I work for a tool company as a test engineer to develop these types of tests. This test does not seem to test how an impact driver actually performs. It seems more of a simple “who has a higher rpm output” than it has to do with the more important “how quickly does it build torque”
i believe you're misunderstanding what this test really show in the end. RPM is one thing and power is another. This test showed POWER not RPM. To put it so you can understand, it doesn't matter how high your RPM is if you lack the power to make use of that RPM. RPM is nothing without Power. You can clearly see in the video what I mean. When they increased the weight there was only one drill in the end that had the POWER to lift that weight. Dewalt was lacking Power and was smoked by both Milwaukee and Flex in many attempts with Flex ultimately beating Milwaukee at the end. Many tests online show Dewalt with the powerstack bat smoking everything on the market because of its high RPM. Screws and small bolts in particular. But history shows that both Milwaukee and Dewalt (top dogs in the industry) heat up and brake very often when put against much heavier duty projects. And I have experience with both including Makita. I was replacing my Milwaukee impacts twice a year, Dewalt more often. Makita is still running like brand new since 3 years ago. Same set. Never replaced once.
@@alexmayer8943 lol 😂 what are you doing where you are replacing your impact several times a year? I have 2 Milwaukees I’ve had for at least 5 years, 2 dewalts Iva had for 2 years. (Makita sucks and it’s proven online over and over again they are not as good) and Hilti I’ve had for about about a year Hilti is BY FAR way better than dewalt or Milwaukee. And makita isn’t even in the conversation. You can find at least 30 unbiased videos online showing red and yellows superiority over makita.
@@alexmayer8943 Then why did the dewalt break the adapter bits even just trying to lift the weights a foot? Does that not imply it actually produced more torque? The others didn't engage their impact hammers, and would have made significant counter torque on the wrist while lifting the weights, which is what an impact driver is made to avoid. If you want to know power it would be more useful to actually rig it to a dynamometer. Or measure current consumed from the battery. All of that is irrelevant to the purpose of the tool though: that being imparting some torque on some fasteners. Drive some frigging screws FFS. Measure the results with as much consistency and repeatability as possible. Anything else is just showmanship. Any idiot can design a machine which excels in a useless edge case, more so if they design the test to prove it.
And that's why we all do what we do isn't it? I'm not saying anything negative sir's, please don't mistake this. But I saw the test and had no problem with immediately making a rig that would be similar enough to do the job in my head. Some people use language, some people kill it at math and science, and some people have this kind of brain.....it's cool as shit how diverse we all are.
So, my input on this. I've never used a flex tool, but Milwaukee tools just have a great balance to them, excellent hand feel and build up to full torque. I'm a carpenter and most of the time I don't need a crap ton of torque. Think cabinet hinge screws or mortise threads in a knock down jamb. Thats why no one will ever beat Milwaukee for me. Dewalt is right there too.
Using this this test to compare there is a clear winner. I would have liked to see all three impacts turning a different wheel each test. Thanks guys for the great videos!
I just got on a cordless platform for the first time ever just 2 years ago, I didn't even pay attention to anything else but Dewalt and Milwaukee, it was close but I went Dewalt, and love it.
I think Vince hit the nail on the head- the real benefit of these new batteries will be with larger tools. All these impacts are starting to hit the point where they can outperform the bits/fasteners themselves. Pretty cool day in age for construction tools though!
Who can’t wait to see what MILWAUKEE Is going to bring out next to respond to this competition? I mean, we all have eyes. Flex tools are definitely killin it. I’ll be the 1st one to admit. At the end of the day, everyone has the God given right to spend their money on whatever they choose. To each his own, or her own. Appreciate you guys taking the time and money to build this setup. Great job fellas
Yeah the will go to 24v and all them 18v tools everybody collected will be old and everyone will have to start all over again in collecting 24v tools 😆
This is why we need independent garage testing like this and Project Farm. You can't trust all that marketing BS you receive from these customers. Testing like this tells you exactly what's real and what's not. Edit to add that Flex driver is a torque monster!
