In this video we look at the Harbor Freight Bauer 20V 1/4 inch Compact Hex Impact Driver and review what the tool can do. We torture test the impact driver and let some smoke out. We start small and build up to a monster bolt. Tell me what you guys think. After seeing what it does, is it a good buy or would you pass on buying it?
I used one of these to build my 16 x 12 deck onto my house. Used a 5ah battery on 1x6x16ft planks. Two 3 1/2 deck screws every foot. This thing is a champ. I even had to redo the deck because the boards didn't line up right sonhad to go unscrew the whole thing and re screw them in. 80-degree weather, and I didn't have to replace the battery at all. It did get hot, but after the top deck was done we stopped for the day. Did a good chunk of the railing, replaced the battery with a fresh one. Finished the railing and all the spindles.
I'd definitely like to see a brushless line. I have several Bauer tools, and find most of them to be really good for my needs, but what I like is the battery pricing. The batteries for Bauer seem to be about half the price of many of the other brands, and I haven't seen any performance difference in them.
@@PawOfRizzo i completely agree, the battery pricing is literally like a quarter of all the big name brand batteries. it's my favorite part about bauer lol
I have one of those Bauer impact drivers and I use it all the time working on lawn equipment and motorcycles. It works great especially for the price point.
I appreciate your honest review. I bought my Bauer driver on sale for $30.00, and I love it! Just as good, or better then Craftsman for a lot less money. I’ve been a Craftsman fan my whole life, but now that I want some battery powered tools, I have to go with Bauer.
Decent review. Looks like Harbor Freight is picking up on their quality. Just for reference, when it says it is a 1/4 inch impact it is referencing that it uses 1/4 inch hex drivers. It can easily use larger than 1/4 inch sockets and screws. Also when using such large LAG bolts like the last one, it is always a good idea to drill a pilot hole first, but your test did show that it can handle a lot of strain.
Thanks, and I agree. I would never drive a huge lag bolt that way on a normal basis, but the entire point was to torture the driver and see if it could handle it.
It's good for the price point. If I had the $ i would have perfered the Milwaukee fuel 18v. But that out of reach. My dad loved Milwaukee brands. They served him well for many year. He had rockwell, Delta, PortaCable, Rigid and Greenlee tools. My brother got the good stuff after my dad died.
I have both a 12V Max & a 20V Max Dewalt drill & impact set. I use the 12V Max in the house & the 20V Max in the shop. I recently bought a Baurer Hypermax 20V drill package along with their small 20V tire inflator during Baurer Daze. The Baurer 1/2" 20V drill is actually quite good, especially for the $60 price. But I still perfer the Dewalt drills, as they seem to operate smoother & fit my hand better.
I have the drill and its awesome however if someone is looking for a combo the ridgid gen 4 impact/drill combo is $119 and ends up cheaper than if you were to get the bauer impact and drill. The HD combo is only available online but it is a hell of a deal. Comes with rapid charger and 2 (1.5ah) batteries. I use the bauer drill and my bnd impact as backups now. Actually just checked HD and it's $129 special buy now but still a good deal.
I didn't buy my a Bauer driver. But it's good for what I need if for.. I have arthritis in my hands and can't use my hands the normal way. My Finger's can't make a fist anymore. I bought cordless everything but asked for a present this tool. make working around the house a breeze, never married, so I had to learn to take care of myself. Work on my car with it as well. good tool for the price point. Thanks for the review
Greg Feneis that is true and it would have gone in a lot easier if pre pilot drilled so yeah next is will it knock of basic lug nuts for a truck or car.
These are good homeowner grade tools. Doesn’t hold a candle to the DeWalt XR stuff I have at the shop at my house or our M18 Fuel stuff at work. (We get the Milwaukee over everything; IR, Snap-on, MAC etc.) The motors in the Bauer units make decent torque but the circuitry isn’t of craftsmanship worthy of everyday shop use.
I still have it and use it, so yeah. It's a good tool that does the job. Of course I have had it for two years now so I can't speak for how the new ones are. Just saying.
I love Harbor Freight’s tier system. I can buy better tools if I need them and they always have what fits my price. my budget, level of and quantity of work don’t justify pro grade tooling.
I have every piece Bauer has to offer as of now,except this impact, Hercules and Milwaukee cover that. I like the tools, great buy when on sale. I am not impressed with the small battery, doesn't last long, wish they offered something like the Herc battery, that's a great battery. The bauer 3.0 ah battery is great, has a good run time, but the power indicator could use some attention, like the small one, it might show 2 dots when checked, but does without warning and no where near the time youd think there would still be power. Good tools for the price, for sure.
Agreed. I found that same issue. The battery will show one and a half dots but the driver will shut off. I think the reason is that these tools have a lot of electronics in them to prevent battery damage and that is why it wont allow it to run all the way down like they used to do with the old Nicad batteries. I have an old NiCad Skill drill driver that will continue to run until it is fully drained.
They are really great budget tools but the problem is they don’t come in kits so you gotta buy the tool, the battery and charger separate and then by the time you do that you could buy a nice brand name tool like de Walt or Milwaukee for the same price or a little more
I got my dewalt impact driver free after it took a tumble off a guys truck, hard to beat that deal, but bauer is making a push into the prosumer market competing with Milwaukee Makita and Dewalt.. time will tell if they are scookum enough but they should really increase that warranty. 90 day warranty is hard to trust, but from what people seem to do is why its short, buy it and use it once then return it.
It can be used for car tires as long as the torque is not too high. It will work but the higher the torque the more you are beating up the tool. If you don't want to kill it prematurely I would advise to use an impact wrench instead.
I just picked this up today , the impact driver, the big battery, the charger, and a 2 year warranty and it cost me $160. After watching this review I’m happy with my purchase, thanks for the review!
