power tools for the working professional

[pizzabooty]

hi all, fairly new here. i've been doing some research regarding power tools, specifically impact wrenches. i'm in the market for one and i've been considering a handful of different brands but i'm still having trouble deciding. for context: i work in a shop as a fairly entry level tech, mostly doing tires, oil changes, brake jobs, that kinda thing. feels weird calling myself a professional, but i suppose it's the best way to differentiate from being a DIYer.

i really love the idea of milwaukee, they seem to be one of the best manufacturers of cordless tools, with decent prices to boot. my main concern is durability. i know that milwaukee tools are marketed to professionals and as "industrial" tools, but i've been having trouble finding information about how they (impacts in particular) hold up day in and day out in a shop environment.

other considerations include snap-on and matco. 3 of my 4 coworkers all have the snap-on high torque impact, and they all swear by it, but at nearly 4x the cost of the milwaukees, i find it hard to stomach. i do understand the reasoning behind buying tool truck tools, and i love using them myself, especially compared to air (coworkers are very generous with tool lending), but i've seen a handful of comments around here about how they just aren't that great. matco has my eye because it seems to be the highest torque cordless impact on the market, but it's comparable to the snappy in terms of price. i also am a big fan of the angled more ergonomic grip, and to be honest i love my matco guy and wouldnt mind supporting his business more than i already do lol. not to mention, the idea of paying it off weekly is definitely appealing, especially since my paychecks aren't huge because i'm still hourly and not flat-rate.

i think i'm pretty set on a milwaukee, but i guess i'm looking for affirmation as to whether or not it'll really hold up doing tires all day every day. also just trying to see if anybody has been able to compare the 3 in terms of usability and quality.


edit:

• also considering the snap-on 14.4v micro impact (ct725/861) vs the milwaukee m12 micro impact (2454), and probably a cordless ratchet at some point down the line, although that's less pressing. thoughts are still welcome
• specifically, i'm looking at high torque 1/2" impacts, specifically the snap-on ct9080, milwaukee 2767, and matco mco2012
• other brand recommendations are welcome as well

 

[Xcursion88]

Oh my...

You're about to get a million opinions on this question...
I am a professional and see the tool trucks every week.

My questions to you are...

Is Country of Origin important to you?
Is your relationship with your tool dealer important to you?


The Milwaukee you seem intetested in ... if it's disassembly for maintenance is like the 2763... then you're in for a real treat. (Sarcastic)
Just to grease up the anvil area you have to literally remove approximately 14 or more(?) screws, break apart the entire tool body just to get in that area. It looks like a simple 4 screws around the nose cone but nope...the whole tool must come apart. I know how those mfg's feel about tool disassembly and warranty. It voids it....Just sayin.
Here's a video for reference and if the 2767 is like the 2763 you'll get some useful information

The Snap-on and DeWalt (and others) as example are simply the 4 screws you see...remove nose cone, grease, replace nose cone and 4 fasteners, continue working.

Country of origin...if important to you...
According to a rep recently from Milwaukee at present they make exactly zero cordless power tools in the U.S.
Not even assembled here. Nothing. Matter of fact they make two power tools at present in USA. Both are corded. A corded Sawzall (not all corded Sawzalls though...and a magnetic drill press) Milwaukee is also no longer owned by an American company. Techtronic Industries is who owns Milwaukee and they're from Hong Kong.
Just know if you go Milwaukee the only thing American on the tool you're contemplating is the name of a city in the United States.

The tool trucks......
If relationships are important to you then that can be a factor as well.

The only right answer to this stuff is what makes you satisfied.
Maybe you don't care about Country of Origin. Maybe you don't care about tool truck relationships...
Only you can answer that.

As far as durability? Any of the usual suspects will hold up just fine. Think about it...if one was utter junk it wouldn't take long for the reputation to spread like wildfires.
Snap-on gun (USA)
DeWalt gun (USA)
Matco
Milwaukee
Makita

Just know it's a pita to grease the Milwaukee.

