The Cheapest Impact Driver Consumer Reports Actually Recommends Is Only $50






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Buying power tools can get very expensive, very fast. That may not be a problem for some professionals who need specific tools despite the cost. But casual DIYers can find themselves having to buy used power tools to save money. The good news is that some tools are pretty affordable, like the Wen 20135 Cordless Impact Driver, available at Walmart with a battery and charger for $49.99.

Not only is this tool affordable, but it’s also recommended by Consumer Reports (CR). CR reviewed the Wen driver, along with 15 other compact drivers from brands such as Milwaukee, Ryobi, and Makita. The Wen impact driver received above-average marks for reliability across power, runtime, charging time, and handling. Wen’s ranking places it above many popular brands, including Kobalt, Bauer, and DeWalt, whose impact drivers differ from their impact wrenches.

In contrast, CR’s most reliable compact impact driver, the Milwaukee 2850-20, is at the higher end of the price scale. It currently retails for $171.37 as a tool at Auto Tool World. In fact, every brand ranked higher than Wen is significantly more expensive. This includes the highest-priced tool, the Hilti 3554486 Compact Impact Driver, which is available with a battery and charger at Home Depot for $320.00.

Features, reviews, and warranty information

The Wen Cordless Compact Impact Driver at Walmart features a brushless motor designed for steady performance and improved efficiency versus brushed designs. It delivers up to 1770 inch-pounds of torque, with a variable-speed trigger that can reach up to 2300 RPM and 3400 impacts per minute. It’s powered by a 20V Max 2.0Ah lithium-ion battery with an onboard LED charge gauge and an integrated LED light for better visibility. The Wen’s 6-inch length and 3.4-pound weight allow for operation in tighter spaces, while a 1/4-inch quick-release hex chuck enables standard bit changes.

The tool has 4 out of 5 stars, but that’s based on only 2 customer reviews. Though both reviews are good overall, each one mentions issues with the battery not holding a charge. However, the driver’s performance is reported as smooth, on par with comparable impact drivers from both DeWalt and Makita. Lowe’s sells the Wen driver as well, but the listing has zero reviews as of this writing.

For shoppers who may be hesitant about spending money on a tool with minimal real-world feedback, Wen offers a level of protection that may help. The impact driver comes with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty that covers material and workmanship defects under normal conditions. However, the warranty does not cover damage caused by improper use. Walmart’s return policy on tools states that customers also have a 90-day return window on most items purchased in-store or online.





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Virtually every new SUV will depreciate in value over its life as the miles rack up and components start to wear out. However, some of them depreciate much faster than others. At one end of the spectrum, there are some models from the likes of Cadillac, Tesla, and Infiniti, all of which can lose close to two-thirds of their value after just half a decade on the road. That makes them some of the worst-depreciating SUVs on the market. At the other end, there are SUVs like the Toyota Land Cruiser.

The exact resale value of any used car will depend on factors like its trim, condition, and mileage, but on average, Land Cruiser owners can expect a higher trade-in value than most rivals will fetch. According to data from CarEdge, a new Land Cruiser can be expected to lose around 35% of its original value after five years on the road, assuming it covers around 13,500 miles annually.

Estimates from iSeeCars make for equally encouraging reading for Land Cruiser owners, with the outlet estimating that after five years, a new example will lose just 34.4% of its sticker price. Even after seven years on the road, iSeeCars estimates that the average Land Cruiser will still be worth a little over half of what buyers originally paid for it.

The Land Cruiser holds its value well

The estimate from iSeeCars puts the Land Cruiser slightly ahead of average for value retention in the large hybrid SUV segment, and significantly ahead of the overall market average for new SUVs. According to the same data, the average new SUV can expect to lose 44.9% of its value over the same period, over 10% more than the Land Cruiser. That said, a different Toyota SUV is forecast to retain even more of its value.

Since the 2025 model year, both the Land Cruiser and the 4Runner have shared their platform and hybrid powertrains. However, according to current estimates, the 4Runner is the clear winner when it comes to resale value. Data from iSeeCars forecasts that a new, non-hybrid 4Runner is likely to lose only 25.4% of its value after its first five years, and CarEdge predicts almost exactly the same figure. According to the former outlet, a hybrid 4Runner will lose slightly more of its value over the same timeframe, shedding 28.6% on average.

While the 4Runner is the better choice purely for value retention, that only forms part of the equation for most buyers. The Land Cruiser remains appealing thanks to its mix of off-road capability and on-road refinement, with even the base 2026 trim offering plenty of standard features, despite missing out on the luxuries that higher trims include.





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