Glad I was helpful, and be sure to subscribe if you haven't done so because my plans are in the future I will be testing all of the Bauer products as they come out and my budget allows. So more Bauer reviews will be coming on my channel.
Have the 3/8ths in impact version. I'm a mechanic. Bought it for the light stuff. It's actually pretty stout. Have the 5mah battery and a two year replacement plan. Cost me $185 with the "fast" charger. Don't know how well it will serve me down the line but money well spent.
In my testing I have not found any difference between them. If you have a good quality set, either one will be strong enough. I know some people will disagree, but that has been my experience.
Cant go wrong with the bouer it is a good tools for the price the only thing its not brushless but stell works great i got a 1/2 drive bouer and i abuse it ever day and it stell works fine i use it for ever thing but if u get one u proble ot to get the 3 amp it last alot longer
Bauer will never kill DeWalt. Even if it were as good and or half the price, Bauer would have to have a dozen plus battery powered tools in their line up that were at least comparable in quality and performance to DeWalt and they don’t. Is Bauer good? Does it have potential? Possibly, I don’t own any Bauer tools. While I have no doubt that Bauer and Hercules are both fine products and I wouldn't hesitate to give them as a gift. For someone who needs a decent piece of equipment and a fair price but does not need a whole kit with battery compatibility these HF brands will probably be more than they need. If you need commercial or industrial quality. I would suggest DeWalt or Milwaukee. As for HF. One thing I can say for sure that should be happening that I'm sure is no. Bauer and Herc are both HF house brands. They should both use the same battery. Just make the tool itself the power/quality difference.
Regular sockets are fine as this tool doesnt have the power to break them. Now when you get into 3/8 and 1/2 impacts and automotive work and such, yes definitely use impact specific sockets.
Older video but I wanted to find one and make a comment as I have some years of monitored cordless tool use under my belt as we’ve been using less and less pneumatic power as cordless technology is better explored. I’ve seen techs run every brand under the sun and I’ve even bounced around some myself but here’s what I’ve personally learned. Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel is the top of the food chain right now. Closely behind in performance and reliability but no consideration of price are DeWalt, MAC, Snap-on, IR. Then as a close second I’d group in Makita, Bosch, and Porter Cable etc. Capable/durable tool makers but these brands offer more construction/carpentry type tooling than mechanic or auto tech type of tools. The next group I consider “Homeowner Grade” affordable price tags with decent enough performance for the guy who’s gonna use his tools in his garage on the weekends and then spend Monday thru Friday in his cubicle at Capital One. These tools will change a tire, screw deck boards down around your pool deck, etc but wouldn’t hold up to daily use and abuse in a shop or on a job site. I consider this group to include the Bauer Tools as well as the likes of Ryobi, Craftsman, Black and Decker, Skill, etc. Lastly are a group of tools I consider “one time use” (essentially junk or perhaps one notch above junk) This would include the brands no one has ever heard of, the $29.99 cordless stuff at Harbor Freight, on EBay, Amazon etc. Might carry name sakes and styling cues similar to known brands BUT the unit may not even put a screw in some fresh drywall and you’ll typically get technological advances from the early 90’s with tools like this as well. HART, WORX, Hyper Tough, Blue Ridge Tools etc. Think back to the old Black and Decker cordless screw drivers that took the 4v DC style plug right into the handle. That’s the kind of technology used in this bottom of the barrel stuff. #End Rant Qualifications: 18 years as an automotive technician; ASE Master tech, GM Certified, Honda PACT certification and I’ve spent probably $20,000 on cordless tooling throughout my career.
You mean the Bauer Impact wrench? That one is more for automotive work, breaking lugs, bolts, etc. This Bauer in the video is more for general disassembly use. Tearing apart appliances, Driving long screws, Lag bolts, carriage Bolts, that type of work. It also doubles as a drill with the proper attachments which the impact does not. This one has more uses to it, but less torque.
Modern DIY Projects , thanks for the reply! I now know what I need. I was about to get this tool next week. I guess I will have to look at the bigger one. Do you have any thoughts on the Bauer impact wrench with the 1/2 anvil?
@@mariorodriguez653 Yes, if you are using it for automotive work and need the greater torque, I would recommend getting the 1/2 drive and not the weaker 3/8 drive. The Half inch is just like a air wrench but battery operated. I have heard good things about it. I will have to do a review of it when budget allows. Also, it is sold as "tool only" so you will have to buy a battery. I recommend getting the 3 amp hour battery for this application.
Been eyeing the Bauer line for a while now. My Ryobi tools are getting long in the tooth. One good thing about Ryobi is you can get chinese knock-off batteries for half price. Any idea if you can get a Bauer knock off battery? Maybe they already are knock-offs.
Yes, I have seen other comments indicating they can get knock off batteries because they are almost the same as Dewalt batteries, so easy to reproduce, but I would suggest buying the Bauer batteries because they are probably cheaper in the long run. A Bauer Battery costs only $20 for the 1.5 amp hour and they use real Samsung batteries. The 3.0 Amp hour is $40, but they do have discount coupons so I just got one the other day for $36.
Sure. Give me a little time to get passed the holiday expenses and I'll do a review for you. Be sure to sub and hit the bell so you get notified when I post the video.
Good job with the review. Were the impact hex to socket adapters impact rated? Hope you had safety glasses on. I didn't used to think it was a big deal but over the years witnessed way to many things go bad. Looking forward to more of your reviews.
Thanks Chris. The socket adapters are the regular Warrior adapters that I already had on hand and they seem very good. I may get the Bauer impact rated adapters soon for other such reviews. Hope you subscribed to the channel, if so, glad to have you aboard. 👍
@@ModernDIYProjects It would be interesting to redo the large lag bolt with an impact rated adapter. I saw a discussion about non-impact rated extensions and adapters flexing. The idea was that the adapters absorb some of the energy and reduce the effective torque. Impact rated adapters may not flex as much, and so more of the tool's torque is transferred to the bolt. At least that was the theory, and it would be interesting to see a comparison of adapters with the large lag bolt.