I personally prefer DeWalt for a few reasons. Country of origin on some guns (USA) and I've a great relationship with my Mac truck rep. Mac and DeWalt are owned by the same company in the USA and he sells DeWalt on the truck.

Specifically for what you are doing I'd suggest the
DeWalt DCF891

It's really a great size, weight and power combo.

Personally I use the DCF901 in 12v (really compact)and if the going gets tough I pull out the DCF899

If I could only get one gun though for everything it most definitely would be the DCF891

Ultimately just remember you're the one buying and using it.

They'll all be durable enough so buy whichever you want for whatever reasons are important to you. Only you have those answers.

Good luck

 

[Bockscar]

I'd be pretty certain to say that you won't really go wrong with any choice of the tool trucks or the big three. The best thing to do is to put them in your hand and whatever feels the best ....I have a Dewalt 903 and 891 ...both nice tools....I like the way they feel in my hands.....

 

[Orangina]

Hello everyone,

pneumatic tools are still very common (only in Germany?) - also as impact wrenches.
I know cordless tools keep getting better, more powerful and lighter.

pneumatic advantages:
- reduced size and weight, important if you work with it a lot
- low costs because the technology is simpler, less parts, durable
- always ready to use, no need to check battery level or charge
- no such overheating under load and therefore faster work
- less risk of flying electrical sparks

pneumatic disadvantages:
- air hose
- mobile only usable with a mobile strong compressor
- powerful compressor is necessary (but useable for lot of tools)

IMHO 12V or 14V are not state of the art for cordless tools today - 18V is more common.

regards,

 

[crewchief888]

im much harder on tools than the average mechanic. my "new" milwaukee fuel 3/8" dr impact is at least 7 years old, no battery issues, ive replaced 1 battery pack in an older 3/8" gun. the impact see's daily use, as well as an 18V worklight, fuel grinder see's intermittent use.
oil, diesel fuel, coolant and rain havnt seemed to be much of an issue. my stuff see's extremes of hot/cold and live in my service truck 24/7.
i have co workers with SO cordless stuff, seems they are routinely replacing batteries.

 

[Walkers]

They use the Milwaukee battery impacts at all the local Discount Tire shops near me. If that isn’t a good endorsement, then I don’t know what is.

 

[boom_bap]

Check out the torque test channel on youtube! That should anwser all your questions.

 

[dnschmidt]

There are many very good cordless impacts but in my book Milwaukee wins due to one fact: 5 YEAR WARRANTEE that they actually make easy to honor. If you get five years out of any tool that has moving parts in it in a professional environment it should have long since paid for itself.

 

[sparky 1971]

I have three Milwaukee impact wrenches, but they don't get used on a weekly, let alone daily basis. I do have a customer that is a trucking company with 2500 trucks and trailers on the road. From what I've seen, it appears that the mechanics there are using a lot of Milwaukee impacts. I don't know how much difference there is to the internals, but I use a M12 impact driver daily and have for quite some time. I have never worn one out. I've upgraded a couple of times, one was stolen, and I have dropped one off of a scissor lift to about a 20 foot death and another didn't survive falling off of a 25' roof, but I don't know if there is anything that would have made it.

 

[speed bump]

I can't comment on the other brands you mentioned but we supply Milwaukee tools to our 16 person maintenance shop (cement plant) and probably have bought just about every M18 impact available (only exception would be the d handle 1 inch). They do the job but they all eventually die, most are under warranty so we just send them off and unless it's flat out abuse they send us another. This is a hard pill to swallow for some people but in professional environment tools are a consumable. You aren't buying a forever tool, you are buying a for a while tool and you need to realize it doesn't matter what it is eventually you are going to break it or wear it out.

All of that being said Milwaukee is a good choice for a mechanic. Matco and Snap on are nice for the payment terms and dealer service but Milwaukee and DeWalt/Mac give you a better battery platform overall.

 

[Rabid Badger]

What size impact are you looking at? Low, mid, high, all three?

If you're looking for one do-it-all impact, the Makita and DeWalt mid-torques are the way to go. They're reasonably compact with power output on par with last generation high-torque impacts.

