Stuart first covered the Hitachi Triple Hammer impact driver back in September 2016, so I’ll just restate the critical information about the product before I go into my first impressions of the tool.
The Hitachi WH18DBDL2 has a triple anvil design which is supposed to give you more power with less vibration. Coupled with a brushless motor for power and efficiency, this impact driver weighs just 2.9 lbs with a 3.0 Ah compact battery.
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Specs:
- IP56 rated
- 1832 in-lbs max torque
- 0-2,900 RPM Max
- 0-4,000 BPM Max
- 4-speed electronic speed control
- Weighs 2.9 lbs
- 1/4″ hex chuck
The 4 electronic speed and torque modes include: 1) soft mode, 2) normal mode, 3) power mode, 4) self-drilling mode.
The kit includes two 18V 3.0Ah battery packs, a rapid charger, and plastic case. The price has dropped to as low as $360 since we last wrote about it.
Price: $360-$400
Buy Now via Amazon
Buy Now via Acme Tool
Stuart’s Note: I have a review sample from Hitachi, but this model was purchased by ToolGuyd at retail sale pricing. Ben came across a good sale price, and I encouraged him to buy one to check out, on our dime.
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Early Hands-On Impressions
I’ve been using the Triple Hammer driver for small tasks the last few weeks and have noticed a few things that I really like about the tool, but also some things that bother me.
For instance, if you haven’t used the tool in a few minutes, none of the buttons — battery gauge, light selector, or the mode selector — respond until you pull the trigger. When I posted a video about it on Instagram, I was told that this was normal behavior for an impact.
This seems strange to me; one of the first things I do when I pick up a cordless tool is check the the battery level. I’m usually grabbing it from my shop to take it elsewhere and I want to make sure I don’t need to grab another battery. I guess the other buttons not working until you pull the trigger could be some sort of lockout so the mode or light doesn’t accidentally get changed, but it makes no sense for the battery gauge to operate that way, especially since Hitachi batteries don’t have on-board gauges yet.
Stuart’s Note: In theory, the buttons could be bumped when the impact driver is in a tool bag, leaving the LED flashlight on until the battery is fully drained. It could be this, and as you mentioned unintentional mode changes, that the lock-out behavior was designed to prevent.
Speaking of controls, the placement of the mode selector switch might be problematic. If you hold the driver in your right hand, it’s actually really conveniently placed, but if you hold the driver in your left hand it’s really awkward to access or view which mode you are in.
The last thing that annoys me about the Triple Hammer is the chuck. Many newer impacts have one-handed chucks where you just push the bit into the chuck and it locks in place. With the Triple Hammer chuck, you have to pull the ring forward to even get the bit to go in all the way. Then when you let go of the ring it locks the bit in place.
All the above grievances are fairly minor, Hitachi has done some things really well with this driver.
First, at least for the size of my hands, the Triple Hammer feels very comfortable — the grip feels like it was molded to fit my hand. With many other tools, when you pick it up, you might have to change your hand placement to make it feel good in your hand, but when I grip the Hitachi, my hand just goes to the right place and doesn’t move from there.
I think the Hitachi was designed for smaller hands without gloves. I don’t have large hands, I wear a medium glove and it seems like there is just enough room on the handle for my bare hand. I’m not sure if somebody with a larger hand grip will find the handle to be as comfortable.
The Hitachi is noticeably lighter than most of the other impacts I’ve held. It’s not just the light weight (2.9 lbs with the compact battery), but the balance. The center of gravity is just below the trigger, right about where your middle finger grabs the handle. So it really feels like an extension of your hand, especially when you have to twist your wrist to get to fasteners.
One afternoon I grabbed both the Hitachi Triple Hammer and the Milwaukee M18 Surge “impulse driver” to complete a bunch of tasks. I wanted to compared the two side by side wile doing the same operations.
Obviously, the Surge was quieter, but the Triple Hammer definitely seemed quieter than other non-oil impulse based drivers I’ve used. I pulled out a Milwaukee M18 Fuel impact driver for comparison, and found the Milwaukee impact to be noticeably louder than the Hitachi.
While both models have a variable speed trigger, they both have a different feel. The Triple Hammer definitely has a lighter pull than the Surge, and so you have to be aware of how hard to squeeze the trigger when switching back and forth between the different tools. Neither trigger is better or worse, the weight of the pull is just a matter of what you are used to and what you prefer.
I didn’t try to drive any huge lag bolts or run time trials on which driver is faster, but neither driver had any trouble sinking the 2″ and 3″ construction screws I was using.
Wrap-Up
My favorite impact so far has been the Milwaukee Surge, pretty much because I really feel I don’t have to worry about wearing hearing protection while using it, and I know I’m not disturbing everybody around me. It doesn’t have to be a Surge though, that’s just sample I currently have, I think I’d prefer to use just about any compact oil impulse driver over a traditional impact driver.
