The Best Cordless Ratchets: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)

RBE top pick

Makita RW01Z

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The RW01Z is the lightest and shortest tool here and runs more than three times the free speed of either DeWalt. The DCF503B is slimmer through the body, brushless and lists 60 ft-lbs of max torque against the Makita's 35.

A cordless ratchet exists for one situation: a fastener that a hand ratchet can reach but that would take fifty swings of a stubby handle. It is a speed tool, not a power tool, and the two numbers that decide whether it works for you are how much torque it makes and how thick the head is. We pulled the published specs from the maker pages for four models. The torque figures run from 35 to 70 ft-lbs, and the Makita is the only one that publishes no head height.

RBE top pick

Makita

RW01Z 12V max CXT 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. Cordless Ratchet

Buy it

The lightest and shortest tool in the group, with three times the free speed of either DeWalt and an interchangeable 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. anvil.

Best for: Anyone who wants the smallest tool that still makes real torque, and who works across both 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. sockets.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• 35 ft-lbs of maximum torque, stated on Makita's spec sheet alongside the metric figure of 47 N-m, which is well below the DeWalts' listed figures.
• 0 to 800 RPM variable, more than three times the free speed of either DeWalt here.
• The square drive is interchangeable between 3/8 in. and 1/4 in., so one tool covers both socket sets.
• 2.35 lbs with a battery and 13-7/16 in. long, the smallest numbers in this comparison.

Know before buying

• Runs on 12V max CXT, a smaller platform than Makita's own 18V LXT line.
• Makita does not publish a head height, so you cannot compare its profile against the DeWalts on paper.
• Bare tool, with the battery and charger sold separately.
• No published motor type, so whether it is brushed or brushless is not stated.

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DeWalt

DCF503B 12V MAX Brushless 3/8 in. Ratchet

Buy it

Brushless, 60 ft-lbs of max torque, the slimmest listed body here, and the sensible choice if your batteries are already DeWalt 12V.

Best for: DeWalt 12V MAX owners who want a slim brushless ratchet with high listed torque and can accept a slower free speed.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Brushless motor with 60 ft-lbs of max torque, the second-highest figure listed in this group.
• 2.52 in. listed height, the slimmest body of the three that publish the figure.
• Glass-filled nylon housing, which DeWalt states is there to resist oils and solvents.
• Variable speed trigger and an onboard LED, at 2.43 lbs bare.

Know before buying

• 250 RPM free speed, less than a third of the Makita's.
• The spec table lists Total Number of Batteries as 3 on a tool DeWalt sells as bare, which is a data error.
• 12V MAX is a smaller platform than DeWalt's own 20V MAX line.

Amazon had no buyable listing for this when we last checked. The link still works if it returns.

Find it on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

DeWalt

DCF513B ATOMIC COMPACT 20V MAX Brushless 3/8 in. Ratchet

It depends

The same 250 RPM as the 12V version, with a higher 70 ft-lbs torque listing, in a body that is 1.59 in. longer and heavier, so the reason to buy it is the battery.

Best for: People who own 20V MAX batteries and nothing else, and who would rather carry one battery platform than gain a slimmer tool.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Runs on 20V MAX, which is the platform most DeWalt owners already have.
• Brushless motor, 70 ft-lbs of max torque (the highest figure in this group) and a glass-filled nylon housing.
• Detent pin anvil and a variable speed trigger.

Know before buying

• 250 RPM, identical to the 12V DCF503B, so the larger battery buys no extra speed on paper.
• 15.79 in. long against the 12V's 14.2 in., and 2.63 lbs against 2.43 lbs.
• 2.8 in. listed height, thicker through the body than the 12V.

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We'd skip it

Craftsman

CMCF930B V20 Cordless 3/8 in. Drive Ratchet

Skip it

Its published torque trails the DeWalts, and it loses on the two things that actually decide a ratchet.

Best for: Almost nobody. If you are on the Craftsman V20 platform and use a ratchet twice a year it will spin bolts, but the head profile is the wrong place to save money.

$ · budget

Why we like it

• 35 ft-lbs of maximum torque published, matching the Makita's figure but well below the DeWalts.
• 300 RPM, slightly faster free speed than either DeWalt.
• 2.3 lb listed weight, the lightest bare figure in the group.

Know before buying

• Craftsman's spec table lists a brushed motor, the only one in this comparison.
• 3.5 in. listed height, the bulkiest body here, which is the dimension that decides whether it reaches the fastener.
• 14.57 in. long, longer than both the Makita and the 12V DeWalt.
• Power Source is listed as Integrated Batteries on a tool sold bare, which contradicts the rest of the page.

See our pick instead See it on Amazon anyway Read our detailed assessment ↓

How we judged the field

Five things decide a cordless ratchet. Listed torque comes first, because it is what tells you whether the tool will move a fastener rather than just spin one that is already loose. Head and body thickness comes second, since the entire reason to own one of these is reaching places a hand ratchet cannot be swung. Third is free speed, which is what turns a fifty-swing job into a five-second one. Fourth is motor type, because brushless holds output better as the tool warms up. Fifth is drive size and whether the anvil can be changed, since a tool that covers both 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. replaces two.

The field splits by battery platform more than by capability. There are 12V-class tools built to be small, and there are tools on the big 18V and 20V platforms that are bigger without necessarily being stronger, which is exactly what the two DeWalts here demonstrate. We took one tool from each of the three largest platforms plus the second DeWalt specifically to show what the bigger battery buys, which on paper turns out to be a higher torque listing, a bigger body and battery compatibility, with the same free speed.

