We’re pretty excited over Porter Cable’s new 20V Max lithium-ion cordless tool platform, which kicked off with an impact driver and 1/2″ compact drill/driver. The 1/4″ hex impact driver, model PCCK640LB, is lightweight and compact, and can deliver ample power for all but the most demanding tasks.
As with their new compact drill, Porter Cable engineers tweaked the ergonomics of the impact driver as much as they could, making it pretty comfortable-looking.
Advertisement
Features and Specs:
- one-hand quick-change 1/4″ hex chuck
- 1450 in-lbs of torque
- 6.2″ length
- 3.2 lbs
- 0-2900 RPM, 0-3100 BPM
- single LED worklight
- battery fuel gauge
- 2 magnetic bit holders
- rubber bumpers
- removable belt clip
- PCCK640LB kit includes impact driver, 2x PCC680L 1.5Ah batteries, PCC690L charger, kit box, #2 Phillips screwdriver bit
The impact driver seems to have received the same rubber-bumper-treatment as Porter Cable’s new drill. This does affect the aesthetics of the tool somewhat, but it doesn’t look bad to us.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
First Impression
Advertisement
The PCC640/PCCK640LB doesn’t have the same bells and whistles as other brands’ premium impact drivers. No around-the-chuck LED work lights. No brushless motor. No adjustable speed settings and torque controls. That’s okay, not everybody needs such features.
Porter Cable’s 20V Max impact driver kit is currently priced at about $129.
Steven B
Really? I know I complained about their drill yesterday, but WTF is with the $160 price? The DeWalt impact driver is $192 at Amazon w/ 2 batteries and a hard case. Besides, isn’t that the same price as the bare tool Brushless DeWalt impact driver?…arguably the king of impact drivers. I love the speed switch on the DeWalt as someone who as accidentally stripped a few smaller screws with his impact driver.
Why did the skimp on the LEDs? Is B&D consciously trying to kill the Porter Cable brand? Black and Decker seems to have gone out of their way to make their tools, ugly, expensive, and non-competitive with their DeWalt line. The logo brings back memories of my favorite routers, but the tool looks horrible….nothing like what Porter Cable was before Black and Decker acquired them.
Oh well, on the bright side, as horrible as PC’s recent tool launches were, the DeWalt line has improved substantially since B&D acquired PC. I wish they’d just kill PC entirely and let it go w/ dignity rather than making it the DIY upgrade to Black and Decker for shoppers at Lowes.
I’m glad I own enough tools already so that when it’s time to replace them, I can afford to buy a DeWalt.
Stuart
With the LEDs, it could have been a cost or design consideration, or a way for Porter Cable to differentiate their impact from Dewalt’s.
Stanley Black & Decker doesn’t want or need Porter Cable to compete with Dewalt; they intend for the two brands to appeal to different types of users, although there is always going to be some overlap.
joe
It has a led light and porter cable is just as good as milwaukee,makita and bosch for less cost
Steven B
The point was why 1 LED when Dewalt has 3. Also if they want Porter Cable to compete in the hobbyist space (I am a hobbyist, myself, hence why I am posting online during the day), why not make it a good price?
I’d say a good rule of thumb is that unless your produce is within %20 of the price of a Craftsman tool, you’re doomed in the DIY space. You’re competing in the professional space.
At $100, I’d say this tool is ugly, but good. At $160, I’m going DeWalt…either saving my money for their 20V line or going 12V. Also, there are competitors, like Bosch and Milwaukee which are viable as well.
I didn’t see anything about warranty, but I think it’s safe to assume the DeWalt impact drivers have a better warranty at $192 for the 2 battery + hard case bundle.
Bottom line: If I wanted quality, this isn’t much cheaper than the best tools made. If I wanted a value, 12V Dewalt and Craftsman/Ryobi are nearly half the cost. If I wanted something cheap, ugly, and disposable, I could buy a few impact drivers for the same cost from Harbor Freight.
My assumption is that Stanley/Black&Decker know this better than I do. Do they think no one Googles tools before they buy? Are they actively trying to kill the Porter Cable brand?
I thought their last generation of battery powered tools at Lowes were lazy, but good Craftsman competitors.
I almost get the feeling they were going to update their last line, but marketing jumped in and said…
“guys…the problem is that these tools are too good”
“Let’s make them so hideous that no one in their right mind would want them….and just to be sure we don’t still get sales from blind tool users, let’s throw on a bunch of ribs and indentations for no reason whatsoever so they feel as horrible as they look….oh and since there are still folks who care more about what a tool does than how it looks….let’s make it so expensive that no one will buy it.”
I’m just glad B&D didn’t go the extra step and make these a fire hazard…just so that those who are blind, wear thick leather gloves, never comparison shop, and have a ton of money….will pass on these tools just because they’re afraid it will burn their garage/workshop down.