@@57ditchdigger That's an interesting idea, but the Bauer killed that Lag bolt with a non-impact adapter so what difference would an impact rated adapter make? Would it sink it a little faster maybe? The Bauer impact adapters are so thin leave me wondering if they are any good. Makes me wonder if they would twist on uses like this. The warrior ones are thicker diameter. Maybe I'll go buy the Bauer and the Hercules adapters and do a comparison to see if they twist or not. Stay tuned!
@@ModernDIYProjects I didn't think it sounded like the lag bolt was spinning at the end. It seemed like the Bauer was at it's limit. That made me wonder if the impact rated adapter would bury the head of the lag bolt in the 4x4.
@@57ditchdigger Yeah, I see now what you mean. Go back and you'll see I explain that the lag bolt had gone all the way through the 4x4 and had penetrated past the bottom (it is a 5.25" lag) thus it was just at the part where it had no threads left, so it couldn't keep moving, but I will follow through with your idea and use that lag as a test of the impact VS non-impact adapters and see how that video comes out using the same lag bolt. Thanks for the idea. 👍
Has anyone noticed that if you lightly pull the trigger it just goes full power instead of starting slow and gradually getting faster the more you press the trigger?
I don't see why it wouldn't, but you have to use a drill bit with a hex end so it will hold it. The round end drills will not work without an adaptor because of the chuck.
Yes, to a degree. Mine also has a bad smell, You have to decide if it's just a bad smell, or electrical burning bad smell. If it's really bad I would say to exchange it and see. Act quick before your 90 day warranty expires!
Bought Bauer 20V 1/2 in version impact wrench with 5 ah battery this morning and returned it on the same day. It was advertised 450 ft/lb torque but can barely break lugs that were torqued at 105 ft/lb.
True, but that would defeat the purpose of the demonstration. I could have done it off camera also, but I thought viewers would enjoy seeing how hard it was by hand.
They will not work with the Hercules line but they do fit ALL The Bauer line regardless of size. For example I have the 1.5 and the 3.0 batteries and I use the same charger. Also if you get any tool that is "TOOL ONLY" you already have the battery and charger that will fit the tools.
Wow that's small impact driver really drove in that large bolt however I wouldn't really push the tool that far to its limits but it's nice to know that is 10 handle very large bolts. I've also noticed that just about every satellite TV and cable TV installer uses this type of driver tool.
Bouer is a good tool i like my bouer 1/2 impact i abuse it about ever day i put it to the test it work good i no one thing my buddy got a dewalt 1/2 impact with 5amp houer battery and my bouer ate it up man it had more power didnt think it would of i lift it in the ran one day and went out to get it and it stell worked fine i like it but i wish it had bigger batterys wish it had a 6 amp houer any body ever try to make a dewalt battery work in a bouer tool that would be cool
Actually I have seen some videos where people have made Dewalt batteries run on Bauer. There are minor differences to the case that can be modified. If you're going to do something like that I would try with a Generic Dewalt battery or a dead Dewalt instead of spending the money and later have it not work properly. I don't know about the electronics inside though.
Not to worry. IF they stop supporting the line, at that time I will show you how to change the internals and keep it going. I have done it before for other products I own that are no longer supported. In fact I will make a video about one such line coming soon.
@@ModernDIYProjects - glad I bought their warranty then -$18. And they said it allows me to trade up a few years down the road if I don't like my 1/4" driver any more.
He made me laugh 3 times. First when he used the wrong "bit"(actually a SOCKET). Second, when he KEPT calling a SOCKET a "bit". Third, when he tried to run that last lag screw through a 4x4, with a 1/4" impact driver, without pre-drilling! I actually own this tool and, it's as good as my DeWalt brushless 1/4" impact. I bought the Bauer kit, an extra 1.5 battery AND the 2 year warranty for under $100. You'd be lucky to find the DeWalt with 1 battery for that price.
Thank you exactly the info I needed to know. this is going to make a nice b day present to myself also hfqpdb.com has 10% off any Bauer product untill 3/15/2020
Wow guys wake up, the bauer is a brushed tool with a crappy 90 day warranty, zero customer service, and zero parts to fix it if it brakes, and a very limited tool line with a battery that could change and make these tools unusable when your battery wears out. Why not pay for a ryobi at the very least. Stop being cheap and pony up the extra 10-20 bucks for a waaay better tool.
I don't know exactly whom your comment is aimed for but let me tell you that my purpose here is to test tools and allow you the viewers to decide which tool is best for you. I also did a review of the Ryobi impact drill. You can go watch that video if you like. I will soon be posting a review of the HART impact driver. So I make sure that the viewers get a full spectrum of tools to be informed when they shop. Search my channel and you will see that unlike other channels I do not play favorites. I suggest everyone search my channel for other similar reviews before making a final decision because I agree with some of the points you made.
Do you own one? I bought mine on black Friday 2019 along with an extra 1.5 battery AND the 2 year extended warranty for under $100. I've used it daily, along side my DeWalt brushless and it runs right along with the yellow one. You need to understand that ALL of these tools are made by the hundreds of thousands, so, you're bound to get a bad one now and then, no matter what brand it is.
@@doylee469 I'm not going to argue with you since you didn't even bother to answer the question. You're obviously a Ryoboy and that's fine, to each their own. Have a good night.
