This update to this review follows the death of the Makita impact driver my boss used till recently. Firstly; the Makita had nothing like the degree of use and abuse of my Bosch. We were finishing up the structure of a steel frame building when my boss dropped his driver and it didn't work properly anymore. The local repair shop opened it up and declared it worn beyond any reasonable repair. In all fairness the Makita is now about 4 1/2 years old; but I know it hasn't received the workout my Bosch has and is worn beyond repair. My Bosch is still good and still under warranty. And that warranty is good! Read below.
This is yet another update to the original review which is a couple of paragraphs down. The Bosch ProVantage warranty comes through again! In the time I've had this driver (just over two years of HARD use) I've come to notice intense heat coming from the motor to the extent the driver was becoming unusable. Speaking with the local repair shop they said there was no way Bosch would pay to repair the tool and advised me not even to call Bosch about it. I figured; "Why not? What's it cost me?" A phone call later; (to the wrong place in Bosch where they took my information and transfered me to the correct place) and the guy on the phone said; "Well it's not supposed to do that!" And issued a repair order. Taken to a different repair center, it was done in less than a week with a new motor and casing; no charge! Bosch stands behind their ProVantage warrantied items as advertised!
This is an update to the original review which is below. It has been nearly a year since I purchased this item, and while I still love it; it's no longer the only driver of it's quality and price range. Hitachi currently carries a directly comparable unit with two year battery warranty and an astonishing 10 year (now updated to lifetime) tool warranty. At less than a year's time I have definitely worn out the original batteries and the tool is showing definite signs of wear. I have just got off the phone with Bosch's warranty people who are shipping two replacement batteries directly to me. The ProVantage warranty is the real deal! (UPDATE: the batteries came in today. They, for some reason, replaced my slim pack batteries with fat pack batteries. I called them up to inform them of the error and they told me to keep them!
I've used the Makita 18v Lithium driver as well as this one. Some will say there's no comparison. Wrong! They're directly comparable, but this beats the Makita hands down!
Slipping a half inch drive adapter into my driver and adding a 13/16 deep well impact socket is all the prep necessary to remove the lug nuts from my old Dodge pickup!
Pulling the trigger on this tool gives no sense of power whatsoever. There's no twist of torque trying to take your hand off, just startlingly massive power almost magically applied to whatever you're working on. Add to that power the frankly incredible ProVantage warranty and you have something the Makita owner can only envy.
If you're in the market for an impact driver, this is the one you want.
Update:
I've now had this product for more than half a year and use it at least weekly for: mechanical work, framing, metal roofing, hanging doors and setting windows, drywall, electrical and plumbing. If you need to turn a screw (nut, bolt) this is the tool of first resort. The trigger control allows for turning screws at finger speeds for starting and can be precise enough to set small screws in plastic without danger, while still having the power to finish tighten a half inch bolt in most cases. For sustained, day long usage (like setting a thousand screws in a metal roof) the light weight and ultra low transmitted torque greatly reduce user fatigue. I can literally lose this tool by adding it to my tool belt and not noticing the added weight. The included belt hook is very useful.
The biggest problem I've seen is the tendency to over-torque the driver itself. Use ONLY the highest quality drivers and bits, as this tool WILL cam out the drivers and shatter the bits. Unfortunately, that means it can cam in the driver shanks and even break them off in the tool.
The closest I can think of as a failing on the part of this tool is that the batteries don't seem to hold a charge like I think they should. More than once I've gone to use it and found two dead batteries. Maybe I'll have a chance to try out Bosch's warranty. (the batteries went bad at about a year, Bosch replaced them with no hassle)
This tool has been dropped, left out at night, completely submerged for hours on end (not good), and frozen till the batteries failed. I have probably charged the batteries several hundred times and have used it a thousand plus times with great satisfaction. despite having searched diligently I have yet to see anything that comes close to matching this value. (update: check Hitachi)
Now, as to what I really hate about this thing. The included plastic carrying case is not waterproof! If left out in the pickup (or wherever). The box has to be vertical or rainwater will enter it and pool up. My Festool box can be hosed down with no effect whatsoever. That's how you build a tool case!
At this point in time I have to re-state: If you're in the market for an impact driver, this IS the one you want. (update: check Hitachi)
Update: I spent two days working on a several ton engine in a 20 cubic yard earth mover. We removed the oil pan (3/4 inch socket), an accessory drive cover (one 1 1/4 inch socket) and various covers and oil pump parts using 9/16 inch socket. Then we put it all back together. This was THE tool used for almost everything.
The light weight, the lack of an "almost long enough", eternally snagged air hose, kept the 1/2 air impact put away. This tool reduced fatigue by something like half and had at least adequate power for virtually everything we did. Then, at night I came home and repaired my clothes dryer. Again, this tool made easy work of every screw; the controllable power eliminating the possibility of ruining screws or nuts.
I can scarcely pick this tool up without being delighted by it's features and cost to benefit ratio. Now having experienced the ProVantage warranty first hand, I'm even more impressed!
At a years time I'm still absolutely satisfied with this purchase. No tool has ever impressed me with it's value as much as this one does. I've been testing the Hitachi driver for a couple of weeks and it is somewhat longer, slightly weaker, slightly narrower, somewhat nicer feeling in the hand. For the home user, you'll never have cause to worry about wearing out either unit inside the warranty. Both units have two year battery warranties. It's just a question of who backs up their stuff better and which one costs the least. (the Hitachi is made in China, while my particular Bosch was made in Malaysia if that matters)
| Brand | BOSCH |
|---|---|
| Power Source | Battery Powered |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Amperage | 1.5 Amps |
| Maximum Chuck Size | 13 Millimeters |
| Color | Blue |
| Included Components | bare-tool; case; battery-charger; battery |
| Special Feature | compact |
| Material | Plastic |
| Speed | 2800 RPM |
| Item Weight | 3.8 Pounds |
| Maximum Power | 850 Watts |
| Manufacturer | Bosch |
| Part Number | 25618 |
| Item Weight | 3.8 pounds |
| Item model number | 25618 |
| Batteries | 2 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Special Features | compact |
| Batteries Included? | Yes |
| Batteries Required? | Yes |
| Battery Cell Type | Lithium Ion |
| Warranty Description | 30-day money back guarantee, 1 yr warranty |