The RW01Z is the tool that answers the most questions. Makita publishes 35 ft-lbs of maximum torque with the metric equivalent beside it, which is well below the DeWalts’ 60 and 70 ft-lbs, and it runs 0 to 800 RPM against their 250. That speed difference is the whole point of the category: a ratchet that spins three times faster turns a long bolt in a third of the time. It is also the smallest tool here at 2.35 lbs with a battery fitted and 13-7/16 in. long, which is a genuinely different object to hold than a 15.79 in. tool. The interchangeable anvil is the quiet feature that matters most day to day, since swapping between 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. drive means one tool covers a full socket set rather than half of one. The gaps are in what Makita omits: no head height, and no motor type, so you cannot tell from the page whether it is brushless. Buy it for speed and size, unless you are locked to another battery or want the highest torque listing.

The DCF503B is the tool to buy if your batteries say DeWalt 12V MAX. It is brushless, it uses a glass-filled nylon housing that DeWalt specifically states is there to resist oils and solvents, and at 2.52 in. it has the slimmest listed body of the three tools here that publish the figure. That last number is the one that decides whether the tool fits behind a bracket. It lists 60 ft-lbs of max torque, nearly double the Makita’s 35. Against that, 250 RPM is a third of the Makita’s free speed. The spec table also lists Total Number of Batteries as 3 for a tool sold bare, which is a plain data error and a small sign of how carefully the page was filled in. Take it for the platform and the slim body.

The DCF513B is the one worth pausing over, because on the page it looks like the bigger, better version and on the numbers it is not. It runs 250 RPM, exactly the same as the 12V DCF503B, and lists 70 ft-lbs of max torque against the 12V’s 60. It is 15.79 in. long against the 12V’s 14.2 in. It weighs 2.63 lbs bare against 2.43 lbs. It is 2.8 in. through the body against 2.52 in. Every size dimension moves the wrong way, and the free speed does not move at all. What you get in exchange is the higher torque listing and the platform: it runs on 20V MAX, which is the platform most DeWalt owners already have batteries for, and that saves buying into a second system for one tool. If you own 20V MAX packs and no 12V packs, buy it and accept the size. If you own neither, buy the smaller tool.

The CMCF930B is the one to leave, and the frustrating part is that it lists lower torque than the DeWalts while being the bulkiest. Craftsman states 35 ft-lbs of maximum torque and 300 RPM, and at 2.3 lbs it has the lightest bare weight in the group. Then the spec table gives away why it is cheap. The motor is brushed, the only one in this comparison, so output will fade as the brushes wear. More importantly it is 3.5 in. through the body, roughly an inch thicker than the 12V DeWalt, and thickness is the dimension a ratchet lives or dies on. A tool that makes the same torque as the Makita but cannot reach the fastener has not saved you anything. The page also lists Power Source as Integrated Batteries on a bare tool, which contradicts the rest of the listing. Skip it.

Makita RW01Z 12V max CXT 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. Cordless Ratchet vs DeWalt DCF503B 12V MAX Brushless 3/8 in. Ratchet: which should you buy?

The Makita RW01Z and the DeWalt DCF503B are close, and they are close in different ways. The Makita wins on speed and size: 800 RPM against 250, 13-7/16 in. against 14.2 in., 2.35 lbs with a battery against 2.43 lbs without one. The DeWalt lists the higher torque, 60 ft-lbs against 35. The interchangeable 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. anvil is a real advantage if you own both socket sets, and it is the only tool here that offers it.

The DeWalt’s case is narrower and still valid. It is confirmed brushless where Makita says nothing about the motor, lists nearly double the torque, and at 2.52 in. through the body it is the slimmest tool with a published height, which on a ratchet is worth a lot. If you already own DeWalt 12V MAX packs, the price of switching to Makita is a charger and two batteries, and that changes the arithmetic completely. Buy on platform first. If you are starting fresh, the Makita wins on speed and size, and the DeWalt wins on listed torque, so decide which matters more for your fasteners.

What to look for

• A listed torque figure: it runs from 35 to 70 ft-lbs across the tools here, and it is the number that decides whether the ratchet will break a hand-tight fastener loose.
• Body height, not just length: the dimension that stops a ratchet fitting is how thick it is through the head, and it ranges from 2.52 in. to 3.5 in. across the tools here that publish it.
• Free speed in RPM: the whole reason to own one of these is speed, and the spread here runs from 250 to 800 RPM.
• Brushless where the price allows: it is standard above the budget tier, and a brushed motor at a mid-range price tells you where the savings came from.
• Whether the anvil is interchangeable: a tool that swaps between 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. drive covers a whole socket set instead of half of one.
• Which battery you already own: a cordless ratchet is not worth starting a second battery platform for, and the platform decision usually settles the tool decision.

Our final take

This is a category where speed, size and torque pull in different directions. The Makita RW01Z is the fastest, the smallest and lightest thing here, and takes both common drive sizes on one anvil. The DeWalt DCF503B is the answer if your batteries are already DeWalt 12V, and it is genuinely slim and lists far more torque, at the cost of free speed. The 20V ATOMIC exists so 20V MAX owners do not have to buy a second charger, and it trades a bigger body for a higher torque listing with no gain in speed. The Craftsman lists the same torque as the Makita and then loses on head size and motor type, which is the wrong pair of things to give up on a tool whose entire job is fitting into places.

Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: Makita RW01Z 12V max CXT 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. Cordless Ratchet vs DeWalt DCF503B 12V MAX Brushless 3/8 in. Ratchet.

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