Once, in the before time, I scoffed at the idea of a powered ratcheting wrench. After all, a ratchet and socket set is already kind of magic. Power seemed like cheating, akin to saying you've "read" an audiobook (a practice I also stubbornly refuse to adopt for no valid reason). At best, a powered ratchet seemed like an indulgence—and possibly of limited use given the extra bulk compared to a manual tool. Eventually, I received enough recommendations (mostly second hand) to put it on my wish list.

Now, my only regret is that I didn't get one sooner. It's not quite essential, like ratcheting combination wrenches, but it's close. And my fondness increases the more I use it. Here are some of the reasons why:

It's not too strong

Anybody who's used an impact wrench, or had to undo the over-tightening that comes with any visit to a tire shop, knows that too much power can be a bad thing. The Milwaukee, according to the specifications, tops out at 35 pound-feet. That's approximately "good and snug" for a calibrated wrist, and close the actual spec for many fasteners under the hood. Most importantly, it's a level of twist that's unlikely break anything. Just don't use the powered ratchet where careful, gradual tightening is necessary like when squeezing a gasket between two pieces of metal.

It's easy to use

The Milwaukee powered ratchet works via a big flat switch right where your fingers fall when you hold it, and it has variable speed. Squeeze it a little, and the ratchet moves slow. Pull it all the way in, and the ratchet spins up to 400 rpm. Moderating the speed is easy and intuitive. There's also a small LED light that helps illuminate the target, a lock switch, and a four-LED indicator for battery charge. I have two minor gripes. There's no way to tell at a glance which direction the ratchet is set unlike the labeled "on" and "off" toggle on my Gearwrench ratchets. Second, the finger trigger is easy to activate when handling the tool in a hurry.

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