If you're supplying your own tools I would avoid Milwaukee. For a business with a fleet of tools, it doesn't matter if one or two are out for warranty replacement at any given time. In that scenario, a 5 year warranty can outweigh things like batteries that have to be held in with a rubber strap.

When you look around this board you'll see the Milwaukee guys bragging about how easy it is to get their tools replaced when they break. On the other hand, there's tons of threads with DeWalt owners looking for ways to keep their old nicad XRP stuff running after their batteries stop working. Makita tools are similarly designed for the long haul, with people looking for tips on replacing batteries for drills made in the 80's.

 

[Professional Tool User]

If you are going to buy cordless, I'll take Milwaukee over Snap on any day. Milwaukee actually specializes in power tools while power tools are not a core product for Snap on. You only need to look at Milwaukee's 5 year cordless tool warranty vs Snap on's 1 year warranty to see who is more confident about their tools not falling apart under heavy use. If we are talking about Mac tools, at least Stanley has a lot of experience with making cordless tools at all price points. I don't know who Matco farms out their cordless tools to. As for which size gun to get, something like the Milwaukee M12 Fuel Stubby gun will suffice for at least 80% of automotive applications including lug nuts provided seized fasteners and power losses from swivels are not an issue. Mid torque guns tend to be around the same size as standard sized impacts and aren't as powerful. Full sized cordless impacts are bulky and heavy. You might as well be using an air impact rather than a full sized cordless gun if all you are doing is impacting lug nuts in a shop environment.

 

[BarrelRoll]

I have a Milwaukee M18 1/2" I use in the mining industry, it's usually covered in slurry (mud) and gets a bath every so often cracking open pipes and pumps. They hold up decent and survive a couple baths before they have an issue, usually they will get stuck in the #1 torque setting and not change. Drops from a ladder and rock dust they don't seem to care about.

My employer provides the impacts and m18 batteries though every other cordless tool is out of our pockets. My snapon guy is always trying to sell me their power tools and I'm too far into Milwaukee I don't see the point in changing being this far in/ free batteries at work. Over the course of 10 years of owning M18 I have had my fair share of Milwaukee stuff die though, a couple impacts (2 water related, 1 early one burn up/ wear out), 2 drills wear out/ burn up, an impact driver with a switch with a mind of it's own and a flashlight with a switch that stopped working. I didn't try to warranty any of it/ a lot of it was older when it died

I'd buy the Milwaukee, if you decide it's not good enough for work bring it home and buy a tool truck one. Just starting out your money goes a lot farther with Milwaukee equaling more tools to be more productive if/ when you become flat rate equaling more money in your pocket. If you need to finance look into paypal credit 0% for 6 months anywhere that accepts paypal.

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

Check out the torque test channel on youtube! That should anwser all your questions.

Between the TTC and AVE on Youtube, you can really get a feel for " whats going on ". AVE does a nice job of showing what might perform well, have top name recognition, but is **** under the hood.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

If you're pulling wheels to do tires all day, skip battery and just buy a decent pneumatic gun. You'll need the air line down for tire pressure afterwards right? Electric costs more and offers basically zero benefits for what you're talking about. I see dudes lugging around mid/high torque guns and I think it's crazy then my little Astro stubby takes of 99% of wheels. Actually that's a 1 in 100 failure to remove rate, so once in 25 cars. It's not even that high of a failure rate. Usually it's cranked down lug bolts or swollen lugs that stop it.


I love M12 for my 3/8 stubby, long neck 1/4 ratchet, and hex driver. I think it's silly to buy an electric gun to pull wheels. If you're dead set on electric - IMO Milwaukee, price and warranty.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JBNDW4W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

$160 plus an air fitting. Rarely used as my nano is my work horse.

Amazon.com

$110, I use this all day to pull wheels, axle nuts, etc.

That stubby has laughed at my friends M18 mid torque a couple times.

 

[pizzabooty]

thank you everybody for the very detailed replies!

