An impact driver is the high-tech offspring of the standard cordless drill. Its primary function is to drive fasteners quickly and with a lot of torque. Some of the advantages of an impact driver are that they generally are smaller and work faster than a standard cordless drill. Also, because the tool does the majority of the work, it takes less energy from the user.

How it works:

• An impact driver has a collar around the trip hammer. The collar slides back and forth, hitting the hammer causing the chuck to turn.
  
• This tool is a complementary tool to a drill driver. It can be used in situations when using a standard drill can be too much work, such as working overhead or driving fasteners into dense materials.
  
• A right angle impact hammer allows the user to work in tight spaces, such as inside a concrete block.