6 Of The Best Cordless Ratchets You Can Buy In 2023
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A good cordless ratchet can be a mechanic's best friend. It allows you to save yourself the elbow grease by turning fasteners without having to constantly crank or reposition your tools. A quality ratchet can not only turn a job that normally takes hours into one that can be finished in minutes, but it can also save you energy and help prevent many of the joint-related aches and pains that tend to come with any tasks requiring repetitive motion. There are a lot of factors to consider when purchasing a cordless ratchet, however.
I'm not exactly a professional mechanic, but I've swapped out a battery or two and more than a few spark plugs in my time, so I can certainly appreciate a good ratchet. One thing I know for sure is that you want to make sure that whichever ratchet you choose is the right size and weight and has enough power for the tasks you expect it to perform. Automotive repair, for instance, typically requires a fair bit more torque than furniture assembly. You need to make sure that your ratchet is up to the task.
There are several other features to consider as well. You'll also want to check out the battery, ergonomics, flexibility, and drive size. All of these specifications are important for ensuring that whatever tool you buy will be the right one for the job. Searching through the specs listed for every tool on the market can be tedious, though, so we've examined reviews from professional publications and compared them to user reviews in order to compile a list of the six best cordless ratchets you can buy in 2023.
S-Long 12V Cordless ⅜-inch Ratchet Set
If you're looking to get a basic tool that comes with everything you need to get started and want to save some money on the way, look no further than the S-Long 12V Cordless ⅜-inch Ratchet Set. This cordless ratchet is currently selling for only $59.99 and comes with a whole host of extra goodies. The ratchet has a max speed of 400 RPM and a 60-minute fast-charge, 2000mAh lithium-ion battery. It has a variable-speed trigger, a Forward/Reserve switch on the back of the head, a lock switch beside the paddle, and a built-in LED light on the front so you can see the fasteners even when they are hidden away in the dark recesses of your vehicle.
In addition to the tool, battery, and charger, you also get an eight-piece socket kit, a ¼-inch socket adapter, an extension bar, a manual ratchet (just in case you need a little extra leverage), and a carrying case.
Tool Report gave the ratchet a 4.5 out of five in its review, saying the power was great and the throttle was precise. "The Ratchet Wrench is small enough to fit in tight spots. It has plenty of power, and it is super quiet." A few reviews for this ratchet on Amazon mention that it isn't as strong as the more expensive options from bigger-name brands. Some of them have had issues with the batteries not lasting as long as they would have liked, but most of them state that it is a lot more powerful than its price tag suggests. That, coupled with the other add-ons included in the kit, makes the S-Long one of the better value-oriented options on the market.
Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless ⅜-inch Ratchet
The ONE+ 18V Cordless ⅜-inch Ratchet is one of the best Ryobi power tools to use on your car – even if it isn't the most powerful ratchet on the market. It delivers 35-foot-pounds of torque, which is fairly average, but it only removes fasteners at a mediocre 230 RPMs. The body of this tool is also a bit on the larger side, but the actual ratchet is longer and narrower than most of the other cordless ratchets on this list, giving it a little more reach. This is good for big trucks and other vehicles with difficult-to-reach fasteners. It's also pretty affordable and has a few features that make it an attractive option.
It has a custom paddle switch that makes it easy to use comfortably over long periods and a built-in LED light, but the real selling point is its four-position rotating head. This allows you to snap the head into one of four different positions while rotating it 360 degrees, giving the tool an extra element of versatility for reaching fasteners tucked away in tight spaces. It also runs on Ryobi's One+ 18V battery system, which makes it compatible with the same rechargeable batteries used by most other Ryobi cordless products.
Pro Tool Reviews found the Ryobi ratchet to be an excellent budget option. "These models are a great place to start if you're looking for a cordless option and don't want to break the bank. The speed and torque are both low enough that control and overtightening won't be an issue." It wasn't all praise, however. "The downside (and why Ryobi has other options) is that you might not be able to reach into some areas and longer fasteners can take a bit more time." The more critical reviews on Ryobi's official page for the tool also cite its lack of speed, but most people seem very happy with the ratchet's affordability and dynamic range of adjustability.
Ridgid 18V Cordless ⅜-inch Ratchet
Next, we have the Ridgid 18V Cordless ⅜-inch Ratchet. This tool features a brushless motor, which helps deliver more power by reducing the heat created by rotating parts. Its max RPM only beats out the Ryobi by a narrow margin at 250 RPM, but it delivers a whopping 55 foot-pounds of torque for breaking those stubborn nuts free. That's useful when you don't have a torque wrench on hand. That isn't all it has going for it, though.
