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Bosch's 10.8v Litheon series of "pocket drivers" has surely been getting a lot of attention lately. The newest member of the series, the PS40-2 Pocket Impactor is claimed by Bosch to be "50% Lighter than 18V Impact Driver", yet somehow manages to deliver up to "60% more torque than 18V drill/driver".
Could a pocket-sized lightweight tool really deliver more power than it's 18v equivalent? We put a Bosch PS40-2 Pocket Impactor to the test. Read on!
Big power, small package
The Bosch PS40-2 Pocket Impactor is an amazing little tool! At first glance, you may almost think that I'm joking when I say that it's as powerful as a full-sized 18v driver. But I'm not. The PS40-2 is incredibly powerful- it's mighty motor can deliver an astounding 800 inch/lbs of torque! Compare that to the "only" 550 inch/lbs that Bosch's own 18V 13618-2G Driver/Hammerdrill
is capable of and you'll see what I mean. Bosch managed to pack a lot of power into a deceptively small tool.
It's very lightweight-even with the battery connected, the Bosch PS40-2 weighs only 2.2 lbs.It's exceptionally well balanced, so it never feels like it's going to fall out of your hand.
It's also comfortable to handle in any position, even for long periods of time.
Bosch clearly designed the Pocket Impactor to be as easy to use as possible. There's a variable-speed trigger and a forward/reverse switch. That's all. No speed controls, no hammer selectors, no clutch controls-you just use it and the tool seems to adjust and optimize itself automatically. The hammer mechanism automatically activates when needed and can deliver up to 3,000 blows per minute. This is great for those especially stubborn screws.
Screw Drivin'
To test the PS40-2, we put several different types of screws into different types of materials (various types of wood, drywall, metal studs). In every case, the PS40-2 drove the screw without any fuss. Even after our tests, the battery was still delivering as much power as it was when we started. I'm confident that the PS40-2 is capable of handling almost any driving job you could think of.
Hey Good Lookin'
Not only does the PS40-2 work great, it looks great. The red, blue, black and silver scheme looks tough, but modern and friendly. The ergonomics are great and the tool fits your hand perfectly. Rubberized grips make it easy to hold with sweaty hands and should also help reduce user fatigue.
Ring of Light
 Intelligently mounted directly on the chuck itself, a bright 360° ring of white LEDs automatically illuminates whenever the trigger is depressed. The light ring is a great implementation of a built-in work light because it illuminates the entire work area around the front of the tool. No matter where you are in relation to the tool, the entire work area is clearly lit up. Most other manufacturers use a single LED mounted underneath the chuck, which is great when you are holding the tool in the "natural" position, but if you have to hold it horizontally or even upside-down, the work light becomes somewhat ineffective.
Litheon Power
Based on Lithium-Ion battery technology, the small 10.8v Litheon batteries charge in less than 30 minutes and don't suffer from the same "memory" effect that plagues most NiCad or NiMh batteries. You can throw the battery on the charger whenever you want-without having to fully discharge it! The batteries will stay charged for extended periods of time (I've read two years) and actually even come charged from the factory.
Keep in mind that this is designed to be a driver, not a drill. As such, it's intended to fasten or loosen threaded fasteners and you can't use drill bits with it. In fact, the manual even warns to not even try to use drill bits with it. The quick-release chuck makes it a breeze to switch out driver
bits-simply pull the locking sleeve forward to release the bit and
insert a new one.
However, for most around-the-home uses, a driver is really all you'll ever need. If you're the type of person who only uses your drill to drive screws, this is a great choice.
 The Bosch PS40-2 Kit includes the driver, two lithium-ion batteries, charger, two bits and a nice soft-sided carrying case. For a limited time, Bosch is also including a free belt holster for the tool, which is very convenient.
Conclusion
This is one of the best drivers I've ever tried. In fact, I'd say it's my new favorite and one of the coolest tools I've ever seen. And I've only had it for a few days!
We give the Bosch PS40-2 a 5 out of 5!
Update: After using the Bosch PS40-2 for a while, I've noticed a few things about it that I think are worth mentioning here. It's too loud...for as small as it is, it makes quite a racket, especially when the impact mechanism activates. Also, for really torque intensive jobs, it isn't very practical. While mounting a flat screen TV, I was attempting to use the PS40 to drive a screw into a metal wall stud...didn't happen and I had to switch to a more conventional DeWalt cordless drill. Still, it's a fine tool and is currently my favorite tool I own. But given these two issues, I am going to revise it's score to 4 out of 5
This is a great tool to have around the home, office, or shop. It's easy to use, surprisingly powerful, looks and feels great, and unbelievably compact. If you have any friends or family that love tools, this would be an ideal gift for them.
The Bosch PS40-2 Pocket Impactor has an MSRP of $246.99, but ToolKing.com is selling it for only $189.99 with free shipping .
Additional Info
Other Tools in the Pocket Driver Series
Bosch makes two other great tools in the 10.8v Litheon Pocket Driver series:
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The PS20-2 Pocket Driver (pictured at right) is similar to the PS40-2, but doesn't have the impact functionality and is a little less expensive. (
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