1/2" battery "bigguns" impact wrenches. Harbor Freight (Hercules) vs. Milwaukee. (long)

[Kruse]

Been a Milwaukee Fuel user ever since the "Fuel" line became available, 10+ years ago? Anyway, for the last few months I've been in the market for 1/2" battery impact. Ryobi had a special a 3-4 months ago that I was really interested in, but Home Depot kept screwing me around on the price, so my interest in that line wavered. Lately, I saw the hype on the Hercules (HF) brand of impact. The ad showed it to be somewhat equal (ratings wise) to Milwaukee, so I did a little comparing. I had been in the market for the Milwaukee brand, as it fit everything else that I used for the last 10 years, but when I saw the problems that they've been having with the redesigned "b" version of their impact, especially on all the videos of them not working right out of the box, I decided to wait on that brand. The lack of QC and product testing, or lack thereof, really turned me off. I was in HF a few days ago and talked to the store manager to see if they had any BOGO deals on this impact and he said they did. Corporate had just sent out an internal email to them that if you buy the impact, charger and a battery together, they give you $20 off. I also asked about warranty work. He said warranty (at least at this time) is handled by bringing it into the store and exchanging it, unlike Milwaukee that probably "has to be sent off". Harbor Freight has a light 90-day warranty on a lot of their products, but this one is for 5 years on the impact, 3 years on the charger. Milwaukee is Chinese-built and owned. Hercules is Chinese-built and American-owned. (Really not a deal breaker or maker there)
So I went with the HF-Hercules. Luckily, I had the manger standing by the register to give me the $20 off, because it didn't ring up by itself and he had to manually change it.
I live on a farm and do mechanic work so this should come in handy. We'll see. I've also had HF balk on some of their previous warranty work. Hopefully, I won't need it.

 

[Wrenchturner44]

Kruse, Thanks for the info. Please keep us all updated on your tryout and review of the Hercules impact. Real world, TRUSTED sourced reviewers like yourself, are what make any consumer brand worthy of consideration by all us BITOGers.

 

[thescreensavers]

Harbor freight is finally catching up, this new impact looks great. The paltry 90 day warranty really didn't do them any favors looks like they listened.

The lack of QC and product testing, or lack thereof, really turned me off.

Have you read their response? They are taking all the "bad" units back no questions asked. They agree it was a fail.

 

[Rand]

main reason I wouldnt buy a Hercules is the batteries.. theoretically you might already have milwaukee and their batteries.
also previously the HF 90 day warranty was major turn off... if you believe in your product no reason not to give it AT LEAST a year.

 

[jetman]

I early Dec. 2022 I shopped for a battery powered 1/2" drive impart strong enough to remove the lugnuts from my Prevost bus/mh that are torqued to 450 ft/lbs. The 2 candidates were Northern Tool Milwaukee or HF Hercules. The Milwauke setup would have cost me about $450 to my door.

So, on Dec. 2, 2022 I ordered online from HF the following:

20V 8.0 Ah Extreme Performance Lithium-Ion Battery, #59245 - $69.99
20V Brushless Cordless 1/2 in. Ultra Torque Impact Wrench, #59380 - $179.99

I already had a charger. Shipping was $6.99, plus tax it was $278 to my door. Works great.

 

[Trav]

Give credit where its due, they really seem to be buying/selling better products. Some of their new air tools are from the same manufacturer that makes them for Hazet, Matco and others either complete or as knock downs that require final machining and assembly (IIRC they are made by AIRPROWU, Mighty 7 and a few others). Taiwan owns the market on these types of tools lock stock and barrel.

 

[2010Civic]

I was able to get the big Makita 1/2" impact and a 5.0 ah battery for $232 out the door in 2020 from Home Depot.

 

[Donald]

While HF is making better tools, their prices are also getting up there.

If the OP has many Milwaukee M18 tools already then he must have Milwaukee M18 batteries and charger. So you could have bought a bare tool Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2" impact wrench.

The last thing I would want is another type of battery and charger.

I think the Milwaukee batteries are excellent. Not so with aftermarket for Milwaukee M18. Or Ryobi OEM. I have yet to need to replace any Milwaukee M18 battery.

I have a Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2" high torque impact. Had it for several years. It's a great tool.

 

[D60]

I'm a Milwaukee fan but chuckled at the "b" debacle -- they 100% deserve any bad press they get from being idiots.

The depth and breadth of the line is still their strength for me. Impacts, drills, inflators, nail guns, heat gun, grinders, lights, staplers, OPE, band saws and much more I'm forgetting.

