Moving on to the popular Prosumer class, we'll take a deeper look at the Craftsman vs. Ryobi impact driver head-to-head. For Craftsman it is the tried and true CMCF820 V20 brushless model that has been around for years. For Ryobi, the latest PDLID02 is part of the 18V One+ HP brushless product family.
Which of your books is the best? See what we found in our testing, and let us know in the comments below!
Want more impact driver content? Check out our recommendations for the best impact drivers of the year!
Why not use the newer Craftsman brushless RP impact driver?
Craftsman recently launched its brushless RP series (RP = runtime + performance) and has a new impact driver as part of the mix. However, the V20 Brushless is still the more performant of the two. We'll see if Craftsman has plans to change that later this year.
Craftsman Vs Ryobi Impact Driver Specifications
Here's what the manufacturers say about the two impact drivers, along with our measurements of head length and weight:
| Artisan CMCF820 | Rima PCLID02 | |
| top speed | 1300/2600/2900 rpm | 850/2000/2900 RPM |
| Maximum impact rate | 3800IPM | 4000IPM |
| Maximum torque | 1700 in-lbs | 2200 in-lbs |
| head length | 5.4 inches | 5.5 inches |
| bare weight | 2.1 lbs | 2.3 lbs |
| weight test battery | 3.5 lbs | 3.9 lbs |
Craftsman vs. Ryobi Impact Driver Test Results
We ran three different performance tests to see what these impact drivers were capable of. Before we start, we have to decide which battery to use. Craftsman uses a 20V Max platform, while Ryobi uses 18V. While it may appear that the Craftsman has a higher voltage, they are actually the same – a maximum state of charge of 20V and a nominal state of charge of 18V. You can read more about 20V Max vs 18V.
We chose a 4.0Ah battery for both tools. Craftsman doesn't currently have any premium battery packs, so we use standard batteries. Ryobi specifically designed the HP brushless range to take advantage of their high-performance batteries, so we've used state-of-the-art batteries for them.
The first test was a moderate load test of 6" x 1/4" GRK Fasteners RSS screws into a stacked OSB subfloor. Results are the average of three tests.
The timing of the second test was to see how far each model could drive a 10" x 1/2" lag screw into the same material in 30 seconds. The result is the average of how many screws remained raised over the three tests – the less the better.
The third test was to see how long it would take to loosen a nut set at 150 ft-lbs (1800 in-lbs). The result is the total time for the 5 bolts added together.
| Artisan CMCF820 | Rima PCLID02 | |
| RSS spiral average | 12.3 seconds | 16.1 seconds |
| Lag screw average | 4.4 inches | 4.0 inches |
| crazy total | 7.9 seconds | 7.2 seconds |
Craftsman and Ryobi Impact Driver Feature Highlights
Artisan CMCF820
- Brushless Motor
- 3 standard speeds
- Triple-beam LEDs around the chuck
- One-handed bit insertion and active ejection
- Manufactured in the USA using global materials
Rima PCLID02
- Brushless Motor
- 3 standard speeds and an assist mode
- One-handed bit insertion and active ejection
| Artisan CMCF820 | Rima PCLID02 | |
| bare tool | $99.00 | $119.00 |
| Kit | $179.00 (2 x 2.0Ah) | $159.00 (1 x 2.0Ah battery) |
| basic combination | $249.00 Impact Driver Hammer Drill 2 x 2.0Ah battery chargers |
$229.00 Impact Driver Hammer Drill 2.0Ah battery 4.0Ah battery charger |
| Warranty | 3 years | 3 years |
So who is your winner? Let us know in the comments below – bonus points for telling us why!