The Triple Hammer has me re-thinking that stance. When it goes into impact mode, the sound doesn’t jar me the same way other impacts have. At some point I’m going to have to run some sound pressure level tests on it to satisfy my curiosity.
Until I picked up the Triple Hammer impact, the most comfortable impact driver I’d handled was the Makita black compact 18V. I think the Hitachi rivals the ergonomics of that tool.
Nathan
Interesting – I’ve been curious as to how the triple anvil system fared. I sort of would like to see someone make a 4 anvil just to see where that lies – so as to see how optimizations work out. (yes I can see 4 being too many but curiosity and all that rot)
I mean as far as I know impact drivers until now have all be smaller scale models of impact wrenches. And even impact wrenches could use a little optimization too.
I like the idea of these guys making up a tailored self tapping screw mode – not something I use often but it would be nice to have a mode that would improve my novice use of them.
Ideally though – same thought – I’d love to see torque values in the manual for the 1-3 settings. (reading this dewalt – love to see some useful info in the manuals)
Platforms
That’s normal for the button…..
It’s a protection that prevent you accidentally change the setting.
Like cars, if you don’t start the engine, or turn it to ON position, you can’t turn on your AC or signal lights.
Platforms
1 thing I wonder for this unit.
What do that top 2 buttons do tho?
the side one is for speed, but how about the top?
Stuart
Battery fuel gauge check, and LED worklight controls (on, off, auto).
Bill
Benjamen, I second your idea on a sound level test for this tool and any other tool you guys review. As I get older I pay more attention to the impact my tools have on me, as well as those that can be affected by their use. I find that I consciously search for tools with vibration dampening as well as lower db ratings and dust control. There are times when an arm powered tool is a better choice than faster, louder and much messier electric or air options. Certainly as a retired guy these options are much easier for me to consider but as more work place and job site regulations mandate, I’m sure lower impact tools will be more common place.
Matt
Personally i love it. The chuck does suck and i wish all brands would adopt the one handed load but i can live with it as this is my go to impact.
Its so smooth, fast, light and powerful. The textured molding grip is outstanding. I cannot say enough positive things….ive also never had an issue with it freezing up or anything of the sort.
My gripe is with the paltform. This is a stand alone tool on a lackluster platform. The prices for the array of brushed tools they have collecting dust on Lowes shelves are on par with ryobi making me question the tools quality. With few brushless options, one who would want to use the triple anvil as a foundation would be forced into bare tool recip saws, circ saws, jigs and lighting. Prices for their newer brushless hammer drill and impact wouldnt leave much wiggle room for other tools and at $400 a pop, i am not certain who Hitachi is targeting.
Was this Metabo tech acquired in the deal and painted a brighter green to open up new doors for Hitachi?
Either way, dont get me wrong. This is a great impact driver.
Aaron
I honestly don’t know how anyone can argue that this isn’t the best impact on the market. Excellent torque, low vibration, IP56 rated…its only legit competition is Makita’s latest brushless impact (which is less powerful, but has assist and tightening mode), but even then I strongly feel this is the best one around.
Joe Leffler
You will see much more from Hitachi as we continue to improve our platform. We will work to deliver industry innovation like the triple hammer, the air spring cordless nailers, the compact 3 battery and our AC brushless product lineup. Hitachi will inspire the next and continue to elevate a great brand that is #1 with the Pro on the pneumatic tool side. We will focus on the customer and solutions to the day to day applications you face. Our goal is to provide you the best solutions to these applications. Stay tuned, as there is much more on the way!
Joe Leffler
Vice President Sales and Marketing
Hitachi Power Tools
[email protected]
Lumberjack Jon
Hold on a sec. as we tree loving and cutting tradesmen are here having a tool talk on the comment section walls of life we just got a glimpse of the vice marketing of sales of Hitachi. This is good. Time to open a dialogue here. Mr. Leffler, as Matt stated we know our tools. We hold them, put the, through the paces of industry work from day to day and flat out make our living off of them. So it makes 100% sense to follow the direction a brand is going. One thing I truly believe in is a tool that is made for real world weather and abuse only generated on the level of a jobsite. The triple hammer certainly does that.. This we like… but. The current platform of tools does not even remotely match the few offerings that have been splashed on sale. The triple hammer and cordless nailer being the two that stick out to me as major exceptions to the dated offerings. Now we know on the European side of the pond things are heavy duty as can be as an entire lineup of brushless super tools are making the rounds. What we tradesmen want to know is this… What is the timeline between us getting a straight upgrade to the tool platform? Because jumping ship from a current lineup of cordless tools cannot be done with two or three good tools. It must be all the way good sir. The competition is stiff but there are still major openings to get us to sway towards the green in the shelves. We have been staying tuned… Now we want to see the programming we are waiting for to be as invested as us. And as Matt stated, we don’t know who the target user is. But ill say this. If you want the pros… We need the pro level platform.