Well there's nothing you can do about that dude. Because Flex beaten DeWalt, Makita, Bosch and Flex beaten and destroyed the king of tools the Milwaukee. Flex is now the new successor of the throne 👑. The new King!
I know Dewalt failed miserably compared but I like the way they feel, they're cheaper than Milwaukee, and honestly i only build office furniture so it's not like I need the most powerful... compact and light is usually what I aim for. Just got the xtreme set for office desks and small stuff. Nifty lil guy.
This test proved nothing in my mind, but I can tell you this. Milwaukee and Dewalt make great tools (I'll add ridgid, makita to the list) with good support, you can go to any major store and get a battery or a tool, the tools last forever and the battery's will be supported forever. Can anyone say that any flex??? As a milwaukee guy, I would take any platform except flex
I've been using power tool most of my life (I'm mid fifties). I've used air tools, corded tools and cordless tools. I've done carpentry, construction and many different types mechanical work, but I've never used an impact driver (or any other tool) to pull weights up with a rope. If your job requires you to pull weights with a rope using an impact driver, buy the flex, I'll stick with my tried and true and reliable milwaukee, been using Milwaukee tools since 09 when they came out with the m18 line and been very satisfied.
Only part way through the video: This is my favorite video that they've done so far. Way to go VCG. FWIW, I'm a DeWalt fanboy, I used their drill, and impact driver for ten years of serious apartment renovations including building more than ten showers, and they are still going for use in my retirement DIY projects. I know Milwakukee usually edges out DeWalt on most of the performance testing but both brands are a no risk choice IMO. So let's see what happens. ETA: Congratulations to Flex, but the test is not optimal for impact drivers. A drill/driver might do much better on a test like this. A better comparison test for impact drivers is one that involves driving screws that are four inches or less.
The FLEX seems incredibly strong. As we saw, they are all more powerful than the 1/4" interface. You don't need to take a muscle car to get groceries. Imagine what all that power would do to a T20 bit. These new impact drivers have surpassed what the fasteners and bits can handle. I'd be more concerned with vibration, weight, noise, warranty, and cost. Raw power is only one metric.
@@boosted2.4_sky I won't deny that I'm a Milwaukee fan. Do you think FLEX will offer a comprehensive line of yard tools and mechanic tools along with their current offerings? Do they have a five-year warranty and reputation for good service? These drag races are ridiculous. Project Farm's tests kick the crap out of these sorts of videos. He will drive 100 screws (something far more practical) instead of lifting weights or racing to drive one 8" lag screw. I look forward to seeing if FLEX are still relevant in ten years. Another solid competitor in the game would be a good thing, but I don't think raw power for 1/4" drivers is a reason for choosing one manufacturer over another.
@@ions82 they will offera largetoolline... they do have a lifetime currently.. and do offer a five year. They are a direct competitor to Milwaukee and have been around for over 20 years... they developed the battery technology that everyone uses... and they created the "stacked " technology that Dewalt is using... they're a serious competitor.....
@@boosted2.4_sky Interesting history. I was under the impression that FLEX was brought about to replace Kobalt stuff at Lowe's. Most batteries use 18650 or 22700 cells. Looks like FLEX is running lithium-polymer (way more powerful but also way more volatile.). Those stacked batteries have the potential to run much bigger stuff. Here's to hoping that FLEX sticks around and greatly expands their line-up. Milwaukee stuff is great, but I bet they start slipping in quality and depending more on brand reputation. Corners will be cut to increase profit margin, and that never ends well.
Little tip for you Vince, you give so much so thought i'd send one in. When cutting rope, wrap it with electrician's tape first then cut through he tape with a sharp knife. Helps stop frayed ends 🤙
Cool test. Unexpected results.. I'd like to see a competition involving a wider array of tool brands. I'd be curious to see how Makita, Metabo, Ridgid, and so on, would perform in this test.
@@VCGConstruction I need to see the xtr, been considering one for about a month. Need something that really makes power, but can be toned down to do drywall, particle board, etc. The Dyno channel put the flex, Milwaukee and xtr against each other and the xtr was still making power at the time cutoff while others had flattened.