Granted, I run both M12 and M18

I'm actually an hour from a HF but FedEx is effectively at the end of my driveway (for Milwaukee warranty returns -- they pay shipping)

 

[Ihatetochangeoil]

While HF is making better tools, their prices are also getting up there.

If the OP has many Milwaukee M18 tools already then he must have Milwaukee M18 batteries and charger. So you could have bought a bare tool Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2" impact wrench.

The last thing I would want is another type of battery and charger.

I think the Milwaukee batteries are excellent. Not so with aftermarket for Milwaukee M18. Or Ryobi OEM. I have yet to need to replace any Milwaukee M18 battery.

I have a Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2" high torque impact. Had it for several years. It's a great tool.

I have a Milwaukee 2767 1/2" impact. Had it for several years. Never met a fastener it wouldn't loosen if there's room for the gun. I'm willing to bet it would disassemble a Greyhound bus. Does harmonic balancer crankshaft bolts in seconds, done several.

 

[JHZR2]

I have Milwaukee stuff, have for years. And Makita, and DeWalt.

The point about Milwaukee being Chinese owned and made, versus HF being American owned, Chinese made, is a good one. I’m sure even my “made in the USA” DeWalt stuff has a decent amount of foreign content.

Such a shame to literally be financing their military buildup. I’m not buying anything if I can avoid it.

 

[mrbreezeet1]

l wish DeWalt would get up off of the older High Torque impact, DCF 899b for about $100.00, as l already have the batteries and chargers.
But no one seems to be closing out the DCF 899. For the cost of the DCF 899b ATM, you may as well get the DCF 900b.

 

[bchannell]

I use tools in HVAC work professionally and have for a long time. Most people don't push cordless tools to their limits on a daily basis, even pros. 90% of the time, I'm using way more drill that I need and have gone to 12V drills for most things. I have a full complement of Milwaukee tools and love them. I also have Makita 12v and love them, In the last few years, kind of on a lark with my partner, we've been using Hercules and Bauer tools. They have amazed us both, and my partner was a dyed in the wool Milwaukee guy. I think homeowners who don't use their cordless tools a lot, with experience more battery failures than someone who uses them a lot. Cycling them seems to make them last. I have yet to have a single bad battery from any of the mentioned brands, and some of the batteries are approaching 10 years old.
I can say, that Hercules brushless tools are pretty darn good and if I need another drill/driver that's the tool I'll buy. I have a cordless Bauer sheet metal shear that has cut literally miles and miles of ductwork and it still works like new. I'm amazed every time I use it.
When I hang up my tools someday, I'll stick with the big brands for home use, and by that I include HF tools, as they represent a heck of a buy right now. I doubt I could ever destroy one at home in many years.

 

[mrbreezeet1]

I use tools in HVAC work professionally and have for a long time. Most people don't push cordless tools to their limits on a daily basis, even pros. 90% of the time, I'm using way more drill that I need and have gone to 12V drills for most things. I have a full complement of Milwaukee tools and love them. I also have Makita 12v and love them, In the last few years, kind of on a lark with my partner, we've been using Hercules and Bauer tools. They have amazed us both, and my partner was a dyed in the wool Milwaukee guy. I think homeowners who don't use their cordless tools a lot, with experience more battery failures than someone who uses them a lot. Cycling them seems to make them last. I have yet to have a single bad battery from any of the mentioned brands, and some of the batteries are approaching 10 years old.
I can say, that Hercules brushless tools are pretty darn good and if I need another drill/driver that's the tool I'll buy. I have a cordless Bauer sheet metal shear that has cut literally miles and miles of ductwork and it still works like new. I'm amazed every time I use it.
When I hang up my tools someday, I'll stick with the big brands for home use, and by that I include HF tools, as they represent a heck of a buy right now. I doubt I could ever destroy one at home in many years.

Yep! Nothing wrong with the 12V system, especially in your application!
Even the older battery systems!

 

[wtd]

l wish DeWalt would get up off of the older High Torque impact, DCF 899b for about $100.00, as l already have the batteries and chargers.
But no one seems to be closing out the DCF 899. For the cost of the DCF 899b ATM, you may as well get the DCF 900b.

I have the Dewalt DCF-900 and it's pretty stout and does everything I need it to do.

 

[Trav]

The DCF961 is a monster, nothing 1/2 drive today can even get close to it. I have a bunch of 5A Powerstack batteries so I may go for one just because.