Spoiler

If you're pulling wheels to do tires all day, skip battery and just buy a decent pneumatic gun. You'll need the air line down for tire pressure afterwards right? Electric costs more and offers basically zero benefits for what you're talking about. I see dudes lugging around mid/high torque guns and I think it's crazy then my little Astro stubby takes of 99% of wheels. Actually that's a 1 in 100 failure to remove rate, so once in 25 cars. It's not even that high of a failure rate. Usually it's cranked down lug bolts or swollen lugs that stop it.


I love M12 for my 3/8 stubby, long neck 1/4 ratchet, and hex driver. I think it's silly to buy an electric gun to pull wheels. If you're dead set on electric - IMO Milwaukee, price and warranty.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JBNDW4W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

$160 plus an air fitting. Rarely used as my nano is my work horse.

Amazon.com

$110, I use this all day to pull wheels, axle nuts, etc.

That stubby has laughed at my friends M18 mid torque a couple times.

Hello everyone,

pneumatic tools are still very common (only in Germany?) - also as impact wrenches.
I know cordless tools keep getting better, more powerful and lighter.

pneumatic advantages:
- reduced size and weight, important if you work with it a lot
- low costs because the technology is simpler, less parts, durable
- always ready to use, no need to check battery level or charge
- no such overheating under load and therefore faster work
- less risk of flying electrical sparks

pneumatic disadvantages:
- air hose
- mobile only usable with a mobile strong compressor
- powerful compressor is necessary (but useable for lot of tools)

IMHO 12V or 14V are not state of the art for cordless tools today - 18V is more common.

regards,

in terms of choosing pneumatic vs electric, i already have a pneumatic impact (husky brand) and was definitely considering another one, but my shop's air lines are kind of janky and don't stay put when pulled down (district manager refuses to fix them because...1 of 3 of us uses electric...), and where time is money it definitely is a bit of a time saver not needing to pull down air lines for every car. our 4-post lifts also dont have air lines attached, so i find myself grabbing the electric every now and again when i go over that way. not to mention that i can bring the cordless around with me in my car on road trips etc, just for a bit of peace of mind.

Spoiler

Check out the torque test channel on youtube! That should anwser all your questions.

Between the TTC and AVE on Youtube, you can really get a feel for " whats going on ". AVE does a nice job of showing what might perform well, have top name recognition, but is **** under the hood.

i've definitely done my research regarding max torque and that kind of deal, but there isn't as much about longevity and durability that i can find.

im much harder on tools than the average mechanic. my "new" milwaukee fuel 3/8" dr impact is at least 7 years old, no battery issues, ive replaced 1 battery pack in an older 3/8" gun. the impact see's daily use, as well as an 18V worklight, fuel grinder see's intermittent use.
oil, diesel fuel, coolant and rain havnt seemed to be much of an issue. my stuff see's extremes of hot/cold and live in my service truck 24/7.
i have co workers with SO cordless stuff, seems they are routinely replacing batteries.

this is a very helpful answer, thank you

 

[pizzabooty]

What size impact are you looking at? Low, mid, high, all three?

If you're looking for one do-it-all impact, the Makita and DeWalt mid-torques are the way to go. They're reasonably compact with power output on par with last generation high-torque impacts.

If you're supplying your own tools I would avoid Milwaukee. For a business with a fleet of tools, it doesn't matter if one or two are out for warranty replacement at any given time. In that scenario, a 5 year warranty can outweigh things like batteries that have to be held in with a rubber strap.

When you look around this board you'll see the Milwaukee guys bragging about how easy it is to get their tools replaced when they break. On the other hand, there's tons of threads with DeWalt owners looking for ways to keep their old nicad XRP stuff running after their batteries stop working. Makita tools are similarly designed for the long haul, with people looking for tips on replacing batteries for drills made in the 80's.

most likely the high torque. but i could be convinced to go for a mid torque; the aforementioned 4th coworker has a mid torque milwaukee that he uses, although he doesnt use it much because he's the general manager and only comes back into the shop when we're slammed. i figured the high torque was probably the best choice simply because i know that i wouldn't need to worry about those particularly stuck lug nuts. the mid-torque has about the same breakaway torque as my current air impact, and i do need to bust out my buddy's snap-on on occasion.

