Bosch is adding a new compact impact driver, model IDS181, to their 18V lineup. They updated their drills and drivers fairly recently, about a year ago, and the new driver is designed as an expansion model, not an upgrade. It boasts a new compact size and a medium-duty motor.
The new IDS181 is quite compact at 5.4″ long and 9″ tall, and with a SlimPack battery it weighs in at under 3 lbs. With a maximum torque rating of 1150 in-lbs, the impact driver is best suited for light and medium-duty fastening tasks. In contrast, Bosch’s next-step-up impact driver, model 25618, is rated to 1500 in-lbs. N0-load speeds are 0-2600 RPM and 0-3100 BPM.
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Bosch’s marketing team says that the lower power rating helps the IDS181 impactor achieve best-in-class application control by limiting stripping of screws and shearing off of screw heads. While this sounds like a BS way of saying less max-power means less over-torquing, a smaller power range could allow for more sensitive trigger control.
Bosch also built the IDS181 with a 3-LED shadow-free worklight, similar to that on their 12V PS41 impact driver. There are actually strong resemblances between the IDS181 and the PS41, which is also 5.4″ long.
Electronic motor and battery protection is built into the tool as with Bosch’s other 18V cordless tools.
Our take on the new impact driver is that it’s designed to bridge between 12V and 18V systems. It’s not a super heavy-duty driver, but this is balanced out with greater runtime.
Kit pricing is reasonably modest:
- IDS181-102 comes with 1x 1.5AhSlimPack battery for $169
- IDS181-01 comes with 2x 3.0Ah FatPack batteries for $259
- IDS181-02 comes with 2x 1.5Ah SlimPack batteries for $210
The -102 kit seems to be a lower-priced entry to entice first-time impact driver buyers. If true, it’s a smart approach.
There are a number of premium models currently on the market, most notably Dewalt’s brushless impact, Milwaukee’s Fuel impact, and Bosch’s own 25618. Even with a more modest power rating, the IDS181 undercuts them on price and potentially runtime.
It will be interesting to see how the latest and greatest all perform. If there’s enough reader demand we’ll do some comparison testing later this Fall.
And we know what you’re thinking – when will Bosch catch up to their competitors with a brushless model of their own? Our guess is soon.
More Info (via Bosch)
Fred says
Yes, count this as reader demand. Ideally I’d like to see how each of the new 3.0AH batteries fare, both compared to the 2.6 AH and the newer slims for Dewalt, Milwaukee (both brushless) the 25618 and this.
There are some jobs where my 25618 feels like overkill and others where it feels like it’s ‘almost’ enough.
James C says
Do you think this is noticeably quieter than the next step up model?
Fred says
In my experience, most of the sound isn’t coming from the tool itself, but from the socket and the bolt reacting to the impacts. If you do the same job with both, I would expect it to sound the same or similar with both. Working with certain fasteners or materials would probably be the only noticeable change in sound.
Stuart says
I’ve never heard of a quiet impact driver or wrench. It’s the high-impulse transfer of energy that makes it so effective at driving and loosening fasteners.
But it’s something I’ll keep in mind to test out.
Fred, my understanding is that the sound is internal from within the tool. There should not be slop between a fastener and socket or socket and square drive. It’s the impact between an anvil and drive that creates the noise.
Tyler says
I know this is 2 years old, but I was considering picking up a combo set with L-Boxxes and it has the DDS181 and IDS181. I already have a refurbished 25618 that came with a DDS181 and they are 6 months out of the 1 year refurb warranty everything works fine, including batteries. However, I was thinking I could get a new set with a 3 year advantage warranty, new batteries and 2 L-Boxxes for not much more than a set of replacement batteries after selling the old set. Think I will I be disappointed with the downgrade to the IDS181 from the 25618? I mostly drive 1″-3″ gold screws but sometimes have a need to drive some longer Spax fasteners. Rarely do I use it to drive lag bolts. Would it be silly to hang on to just the 25618 and sell the rest of the old kit, just to have that extra torque if I need it?
Stuart says
If you’re talking about the CLPK234-181L kit (currently $206 via Amazon), that’s a very good deal.
Yes, the IDS181 delivers lower max torque than the 25618, but it’s also a little more compact, and slightly lighter.
If you really want those L-Boxxes, then you could always buy the set and try out the impact on a couple of screws. 1″ to 3″ brass screws and Spax fasteners? Either impact driver should be able to handle those with relative ease.
You’ll probably shear the heads off brass screws before you max-out the power on the IDS181 impact driver.
I like my 25618 impact a lot, and probably wouldn’t trade it for an IDS181 if given the option.
You could always buy the kit and then sell off either of the impacts. The two compact batteries and two L-Boxxes are strong incentives to buy that kit, but you can still keep the impact you prefer more.
Tyler says
Thanks. That is the set I was looking at. The L-Boxxes are definitely part of the draw as I am trying to organize everything. Even without the L-Boxxes they aren’t a terribly bad deal either. I’m thinking I might do just what you recommended and buy the kit and try them out. When I sell the set I can give them an option to buy the least favorite of my impacts. If not, then I’ll just have 2.
I checked my old C3 impact driver that I still periodically use if I have both Bosch batteries tied up (one charging, one drilling). It’s always done what I needed it to, it’s only rated at 900 in lbs (which I never knew) so I really think my big benefit with keeping the 25618 would be for the lighter duty wrenching and mechanics that I seem to be doing a lot more of later.