Review: WORX Forcedriver – Power AND Portability in One

The WORX Forcedriver is a surprisingly powerful driver for its size. It only weighs 1.34 lbs and can be mistaken for a compact umbrella at first glance. Wait, an umbrella?

STYLING / DESIGN

Yes, it’s straight as a stick – that is, until you change the angle. You can change handle positions to one of three selectable; great for reaching those places with very little space. You push the big orange button and adjust to your liking. The handle itself has a soft grip with etches designed right in, so your hand doesn’t slip around.

As you grip it, you’ll feel a dual trigger for your second and third fingers to drive forward and reverse. And just so you can confirm what’s happening, an LED will light up your work.

BITS

It comes with a philips head (cross type) bit to get you started, which you can tuck away in a built-in slot when you’re done. And when you need to do other tasks like drilling, or screwing flat heads, you can easily switch bits with the easy-to-use quick change system. You simply pull up the chuck, pop in the bit, and let go. The only requirement is to use bits that have standard 1/4″ hex type shanks.

POWER, POWER!

The power is quite remarkable considering the specs. On paper, the Forcedriver is rated at 8V. So how in the world is it producing torque approaching that of 20V tools? Well, 225 lbs. of max torque to be exact. I’m still scratching my head, and you can join the club if you want because I don’t know how they do it – in practice.

In theory, I remember something from high school physics. Tesla vs Edison, AC vs DC and the relationship between amps and volts. Voltage might be low, but then amperage should be high.

So it’s no mistake that the Forcedriver works as an impact driver when the going gets tough. Great amounts of force are given off in spurts instead of trying to push it all out at once with the impact rate being 3000 bpm. Well, it can’t sustain a constant push at max torque – remember, it’s only 8 volts.

When there’s no load, it has a speed of 1800 [revolutions] per minute. So for real world usage, WORX has found a way to give more while using less. It’s really a great idea.

BATTERY

The battery is rechargable lithium and is built-in; not the best kind for construction use, where you need to keep swapping batteries. The capacity is 2 Amp hours, which should be fine for most DIY projects and takes between 3-5 hours for a full charge.

It’s important to note that you can’t operate the driver while the battery is charging. It will remain in a dormant state until it is unplugged.

CONCLUSION

I really like the WORX Forcedriver. It offers a lot of power for its size, weighs almost nothing, and has a shape that lets you throw it into any bag without worrying about taking up any space. In addition to its basic functions, WORX has engineered an innovative way to push out more force when it’s needed. If there was only one additional function I wish this driver had, it’s the ability to use it while plugged into an outlet. Maybe it isn’t possible (or safe to do) from an engineering point of view, but one can wish.

The Forcedriver comes with a 3 year warranty and you can pick one up for $40 at the time of writing.

FINAL RATING

More Info: http://www.worx.com
(Test unit provided by WORX for this review.)

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