Stuart
The thing is, SBD/Porter Cable is not going after hobbyist and DIY users. That’s where their 18V line confused a lot of people. On one side of the shelf you have some low-priced so-so tools. On the other side, li-ion tools that perform decently well.
My feeling is that Porter Cable is launching the 20V line as more of a professional tool line. When Dewalt and Porter Cable both released compact 1/4″ routers, the slightly less-featured PC model was priced just behind the Dewalt. I would expect for the slightly lower-spec’ed 20V Max tools to be priced slightly less as well.
At every SBD event there is a presentation slide that shows what type of users each brand aims to market to. From that it has been drilled into my head that Porter Cable has been designing their products as “value-priced” professional tools. I once described a PC product as a great choice for DIYers on a public forum and received an email from PR reminding me that PC designed and tested that particular product for jobsite demands.
These two new 20V tools are really, really ugly with all of its greebles. Personally, I like the look. Maybe my impression will change when I see it in person.
Stuart
Update: kit includes TWO 1.5Ah batteries.
Adam
Looks like LEGO designed this new line.
Javier
I like the new look, underneath that swat team skin I can make out a dewalt impact driver. I have to agree with Adam, it does look like lego designed it, especially the battery pack. The black & decker 20v max lithium ion battery looks identical to the dewalt except for black & deckers red and black team colors. I wonder why they decided to put lego armor on the new porter cable battery.
I do believe the stats on this impact driver are pretty good and can compete with dewalts non brushless 20v impact driver which I have. A couple of stats are better than the dewalts, 50 more in/lbs torque, 100 rpm faster, 2 more magnetic bit holders (dewalts has none). The dewalt has better bpm, lighter, not as long, 3 leds. I wouldn’t be surprised if this porter cables new impact driver’s led didn’t stay on for 20 seconds as the dewalts. It would be great if the dewalt and porter cable batteries were cross compatible so I could buy into their tool line and save some money. Porter cables current 18v line has incredible deals on bare tools, I remember a few months ago when my jigsaw died on site, I shopped around for a new one. I didn’t want to spend too much on a new one, good corded ones were about $100, the 20v dewalt jigsaw was way over $100. I saw the 18v porter cable jigsaw bare tool at the store and was amazed at the $50 price tag, too bad I didn’t own their batteries and charger. This time around, it would be great if I could use my dewalt 20v batteries on inexpensive porter cable tools.
John
I have just bought this impact driver. At Lowes for $169.00, any other comparable 20v driver was at least $30. more. I am best described as an advance DIYer. I really bought this driver to use in tool repair and home repair. I have a B&D drill I am replacing the motor/transmission (still on order). In order to remove the keyless chuck there is a reverse thread #20 torx screw. I twisted a standard torx bit out of shape (photos available) by hand. Then I tried the PCC640 and it just took the screw out with out a problem. Really the screw was completely out before I knew it. Also it loosened the chuck so it spun off easily.
Overall I am impressed with the tool. I like the fast charger and having two batteries. The balance and feel of the tool is perfect for me and I can see using this tool a lot. I am disappointed in the kit box. The tool has two magnets on the top to hold bits. These are strong magnets and should hold the bits securely. But you can not close the kit box with the bits on the magnets. I would really like to keep the bits on the tool for convenience sake. Also you can not close the lid with a bit in the chuck. There is a lot of space to store loose bits and such in the case. I realize that this is a minor point but I like to keep things from rattling around too much.
Overall I think this is a great little tool with lots of power. Just my two-cents.
Rick
My regular impact is a 10 year old Panasonic with a 18 adjustment digital clutch, 3 bpm selections and 1/2 turn after desired torque is reached setting. It is so good that I have replaced only batteries over the years, not a single mechanical issue. The new Panasonic line is bulky and still expensive, so when I came across the PC 20 volt impact driver at Lowe’s for $139 (new price) I bought one. I had nothing to lose for the cost of a battery and a half for the Panasonic. So far I can say it was money well spent with ergonomics and torque which are really good. Sure it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of other brands, but it is a real value if PC pushes support and reasonably priced replacement batteries. It is ugly, but I don’t display my tools I only demand they work when, and for as long as I need them. Unfortunately, only time will tell how good this product is. I’ll follow up when I have used it more, and I will. Like many of you I don’t buy tools for a single use or to throw them away, I buy them to save time. If a tool works… great, if it is reasonably priced and works, fantastic.
Jeff Y
I just purchased this set and I was really impressed with the power and the compact size. I just retired a 10 year old Makita impact and I really wanted the Makita brushless but couldn’t justify the cost at this time and I avoid Dewalt cordless tools as the last set I had didn’t last much longer than a year! I am not a DIY’er, I am a full time Tradesman and I seriously abuse my toys to the fullest…I have no issues running 3 inch screws all day long with this impact. Battery charge time is minimal and I like the feel and the balance of the tool. I love the fact that it has metal gears and the drill chuck actually holds bits in place unlike my Milwaukee cordless drill! I could care less what color it is, only that it works as hard as I do. My only complaint is the fact that it came with a soft bag which is essentially useless for me. I would love to know where i could purchase a proper hard case for the set instead of the silly man-purse cloth bag.