@@feliciasbeard XTR is awesome. I'm convinced that FLEX impact and probably hammer drill is just an overclocked version of the XTR with more voltage sent to the motor. This would make sense as FLEX has the bigger batteries and a lot of people have been reporting heat issues. IF that's the case, then the XTR is going to last longer than the FLEX. I've always been a fan of Kobalt and their XTR line in particular, so I was really optimistic about FLEX. I almost pulled the trigger on the $500 set when I was looking for a new battery platform since Kobalt seems to be pretty stagnant, but the heat issues and reports of tools leaking oil this early on just made me think that FLEX won't be nearly as durable as the other big names, even if they outperform them out the gate. I ended up going with Ridgid just because they've been clearancing their octane line up recently. I can't really justify Milwaukee or even FLEX prices for what I use them for. I really wish they would have just expanded the XTR line up instead of trying to create a whole new line of power tools from the ground up that are pretty clearly just grey Kobalt with more voltage. I guess Kobalt just has the "Lowe's Ryobi" reputation and they can't shake it even though they're some of the best tools I've used so they decided to rebrand.
I’m ngl Vince this is pretty lit. Gen3 remains a beast living on its own planet collet issues or not. Thanks for not smoking up yet another mustard drill. You got eyeing up those Flex impacts tho.
Thanks for doing this. As they say in PA, Yin's did a good job. I never would have thought that pulley rig would snap bits and I don't understand why DeWalt stayed so significantly in 3rd place or failed to execute. Fortunately I have real world job site experience to compare to this simulation. I'm also happy for Lowe's that they got a good product with Chervon's Flex.
Flex is a great tool company albeit a little late to the cordless game. Two strikes against them are, 1. I'm not gonna change battery platforms, and 2. the simply don't have the variety of tools that Milwaukee and Dewalt have... Yet.
Real people in the field know what's up. Simple as that. I definitely can't do my job with only a drill and an impact driver. How about a plumber? An electrician? Hvac tech or an installer? FYI you will drive yourself insane grabbing each different battery off of each different charger before work. Do it in reverse at the end of each day. Bottom line, purchase the platform that works for needs all around. I'm happy with the choice.
@@VCGConstruction And... Have it be proven. That's gonna take a little time. Honestly, I haven't seen anything SUPER groundbreaking come out in a while. It would take a lot to make me switch platforms... Both mentally and FINANCIALLY!!! There are people with more, I have more than I use regularly. I never had to have the "newest" growing up. I still don't feel that way now. I look at some new vehicles... The first thing that goes through my mind is "how much is that going to cost when it breaks and it doesn't look like something me or any of my friends are going to figure out. You could still basic stuff a vehicle even from the early 2000s. Not sure much anymore. Same with tools. I have great Red stuff... but I don't need my phone to hook up to my tools. Long story short, the bar has been set and over the last 5 years everyone else has been chasing it in the battery powered tool industry.
@@edpoints1127 that's the one thing I've noticed is that my orange collection gen 5X does everything I ask them to without putting up much of an argument if any at all and the new generations of tools regardless of what platform you're on do the same tasks faster but not innovatively so or in a revolutionary way to justify the upgrade costs. The problem with flex is they're coming out with tools that every other brand already has you're not going to get most people to switch platforms it's not going to happen. They're made by the same company that makes Cobalt for Lowe's you think they would have had the access to the r&d department to start with an expansive lineup at launch then you might entice some people. But if you're on the M18 platform there's no need to switch you have access on the M18 platform for much broader spectrum of tools to get tasks done that a lot of these newcomers don't have at launch. So being half full second longer to raise the weights up who cares. There's been too many heat issues reported with flex tools for me to even consider them.
