Bosch has come out with a new 18V cordless impact driver, GDR18V-1400B12, which is described as a compact and ergonomic tool for professional-grade fastening applications.
The new Bosch cordless impact driver delivers up to 1400 in-lbs max torque.
- 1/4″ hex chuck
- 5.9″ length
- 3″ width
- 1400 in-lbs max torque
- 0-2800 no-load RPM
- 0-3600 IPM
- Weighs 2.3 lbs without battery
- LED worklight
- “Professional power transmission”
- Belt hook
The kit comes with a charger and (1) 2.0Ah battery.
The new Bosch cordless impact driver seems to have a slim handle.
Launch Price: $129 for the kit
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Compare(Dewalt brushless impact driver kit via Acme Tools)
Discussion
The new Bosch GDR18V-1400B12 cordless impact driver reminds me of their GSR18V-190B22 cordless drill/driver, which I predicted would be a Black Friday special. That cordless drill kit launched at $129 and dropped to $99 during the winter holiday and Father’s Day shopping seasons since then.
I believe Bosch launched this product category with the DDB181, which was officially described as a compact and basic-duty offering.
Compared to the new Bosch brushless cordless impact driver, this model is slower, less powerful, and longer, but its handle looks slimmer.
For what seems to be positioned as a “basic-duty” cordless impact driver, the Bosch GDR18V-1400B12 seems reasonably well-spec’ed.
The new Bosch impact driver very closely resembles their brushed motor Freak hybrid 2-in-1 hybrid impact driver/wrench, except with a lower mass torque output (1400 in-lbs vs. the Freak’s 1600 in-lbs). The two tools have near-identical appearances, except for the chuck designs, and the same motor speeds.
Honestly, I’m a little surprised. Dewalt, Milwaukee, and Makita all now have brushless drill kits that are seasonally priced at $99, and also brushless impact driver kits that are similarly priced during promo periods. I am not at all surprised that Bosch updated their $99 cordless drill offering in recent years, or that they now introduced a basic-duty cordless impact driver kit that will presumably also be seasonally promo-priced at $99. But why not brushless?
At this time, Bosch’s new cordless impact driver is priced at $129. Let’s assume that it will drop in price to $99. Dewalt’s Atomic brushless impact driver, currently $99 via Acme Tools, is more powerful, shorter, and lighter. The Dewalt has the same motor speed but a slightly lower impact speed. It’s bundled with a 1.3Ah battery, but its brushless motor is more efficient than a brushed motor.
Makita also has a very compelling $99 impact driver kit right now.
That doesn’t mean that the Bosch is without its merits. My experiences with the DDB181 basic-duty brushed motor cordless drill were good. Despite being underpowered compared to other compact cordless drills, the DDB181 had a very slender handle and was very comfortable to use.
I think that Bosch’s new cordless impact is well positioned and even competitive in some regards. I can understand that they might not be able or willing to match Dewalt and Milwaukee brushless tool kits centered around $99 promo season pricing. The compactness and slender handle of the new Bosch GDR18V-1400B12 impact driver kit keeps them in the game.
It seems highly likely that we’ll see this kit at $99 pricing, and so the question is more a matter of when than if.
User reviews of Bosch’s basic-duty Freak hybrid impact driver/wrench kit seem to be favorable, and so I would think that this tool will perform similarly. The lower torque rating is likely due to the different chuck design. This one has a 1/4″ hex chuck, and the Freak has a 1/4″ hex bit holder inside a 1/2″ square drive. Perhaps the anvil size or design is different. I am not well-versed enough in impact driver mechanics to further theorize what factors contribute to the 200 in-lbs max torque difference.
