Craftsman RP Brushless Impact Driver Review: Controllable Power at a Fair Price

Introduction

The Craftsman RP brushless impact driver makes a bold claim on paper, and after working through a range of driving tasks with it, the headline specs mostly hold up. It delivers up to 1,500 in-lbs of torque, 3,500 impacts per minute, and 2,800 RPM in a compact body that costs $99 as a bare tool. It is not the fastest, most powerful, or cheapest impact driver on the market, but it gets the fundamentals right, and the trigger alone is reason enough to give it a serious look.

Who This Tool Is For

This is a tool for the driver who wants a controllable, well-rounded impact driver rather than a raw speed monster. If your work is mostly standard drywall screws, small fasteners, deck boards, or general DIY tasks, this driver covers a wide gamut of jobs without fuss. It is also a natural fit for anyone already invested in the Craftsman battery line, since staying within one battery ecosystem matters a lot for repeat buyers.

One note on batteries: the 2 amp hour packs will not let this tool reach the power it is rated for. Pair it with a 5 amp hour battery and you get the full experience. If you bought a kit that came with the smaller packs, an upgrade is where the claimed performance starts to show up.

Main Strengths

The standout feature is the variable speed trigger. There is no transmission in this tool, so single speed gearing is your only setting, and the trigger becomes the transmission. In practice that works beautifully. You get a nice slow start, you can ramp up gradually, and you can ease off at the end for screws that sit perfectly flush. The control is smooth enough that even a driver who blips the trigger at full speed can still work with precision.

Starting screws is easy, and on small fasteners the tool buries them quickly without even needing the trigger wide open. Response is quick when you get off the trigger, and short screws go in fast while remaining easy to control. For anyone moving between multiple task types, from woodworking to building a deck, the smooth trigger makes it genuinely pleasant to use.

Things to Consider Before Buying

It is not the fastest impact driver out there, and it is not the most powerful. In head-to-head driving tests against stronger competitors, it was noticeably slower, particularly with longer fasteners where the specs did not quite match up. That said, the specs are not poor by any measure, and for most people the trigger control matters more than top-end speed.

There is also no low-speed gear setting here. Some users rarely touch level one on dual-speed tools, but if you are an electrician or someone who needs level one control for small screws, electrical outlet covers, and delicate work, that missing feature matters. For decking and construction work, you likely will not miss it at all.

At $99 for the bare tool, the price is not horrible, sitting $50 below one of the stronger comparison models. But it is not the cheapest by a long shot either, so weigh what you actually need before committing.

Buying Advice

If you are already in the Craftsman line, this tool is an easy recommendation, especially on sale. If you use 2 amp hour batteries, plan to upgrade to larger packs to unlock its full power. For pure speed or heavy-duty lug nut style work, look elsewhere, as it is not recommended for that kind of use. For the DIY user or someone with a specific job set that matches its strengths, it is a genuinely good tool with quality that shows.

Conclusion

The Craftsman RP brushless impact driver is not trying to be the most powerful driver on the shelf. Instead it leans on an excellent variable speed trigger, solid mid-tier specs, and a fair bare tool price to deliver a tool that feels good in the hand and handles a wide range of driving tasks. If it fits your existing battery line and your typical jobs, it is an easy pick.