@@Techprep23 but they have to come out with the same tools. To compete they need the same core tools like all the platforms have. Then they should release tools that are unique to each trade
i am a dewalt guy my buddy is a Milwaukie guy.. no doudt his impact kicks my dewalts behind but at the end of the day i feel that some of the milwaukie tools feel like trash... the handles arent comfortable at all on the oscillating saw and their jig saw for instance... if the tool feels like crap in your hand its just not worth it
I’ve been watching your channel for a few months now and I’m just impressed at the knowledge you have and how you really go out of your way to make sure the viewer and potential buyer of a product gets the info they won’t necessarily find themselves. It’s a shame you live in Philly and not closer. I live in Pittsburgh and I actually work in hardware at my local Home Depot and it would awesome to meet you all if you ever come out this way.
I remember how excited Vince got for that test during the V.C.G. watch party. Glad you got to replicate and give it a try. I just picked up a Dewalt bare tool that came with the free stacked battery pack instead of investing in one of those new FLEX stacked batteries. Apparently I chose poorly. Good stuff V.C.G. team. Thanks for bringing us great tool content.
I came in the sheet metal game with a 12v Milwaukee that held up for years. I've recently transitioned from Kobalt to Flex due to some of the content up here and because I don't have to go far into personalizing my tools since I'm the one on the site with the brand. I say all that to say that the Flex impact is the most powerful sumbitch I've had the pleasure of working with thus far and the sawzall is phenomenal. Excited to see what they come with in the future!
Wow.....I'm pleasantly surprised. Still not enough tools in the line to make the switch yet , but new tech is coming from all companies so time will tell.
Dewalt should use the lights on the front of their drivers to indicate whether its driving plumb into the hole, if its off plumb the lights blink till its straight. Accelerometer in a shock proof housing at the back of the driver head wired into the lights.
Dealer available. Flex is at Lowes. Milwaukee and Dewalt is at every supply house and big box stores. Will stick to my Red and yellow tools. Great job on the test guys! Beautiful construction!!!
Yeah seems to be a Lowes and Chervon only thing. Got curious as I have heard absolutely nothing about Flex coming our with a new line. Was also weird seeing Flex tools in that colour instead of red. Turned out there was a reason for it. Seems to be nice tools though.
This was awesome thanks for actually building this thing I have all Milwaukee tools and i bought the flex quick eject impact driver last week and so far i really like it.
For contractors, I can see wanted the speed to be as fast as possible. I have all my tools for my personal projects. Many times I do projects out of enjoyment, so I’m not worried about getting done as fast as possible. I go for capability, reliability, and comfort. I’ve stuck with Milwaukee because that’s what I started with. Luckily they’ve always been reliable.
Same…I’ve done the same with DeWalt. Haven’t had a single tool break so far and they all work for the job they’re designed to do. Most of the big brands are excellent tools and these tests have next to no practical application. Even for contractors, I can’t even see that these differences have much, if any, real life impact. For low end tools, you might. But these are all high end tools, so they all perform very well.
Great test rig Vincent. Looks like a south Philly rig job (Joke). I run a 3 Amp hour in my impact m18 fuel But I don't use my m18 fuel that often. I use my m12 fuel impact alot more/ everyday.... I first got m12 I thought.... what a nice little toy. I was wrong. I love it.
I replaced my DeWalt tools with Flex and haven't regretted it for a second. I'm looking forward to replacing more and more until there is no yellow left in my truck. I'm really impressed with Flex. It's not only about performance but also about longevity. Everyone has their own opinions and biases about these tools, even in RU-vid videos that claim they don't.
Now to see if they withstand putting in thousand screws 5 days a week for 4 years minimum being dropped being exposed to lots of dust and if the battery still holds up after all that
I worked at Lowe’s and they put a brushless Flex impact driver against a Milwaukee brushed impact driver. I just laughed because the Milwaukee won two out of five tryouts.
I personally like/use Milwaukee and makita but I think flex is looking like a pretty promising brand for people. Performance doesn’t seem to be an issue and they are a little new to the scene but as long as they can hold up over time I think it’ll hold a spot with the top brands
After watching a few runs on the first series, I noticed that Vince was pulling the trigger a fraction of a second BEFORE "go" was said....just anticipation of going more than actually beating the Milwaukee, because the Big Red one actually kept up with or beat the Flex in almost every round.
