Take something good and make it better. Thatโs what Hitachiย did with their new WH10DFL 12V Peak Lithium-Ion Micro Impact Driver. This impact driver is also part of the KC10DFL 12V Drillย and Impact Driverย Combo Kit.ย Features like a smaller size, lighter weight, betterย batteries, and more power are just a few of the improvements that makeย this new tool stand out. In a market with many new tools in theย sub-compact category, adding value and good features can be a tricky endeavor.
Hitachi WH10DFL Features
Oneย of the first things we noticed about this tool was the batteryย style. While many companies have opted for the in-handle design for 12Vย models, Hitachi stuck with the more traditional style that sports aย square-based battery. ย I point this out because I like this design aย lot better than some of the in-handle designs. There are aย couple of reasons for this.
For one, I can balance the impact driver onย the battery end and have it stand up, which in some cases makes itย easier to grab rather than setting it down on its side like other sub-compacts. My second reason is thatย I like the battery bulge on the endย of the handle because, when you are up on a ladder and you are using aย universal drill hook, it gives something for the tool to hang from.
Comparing and Testing
In our comparison of the old impact driver to the new, we were able toย see that the upper handย went to the new Hitachi WH10DFL. The overall dimensions of the new impact driver shrankย considerably in comparison to its older brother. Even compared to someย of the other sub-compact impact drivers on the market, the body of thisย Hitachi is among the smallest. With 840 in/lb of torque, the impact driver hasย the guts needed to sink almost anything you would be able to throw atย it.
We used it for sending in self-tapping screws into an aluminum door frame, for driving a multitude of different screws with both Philips and hex heads, and also for putting in some 1/4โณ lag bolts. Three-inch deck screws were also sent home without any trouble. For itsย minimal size, this impact driver delivers great results. Of course, toย add to its usefulness, an LED work light was added that veryย effectively illuminated dark work areas.
Conclusion
The Hitachi WH10DFL 12V Peak Lithium Ion Micro Impact Driver really offers super compact size and big tool power. Combine this with Hitachiโs new 10-Year Lithium-Ion Tool Warranty, and you will have a tool that will definitely be a permanent part of your tool collection. With the obvious improvements over the last 12Vย combo kit, this new set is the way to go. For performance, it shows great power because of its compact size. For Value, itโs hard to beat the long warranty period and the competitive price.
