Customer Reviews

Bosch PS40-2 10.8-Volt Impact Driver

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've had the PS40 for over six months now and find it to be an excellent driver - nearly perfect.

At first I was put off by the noise of the impact mechanism, but after drilling hundreds of deck screws I came to appreciate the tremendous amount of torque available. More torque is usually a good thing, but in a standard drill/driver excessive torque can be bad as it requires more work, is less precise, or possibly dangerous if the tool, say, twists you off a ladder. The PS40 doesn't have this problem, in fact, it requires less effort to drive the same fastener as a standard driver or drill. I found myself backing off on the downward pressure to the fastener - much less force is necessary to keep the bit engaged. In particular this is a boon for those situations where you can't get a good and strong angle, such as working overhead or where the screw is hidden from view. With the PS40, if you can get the bit in the fastener that's probably enough to get the job done.

The impact noise is loud but not "hurt your ears" loud. If you're using it inside it may annoy others in the house, be forewarned.

The size, grip, weight, balance, and battery life are all excellent. It really does feel like a phaser, that is, if the phaser actually existed.

I have not tried using it as a drill. To do that would require purchase of a conversion chuck such as the DEWALT DW0521 Quick Connect Impact Driver Conversion Chuck (which is now on my wish list), or hex-shanked drill bits. Still, I find it quicker to use a regular drill for holes and then swap to the driver.

For lighter duty driver applications, I would think the non-impact PS20 would be ideal (though I've not tried it). Given that the '20 retails for just over $100 (for the 2 battery & charger kit) I'm considering buying one to compliment the 40. If they ever sell just the PS20 driver alone I will definitely buy one.

The PS40-2A kit differs from the PS40-2 in that they throw in a belt holster. I wouldn't pay extra for it.

I strongly recommended the PS40 for mid to high torque applications, such as deck building, drywall hanging, and framing.

I purchased this driver to help me in my work as an electrician. It's a well designed very compact tool, but won't replace my drill.

First, the features. It's so small! It gets into places my 18 volt drill only dreams about and with the LED lights is very practical. The quality of build is apparent, and I like the balance of weight when it's in your hand. The handle is also well shaped and the direction switch is easily reached with your thumb, something I have to strain for with my 18 volt. The batteries last well although I haven't taken up Bosch on their number of screws driven on a charge claim. But the 30min. charge time seems pretty accurate. It turns at up to 1800 rpm and comes with 2 batteries.

I've tried the tool out on a number of applications. Driving screws into wood, I have found the hammer action begins too soon, on a 1 inch screw the hammer action drives about 3/4 of it. The hammer action also seems to drive in smaller increments, and these two add up to it taking a long time to drive a 1" screw into wood.

I've also tried it out on driving wafer screws into Q-deck. Q-deck is that steel ceiling in warehouse type buildings that is ribbed and wafer screws are about 1/2" and come with and without self-tapping tips. Again the Bosch PS40 begins the hammer action too soon for quickness and I prefer my regular drill for this too.

For my liking, this impact gun works best on steel stud construction, again with wafer screws. Steel studs are a thinner metal than Q-deck and the screws drive in quite rapidly.

The best feature of this gun for me is it's size and weight. There are plenty of times when I'm up a ladder and can just drop the thing in my pouch instead of hauling up my 18 volt drill. It might be slower in some applications, but it is much more convenient to use. And with the hammer action it's also easier to screw without straining against the torque of a conventional drill.

It's also quite handy for removing doors off of panels or any kind of steel box. You can get up to 8 or more screws per cover and with a screwdriver this can take a while. Just be careful when replacing the screws, the hammer action will start to strip the screws if you overtighten.

As a trademan, speed is usually of the essence which is why I refer to it taking too long in some applications. this is not necessarily a fault of the tool, it depends on your priorities. You need to weigh that against the size and ease of use for your needs.

Best tool I have ever had for for cabninet installation, window installation, or general lighter duty needs. I have driven screws in to hardwood stiles with no problems. This driver is so light and compact it allows you to fit in tight spaces that a regular impact driver cannot fit and with the holster you hardly notice it is with you. For constant heavy driving needs I use my 18 volt Mikita. I would say that 80-90 percent of the time the Bosch PS-40 is all that is needed.

This little tool is the best driver i could ask for. The reviews that say the PS40 dosnt have any torque, must be talking about something else. I just got done helping my brother in law put a roof on their barn and i used this thing on 3 1/2 inch and 2 1/2 inch screws all day (1 battery change). I was putting screws straight into nots in the wood which were very stiff and it just pushed them in. I also used it to fasten sheet metal to the roof and using self tapping screws it was so easy. I picked up my dewalt 18v drill/driver and tried it out for comparison but the bosch impact driver is just so much handier, the dewalt went back in the box. Great ergonomics, good power, and style make this my favorite tool.