There are many very good cordless impacts but in my book Milwaukee wins due to one fact: 5 YEAR WARRANTEE that they actually make easy to honor. If you get five years out of any tool that has moving parts in it in a professional environment it should have long since paid for itself.

that's another nice thing, a good long warranty and a lot of stores around me that sell milwaukee. going to a nearby store for a warranty isn't a big deal since there's like 5 off the top of my head within a 20m drive, and it's easier than waiting til next week for the tool truck to come back around. how long does it usually take to warranty something though?

 

[pizzabooty]

I can't comment on the other brands you mentioned but we supply Milwaukee tools to our 16 person maintenance shop (cement plant) and probably have bought just about every M18 impact available (only exception would be the d handle 1 inch). They do the job but they all eventually die, most are under warranty so we just send them off and unless it's flat out abuse they send us another. This is a hard pill to swallow for some people but in professional environment tools are a consumable. You aren't buying a forever tool, you are buying a for a while tool and you need to realize it doesn't matter what it is eventually you are going to break it or wear it out.

All of that being said Milwaukee is a good choice for a mechanic. Matco and Snap on are nice for the payment terms and dealer service but Milwaukee and DeWalt/Mac give you a better battery platform overall.

this is a very good point, and something i hadn't really considered. if i'm gonna need to buy a new one every couple of years anyway, may as well go for the more affordable option!

 

[mepstein]

I'm the guy who would buy 2 milwaukee's before one tool truck gun. If having a working impact is important for your job, I would want a spare to use if the first tool needed service. An air impact would be a fine spare also. If financing was needed, I would get a home depot credit card. It usually gives you a discount on your first purchase. I worked at a shop (not a tech) The tool trucks are happy to finance because the markup is crazy. You are paying a fee to the company and then another fee to the driver to bring it to your door. Usually the new, young guys pay full price for everything while the shop owner will get good discounts since his guys are feeding the tool rep.
It still confuses me why guys have to buy their own tools to work at a shop. Any other job, tools, computers, kitchen equipment, trucks, etc are provided by the employer. Most guys buying their own tools don't even get a tax write off from them. Off tangent I know but I don't understand why it's the standard at shops.

 

[Xcursion88]

this is a very good point, and something i hadn't really considered. if i'm gonna need to buy a new one every couple of years anyway, may as well go for the more affordable option!

But why would you?

You don't know that.

We have some old Snap-on and DeWalt guns still trucking.

They're maintained periodically but still trucking along

 

[pizzabooty]

But why would you?

You don't know that.

We have some old Snap-on and DeWalt guns still trucking.

They're maintained periodically but still trucking along

That is true that i don't know. From your first response i inferred that they'll all probably last roughly the same amount of time, so it would stand to reason that they'll need replacing at some point.
I guess in my eyes, if tool truck brands aren't going to last 4x as long as the other guys, it doesn't make as much sense to spend 4x the price (based solely in a vacuum on price:longevity, other factors notwithstanding) when i'll inevitably need to replace them some years down the line.

 

[Xcursion88]

That is true that i don't know. From your first response i inferred that they'll all probably last roughly the same amount of time, so it would stand to reason that they'll need replacing at some point.
I guess in my eyes, if tool truck brands aren't going to last 4x as long as the other guys, it doesn't make as much sense to spend 4x the price (based solely in a vacuum on price:longevity, other factors notwithstanding) when i'll inevitably need to replace them some years down the line.

You just getting into the industry I can tell you tool trucks have their place.
Example...
Let's say this gun you're contemplating purchasing is a Milwaukee...and it breaks during it's warranty period.
What now? Send it in is your ONLY option or take to an authorized repair center but you aren't leaving with that tool on that day as odds are they're sending the **** in anyway.

If you purchased on a truck...
Snap-on, Mac(DeWalt), Matco...and your tool dealer is worth his weight if you have breakage really any time (even outside of warranty if you bought off them) will supply you with a loaner until yours is fixed. Might even be able to fix it on the spot. Some tool truck guys are good like that.
The point is you're not without a gun while yours is being repaired.

