Bosch 18V GDS18V-330CN Impact Wrench vs Metabo HPT MultiVolt WR36DE Impact Wrench
vs
Quick take: The Metabo HPT MultiVolt WR36DE Impact Wrench costs $10 less bare; the Bosch 18V GDS18V-330CN Impact Wrench is lighter (3.5 vs 4.2 lbs); they live on different battery platforms (Bosch 18V vs Metabo HPT MultiVolt), so the deciding factor is usually which batteries you already own.
| Spec | Bosch 18V GDS18V-330CN Impact Wrench | Metabo HPT MultiVolt WR36DE Impact Wrench |
|---|---|---|
| Price (bare tool) | $229 | $219 |
| Kit Price | $449 | — |
| Rating | — | — |
| Category | Impact Wrench | Impact Wrench |
| Battery Platform | Bosch 18V | Metabo HPT MultiVolt |
| Voltage | 18V | 36V |
| Motor | Brushless | Brushless |
| Weight | 3.5 lbs (bare) | 4.2 lbs (bare) |
| Released | 2022 | 2021 |
| Fastening Torque | 330 ft-lbs | 568 ft-lbs |
| Nut-Busting Torque | 590 ft-lbs breakaway | 774 ft-lbs |
| Anvil | 1/2 in friction ring + thru-hole | 1/2 in friction ring |
| Impacts | 0-1,900/2,500/3,300 IPM | 0-3,400 BPM |
| Top Speed | 2,300 RPM | 2,400 RPM |
| Modes | 3 speeds + Auto Stop and Auto Bolt Release | 4 speeds + auto stop mode |
Pros & cons
Bosch 18V GDS18V-330CN Impact Wrench
- ✓Auto Bolt Release stops rotation the moment a nut spins free in reverse, which keeps lug nuts and bolts from being flung or dropped during removal.
- ✓Friction ring plus thru-hole on the same anvil: quick socket swaps for lug work, or a detent pin when a socket must not fall off overhead.
- ✓At 6.6 inches long and 3.5 lbs bare it's short enough to get behind a strut or into a wheel-well without a long extension.
- ✓Three torque-limited speeds give a genuine low setting for smaller fasteners, not just a slower top speed.
- ✓Auto Stop mode in forward helps keep from over-driving lag screws and smaller bolts.
- ✗330 ft-lbs fastening and 590 ft-lbs breakaway sit at the low end of the current mid-torque class; Ridgid, Metabo HPT and Flex all claim more for similar money.
- ✗Pro Tool Reviews rated its power on the lower end of the mid-torque models it had tested, so rusted suspension bolts can call for a breaker bar or a high-torque gun.
- ✗Custom presets and app control need the connectivity module, which is an extra purchase on top of the bare tool.
- ✗Around $229 bare, it costs more than the higher-torque Ridgid R86012B.
- ✗Bosch's cordless automotive lineup is thinner than Milwaukee's or DeWalt's, so there are fewer matching ratchets and specialty tools on the same pack.
Metabo HPT MultiVolt WR36DE Impact Wrench
- ✓774 ft-lbs of rated nut-busting torque trails only Makita's GWT07 (810) and DeWalt's DCF891 (800) here.
- ✓Pro Tool Reviews had it finish second on their torque tester, which backs up the ratings rather than just printing big numbers.
- ✓Four speed steps (1,500/1,800/2,100/2,400 RPM) plus an auto stop mode give finer control than most three-speed rivals.
- ✓IP56 on the tool body is rare in this class and matters for trailer, farm and equipment work outdoors.
- ✓The vibration damper between the grip and the battery interface is there to protect the pack's electronics from hammering.
- ✓Metabo HPT's lifetime tool warranty, and a bare-tool price near $219 that PTR noted undercuts the bigger brands.
- ✓Takes 36V MultiVolt packs, 18V slide packs, or Metabo HPT's 36V AC adapter for corded all-day runtime at a bench.
- ✗Pro Tool Reviews found it less competitive in real bolt-break and lag-screw tests than on the torque tester.
- ✗4.2 lbs bare becomes 5.7 lbs with the BSL36A18 MultiVolt pack Metabo lists, noticeably heavier under a car.
- ✗Older BSL3660/3626/3620 36V packs won't fit; it needs MultiVolt or 18V slide packs.
- ✗Metabo doesn't publish a head length, and the MultiVolt automotive line is thin next to Milwaukee or DeWalt.
- ✗Pro Tool Reviews describes its assist modes as forward-only, while the Ridgid, Bosch and Flex wrenches also stop in reverse once a nut breaks free.