Harbor Freight doesn’t want you to know that the Enertwist 1/2 In. Electric Impact is pretty much the same as Bauer’s 1/2 in. heavy duty extreme Torque Impact Wrench.
If you’re in the market for an affordable and powerful Electric Impact for the occasional DIY wrencher like yourself, at $110, you really can’t go wrong Harbor Freight’s Bauer 1/2 in. Heavy Duty Extreme Torque Impact Wrench.
Here’s the kicker. What if I told you that you can buy pretty much the same drill on Amazon but for 3/4th’s the price? Well, you can.
Amazon has a corded impact wrench that’s called the Enertwist 1/2 In. Electric Impact Wrench and it’s literally almost the same drill as HF’s Bauer one, except cheaper.
As of this writing, Bauer’s cost $110 while Enertwist’s is at a fraction of the price for $75 with free shipping.
Even when you slap on Harbor Freight’s 20 percent coupon, Enertwist is still cheaper.
When an Amazon customer asked the Enertwist rep answering questions on their page
“Is this Enertwist impact wrench the same manufacturer for Bauer 1/2 in. heavy duty extreme torque impact wrench sold by Harbor Freight?” He replied, “Yes.”
Do you use exact same material in manufacturing enertwist et-iw-1020 and bauer 1/2 in. heavy duty extreme torque impact wrench sold by harbor freight? He also replied “Yes”
Cosmetically, it’s pretty obvious that we’re looking at practically the same drill here. Click left and right on the imgur link below to see a comparison.
When we look at the tail of the tape, this is where the differences, although small, show.
Bauer
Max Torque- 300 lb-ft
Breakaway Torque- 1050 lb-ft
Speed- 2,600 RPM
Weight- 8.2 pounds
Enertwist
Max Torque- 450 lb-ft
Breakaway Torque- 1050 lb-ft
Speed- 2,600 RPM
Weight- 9.35 pounds
You’ll notice that Enertwist’s is slightly heavier. I can only assume, looking at the maximum torque rating, Enertwist’s packing a more robust motor and hammering mechanism, although, as mentioned, they use the same materials between the two.
Is Enertwist’s 1/2 Electric Impact any good?
According to what I’ve read on Amazon, it’s 4.5/5 rating and since it’s literally an “Amazon Choice” product, I can definitively say this is going to be a good corded impact drill if you buy it.
With 1,050 lb-ft of nut breaking torque, this impact drill will be an indispensable garage tool for any repair or restoration job, however large.
Which should I choose?
If you live near a Harbor Freight, just get the Bauer. Although a few dollars more expensive with a coupon, if it craps out on you, there’s the 90-day return policy and it’s infinitely easier to just drive there and exchange it.
If you don’t live near a Harbor Freight, get the Enertwist. You get a one year warranty and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee if anything should go wrong.