Mike Brown why would you argue with me? You bought a tool thats marketed by hf as a diy tool and you use it everyday.. its been like 4 months and I should be impressed? I dont need to own every single tool under the sun to know which ones are not built up to spec. Watch a couple vids of it being taken apart before you judge. That’s all I needed to do. Ryobi has much more to offer, I don’t need to be a fanboy to see that. Calling someone a fanboy is something people say when they don’t agree with your opinion. Stop acting like a child. Why You couldn’t spend the extra 30 bucks on a better brand if you use it everyday is beyond me.
They have this on clearance now 28 for the tool and 59.99 for the kit! And the Batts R 2 for 39!! OR the 5AH for 65 and u get a FREE TOOL! I got the DD KIT FOR 46.99! +T AND THEN I PAID THE 15 FIR THE 2YR OUT THE DOOR AT 62!? ANDDD THE 46 CAME IN 33 UNDER THE PRICE OF THE BATT AND CHARGER ALONE WO ANYYY TOOL!!! SO I GOT THE ENTIRE KIT FOR 33 LESS THAN ID HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR JUST 2 THINGS ALONE!! THEY NOW HAVE THIS KIT FOR 59 AND THE BARE TOOL FOR 28! IF THEY GET THE 28 IN I WILL PROBABLY GET IT!? THEN GET THE 5AH BATT AND A FREE TOOL WITH IT! PROBABLY THE OSMT AS I NEED IT MOST RT NOW!? THIS WOULD GIVE ME A TOTAL OF 4 TOOLS 2 BATTS AND A CHARGER!? ORRR GET THE KIT HAVE 2 CHARGERS 2 SMALL BATTS! THEN MAYBE DO THE 5HR BATT WITH THE FREE OSMT!? IF THEY STILL HAVE ALL THIS WHEN I GDTTHE MONEY!? I 1ST GOT THE ORB SANDER FOR 19! AND THEY HAVE IT AGAIN RT NOW FOR 19.99+T! WELL WORTH IT!!! IT'S A BEAST!! HAPPY WITH MY DD AND KIT!! FIND MYSELF LOVING BAUER AND WANTING MORE!! HF HAS OUT OUT A TON OF BAUER SHIT IN THEIR STORE HERE!! MAKING TONS OF SHELF ROOM FOR BAUER AND HERC SHIT! The Herc TapeM is HUGE HEAVY BULKY AND NOT WORTH A SPIT!? I HATE IT!! AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE 000 WAR!! BUT BAUERS TM IS AWESOME! IT STOPS AT ANY POINT AS U PULL IT OUT! GREAT PUSH BUTTON ACTION ON TOP!! ANDDDD BAUER TM HAS LT WAR!!!! FRONT BACK!! LW!! SUPER USER FRIENDLY!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVEEE IT!!! 9.99 WITH LT WAR!!! HERC SUCKS TOTAL CRAP TO ME ON THEIR TAPES AND MANY TOOLS FOR MY PART!! AND YET NO WAR ON THEIR TAPES!? AND I KNOW BAUER IS COMING OUT WITH MORE TOOLS SOON!! AND I BELIEVE THEY R GONNA OFFER WARRANTY ON THEIR TOOLS SOON!!?? AND MAYBE THE SAME LT!!?? AS THE TAPES! I THINM IF UR CONSIDERING TOOLS AND BAUER UD BETTER GET ON THE WAGON AND GET EM RT NOW WHILE THE GREAT DEALS R ON AND HOT!!😮😮😮😊😊😊❤❤❤
I agree that I think Bauer tools are a better value than Hercules for the average consumer. Hercules tools are overpriced for what you get. I'd take the money and buy a Dewalt instead of a Hercules. BTW Hercules tools already have a warranty but it's not worth the paper it's written on considering the amount of exclusions it has.
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In this video we look at the Harbor Freight Bauer 20V 1/4 inch Compact Hex Impact Driver and review what the tool can do. We torture test the impact driver and let some smoke out. We start small and build up to a monster bolt. Tell me what you guys think. After seeing what it does, is it a good buy or would you pass on buying it?
Is this the brushless model?
@@psychopete3848 This item has not been upgraded yet. As far as I know they only make a Brushed version of this.
I used one of these to build my 16 x 12 deck onto my house. Used a 5ah battery on
1x6x16ft planks. Two 3 1/2 deck screws every foot. This thing is a champ. I even had to redo the deck because the boards didn't line up right sonhad to go unscrew the whole thing and re screw them in. 80-degree weather, and I didn't have to replace the battery at all. It did get hot, but after the top deck was done we stopped for the day. Did a good chunk of the railing, replaced the battery with a fresh one. Finished the railing and all the spindles.
honestly this has exceeded my expectations like crazy. if bauer comes out with a brushless line i'm selling all my dewalt and moving to bauer 100%.
I'd definitely like to see a brushless line. I have several Bauer tools, and find most of them to be really good for my needs, but what I like is the battery pricing. The batteries for Bauer seem to be about half the price of many of the other brands, and I haven't seen any performance difference in them.
@@PawOfRizzo i completely agree, the battery pricing is literally like a quarter of all the big name brand batteries. it's my favorite part about bauer lol
They have brushless now. $59 no battery. Battery is 5ah for another $59. Pretty good deal.
@@psychopete3848 I gotta try it out now!
you just made up my mind. I was trying to decide if I wanted a pressure washer or this drill and I'm definitely getting this drill
I have one of those Bauer impact drivers and I use it all the time working on lawn equipment and motorcycles. It works great especially for the price point.
I appreciate your honest review. I bought my Bauer driver on sale for $30.00, and I love it! Just as good, or better then Craftsman for a lot less money. I’ve been a Craftsman fan my whole life, but now that I want some battery powered tools, I have to go with Bauer.
Nice, informative video, thanks for sharing.