The Ridgid has a fairly large design equipped with a built-in LED light and a two-finger variable speed trigger. It's compatible with all Ridged 18V batteries but gets even more power when paired with Ridgid's 18V 4.0 Ah MAX Output batteries. These batteries are much more expensive and probably wouldn't be worth purchasing for just a single tool, but could make a worthy addition for those with a large collection of cordless Ridgid products.
"Ridgid's cordless ratchets provide a huge advantage over traditional ratchets from a sheer performance standpoint," said Pro Tool Reviews. "Their speed makes quick work of longer bolts and the overall design is ideal for working in tight spaces because they all but eliminate the swing-arc factor." The more critical reviews on Home Depot's website reference its large size and the bulkiness of Ridgid's batteries, but the majority of users found that it's a good, easy-to-use tool that provides exceptional power and decent speed.
Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless ⅜-inch / ¼-inch Square Ratchet
Want something with a bit more speed? If so, the Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless ⅜-inch / ¼-inch Square Drive Ratchet is probably the tool for you. This is another ratchet that delivers 35-foot-pounds of torque, but one of its main selling points is its rotation speed. The Makita has variable speed settings that allow it to remove fasteners at up to 800 RPM. That's more than twice as fast as most of the other ratchets on the market! On top of that, it also comes with both ⅜-inch and ¼-inch anvils, so it works with a wider range of socket sizes.
It's reasonably affordable and a bit more compact than the Ryobi or the Ridgid, sitting at 14.5 inches in length. It has an electric brake for when it comes time to take your finger off the trigger, can be used as a manual ratchet for those last few turns when you want to have a little bit more control over the exact tightness, and, like the other ratchets on this list, it has a built-in LED so you can see what you're working on. It also runs on Makita's LXT 18V batteries, which is one of the better systems on the market.
Pro Tool Reviews gave it a 9.4 out of 10, stating that it was fast and covered a wide array of socket sizes in a single tool. It did note that there would be some tight spaces that users might still need to use old-fashioned ratchet sets to access, though. Some reviews for the tool on Amazon also lament that it doesn't have a bit more torque, but many remarked that it was nice to be able to use the manual mode to break nuts free and then the power setting to zip them off the bolt. This makes it seem like a particularly good tool for people working with fasteners on long threaded lines.
Milwaukee M12 12V Lithium-Ion ⅜-inch Ratchet
Milwaukee is one of the most well-regarded professional-grade power tool brands on the market, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the M12 12V Lithium-Ion ⅜-inch Ratchet is near the top of the list. This ratchet only has a 12-volt motor, but that isn't the con you might think it is. The tool still delivers 35-foot-pounds of torque and rotation at 250 RPM, making it competitive with most of the higher power-consumption tools while retaining an incredibly compact size. The M12 is one of the smallest power ratchets available at only 10 inches in length. This makes it one of the most versatile Milwaukee power tools on the market. The smaller battery also means that it recharges faster, with Milwaukee claiming that its REDLITHIUM batteries can recharge in as little as 30 minutes. It has a few other nice features as well.
According to Milwaukee's product description, it has an LED built-in, a compact head, and a "variable-speed metal trigger and reinforced steel housing [which] provide maximum control and durability with any application."
People who wrote reviews for the tool on Home Depot's website loved how compact the tool is. Some wished it had a bit more power, but they found its small size very easy to work with, especially when getting to those hard-to-reach places.
DeWalt ATOMIC Compact Series 20V MAX ⅜-inch Ratchet
The other ratchets on this list are great, but the number one spot has to go to the DeWalt ATOMIC 20V MAX ⅜-inch Ratchet. It's worth noting that this is the most expensive tool on this list and that it's also one of the larger ones at 15 inches in length, but nothing else matches its raw power. Its 70-foot-pounds of breakaway torque comes close to impact wrench territory, and it still manages to pull off a respectable 250 RPM in rotation speed. Like the Ridgid, it also sports a brushless motor for higher speed with lower heat generation.
Its other features include a glass-filled nylon housing that is designed to protect its internal components from oil and solvents, a bright onboard LED worklight, and a variable speed trigger that comes with a safety lock to prevent accidental activation. It runs on DeWalt's widely praised 20V battery system, giving it more juice than most power ratchets on the market.
Pro Tool Reviews was impressed with the ratchet's performance. "It has plenty of strength for removing stubborn rusty nuts and bolts and a max speed that will certainly outpace any manual ratchet." Reviews on the tool's Home Depot page cite its power, durability, and comfort as buyers' favorite qualities. The few negative reviews that it does have seem to be unfairly comparing its torque output to impact wrenches rather than other ratchets.