Sealey CP2144

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Weight: 2.13kg

Length: 374mm

Width at widest point: 61mm

Balance: A bulked-up battery means it’s built like an iceberg with a majority of the weight below the trigger. It’s got a better chance of standing upright but the pure heaviness of the tool will get you sweating after a while – it was more than double the Ingersoll at the weigh-in, and also takes the unenviable tag of being longest and widest.

Trigger type: The only one that isn’t proportional and has a hair-trigger reaction that means it’s far too easy to switch on. Will also start spinning if its sizeable bodyweight is leaning on it as it i4s left on the workbench.

Claimed max torque: 48Nm

Tested max torque: 37Nm

No load speed: 160rpm

Noise: 90.5dBA

Battery: 14.4V nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd), 1.7Ah

Charge time: 1hour 22mins

Battery life under load: 12mins 45secs

Notes: Slow and steady in the battery life test means it slugged its way to the finish line without turning the wheel anywhere near as many times as the Ingersoll or Snap-on. It’s smooth and comfortable to use though, and also stays cool while the others, particularly the two smaller ones, start to get hot under the collar. There is a small LED, which can be turned on/off by a blister button on the spine of the tool and the rubber handgrip soaks up some of the vibrations.

Verdict: Far too big and cumbersome to be useful for most tasks where a manual ratchet would not suffice, but delivered some comparatively big torque figures. Also happened to be the most comfortable to use and the Ni-Cd battery had a long life, but even Gok Wan would struggle to disguise its bulk.

Price: £189.95 (+VAT)

Best for: Comfort/low vibrations

Snap-on

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Weight: 1.15kg

Length: 309mm

Width at widest point: 54mm

Balance: A close second to the Ingersoll-Rand in balance terms. Feels slightly heavy at the nose end, but not arm-achingly so. Can be stood on its end without immediately falling over – an impressive feat given its awkward, giraffe-like dimensions.

Trigger type: Operator’s index finger pulls a proportional trigger. It’s well positioned and nicely weighted, so you can’t accidentally pull like you might with the Sealey. Also offers pinpoint control of the drivehead speed.

Claimed max torque: 43Nm

Tested max torque: 24Nm

No load speed: 350rpm

Noise: 95.1dBA

Battery: Lithium-ion (LI-ion), 14.4V. Capacity is 2Ah

Charge time: 1 hour 13 mins

Battery life under load: 10mins 30secs

Notes: Solid build and smaller size makes it an obvious opponent of the Ingersoll. Alone in having a four-stage battery life indicator on the charger and a basic battery-life gauge in the handle, though wrestling the powerpack free can be like pulling teeth. Has an LED that automatically illuminates the drivehead as you pull the trigger.

Verdict: Appeared to struggle on the battery-life test at first glance, but consistently produced the fastest spinning speed right up to its death. A good balance between physical size and usability, though the rapid turning speed meant the motor got hot with frequent use. It is also loud – a result of the high-speed head – and comes with a steep price-tag.

Price: £395 (+VAT)

Best for: Spinning speed

Ingersoll-Rand R1130

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Weight: 992g

Length: 277mm

Width at widest point: 49.5mm, but smallest drivehead

Balance: Lightest on the scales, with the trigger positioned centrally to make it naturally well-balanced and it is the best at squeezing in gaps to reach those hard-to-get-to nuts. It can’t stand upright – it is designed to lay flat, which makes sense.

Trigger type: Long, variable speed trigger like the AC Delco, but that’s where the similarities end. It means there is more flexibility in where you hold the tool but, unlike the vulnerable-looking Delco trigger, the Ingersoll’s switch is partly protected by the main body of the tool. No rubber handgrip, though it’s still nice enough to hold.

Claimed max torque: 40Nm

Tested max torque: 26Nm

No load speed: 260rpm

Noise: 92.5dBA

Battery: 12V, 2Ah

Charge time: 1 hour 9 mins

Battery life under load: 13mins

Notes: Despite being the lightest, it feels solidly made and more able to cope with being bashed about in a farm workshop. Small head should manage to get into most tight spots and second only to Snap-on with its 260rpm no-load speed.

Verdict: The best things come in small packages – it’s the lightest and shortest with the narrowest drivehead but can still hold its own when it comes to battery life. Also marginally beat the Snap-on and Delco in the max torque test, which is good going given its paltry proportions.

Price: £331

Best for: Battery power

Want something bigger?

© Jonathan Page

Ingersoll Rand also makes a heavier duty ratchet, still with a 3/8in head but capable of pumping out far more torque. It is a physically bigger tool than the rest in our test, but if you’re serious about winding nuts in and out then it might be worth investing in.

Weight: 2kg

Length: 445mm

Width at widest point: 53mm

Claimed max torque: 73Nm

Tested max torque: 52Nm

No load speed: 225rpm

Noise: 95dBA

Battery: 20V Li-ion, 1.5Ah

Price: £421 (includes one battery)

AC Delco ARW1201

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Weight: 1.44kg

Length: 340mm

Width at widest point: 46.5mm

Balance: Very top-heavy – will give you forearms like Popeye after extended use. Battery has a flat base so can be left stood up, but topples over with little encouragement. Trigger can be accidentally activated when left on its side.

Trigger type: A long, metal flap looks uncannily similar to a girl’s hairclip and is vulnerable to snapping off in the long term. It provides variable speed control, but we’d prefer a single-finger trigger like the Snap-on. That way you get more control without having to grip the tool at the same time. Easy to get the drivehead to turn very slowly.

Claimed max torque: 78Nm

Tested max torque: 25Nm

No load speed: 160rpm

Noise: 88dBa

Battery: 10.8V Li-ion, 1.5Ah

Charge time: 25mins

Battery life under load: 8mins 30secs

Notes: Fast charger really speeds up the process – takes less than half the time of any of the others. Small battery struggles to keep up with the rest of the pack and the slow turning speed is a bit of a let-down.

Verdict: Big, fat drivehead will struggle to get to those hard-to-reach places and monster torque claims couldn’t be fulfilled. Feels heavy duty, charged in just 25mins and was the quietest on test, but the noise of the ratchet goes hand-in-hand with the drivehead spinning speed – slow.

Price: £190.93

Best for: Charge time

How we tested them

Weight with the battery attached but no socket

Length from end to end, battery included

Width at widest point – beyond the handgrip, and whether it restricts access to awkward nuts and bolts

Balance spread of weight

Trigger type finger-type or hand grip

Claimed max torque maximum tightening torque according to the maker

Max tested torque ability to tighten a nut to a particular torque. Likely to be considerably less than the manufacturer claims, because they are tested under strict conditions where they have the maximum possible power from the battery.

Speed, no load – spinning speed of the drive head load-free

Noise tested under load of a wheel providing constant resistance. The rattling of the ratchet mechanism can make these noisy things to use for long periods, so use ear protection.

Battery type most Li-ion, one Ni-Cd, differing amp hours and voltages

Charge time of each battery from flat. The figures we found are often longer than those claimed by the manufacturers as we get them from new. After a few months the charge time should decrease slightly.

Battery life under load turning a wheel bearing of constant resistance. Total time is the sum of the 15-second stints completed

Price including the tool, two batteries and a carry case.

Best online price shop around on the web and you’ll often find the tools a fair bit cheaper