Stuart
Thanks for the feedback! Porter Cable doesn’t offer a fitted hard case, so you’ll have to make do with a 3rd party tool box.
The kits are bundled with soft bags to save on costs and to keep the price down.
Tony B
Just bought the 20v impact I do like the look and feel of the tool I like the actual quick release. Seems to be well balanced and well made. I am a long time Milwaukee fan and just retired my 6 year old m12. Hopefully this porter cable will live up to the reviews I have read everywhere on google
DrewJ
Porter Cable Lithium Ion 20v impact driver. Ignore the negative comments by those who are brand specific, life-long lovers of certain tools. I own 4 top brand drills and the best one yet is this drill! Day 1: charged it for 6hrs to full- press and check the fuel gage after, great idea btw. Day 2: built a work station with cabinets, framing, and work top using about 30-2-3″ galvanized screws. Same day-Disassembled a table with lag bolts, then put up a work wall to hang some basic hand tools. My point! This drill STILL had 2 luminated bars on the fuel gage! It’s light, great grip, powerful, and YES the head light illumination works great! I have to laugh when people said that other brands had three lights instead of one as being better- if you need that much more light-grab a shop light. It’s plenty and works perfect! I researched others and used many! This one is the real deal!! I’ll use this drill this summer to expand my deck! Lowes $79- match that!
Nick L.
I am a professional carpenter and I think this drill is fantastic! the power is excellent very similar to the DeWalt it runs well in the cold and holds a charge quite well. it has more power than my Makita did and has already outlasted it the gauge on the driver is very helpful and really who needs 3 LED lights? I would recommend this to anyone!.
colton
If I’m not mistaken I thought sbd bought out DeWalt awhile back
Stuart
Stanley Black & Decker owns Dewalt and Porter Cable.
https://toolguyd.com/tool-brands-corporate-affiliations/
kyle
I purchased the impact and drill with two batteries and a charger on sale for $150. The drill works very well. I am a diesel mechanic and I can tell you that this impact driver is much stronger than I ever expected. I have changed brake chambers, air bags, and just the other day changed a whole radiator in a semi with only this impact. Seized up 5/16″ mud flap bolts get snapped off with it. I use this and then switch right to a 1/2″ pneumatic impact for the things this was never meant to move. I have not compared the competitors impacts but I can’t see any reason to ever buy a different one. Love this impact. I think it looks fine and was much cheaper than all comparable impacts that were for sale around it.
Winlon Frabklin
I need a 20v porter cable 1/2 drive impact wrench. Does porter cable make one?
Stuart
No. Aside from the original drill and this impact, these are the only 20V Max tools that Porter Cable offers: https://toolguyd.com/porter-cable-20v-cordless-tools-expansion/
nic
I have both sets, yes the dewalt is stronger. But the battery gauge on the pc is a very nice addition. I turn wrenches on diesels. Have more tools than most people’s house cost. But i can say I like them both. No need to talk down the pc or dewalt. Professional and opinions are different in everyone’s eyes.
John Marshall
Sitting here with my factory refurbished unit in parts. The two gears in the gear box have lost about 1/3 of thier teeth. Is this normal after using it 8 or 10 times?
Guess I should have bought a new one but now thinking about a different brand.
kyle
Look a trade fing pro electrician battery life is a little low but the power is there the ergonomics are fantastic unless your a 10 yr old boy it does the job great no its not dewalt it doesn’t cost as much either
mike
I can’t get over all the comparison to dewalt! Buy both and test them on 1/4″ x5″ lag bolts then return the dewalt the same day cuz it wouldn’t sink the lag all the way!!!! Feels great, well balanced, plenty of light… It’s not a purse it’s a man’s power tool period! Who cares about looks
TribalViking
Couldn’t agree more, I see guys buy boots because they look nice also. When it comes to tools of the trade it’s all about build quality and ergonomics. I bought the impact/drill combo about a year ago and use it everyday without fail. My only complaint is the drill eats up the batteries (might have to buy a set of the 4ah batteries). I have owned Dewalt , Hitachi, and Ryobi in the past. It is on par with the first two brands and will destroy Ryobi crap. I got this set when it was on sale for $149 and had a $50 gift card, so $99 plus tax, can’t beat it, haven’t regretted it yet. Plus PC has expanded on their 20v max line a bit so there’s that too.
Mike
I’m a general contractor of 20 years..I’ve did the power tool shuffle from dewalt to ryobi to makita and on..i purchased this porter cable set last year because one of my workers brought his and i got ahold of it..lots of power/torque. And im my opinion the best brushless impact available (cordless). Also the drill is nice to.
Bruce Dachtler
I have a portacable impact driver I broke the end of my bit off inside the chuck I need help getting it out