Milwaukee and Makita the repair will all by your responsibility with no loaner or backup plan.

What's that worth? Only you can answer that.

More about the trucks....

You aren't just buying the name Snap-on, Mac or Matco (like some people think)...You're actually buying the sales rep and his or her service provided along with the actual tool.

A set of sockets from Snap-on or genuine Mac are they really worth 3 or 4 or 10 times a Kobalt, Tekton, Husky, Icon, or a ....or....or......

In the tool world you pay a lot to gain a little bit.
All that said, to me the trucks are worth every penny. First of all I don't want something to break in the first place ( **** does happen at times no matter the brand)...in the event it does break I don't have time to dilly **** around and travel to a box store or Harbor Freight or whatever. If something breaks I need to keep going and it's extremely valuable the truck comes to me and replaces it on the spot.
I love how the people say yeah but if it breaks they'll give you a new one.
LOL...
I don't have time for the nonsense.

In the end the truck service is definitely more expensive but you're in fact getting something for your money. A come to you service and if the rep is good the service can be outstanding.
It's a working relationship that can last a long time.

What's important to you only you can answer but to me after the sale service and country of origin is important to me.


Good luck.

 

[pizzabooty]

Interestingly, both me and a coworker have needed items warrantied from our matco guy. I absolutely love him, super chill and cares more about the customer than the sale, but we've been waiting weeks to get our things simply because he doesnt have them in and i guess theyre backordered or something. It definitely takes away from the value of "they come to you and give you a replacement then and there" when you're still waiting ages on that warranty. I do understand that it isnt necessarily his fault but if i'm paying the tool truck premium, i would hope to at least get that service to back it up.
This could very well be specific to matco though, since iirc they dont make very many of their tools in house. Maybe SO doesnt have the same supply issues.

 

[Xcursion88]

Interestingly, both me and a coworker have needed items warrantied from our matco guy. I absolutely love him, super chill and cares more about the customer than the sale, but we've been waiting weeks to get our things simply because he doesnt have them in and i guess theyre backordered or something. It definitely takes away from the value of "they come to you and give you a replacement then and there" when you're still waiting ages on that warranty. I do understand that it isnt necessarily his fault but if i'm paying the tool truck premium, i would hope to at least get that service to back it up.
This could very well be specific to matco though, since iirc they dont make very many of their tools in house. Maybe SO doesnt have the same supply issues.

Well...I will say ever since the covid ******** started things haven't been normal. So allow to restate....in normal times and if your tool dealer is good at keeping inventory...this isn't an issue.

With that said supply issues are going on with everything. It appears it's getting a little bit better but has a long way to go.

Ask your Matco guy next week...say to the rep if I get model xyz electric gun from you and I have an issue will you provide me a loaner until mine is back from repair.
It's a great question and as I said good tool dealers will absolutely take care of their customers like that.
Example...my Snap-on and Mac reps both have many tools on their truck's in a blow-molded case with "loaner" written on the case. They are down low and out of the way so they don't get sold or whatever but they are there for exactly that. Loaning out for warranty work etc.

It sounds like you like your Matco rep...if he'd give you a verbal on a loaner should your gun need repaired just buy from him. I get a sense you will feel good purchasing from him and again...if it makes you happy that's all that matters.

 

[rsanter]

I’m stuck on my Dewalt stuff and use the **** out of it.
My second choice would be Milwaukee
Everything else I’d distant Third

 

[Xcursion88]

To add...and reiterate this is about you.
Doesn't matter what anyone on here likes...it's what makes you happy.

I think you will personally have less regrets and less second guessing your decision if you just get the Matco. If you don't every week you will be looking at that ******** gun you wish you would've just got off your tool dealer whom you really like.

Just my two cents on the vibe I'm getting from you on this.

Good luck

 

[Xcursion88]

I’m stuck on my Dewalt stuff and use the **** out of it.
My second choice would be Milwaukee
Everything else I’d distant Third

I hear ya brotha and nobody bleeds black and yellow more than me but I think he'd be happiest buying from his Matco guy. Seems that way to me and nothing wrong with that. It's what makes him happy is all that matters.