Many tests online show Dewalt with the powerstack bat smoking everything on the market because of its high RPM. Screws and small bolts in particular. But history shows that both Milwaukee and Dewalt (top dogs in the industry) heat up and brake very often when put against much heavier duty projects. And I have experience with both including Makita. I was replacing my Milwaukee impacts twice a year, Dewalt more often. Makita is still running like brand new since 3 years ago. Same set. Never replaced once.
I'll be honest. I'm not interested in this in the least. But your clickbait title combined with your captivating intro, got me hooked and i watched the whole thing 😂 i like these kinds of tests so maybe I'm biased, but you're doing a great job with these videos
It's hard to tell if the Flex was actually any faster than the Milwaukee simply because they were pretty close and the difference could be attributed to the operator reaction time pulling the trigger, or even the travel distance of the trigger. That being said assuming the driver can lift the weight the higher rpm tool would have the advantage when being used as a "winch". Because the test is after all a speed test. But I'm not sure how this test translates into an actual advantage doing real work on the job.
that was the first thing i noticed too haha the rounds M18/flex won really seemed like the operator just had better reflexes to hearing "go". if you watch them pulling the trigger on the countdown you can call who would win each round easy.
@@gamefreak22574 well go tell that to the tool reviewers who are driving 12 inch lag bolts into the log 🪵. Especially Man Caver Tools I do not know IF one of his lag bolts are coated with lubricants to make it more faster than the other or IF there's a pilot hole while the other don't. This VCG test is well built I trust their test and review well better than the Covid PCR test.
@@VCGConstruction I love these types of tests! They really silence the doubters as they are super visual. I was surprised the Milwaukee was so much better than the Dewalt
You needed to swap which drill you used on which pulley. My dewalt 887 has notoriously outperformed drilling massive lags, setting 3”+ wood screws than all my coworkers milwaukees so I just don’t really see it being so accurate
Played out pretty much the way I expected.....Flex would come out ahead...DeWalt dead last, yet ironically the DeWalt is getting it done everyday on jobsites around the world. Is it impressive that the Flex has that much apparent torque? Absolutely! Is that particular Flex 1/4" impact driver really useful on a typical jobsite? To each there own, but if I'm driving timber screws or big lags I'm using mid torque Milwaukee and DeWalt impact wrenches with heavy duty anvil assemblies that don't routinely snap like the drive adapters, and which I expect will eat that Flex for lunch. I'll probably buy a Flex 1/4 impact for shits and grins and it's good to see some competition for Milwaukee, Makita, and DeWalt. It will force them to up their games...especially DeWalt.
luckily the test is done enough times and results are clear enough to rule out human error of delayed trigger pull. Would have liked to see a test like this live in which the tools are also used on different testing stations to rule out the "faulty construction" excuse on one testing spot.
Great video as always. The one thing I'd suggest when doing tests like these is passing the tools around to remove the "man" and the test bench out of the equation. Like every 2 tests, swap the tools among yourselves.
Hey Vince VCG! 🏆👍 This is the kind of test that I really wanted to see! And you guys did it! FAIR, SQUARE AND EVEN! NO BULLSHIT! this is the test that are so much better that your Tool Test Review or TTR or something on your channel. NOT like what I'm seeing on other RU-vid tool reviewers they are cheating on their test and being Biased. In your test it's all Unbiased, Fair and Square. Keep it up Vince! 👍
First I wanna say all these brands have amazing tools, but me personally I have Flex's Hammer Drill, Angle Grinder and the in-line Saw. I haven't seen any other brand outperform them.
Great video! Flex is what’s next! Crazy it did even better with heavier weight! Thx for doing an honest video to show the comparison I’m sure you will still have the haters (brand loyal) saying they can’t believe their eyes! Well believe it!!! 👀
New homeowner and DIY'r, I just bought into the Flex platform during labor day sales and so far I'm happy...their marketing is embarrassing garbage and they need to get with it and stop with the pandering if they want to be taken seriously...the lifetime warranty was a big selling point in price comparison for me. Every review I've watched about the tools though has said that the quality and performance is solid...time will tell on reliability but I was willing to risk it.