Thank the tool gods for Harbor Freight.👍
Bigrich 439 stop being cheap
Decent review. Looks like Harbor Freight is picking up on their quality. Just for reference, when it says it is a 1/4 inch impact it is referencing that it uses 1/4 inch hex drivers. It can easily use larger than 1/4 inch sockets and screws. Also when using such large LAG bolts like the last one, it is always a good idea to drill a pilot hole first, but your test did show that it can handle a lot of strain.
Thanks, and I agree. I would never drive a huge lag bolt that way on a normal basis, but the entire point was to torture the driver and see if it could handle it.
It's good for the price point. If I had the $ i would have perfered the Milwaukee fuel 18v. But that out of reach. My dad loved Milwaukee brands. They served him well for many year. He had rockwell, Delta, PortaCable, Rigid and Greenlee tools. My brother got the good stuff after my dad died.
I have both a 12V Max & a 20V Max Dewalt drill & impact set. I use the 12V Max in the house & the 20V Max in the shop. I recently bought a Baurer Hypermax 20V drill package along with their small 20V tire inflator during Baurer Daze. The Baurer 1/2" 20V drill is actually quite good, especially for the $60 price. But I still perfer the Dewalt drills, as they seem to operate smoother & fit my hand better.
I have the drill and its awesome however if someone is looking for a combo the ridgid gen 4 impact/drill combo is $119 and ends up cheaper than if you were to get the bauer impact and drill.
The HD combo is only available online but it is a hell of a deal. Comes with rapid charger and 2 (1.5ah) batteries. I use the bauer drill and my bnd impact as backups now.
Actually just checked HD and it's $129 special buy now but still a good deal.
I didn't buy my a Bauer driver. But it's good for what I need if for.. I have arthritis in my hands and can't use my hands the normal way. My Finger's can't make a fist anymore. I bought cordless everything but asked for a present this tool. make working around the house a breeze, never married, so I had to learn to take care of myself. Work on my car with it as well. good tool for the price point.
Thanks for the review
Thank you that big lag bolt was amazing that it sunk it in .I would never thought it could do something so huge.
To be honest I didn't think it would do it either, so we were both surprised.
Usually you need to pre-drill for larger wood screw diameters. Thanks for the demo
Greg Feneis that is true and it would have gone in a lot easier if pre pilot drilled so yeah next is will it knock of basic lug nuts for a truck or car.
I agree with you. But seems a good for home tool so yeah I just got one too. Thanks for the review
These are good homeowner grade tools. Doesn’t hold a candle to the DeWalt XR stuff I have at the shop at my house or our M18 Fuel stuff at work. (We get the Milwaukee over everything; IR, Snap-on, MAC etc.) The motors in the Bauer units make decent torque but the circuitry isn’t of craftsmanship worthy of everyday shop use.
It's all made in China @@kennethpowers8995
I bought it. Without doing any reseach. But I do know good parts good power. It's always good. Ty for the upload. Making beds this week ^_^
I mistakenly bought the non-impact version of this tool (kit). They have the impact version on sale for $54.99 this week. Hmmm.
Any updates on it holding up?
I still have it and use it, so yeah. It's a good tool that does the job. Of course I have had it for two years now so I can't speak for how the new ones are. Just saying.
I love Harbor Freight’s tier system. I can buy better tools if I need them and they always have what fits my price. my budget, level of and quantity of work don’t justify pro grade tooling.
I have every piece Bauer has to offer as of now,except this impact, Hercules and Milwaukee cover that. I like the tools, great buy when on sale. I am not impressed with the small battery, doesn't last long, wish they offered something like the Herc battery, that's a great battery. The bauer 3.0 ah battery is great, has a good run time, but the power indicator could use some attention, like the small one, it might show 2 dots when checked, but does without warning and no where near the time youd think there would still be power. Good tools for the price, for sure.
Agreed. I found that same issue. The battery will show one and a half dots but the driver will shut off. I think the reason is that these tools have a lot of electronics in them to prevent battery damage and that is why it wont allow it to run all the way down like they used to do with the old Nicad batteries. I have an old NiCad Skill drill driver that will continue to run until it is fully drained.
They are really great budget tools but the problem is they don’t come in kits so you gotta buy the tool, the battery and charger separate and then by the time you do that you could buy a nice brand name tool like de Walt or Milwaukee for the same price or a little more
This made me buy the Bauer vs. Hercules
For the price! It’s not bad I bought them all
I got my dewalt impact driver free after it took a tumble off a guys truck, hard to beat that deal, but bauer is making a push into the prosumer market competing with Milwaukee Makita and Dewalt.. time will tell if they are scookum enough but they should really increase that warranty. 90 day warranty is hard to trust, but from what people seem to do is why its short, buy it and use it once then return it.
Did it spark like crazy? Or have a big burning smell? Mine does...
TRACK RAT welcome to the bauer line 🤪🤪😀😀😀🤣😂🤣
It's from the oils on the electrical connections it'll slowly burn off in time
Is it adviceable to use in car tires or motor scooter?
It can be used for car tires as long as the torque is not too high. It will work but the higher the torque the more you are beating up the tool. If you don't want to kill it prematurely I would advise to use an impact wrench instead.
I just picked this up today , the impact driver, the big battery, the charger, and a 2 year warranty and it cost me $160. After watching this review I’m happy with my purchase, thanks for the review!
Glad I was helpful, and be sure to subscribe if you haven't done so because my plans are in the future I will be testing all of the Bauer products as they come out and my budget allows. So more Bauer reviews will be coming on my channel.
Have the 3/8ths in impact version. I'm a mechanic. Bought it for the light stuff. It's actually pretty stout. Have the 5mah battery and a two year replacement plan. Cost me $185 with the "fast" charger. Don't know how well it will serve me down the line but money well spent.
Shouldn’t you use impact sockets vs chrome sockets? Or is that only on impact wrenches?