 

[nadogail]

For both Cost and Value, am sure you will have to look long and hard to find a better combination than the Makita.

 

[engineer2]

Don't discount Makita. They tend to last a long time without problems.
Disassembly for maintenance?? Never heard of that for any Makita brushless tool.
Some of the online tool test videos ignore the fact the some Milwaukee tools cut out and shut off during use. That BS doesn't happen with Makita tools.
I have some 10 year old Makita tools and batteries that I use daily and they work as good as the day I bought them.

 

[F-22]

Imo Makita is probably not the largest by revenue but it is probably the most global of those brands. It's common on all continents. Check aliexpress and see if you can find a fake Milwaukee or Dewalt... Probably not, but there are ciountless fake Makita tools using those same batteries too.

Also, the lates Makitas are quite amazing in power too. Milwaukee invests tons and tons of money into ads, but tbh I wouldn't say any company is meaningfully better than another.

Check out this comparison of the new drills! Definitely very impressive...

 

[pizzabooty]

To add...and reiterate this is about you.
Doesn't matter what anyone on here likes...it's what makes you happy.

I think you will personally have less regrets and less second guessing your decision if you just get the Matco. If you don't every week you will be looking at that ******** gun you wish you would've just got off your tool dealer whom you really like.

Just my two cents on the vibe I'm getting from you on this.

Good luck

i think you've read the vibe right . i've been on that truck numerous times and every time i hop on i look at that gun like "should i do it" but convince myself every time that it's just the cost to performance ratio that i can get better somewhere else. i think you have a really good point in that i should just get what makes me happy. like, sure i'll save some money (read: half the cost) if i settle for a makita or dewalt or milwaukee, but i'll be settling. there is indeed a reason i'm in debt $1200 to my matco guy (definitely absolutely not because i impulsively buy tools, no sir)

i might ask him if he's able to hand one out for a week and see how it goes.

 

[Xcursion88]

i think you've read the vibe right . i've been on that truck numerous times and every time i hop on i look at that gun like "should i do it" but convince myself every time that it's just the cost to performance ratio that i can get better somewhere else. i think you have a really good point in that i should just get what makes me happy. like, sure i'll save some money (read: half the cost) if i settle for a makita or dewalt or milwaukee, but i'll be settling. there is indeed a reason i'm in debt $1200 to my matco guy (definitely absolutely not because i impulsively buy tools, no sir)

i might ask him if he's able to hand one out for a week and see how it goes.

There you go...

And FYI...

Been there and done that in your position.
Getting hot on something and I talk myself into a different brand and ultimately buy the one I wanted anyways. Definitely money lost doing that **** so I can't stress to you enough...
If you think you'll feel like " I should've got that Matco gun" every week on the matco truck no matter the gun your purchased prior...


Save yourself grief and aggravation and get the one you really want from the get go.

You'll be much happier in the end.

 

[MooseCustomMotors]

I will second everything Xcursion 88 said. I am formerly a Milwaukee user but switched everything to Snap On for a lot of the reasons mentioned above. If it breaks he’s coming to me same day with a loaner or a new one or to fix it. The one thing I didn’t get was a 1/2 cordless gun. For that, I like the Matco better, so I went with it. Same reasoning applies, if it breaks I’m getting a loaner or a repair or a new one same day.

 

[Ton ton]

I have had poor luck with the Milwaukee mid torque and high torque impact guns. Maybe someday I will be able to find Makita or something faster than Milwaukee. Just my random 2 cents. The high torque goes into limp mode on me. LOL.

 

[dr_clyde]

I traded in my SO cordless impact and bought a Milwaukee. Couldn’t be happier.

My uncle regrets his Matco, loves his Dewalt. Same with my dad, loves his Dewalt.

Haven’t tried Makita in 10 years, I’m sure they’re fine too.

My 2cw is to avoid the tool trucks for all things battery powered, and go with either Makita, Dewalt, Milwaukee or Metabo.