Thx for all the hard work. Agree with others the real winners in this test are VCG going through the effort to reverse engineer and build the test rig. Goes to show that even though the flex infomercial is corny it doesn’t mean they cheated. At least on this particular test. ;)
We appreciate the compliment! I’m curious, what did you find most corny about the face off? Did it run you the wrong way Dan? Maybe flex will take notes!
As someone who’s really smaat and can type “amp hour explained” into a search bar: “the amount of energy charge in a battery that enable 1 ampere of current to flow for 1 hour”. So in other words it’s a measure of how long a battery will last not how much power it has. For that you’ll want to look at the voltage. Think 12v verses 20v
Meh. Companies will always build tests rig that highlight perceived strengths. I've never used my impact to roll up a weight. The real test is longevity and real world use. I appreciate the work that went into this to entertain us for a few minutes though.
As someone who bought a flex impact because of the infomercial. It does not outperform milwaukee. Out of the box for maybe a week it did. But either the tool itself or the battery diminished so quickly. You're money is better spent on Milwaukee
I never understand why people care so much about these tests. Take the first one for example. Looks like the Dewalt is the best because the other ones going soo fast. I would rather have more control than finish half a second quicker. In all seriousness. Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee, and Flex. These are all great brands. I don't fret over the one-second difference you see in all these tests on RU-vid.
AHAHAHA 💀💀 I don't get why some people hate flex so much. Is it because you're so invested in other brands and don't like the new kid doing just as good or better? I get the advertising is cheesy but jeez don't get so salty 💀
Thank you for your work setting up a rig and doing a honest test. I do think that you should have moved the drivers around on the rig to make sure everything is even and fair and there are no variables.
Why didn’t y”all pair the DCF887 with a PowerStack battery? The DCF850 comes from the “less robust” Atomic tool line. The DCF840 is also a compact tool, which also translates to “less robust “ unless they increased the quality and performance of the materials used inside.
Vince! VCG. Great test sir!!! 👍 No biased there. It's all unbiased and FAIR test. I trust the test more than the Covid Swab test. Flex is the New King 👑 now! Milwaukee guys gotta accept that. Not Everytime Milwaukee is the king. Milwaukee gotta lose sometimes! ✌️🤣 Vince for your question who would want to run their impact driver with such a larger battery pack?? I did! I only did it to trigger Milwaukee guys in the jobsite because they're so bossy. I purchased mine in a kit with the flex hammer drill w/ both of them have turbo feature. And I also bought a 24V 12Ah battery. I only use mine for a showdown but most of the time Vince I'm only using my old Dewalt dcf885 with 1.7Ah Power stack battery, and DeWalt dcf887 with 4Ah compact battery. Believe it or not Vince I also own and using Ryobi tools in my jobsite. You can laugh at me more I also own and used a harbor freight tools Hercules brand 20v impact driver with 2.5Ah battery. I don't choose tools. I use my tools whatever is around that I can afford. Except the Flex! That is the most expensive tool I ever purchased in my life! Great test Vince VCG! 👍
Dewalt saws like the 60v rear handle or the dws780 miter saw are 1 of if not the best there is but their drills and impacts etc are not on the level of Milwaukee or flex. My gramma likes the dewalt because they are softer/for her fragile wrists lmfao. I tell her what I’ll tell you, you’ll only be able to do a fraction of the work I can do with my Milwaukees in a full work day all the added time per task severely limits your overall output for the day.
Notice how the slow motion video playback doesn't show the potential human error delay on the trigger when starting? They only focus on the ending. I think it would be important for the slow motion to show both how they started and finished on the same run. The way this test is done reminds me of drag racing - in drag racing, it's not all about the finish, but starting time as well. You jump the gun, you lose. The flex and Milwaukee are so close, the results could really be due to a delay on the trigger, or even slack in the rope. With that said, I think the only result that's "clear" here, is that Milwaukee and flex are putting up good competition and DeWalt has some major catching up to do.
