I've been thinking about a cordless impact driver since they first hit the market a few years ago, but it was hard to justify when I have a Bosch 24 volt drill that will drive anything. Recently, however, I was driving lag screws in the confined space of a 105 degree attic as I was sistering new ceiling joists to the old ones. My wrist was about to fall off after the first joist. I borrowed a pneumatic impact driver from a friend, and it made the all the difference and convinced me that a cordless impact driver was a must. Turning to my favorite resource for tools, Amazon, I saw a killer deal on this Panasonic driver in combo with a drill and ordered it. It seems that the combo is not available now, but check Panasonic's website for rebates..they sometimes offer the drill body as a free promotion when you buy the impact driver.
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br /Anyway, I love these tools! Like I said, my Bosch has the torque to drive anything, but it weighs a ton and so can be very difficult to handle unless you're working right in front of you...especially if you need to lean into it to driver a fastener without stripping the head. Not so with the Panasonic. It's very light and compact, and you only need to apply enough force to keep the bit in/on the fastener... the impact driver does the work of driving it. Some reviewers of other impact drivers have mentioned breaking off screw heads with their drivers, but the electronic clutch on this tool really works. You can set 11 (I think it's 11--don't have the tool in front of me) different torque levels, 3 different impact settings (soft, medium, hard), and there is a "one shot" feature that does just one impact when you pull the trigger and then it stops---great for snugging up a fastener. Once you've set the clutch, you pull the trigger and it spins until a little resistance is encountered, then the impact hammer goes to work, and finally the driver stops when it's reached the torque level you've set. If you're not happy with how the fastener is seated, it's easy to fine tune simply by feathering the trigger--it's very responsive. My only (very minor)complaint is that it's a little hard to make the bit turn slowly when you first pull the trigger, but I'm getting a better feel for it.
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br /Contrary to what some reviewers think of them on other drivers, the LED light is useful. It's situated so it flashes on the fastener you're driving, and it's activated by the trigger. If you barely pull the trigger, it'll activate the light without turning the driver. Sure, 97% of the time I don't need the light, but for that 3% of the time that I'm hunched down in a cabinet or a crawlspace trying to drive a screw, why not??!! The belt hook is great feature too.
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br /Since I got the combo, I have to say that I love the drill as well. I did some head-to-head comparisons with my Bosch boring holes, and while the Bosch ultimately wins in the torque department, the Panasonic is a close second. Considering the weight advantage, I'm going to sell my Bosch and I'll pull out a corded drill in the rare case that the Panasonic can't make the hole. The Panasonic's keyless chuck is different and superior to any others I've used.
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br /I'm not aware of any other manufacturer offering a 3.5Ah NIMH battery, so that's another plus. Panasonic makes batteries for many other companies, so they know how it's done. I saw a review of another Panasonic impact driver that complained about the durability of the tool, but that's hard to imagine. These tools feel solid and built to last. Of course, time will tell, and I'll certainly post an update to this review should I encounter any troubles.
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I am a scenic carpenter and spend a lot of time driving fasteners. I purchased this tool looking for a lighter and just as powerful tool for driving screws and lags. I own several Panasonic cordless drills and one of the Panasonic multi tools and they all work well but at the end of the day they get a little heavy.
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br /After using this tool for one day I am very pleased. It took some adjusting on my part to get accustomed to the digital settings - it is quite adjustable and has some great features. The LED light is a nice touch in low light conditions - but not so great that I couldn't live without it. This is the most powerful 12 volt driver I have ever used. All of my other drills ar 15.6 volt and I was not sure this one would have the torque but it does!
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br /A few good points are the case is same size as all Panasonic cases so it fits right in my road box with all my other drills, it comes with the same universal charger that all of my other drills have so on the job site any battery can go in any charger.
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br /I picked it up with a promotion offer - get a free flash light with purchase. I hope it it as nice as all Panasonic tools - will know in 6 to 8 weeks.

I'd read many positive magazine reviews and owner reviews for this driver before I ordered it. I expected the best, and so far, it's been a real treat. But not in the way I anticipated.
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br /For the past 15 years, I've been successfully using my Panasonic cordless drills as drivers, because they "can." I suspect that they're strong enough to "turn some of the cheaper cordless drills backwards..." But, due to the unfortunate economics of battery replacement, I usually replace them when the battery stops taking a charge. I've never "worn out" or broken any of my Panasonic cordless drills.
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br /But back to the driver... it has a completely different operating "feel" than any cordless drill (which, in retrospect, should have been obvious to me). And it's taken some getting used to. For example, it doesn't want to bog down when pushed to its limit. It just keeps plugging away, trying to further seat the fastener. I initially had to be careful, to keep it from overtightening the work. (I also spun off a few screw heads). But after a brief trial and error period, and experimenting with the different clutch settings and speeds, I became much more familiar with its capabilities. And it automatically became a much more valuable tool. Now, I almost exclusively use this driver to drive and loosen fasteners. My other cordless drills are relegated to doing actual "drilling."
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br /All in all, it's a super tool. Especially if your work tends to be mostly fastening.
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br /And by the way, I had to read the manual to figure out what that lever "thing" was, on the bottom of the handgrip.

