Slackening seized nuts in confined spaces needn’t mean resorting to a spanner and sacrificing knuckle skin, says Makita, thanks to its new compact impact wrench.

The DTL301 sends high-frequency thwacks through a 90deg head, allowing it to operate in a gap too narrow for a conventional impact tool and without the wriggle room required for a long bar.

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It can deliver up to 530Nm of nut-busting torque through the half-inch drive, and 340Nm when tightening. Standard features include an LED light, three speed settings and “automatic impact stop” to avoid overtightening.

The bare tool weighs 1.5kg and costs £150 (ex VAT). A 5Ah LXT battery from Makita’s 18V range costs about £50.