DeWalt vs Makita Impact Drivers: The Ultimate Showdown?

Alright, I'm in the market for a new impact driver. I've been using a cheap off-brand for years and it's finally died. I've narrowed it down to the DeWalt DCF887 and the Makita XDT16. I do a lot of DIY projects - furniture, decks, and some light renovation. Which one would you guys pick? I've heard DeWalt has more torque, but Makita is more compact. Help a brother out!

I'm a weekend warrior too, Gary. I've got the Makita XDT16 and I love it. It's super compact and fits in tight spaces, which is huge for me when I'm working in cabinets or between studs. The power is plenty for anything I've thrown at it. My buddy has the DeWalt and it's a beast, but it's a bit longer and heavier. If you're not driving lag bolts all day, Makita is the way to go.

Back in my day, we didn't have these fancy cordless drivers. We had a drill and a screwdriver bit, and we liked it! But honestly, I've used both on jobsites. The DeWalt has a bit more grunt, especially at higher torque settings. But the Makita's got a faster trigger response, which helps with precision. What are you going to be doing most? If it's decking, go DeWalt. If it's finer work, Makita. Can't go wrong with either, really.

I run a crew of 5, and we've switched between both brands over the years. Currently, we're all Makita - the XDT16 is our go-to. The battery life is better than the DeWalt in our experience, and the smaller size means less fatigue on the guys, especially on overhead work. But I've seen dozens of DeWalts on other crews and they hold up fine. The real question is: what's your budget? And do you already have batteries in one system? Stick with the same brand as your other tools. Save money and keep it simple.

Thanks for the input, guys! I've got an old DeWalt drill, but the battery is shot, so I'm not locked into any system. Tim, you make a good point about fatigue - I do a lot of overhead stuff. And Hank, I do a mix of decking and furniture. I'm leaning Makita now for the compactness and battery life. Appreciate the help!