I had been hearing all of the "hype" about impact type screw drivers. I looked at a variety of models including Dewalt (I own mostly their products), Bosh, etc. I found a review of the Panasonic and liked the great review PLUS I really liked the idea of having an impact driver with an electronic torque setting feature. This tool has NOT disappointed me. I love the electronic torque setting as well as the electronic settings for how hard the anvil will strike and the ability to toggle the trigger to have it do just one more blow to the screw/bolt.
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br /In the past, I've always used my Dewalt electric screwdriver for everything, including installing lag bolts. After putting in a fairly large deck with the Dewalt screwdriver, I had a sore wrist and elbow for a week because of the kickback every time a screw tightened. That's the beauty of this impact wrench. Whether you are driving 5 inch long lag bolts or a 1 inch #6 wood screw, it does the job with no pain the next day. The anvil does all of the work so as the bolts or screws are tightened, there is no kickback to rattle your bones.
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br /I also appreciate the light that highlights the fastener you are driving, the variable speed trigger, and the ease in reversing direction. I was a little concerned about it only having a 12 volt battery but as others have said, it hold a charge for a very long time and has the power to drive anything I've come up against.
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br /The only negative is my wife is getting tired after a year of hearing me say "this is the best tool I've ever owned" and "buying this tool was the best decision I've ever made!".

I was very sceptical even after reading glowing reviews. Have gone from sceptic to advocate since using impact. I already owned a Sears Craftsman 14.4V impact and was quite impressed with it but became interested in the ability to adjust the torque on this tool. Let me say that I LOVE this feature. Even though the instruction manual says not to use it on sheet metal, supposedly because the torque might strip screws, I haven't had any problem. I simply set the torque setting to 1 and the impact setting to Soft and the use the "one shot impact" setting and install whatever. I recently installed the electrical cover plate and front base cover to our new dishwasher. Also installed doors and roller freezer compartment on our new LG bottom freezer fridge and had no problem. Also removed and later installed 5 ash cabinet doors and barely stripped one screw which was probably stripped years ago by builder. Shaved 1/2 inch end of a toothpick, stuck it in the hole and zip, drove it home, snug and no strip. Used lowest setting on torque and impact for these small chores and tool made child's play out of it. Also use a magnetic hex extension to hold screws on bit with no hands(Sears sells one with extra strong magnet, it's great). Drove some 1 3/4 inch screws into some new wood and never got over level 3 on the tourque setting. Just experiment a little with the different torque and impact settings,they are push buttons so no collar or lock ring to fiddle with. This tool makes me look for chances to drive a screw. The manual is typically a little squirlley but the tool is just the opposite. It is serious.
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br /I bought the combo kit on Amazon and the drill is great. I really like the ratcheting action on the keyless chuck.
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br /My eyes have changed a little over time and I love the led light. You can engage it without engaging the driver motor if you use a light touch. This is great for me.
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br /If you have never used an impact driver, the difference between them and drill/drivers for driving screws and fasteners is like night and day. No more stripped screw heads or bits ! Buy it! Love it!

If you can't drive nails this tool sure beats regular drivers. Drives 3.5"
br /deck srews easily with no predrilling,{minimal pressure required} but you have to use square drive. Phillips screws strip out quickly and bits die quick, even tho very careful. Square drive will last 5-600 drives on these long fasteners. Battery dies kind of quick tho. Even after several cycles and charging for 24 hours each time you can only frame one 16 foot wall, maybe 70 of this length on one battery. Would be interested in other's experience on this. small, lightweight, overall pretty amazing. clutch actually works. Just improve battery and/or charger.

br / This is a great tool.Panasonic is right on the ball about what works in the construction trades.It is powerful,light,and tough.The batteries last forever. If your thinking about it,this is the one you want.

If you drive a lot of screws this is a tool you need. It has the first clutch that works perfect every time and if you need to drive some large screws in tough wood the hammer action will get it done

I bought this impact driver about 4 months ago and so far its served me very well. I love all of its features, the light comes in handy whenever the need arises, the belt hook is a life saver for me, and the battery lasts normally about 4 to 5 days until I have to charge it again. Not to mention the fact that it has three speeds, a screw tighten up feature and a digital cluth that works great. I'm an HVAC installer/tech guy and this tool has made my job alot easier. This thing even drills out 1 1/4" holes with my spade bit with ease. Lots of power for a 12 volt tool

I have owned the panasonic 12v drill for years. This driver has even more features than I expected. Much nicer than the comparable Makita. Panasonic drills and driver are recommended. they are the best.

I love this driver! The clutch is very effective. Once you get it adjusted for the density of the wood, it will drive screws to a consistent depth. The half turn feature works quite well if you have a screw that doesn't countersink all the way due to a denser piece of wood. Great battery life, this 12v will drive more screws faster than my 18v drill and is lightweight enough to use all day. The built in flashlight is quite handy as well.

This tool is awesome. It's the only cordless impact driver I've ever had, and I hope it's the only one I'll ever need. Panasonic, if you are listening, you did right with this baby.

First off, don't even think about buying an American made impact driver. Japanese products, as everyone knows are made better than American products - the same goes for power tools.
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br /Some people swear by Hilti, and Dewalt and other such 'Merican power tools. These are the same people that are convinced that a Ford F150 is more reliable than a Toyota Tacoma.
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br /The Japanese just make better products. With that said, I must say that this gun spanks ANY other product out there. The closest competition is the Hitachi line of impact drivers. True, Hitachi invented this type of driver, but Panasonic seems to have improved and refined it. The Panasonic boasts a useful headlight, yes it is helpful! It has a digital clutch so u can easily dial in your settings, gentle for drywall/finishing, middle for framing, and max for ripping the lug nuts off of your Toyota Tacoma (or Ford F150). Yes its true, attach the 3/4 square socket attachment, and tear off bolts with ease. And the pound them back on! Impressive to say the least!
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br /The power is more than there, need to drill a hole, pop in a drill bit, need to bore, add a spade, the hammer action of the gun just rips through anything! One of the best parts about the set up is the superior battery life, the Hitachi can't compare here. Panasonic is a leader in the battery industry and has the advantage here with the 3.5amp pattery packs. This gun is ready for work.
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br /It feels good in the hand, light weight enough so that you'll easlly forget its in one of your tool belt pockets. After you get this you'll have no need for a regular drill again, there is no comparison!