Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

Impact driver vs combi drill

Updated: 22 October 2026

You are fitting a flat-pack, or boarding a fence, and the drill has stalled on a long screw. An impact driver vs combi drill search makes those jobs look like one purchase. They are not. Buy the combi first if you can own only one tool: it drills and a clutch stops ordinary screws. Add an impact driver when long screws stall that drill. The four drivers on the [impact driver comparison](/hub/tools/impact-driver) have no clutch and no hammer mode. Peter F. updated this on 22 October 2026 from those listings and from Drill and Bit, Homebuilding and Currys, with no lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are fitting a flat-pack, or boarding a fence, and the drill has stalled on a long screw. An impact driver vs combi drill search makes those jobs look like one purchase. They are not.

Our top picks

DeWalt DeWalt DCF887N

Best overall

DeWalt DeWalt DCF887N
9.4/10about £59.95
View offer
Einhell Einhell TE-CI 18/1 Li

Alternative

Einhell Einhell TE-CI 18/1 Li
9.2/10about £50.39
View offer
Galax Pro Galax Pro 95307

Best value

Galax Pro Galax Pro 95307
8.8/10about £42.83
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Buy the combi first
  2. 2.What the driver adds, and what it lacks
  3. 3.Masonry and the word impact
  4. 4.One battery, two tools

Buy the combi first

A combi is first when the week includes holes. It holds round-shank bits, it hammers plugs into brick, and a clutch slips before a short screw tears chipboard. Drill and Bit, Homebuilding and Currys put that combi first for a flat-pack and for walls. None of these four states that clutch, that hammer or a round-shank chuck. Galax Pro reviews mention flat-pack on the about £42.83 kit, and UK guides still want the clutch for hinge screws. The combi's limit is a long timber screw that stalls the motor. That stall is where a driver earns a place.

What the driver adds, and what it lacks

An impact driver adds rotational blows as the screw tightens, so less twist comes back through your wrist. Three listings state a 6.35 mm hex. Bosch does not state a chuck size. There is no clutch, so depth is the moment you let go. It is the better second tool for fences, decking and a run of long screws, which is when Currys says you add one. It still will not drill masonry or hold a round shank, and it is the wrong tool for wheel nuts. Those nuts are on the impact driver vs impact wrench page. Bits are on how to use an impact driver.
DeWalt DeWalt DCF887N

Testsieger

DeWalt DeWalt DCF887N
9.4/10about £59.95
View offer

Masonry and the word impact

Brick needs an axial hammer. An impact driver's blows turn around the screw. They do not bore brick. BuildWiz says an impact driver has no hammer action for hard materials, and none of these four states a hammer-drill mode. Galax Pro prints 10 mm in metal, DeWalt 12 mm in wood and metal, and Einhell 30 mm in wood. Those cells are not a masonry mode. Hex bits sold for brick do not add a hammer. UK Bosch DIY pages have used impact drill for a percussion combi and lined that name up with impact driver. A chuck plus a hammer switch is the combi. A 6.35 mm hex without it is the driver.

One battery, two tools

Buy the combi on a platform you can extend, then add a bare driver if that pack is already charged. Einhell is about £50.39, DeWalt about £59.95 and Bosch about £78.90, all bare. Galax Pro at about £42.83 includes a 1.3 Ah pack, useful only if you are not already on another brand. Packs do not cross brands. One Bosch review says a different Bosch drill battery did not fit. Do not add two shelf prices and call the sum a twin kit. Bare versus kit is on the impact driver buying guide. For hinge screws and flat-pack cams, stop at the combi.

Common questions

Which should you buy first if you can afford only one?
Buy the combi drill. Drill and Bit, Homebuilding and Currys put holes, a clutch and masonry on that first tool, and the impact driver second, when long screws stall. A driver does not drill brick and it has no clutch.
What does a combi do that these four drivers do not state?
A combi drills holes, hammers masonry, holds round-shank bits and slips a clutch before a short screw strips. None of these four states those three controls. Three state a 6.35 mm hex. Bosch does not state a chuck size. They drive screws. They do not plug a wall.
When is the impact driver the better second tool?
When a combi stalls on long timber screws, or when the job is fences, decking and framing in volume. It is a weak first tool if you still need holes and a clutch, and the wrong tool for wheel nuts.
Can one of these four drill brick?
No. None states a hammer-drill mode. Printed cells of 10 mm in metal, 12 mm in wood and metal, or 30 mm in wood are not a brick claim. A hex bit sold for brick does not add a hammer.
Why do some pages call a percussion drill an impact driver?
Impact names two mechanisms. A percussion combi hammers along the bit to drill brick. An impact driver hammers in rotation to drive screws. Read the nose: a chuck and a hammer switch is the combi, and a 6.35 mm hex without that switch is the driver.
Is an impact driver too much for flat-pack and hinge screws?
Yes for most of those fixings. UK guides want the combi's clutch, because the driver will not slip when the screw is home. If you already own a driver, ease off the trigger. Stay with the clutch when the screw is short and the board is chipboard.
Do you end up owning both, and on which battery?
Often, once the year includes holes and a run of long screws. Keep one platform: DeWalt 18 V, Einhell Power X-Change, Bosch 18 V or Galax Pro. Packs do not cross brands. Only Galax Pro includes a 1.3 Ah pack here. Check a Bosch pack against the body before you buy the second tool.

Related pages

Best impact driver

Impact driver

Impact driver buying guide: nose, battery and torque

How to use an impact driver without sinking the head

Impact driver vs impact wrench: hex bit or square socket

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, used for this page in October 2026. Prices, stars and review counts are from the four amazon.co.uk listings captured on 21 October 2026. Vibration limits apply at work. They are not a measurement of these drivers.

  1. Screwfix, Impact driver buying guide (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. Screwfix, 18 V impact drivers (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. HSE, Hand-arm vibration regulations (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. legislation.gov.uk, Vibration regulation 4 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. HSE, Construction vibration FAQ (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. GOV.UK, Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. OPSS, Product safety report 2511-0084 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. Homebuilding, Impact driver vs impact wrench (retrieved 21 October 2026)