In my testing I have not found any difference between them. If you have a good quality set, either one will be strong enough. I know some people will disagree, but that has been my experience.
Update: I bought it today and it's every bit as good as your review
Hope you enjoy it! 👍👍
@@ModernDIYProjects I can't stop using it lol
I'm thinking about getting one soon.
Cant go wrong with the bouer it is a good tools for the price the only thing its not brushless but stell works great i got a 1/2 drive bouer and i abuse it ever day and it stell works fine i use it for ever thing but if u get one u proble ot to get the 3 amp it last alot longer
@@jasonmartin9393 You should have paid for a better education not tools, your spelling and punctuation is horrible.
If u dont like my spelling then dont read it didnt ur moma ever tell u that if u dont have nothing good to say dont say nothing at all
Bauer will never kill DeWalt. Even if it were as good and or half the price, Bauer would have to have a dozen plus battery powered tools in their line up that were at least comparable in quality and performance to DeWalt and they don’t.
Is Bauer good? Does it have potential? Possibly, I don’t own any Bauer tools.
While I have no doubt that Bauer and Hercules are both fine products and I wouldn't hesitate to give them as a gift. For someone who needs a decent piece of equipment and a fair price but does not need a whole kit with battery compatibility these HF brands will probably be more than they need.
If you need commercial or industrial quality. I would suggest DeWalt or Milwaukee.
As for HF. One thing I can say for sure that should be happening that I'm sure is no.
Bauer and Herc are both HF house brands. They should both use the same battery. Just make the tool itself the power/quality difference.
Need to use impact sockets. Thanks for video, love bauer!
Regular sockets are fine as this tool doesnt have the power to break them. Now when you get into 3/8 and 1/2 impacts and automotive work and such, yes definitely use impact specific sockets.
I have a Bauer corded hammer drill it's fabulous!
Older video but I wanted to find one and make a comment as I have some years of monitored cordless tool use under my belt as we’ve been using less and less pneumatic power as cordless technology is better explored. I’ve seen techs run every brand under the sun and I’ve even bounced around some myself but here’s what I’ve personally learned. Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel is the top of the food chain right now. Closely behind in performance and reliability but no consideration of price are DeWalt, MAC, Snap-on, IR. Then as a close second I’d group in Makita, Bosch, and Porter Cable etc. Capable/durable tool makers but these brands offer more construction/carpentry type tooling than mechanic or auto tech type of tools. The next group I consider “Homeowner Grade” affordable price tags with decent enough performance for the guy who’s gonna use his tools in his garage on the weekends and then spend Monday thru Friday in his cubicle at Capital One. These tools will change a tire, screw deck boards down around your pool deck, etc but wouldn’t hold up to daily use and abuse in a shop or on a job site. I consider this group to include the Bauer Tools as well as the likes of Ryobi, Craftsman, Black and Decker, Skill, etc. Lastly are a group of tools I consider “one time use” (essentially junk or perhaps one notch above junk)
This would include the brands no one has ever heard of, the $29.99 cordless stuff at Harbor Freight, on EBay, Amazon etc. Might carry name sakes and styling cues similar to known brands BUT the unit may not even put a screw in some fresh drywall and you’ll typically get technological advances from the early 90’s with tools like this as well. HART, WORX, Hyper Tough, Blue Ridge Tools etc. Think back to the old Black and Decker cordless screw drivers that took the 4v DC style plug right into the handle. That’s the kind of technology used in this bottom of the barrel stuff.
#End Rant
Qualifications: 18 years as an automotive technician; ASE Master tech, GM Certified, Honda PACT certification and I’ve spent probably $20,000 on cordless tooling throughout my career.
Just bought one nice little tool.good video
Love bauer for home. Gotta stick with Milwaukee for work... For now.
Thanks for the video. I’ve been thinking in getting this tool or the impact wrench which is a little pricier. What’s the difference?
You mean the Bauer Impact wrench? That one is more for automotive work, breaking lugs, bolts, etc. This Bauer in the video is more for general disassembly use. Tearing apart appliances, Driving long screws, Lag bolts, carriage Bolts, that type of work. It also doubles as a drill with the proper attachments which the impact does not. This one has more uses to it, but less torque.
Modern DIY Projects , thanks for the reply! I now know what I need. I was about to get this tool next week. I guess I will have to look at the bigger one. Do you have any thoughts on the Bauer impact wrench with the 1/2 anvil?
@@mariorodriguez653 Yes, if you are using it for automotive work and need the greater torque, I would recommend getting the 1/2 drive and not the weaker 3/8 drive. The Half inch is just like a air wrench but battery operated. I have heard good things about it. I will have to do a review of it when budget allows. Also, it is sold as "tool only" so you will have to buy a battery. I recommend getting the 3 amp hour battery for this application.
Subscribed by recommendation of DaBear at the Den of Tools.
Glad to have you on board. Thanks for subbing.👍
Nice review. HFT is really upping their game.
Been eyeing the Bauer line for a while now. My Ryobi tools are getting long in the tooth.
One good thing about Ryobi is you can get chinese knock-off batteries for half price.
Any idea if you can get a Bauer knock off battery? Maybe they already are knock-offs.
Yes, I have seen other comments indicating they can get knock off batteries because they are almost the same as Dewalt batteries, so easy to reproduce, but I would suggest buying the Bauer batteries because they are probably cheaper in the long run. A Bauer Battery costs only $20 for the 1.5 amp hour and they use real Samsung batteries. The 3.0 Amp hour is $40, but they do have discount coupons so I just got one the other day for $36.
Could you test the skil low end impact and compare the two?
Sure. Give me a little time to get passed the holiday expenses and I'll do a review for you. Be sure to sub and hit the bell so you get notified when I post the video.
Cool review. I'm liking this impact driver, specially at the price you mentioned.