I'm an admitted tool junkie that really needs to start some 12 step program or pray for an intervention episode. Each purchase involves hours of research since competing products at a similar price point can be very different in quality and effectiveness. Bosch seems to occupy the lion''s share of my tools and for good reason. They're always innovative, the quality is felt as soon as you hold their products and they seem to give years of trouble free service. This driver is no exception. My favorite driver/drill, though, had been the Panasonic EY6432GQKW 15.6-Volt. This Bosch though is physically smaller so works in tighter work situations, it's lighter and easier to carry around with you also causing less fatigue, the construction screams quality, and the power is more than adequate for anything you need to fasten. The quick release chuck is a pleasure to use especially when switching between driver bits and the Bosch quick fit drill bits so you don't need to have a separate drill and driver or waste time changing between the two. The batteries charge very quickly and seem to last forever on a charge. Even for a tool lover this thing is an uncommon delight. You'll find yourself tempted to just start disassembling things just for the fun of using this tool. If you need a driver as a DIY person or as a contractor, you won't regret buying this Bosch. Your wife might, when she comes home and finds you disassembling the furniture with a wild look in your eye, though.

From reading these reviews it seems that there is a lot of confusion about the Bosch 10.8-volt line of compact tools. This review is about the PS40 impact driver. Bosch also offers the PS20 which is a similar driver that does not have an impact motion and the PS10 that serves as a variable angle driver that is good in tight spaces.

The impact function simply means that there is a hammering effect on the back of the bit and this forces the bit forward so it won't slip out of the screw slots and strip them. You do not have to lean on the driver to keep the bit and the screw engaged. This works in forward and reverse.

The term "driver" means that the primary use of these tools is to drive screws, nuts and bolts rather than to drill. The instructions with the PS40 say to NOT use it as a drill. Drivers are slower than drills, only 400 rpm, and really aren't good at drilling. I experimented and you can drill small holes, up to maybe 1/4, if you stay away from deep holes.

All of these drivers have a chuck that takes only hex-head bits and drills. This is a quick and secure way to attach things. There are millions of drivers of every size and variety that fit this system (Bosch calls it "clic-change"), but only small sized drill bits because that is all these tools can handle and the hex part isn't big enough for bigger bits anyway.

The PS40 is excellent for what it is designed to do. My first task was to remove rusted old screws from a rusted old gutter, one handed with no way to apply pressure. The PS40 kept the bit engaged with the clogged-up slots in the screw heads and they came right out. I also plan to use it for installing a lot of drawer sliders. It is always hard to tighten those screws without stripping them.

I would say that this is one of those must-have tools. I would never throw away the big drill and you will only frustrate yourself if you think you are going to drive giant screws through decks all day.

Note that Bosch has come out with 12-volt versions of these tools. Reviewers have noted that the specs seem the same and so there is some confusion. In any case, the 1.2 volt difference is not going to be noticed and the 10.8 versions are cheaper.

I have Makita, Ridgid, Milwaukee, I drivers, and this is great for the size. The run time is not going to be like a larger battery tool, you buy this for the small size and power/weight ratio. It will easily sink 1/4" lag screws on a full charge but I do not expect it to act like an 18v driver weighing 2-3 times as much. LiIon batteries will discharge in the cold so I think that maybe the problem for some. Store these type of batteries inside. There also may be a quality control problem with the batteries but I doubt it since the PS-10 &20 seem fine with the same batteries in the reviews, the impact driver do draw more power and it is a small battery pack. [I have both PS-10 & 20 tools too]
The feature I would like, is a autolock on the shaft to allow final hand adjusting of the fastner but no impact I know of has that feature.

Bosch PS40-2 10.8V Impact Driver

Terific design. It is light small and fits it a tool kit with ease. it's worklight is a nice touch. 30 minute charges wonderful. BUT. it will not work under 32 degrees F. annoying and unacceptable. the batteries wont work in the cold. also, it is not even close to the torque of my dewalt 18v drill. after failing to put 3 inch screws in all the way, I got my dewalt out and I forgot how much torque it had. i wont get another lithium powered drill.

After a year in my home woodworking shop this little jewel was the first driver I reached for. It's super-light & handy and the built-in light is a godsend when screwing in drawer slides in the back of a dark cabinet. I recently rebuilt my front porch porch driving 2 3/4 inch screws through composite decking into treated lumber. Again it was the first tool I reached for but ---. It USUALLY got the job done but very slowly and I felt like I was pulling a semi-trailer with a 4 cylinder pickup. I began to worry about wearing out a great tool in one project so I switched over to an old Craftsman 18V drill and things went much better.

This is a great driving tool for light to medium work. And the impact mechanism seems to be especially effective when removing old corroded fasteners. Just don't expect it to frame a house or build a deck.

Got this about a month ago, works well for a small lightweight driver. Drives sheetmetal and sheetrock screws perfectly well, drives nuts and bolts with a socket attachment reasonably well. Even drives lags, but not very quickly. I use it daily as an HVAC installer and find it to be quite handy, you never even notice it in your tool belt. Got my set at Home Depot and it came with the flashlight free, a useful addition - I swear the driver, light, two batteries and charger weight less than my Ridgid 18V impactor with single battery.

I've even used this working on a few cars, removes lots of small fasteners quickly and easily. The built in LEDs are awesome.

I carry it into my house each night to avoid letting it get cold. If you use cordless tools in the cold all day or MUST leave your stuff in the truck overnight, Ni-Cad batteries are where it's at.