battery and charger that you need to run the tool right away, but you also get the accessories that let your impact driver do more than just drive fasteners.
An impact driver with a bit set will let you attach a variety of sockets to your impact driver, which will help you quickly and efficiently remove and install fasteners. A drill bit set that comes with hexagonal shafts will let you use drill bits with your 1/4 inch chuck, and will let you drill holes as well. Being able to drill holes and drive fasteners with the same tool lets you keep the number of tools you need to carry to a minimum, as well.
One main advantage of getting your impact driver bit set and drill bit set is that you are assured that you have accessories compatible with your power tool. That means you are likely getting drill bits and impact driver bit sets that not only fits your impact driver, but are also impact rated for longer life and better performance.