Good job with the review. Were the impact hex to socket adapters impact rated? Hope you had safety glasses on. I didn't used to think it was a big deal but over the years witnessed way to many things go bad. Looking forward to more of your reviews.
Thanks Chris. The socket adapters are the regular Warrior adapters that I already had on hand and they seem very good. I may get the Bauer impact rated adapters soon for other such reviews. Hope you subscribed to the channel, if so, glad to have you aboard. 👍
@@ModernDIYProjects It would be interesting to redo the large lag bolt with an impact rated adapter. I saw a discussion about non-impact rated extensions and adapters flexing. The idea was that the adapters absorb some of the energy and reduce the effective torque. Impact rated adapters may not flex as much, and so more of the tool's torque is transferred to the bolt. At least that was the theory, and it would be interesting to see a comparison of adapters with the large lag bolt.
@@57ditchdigger That's an interesting idea, but the Bauer killed that Lag bolt with a non-impact adapter so what difference would an impact rated adapter make? Would it sink it a little faster maybe? The Bauer impact adapters are so thin leave me wondering if they are any good. Makes me wonder if they would twist on uses like this. The warrior ones are thicker diameter. Maybe I'll go buy the Bauer and the Hercules adapters and do a comparison to see if they twist or not. Stay tuned!
@@ModernDIYProjects I didn't think it sounded like the lag bolt was spinning at the end. It seemed like the Bauer was at it's limit. That made me wonder if the impact rated adapter would bury the head of the lag bolt in the 4x4.
@@57ditchdigger Yeah, I see now what you mean. Go back and you'll see I explain that the lag bolt had gone all the way through the 4x4 and had penetrated past the bottom (it is a 5.25" lag) thus it was just at the part where it had no threads left, so it couldn't keep moving, but I will follow through with your idea and use that lag as a test of the impact VS non-impact adapters and see how that video comes out using the same lag bolt. Thanks for the idea. 👍
Uh WOW Impressive!
Has anyone noticed that if you lightly pull the trigger it just goes full power instead of starting slow and gradually getting faster the more you press the trigger?
I bought one today and it has a variable speed trigger.
Good review. I think the Bauer would meet most DIYers needs. It seems similar to my Porter Cable 20V system.
Can this one drill through brick?
I don't see why it wouldn't, but you have to use a drill bit with a hex end so it will hold it. The round end drills will not work without an adaptor because of the chuck.
Mines got a burning smell whenever I impact with it, is this normal?
Yes, to a degree. Mine also has a bad smell, You have to decide if it's just a bad smell, or electrical burning bad smell. If it's really bad I would say to exchange it and see. Act quick before your 90 day warranty expires!
Watch ave Bauer video, they smoke the motor control unit under load so prob not.
Bought Bauer 20V 1/2 in version impact wrench with 5 ah battery this morning and returned it on the same day. It was advertised 450 ft/lb torque but can barely break lugs that were torqued at 105 ft/lb.
At least it didnt smoke like dewalt.. went to hft today and is 10 bucks of its original price.
MrSaann yess! I bought mine for $65 after 8.25% in taxes!! What a steal!
Good test.. try it on lug nuts big wheels
Is it brushless?
None of the HF power tools are brushless at this point.
When you use makita brushless u don’t go back
Got this a a year warranty gonna give it hell.
Hahaha, that's the way to do it. Let me know how it holds up.
How is it holding up so far?
You wouldn't have to muscle it back out if you just use the reverse button on the impact gun.
True, but that would defeat the purpose of the demonstration. I could have done it off camera also, but I thought viewers would enjoy seeing how hard it was by hand.
Only issue is harbor freight will stop carrying the brand after a few years and you wont be able to get batteries
Does the Bauer charger work on the Hercules ?
They will not work with the Hercules line but they do fit ALL The Bauer line regardless of size. For example I have the 1.5 and the 3.0 batteries and I use the same charger. Also if you get any tool that is "TOOL ONLY" you already have the battery and charger that will fit the tools.
Wow that's small impact driver really drove in that large bolt however I wouldn't really push the tool that far to its limits but it's nice to know that is 10 handle very large bolts. I've also noticed that just about every satellite TV and cable TV installer uses this type of driver tool.
I agree, this type of use is not good for the tool, but for demonstration we kinda have to.
Bouer is a good tool i like my bouer 1/2 impact i abuse it about ever day i put it to the test it work good i no one thing my buddy got a dewalt 1/2 impact with 5amp houer battery and my bouer ate it up man it had more power didnt think it would of i lift it in the ran one day and went out to get it and it stell worked fine i like it but i wish it had bigger batterys wish it had a 6 amp houer any body ever try to make a dewalt battery work in a bouer tool that would be cool
Actually I have seen some videos where people have made Dewalt batteries run on Bauer. There are minor differences to the case that can be modified. If you're going to do something like that I would try with a Generic Dewalt battery or a dead Dewalt instead of spending the money and later have it not work properly. I don't know about the electronics inside though.
Just have to hope HF supports the tool for some time so you can get more batteries and replacement chargers.
Not to worry. IF they stop supporting the line, at that time I will show you how to change the internals and keep it going. I have done it before for other products I own that are no longer supported. In fact I will make a video about one such line coming soon.
That thing is straining. Should never have to push that hard on a impact drill that has power.
I got this tool and it sucks no offense , the shaft is crooked and broke some of my bits
Harbor Freight tools are hit and miss. Some are good and some are bad. Take it back and get a refund.
@@ModernDIYProjects - glad I bought their warranty then -$18. And they said it allows me to trade up a few years down the road if I don't like my 1/4" driver any more.
