DeWalt 20V Max XR DCF891 Impact Wrench vs Metabo HPT MultiVolt WR36DE Impact Wrench

Quick take: The DeWalt 20V Max XR DCF891 Impact Wrench costs $4 less bare; the DeWalt 20V Max XR DCF891 Impact Wrench is lighter (4 vs 4.2 lbs); they live on different battery platforms (DeWalt 20V Max vs Metabo HPT MultiVolt), so the deciding factor is usually which batteries you already own.

SpecDeWalt 20V Max XR DCF891 Impact WrenchMetabo HPT MultiVolt WR36DE Impact Wrench
Price (bare tool)$215$219
Kit Price——
Rating4.7★ (310)—
CategoryImpact WrenchImpact Wrench
Battery PlatformDeWalt 20V MaxMetabo HPT MultiVolt
Voltage20V36V
MotorBrushlessBrushless
Weight4.0 lbs (bare)4.2 lbs (bare)
Released20222021
Fastening Torque600 ft-lbs568 ft-lbs
Nut-Busting Torque800 ft-lbs (breakaway)774 ft-lbs
Anvil1/2 in hog ring1/2 in friction ring
Impacts0-3,250 IPM0-3,400 BPM
Top Speed2,000 RPM2,400 RPM
Modes3 speeds + Precision Wrench4 speeds + auto stop mode

Pros & cons

DeWalt 20V Max XR DCF891 Impact Wrench

  • ✓Owners moving up from the DCF894 say it hits noticeably harder in the same size, closer to the old DCF899 high-torque than to its predecessor.
  • ✓Mode 2 alone breaks loose truck lug nuts for most owners, leaving mode 3 in reserve for rusted mower-blade and frame bolts.
  • ✓Precision Wrench mode makes it safer to run down smaller fasteners without snapping them, and the reverse slowdown keeps lug nuts from launching.
  • ✓Tradespeople running 5/8- and 3/4-inch wedge and screw anchors use it daily to drive and remove them.
  • ✓Home Depot street pricing around $215 bare undercuts the Milwaukee 2962 despite the higher published torque.
  • ✗At about 4 lbs bare it's half a pound heavier than Milwaukee's 2962, and reviewers note it isn't as compact and light as some of the competition.
  • ✗The single LED sits in the foot rather than ringing the anvil; reviewers consistently prefer halo-style lights that aim straight at the socket.
  • ✗Precision Wrench's built-in pause makes it slower than simply feathering the trigger when you're running down a lot of nuts.
  • ✗Some owners wonder whether the small push-button mode switch will hold up to years of greasy gloves.
  • ✗Three-year limited warranty is shorter than Milwaukee's five years on the competing mid-torque.

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.