Let’s start this review off with a simple fact – at the time of writing this review, out of hundreds upon hundreds of impact wrenches available on Amazon, the 231C holds the crown as the #1 seller. (You can click here to verify that.)

But of course, what’s good for the general population might not be good for you. It’s always best to make educated buying decisions instead of just piling in with the masses, especially when it comes to your tools.

So, we’re going to go over the 231C – and we’re going to really go over it. After reading the specs and our thoughts, you’ll be able to make your own informed decision. Read on.

The 231C: Key Points

If you go to the product page, you’ll see all of the features laid out in an incoherent mess. We’ll make it easier for you – here’s what you need to know.

• The 231C uses a ½ inch drive socket
• With a max torque of 425 ft./lbs, this isn’t the most powerful impact wrench on the market, but it gets the job done for the vast majority of people
• It’s incredibly portable – at just 5.8 pounds, you can stick it in your pocket and move around freely. The design itself is very compact – click here to see the HD pictures – it’s close to half a foot long.

Fairly impressive speed – 8,000 RPM, which is 1,200 BPM. Again, not the best in the industry, but for the price… not bad at all. Speaking of price…

How much does the 231C cost?

The cheapest price we found (by far) is right on Amazon – at the time of writing this, the price is $113.03, and shipping is free. The price may have changed depending on when you’re reading this. Click here to check the current price before getting your hopes up.

On the spectrum of impact wrenches, $113.03 towards the cheaper end. However, that low price doesn’t equate to a cheap, low-quality product.

Pick up the unit (with or without a drill bit attached) and you’ll find that the 231C just feels solid. Most of the frame is metal to give you durability, and most of the reviewers claim that the feel matches the reality – some of the reviews have come back and updates their reviews years into the future, and all of the updated reviews attest to how sturdy this thing is.

In case you get a lemon, you’re still covered – the warranty is good for 1-year after the purchase date. Just save your receipt. If you buy it online, you’ll get a confirmation email. Just archive this email and you’re safe.

Downsides of the 231C

Nothing is perfect. Despite the fact that this impact wrench is #1 on Amazon, it does come with a few (minor) downsides.

The first downside is the fact that you have to lubricate it frequently, and some reviews said that they had trouble with the instructions that Ingersoll-Rand included in the box. However, these same reviewers said that when they called Ingersoll-Rand, the support was helpful and solved their problems almost immediately.

So, if you’re not a seasoned impact wrench user, you may have to pick up the phone for maintenance, but it’s a relatively small inconvenience.

The second downside is that it’s made in China… but this is only a downside for those who like to buy American-made products. Ingersoll-Rand ships from its own warehouses – your impact wrench will not take weeks to come like if you were to buy directly from a Chinese manufacturer.

The third downside is that despite its size, the output is still 99 db. That’s pretty loud. In case you don’t feel like looking up a decibel chart, it’s a little bit louder than a hair dryer… and that’s before you start drilling. But it’s not loud enough to damage your ear drums or anything – it’s just a little bit annoying if you’re in a small space.

Now that we’re off the bad, let’s give it some praise. The review wouldn't be complete without it.

What the 231C does exceptionally well

Cars, people. Cars. It seems as if this tool was made for car enthusiasts – you’ll see reviews from auto shop owners and individual car aficionados on every single review page, including the Amazon one. (One reviewer even said he removed very rusty bolts with ease.)

The 231C is also a fighter. It’s able to handle tons of run time, even without scheduled maintenance or timely oiling. Because of the sturdy steel finish, you can drop this thing on the ground (or down an entire flight of stairs) and when you pick it up, you can expect it to be working just as it was before your clumsy mistake.

Who should get this impact wrench?

If you’re working with heavy machinery, the 231C might not be enough for you. Yes, it has a decent amount of power and speed, but sometimes even that isn’t enough for the bigger jobs.

And if you’re concerned with having adjustable drill bits, then the 231C isn’t for you, either. It can only handle ½ inch ones, and if you have something that’s a different size than that, you’re out of luck.

But for the rest of us who need a reliable, powerful-enough, sturdy, compact, and light impact wrench… we can’t say enough good things about the Ingersoll-Rand 231C. It’s a handyman’s best friend – it gets the job done, it’s not cumbersome, and it lasts forever so that you’re not spending money on new tools for every new job.

Click here to view on Amazon (and confirm that the price is still $113.03)

Click here to view all of the pictures of the 231C

Click here to read the product reviews for the 231C