Not bad.. I’m staying with kobalt brother
My cheap B&D can do all that just as easily.
hahahahhahahaa
You made me laugh
Thanks
He made me laugh 3 times. First when he used the wrong "bit"(actually a SOCKET). Second, when he KEPT calling a SOCKET a "bit". Third, when he tried to run that last lag screw through a 4x4, with a 1/4" impact driver, without pre-drilling! I actually own this tool and, it's as good as my DeWalt brushless 1/4" impact. I bought the Bauer kit, an extra 1.5 battery AND the 2 year warranty for under $100. You'd be lucky to find the DeWalt with 1 battery for that price.
Lol.
No.
Thank you exactly the info I needed to know. this is going to make a nice b day present to myself also hfqpdb.com has 10% off any Bauer product untill 3/15/2020
Wow guys wake up, the bauer is a brushed tool with a crappy 90 day warranty, zero customer service, and zero parts to fix it if it brakes, and a very limited tool line with a battery that could change and make these tools unusable when your battery wears out. Why not pay for a ryobi at the very least. Stop being cheap and pony up the extra 10-20 bucks for a waaay better tool.
I don't know exactly whom your comment is aimed for but let me tell you that my purpose here is to test tools and allow you the viewers to decide which tool is best for you. I also did a review of the Ryobi impact drill. You can go watch that video if you like. I will soon be posting a review of the HART impact driver. So I make sure that the viewers get a full spectrum of tools to be informed when they shop. Search my channel and you will see that unlike other channels I do not play favorites. I suggest everyone search my channel for other similar reviews before making a final decision because I agree with some of the points you made.
Do you own one? I bought mine on black Friday 2019 along with an extra 1.5 battery AND the 2 year extended warranty for under $100. I've used it daily, along side my DeWalt brushless and it runs right along with the yellow one. You need to understand that ALL of these tools are made by the hundreds of thousands, so, you're bound to get a bad one now and then, no matter what brand it is.
Mike Brown you may want to judge it after using it longer then 4 months
@@doylee469 I'm not going to argue with you since you didn't even bother to answer the question. You're obviously a Ryoboy and that's fine, to each their own. Have a good night.
Mike Brown why would you argue with me? You bought a tool thats marketed by hf as a diy tool and you use it everyday.. its been like 4 months and I should be impressed? I dont need to own every single tool under the sun to know which ones are not built up to spec. Watch a couple vids of it being taken apart before you judge. That’s all I needed to do. Ryobi has much more to offer, I don’t need to be a fanboy to see that. Calling someone a fanboy is something people say when they don’t agree with your opinion. Stop acting like a child. Why You couldn’t spend the extra 30 bucks on a better brand if you use it everyday is beyond me.
Junk
They have this on clearance now 28 for the tool and 59.99 for the kit! And the Batts R 2 for 39!! OR the 5AH for 65 and u get a FREE TOOL!
I got the DD KIT FOR 46.99! +T AND THEN I PAID THE 15 FIR THE 2YR OUT THE DOOR AT 62!? ANDDD THE 46 CAME IN 33 UNDER THE PRICE OF THE BATT AND CHARGER ALONE WO ANYYY TOOL!!! SO I GOT THE ENTIRE KIT FOR 33 LESS THAN ID HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR JUST 2 THINGS ALONE!!
THEY NOW HAVE THIS KIT FOR 59 AND THE BARE TOOL FOR 28! IF THEY GET THE 28 IN I WILL PROBABLY GET IT!? THEN GET THE 5AH BATT AND A FREE TOOL WITH IT! PROBABLY THE OSMT AS I NEED IT MOST RT NOW!?
THIS WOULD GIVE ME A TOTAL OF 4 TOOLS 2 BATTS AND A CHARGER!?
ORRR GET THE KIT HAVE 2 CHARGERS 2 SMALL BATTS! THEN MAYBE DO THE 5HR BATT WITH THE FREE OSMT!? IF THEY STILL HAVE ALL THIS WHEN I GDTTHE MONEY!?
I 1ST GOT THE ORB SANDER FOR 19! AND THEY HAVE IT AGAIN RT NOW FOR 19.99+T! WELL WORTH IT!!! IT'S A BEAST!! HAPPY WITH MY DD AND KIT!! FIND MYSELF LOVING BAUER AND WANTING MORE!!
HF HAS OUT OUT A TON OF BAUER SHIT IN THEIR STORE HERE!! MAKING TONS OF SHELF ROOM FOR BAUER AND HERC SHIT!
The Herc TapeM is HUGE HEAVY BULKY AND NOT WORTH A SPIT!? I HATE IT!! AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE 000 WAR!!
BUT BAUERS TM IS AWESOME! IT STOPS AT ANY POINT AS U PULL IT OUT! GREAT PUSH BUTTON ACTION ON TOP!! ANDDDD BAUER TM HAS LT WAR!!!! FRONT BACK!! LW!! SUPER USER FRIENDLY!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVEEE IT!!! 9.99 WITH LT WAR!!! HERC SUCKS TOTAL CRAP TO ME ON THEIR TAPES AND MANY TOOLS FOR MY PART!! AND YET NO WAR ON THEIR TAPES!?
AND I KNOW BAUER IS COMING OUT WITH MORE TOOLS SOON!! AND I BELIEVE THEY R GONNA OFFER WARRANTY ON THEIR TOOLS SOON!!?? AND MAYBE THE SAME LT!!?? AS THE TAPES!
I THINM IF UR CONSIDERING TOOLS AND BAUER UD BETTER GET ON THE WAGON AND GET EM RT NOW WHILE THE GREAT DEALS R ON AND HOT!!😮😮😮😊😊😊❤❤❤
I agree that I think Bauer tools are a better value than Hercules for the average consumer. Hercules tools are overpriced for what you get. I'd take the money and buy a Dewalt instead of a Hercules. BTW Hercules tools already have a warranty but it's not worth the paper it's written on considering the amount of exclusions it has.