The DeWalt DCF891 won because it does the actual job faster than anything else in the mid-torque class. Pro Tool Reviews loaded their breaking rig with eight lug nuts torqued to 500 ft-lbs, and the DCF891 cleared all eight in 23.77 seconds, under 3 seconds a bolt. It was also the only mid-torque tool in that group that fully sank a half-inch by 10-inch lag screw into stacked OSB inside the time limit. Those two jobs are the whole point of an impact wrench, and the DeWalt beat the Milwaukee, Makita, and Ryobi it was tested against on both.
Best Product Quest called it the size-and-power sweet spot. You get roughly 800 ft-lbs of breakaway torque in a housing short enough to swing inside a wheel well, so the muscle arrives without the bulk of a high-torque gun. The variable-speed trigger and three-speed selector handle small fasteners, and the Precision Wrench mode backs off on its own to keep you from shearing a bolt or overtightening a drain plug.
It also drops straight into the DeWalt 20V Max platform, one of the two battery systems most serious users already own. Run it with a high-output pack and the speed numbers above are what you see in the driveway. Pro Tool Reviews named it their top cordless impact wrench overall, and the timed tests are why.
What It Won't Do
The DCF891 is a plain tool next to its rivals. Pro Tool Reviews called the feature set basic, and on their static Skidmore tester it landed only mid-pack, far below its real-world speed ranking. Torque Test Channel also caught a quirk: on the nastiest seized fasteners past 1,000 ft-lbs, high-end cordless DeWalts can lock into a socket-weld loop where the gun shakes hard and stops gaining rotation. Everyday automotive and construction work will not reach that wall, but the behavior is real.
The Ryobi P262 sells for about $179, roughly $100 under the DeWalt, and Pro Tool Reviews still named it the best cordless impact wrench on a budget. It earned that on the rig, not on the spec sheet. It took 3rd in the punishing lag-screw driving test and a solid mid-pack finish on bolt breaking, beating tools that cost far more. With 600 ft-lbs of breakaway torque it covers wheel changes, suspension jobs, and most rusted hardware a home mechanic runs into.
The stronger argument is the battery. Ryobi's ONE+ system spans more than 200 tools on one 18V platform, so anyone who already owns a Ryobi drill or blower can add the P262 for the bare-tool price and skip a second battery ecosystem. Tools Zone pointed to that breadth as the main reason DIYers keep buying in. Pro Tool Reviews put it simply: the P262 blurs the line between DIY and pro.
What It Won't Do
The P262 is the chunkiest tool in its class. Pro Tool Reviews measured it at 7.19 inches nose to tail, the longest mid-torque wrench in their group, so it fights you in tight engine bays where the Milwaukee and DeWalt slide right in. It also posted a weak 9th-place showing on the raw static torque tester before redeeming itself in the driving tests. Buy it for the price and the ONE+ batteries, not for squeezing into cramped corners.
Who Should Buy Which
DeWalt 20V MAX XR DCF891 Mid-Torque Impact Wrench
The fastest mid-torque wrench for real work
- Serious mechanics who want the fastest real-world bolt-breaking and lag driving
- Anyone already on the DeWalt 20V Max battery platform
- Users who need one versatile mid-torque tool for auto and construction
- Buyers who want overtightening protection from the Precision Wrench mode
- People willing to spend about $279 for pro-grade speed
Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP P262 4-Mode Impact Wrench
Pro-class driving at a DIY price
- DIYers and home mechanics on a tight budget
- Existing Ryobi ONE+ owners reusing their 18V batteries
- Occasional users doing wheel changes and suspension work
- Buyers who want pro-class driving performance near $179
- Anyone who values ecosystem breadth over the most compact body