Bosch FREAK 18V Two-in-One Bit/Socket Impact Driver/Wrench (Bare Tool)

Bosch FREAK 18V Two-in-One Bit/Socket Impact Driver/Wrench (Bare Tool)

By Bosch · Impact Drivers · Power Tools

  • Two-in-one 1/4 in. hex + 1/2 in. square drive: driver and wrench in one tool
  • Brushless motor: 1,860 in-lbs max torque, 0-4,100 IPM
  • 3 speed/torque settings + preset wood/metal screw modes
  • Auto Bolt Release prevents dropping fasteners in reverse
  • AMPShare/Connected-Ready: Bosch Toolbox App customization (module sold separately)

Lowest price seen
$129.00
from $129.00 at homelectrical · Checked Oct 8, 2026

Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.

Summary

A brushless 18 V bare-tool impact driver and wrench with a 1/4-inch hex holder and a 1/2-inch square drive sharing one head, rated to 1,860 in-lb of fastening torque. It suits Bosch 18V owners who switch between screws and sockets, but check that the bit holder locks properly and that you already own a battery and charger.

Strengths

  • The hybrid square and hex anvil saves one adapter and its failure point, so one tool drives bits and turns modest sockets.
  • Independent testing measured 14.05 seconds for a 1/4 × 8-inch GRK RSS screw, against 16.17 seconds for the predecessor GDX18V-1800CN over five trials.
  • In a separate head-to-head test the Bosch ran 12.8 seconds to the Hilti SID6-22 at 14.6 seconds, though Hilti took the nut-busting segment 8.0 to 8.4 seconds.
  • Factory assist modes add control on metal and wood screws, and Auto Bolt Release can reduce dropped bolts.
  • A broad spare-parts ecosystem exists under service type 3601JJ0210, including retention sleeve, trigger and gearbox.
  • Bosch’s five-year US tool warranty is longer than the older one-year or three-year ProVantage terms found in earlier reviews.

Weaknesses

  • Two owners report the 1/4-inch hex holder failing to retain bits, one after a no-charge repair.
  • The two-in-one head is longer than the hex-only GDR18V-1860CN, so screw work is less comfortable in tight spaces.
  • Reviewers disliked the single foot-mounted LED next to a nose-mounted multi-LED ring.
  • The bare tool needs a separate Bosch 18 V battery and charger before it can run.
  • Owners report the belt strap fouling when the tool is set down and difficult battery removal.
  • App customization needs the optional GCY42 module and its coin cell, adding cost and another battery.

Verified specifications

ModelGDX18V-1860CN; service model GDX18V-1860C, with ten-digit type 3601JJ0210.
Drive1/4-inch hex power-groove holder inside a 1/2-inch square anvil with a friction ring and through-hole for impact sockets.
Motorbrushless, with electronic battery and motor protection.
Max fastening torque1,860 in-lb (155 ft-lb).
Max breakaway torque3,240 in-lb (270 ft-lb).
Speed 10–1,100 RPM / 0–2,200 IPM / 1,150 in-lb.
Speed 20–2,300 RPM / 0–3,100 IPM / 1,420 in-lb.
Speed 30–3,400 RPM / 0–4,100 IPM / 1,860 in-lb.
Assist modesA for self-drilling metal fasteners with forward and reverse slowdown; B for wood screws with forward auto-stop and reverse Auto Bolt Release.
Dimensions5.8 in head length, 8.2 in height, 3 in width, 2.6 lb bare.
Temperatureoperating range −4 to 122 °F, pack charging 32 to 113 °F, recommended charging 32 to 95 °F.
In the boxGDX18V-1860C body, four-bit holder and belt clip; no battery or charger.
Connectivityoptional GCY42 module for Bosch PRO360, sold separately.
Warrantyfive years for the tool and charger, three years for 18V battery packs.
Full research notes and sources

Hybrid drive and handling

Having both a 1/4-inch hex power-groove holder and a 1/2-inch square anvil on one head means no hex-to-square adapter to lose. Pro Tool Reviews praised the design for users alternating between wood screws and sockets, and measured 14.05 seconds for a 1/4 × 8-inch GRK RSS screw in stacked OSB on a CORE18V 4Ah pack, against 16.17 seconds for the older GDX18V-1800CN over five trials. A separate Bosch-versus-Hilti test measured the Bosch at 12.8 seconds against the Hilti SID6-22 at 14.6 seconds, while Hilti took the nut-busting segment 8.0 to 8.4 seconds. Those are specific tested conditions, not a guaranteed time.

Bit retention problems

The hex holder uses a spring and sleeve, and the manual asks you to pull the installed bit to check retention. Two owners on the Lowe’s model page report retention failures: one in December 2024 said the 1/4-inch holder stopped locking bits and, after a no-charge Bosch repair, failed again; another in November 2025 said the quick-release assembly came off and a bit fell out early in a second project. A genuine replacement sleeve is part number 1600A01N0V, but a sleeve alone may not fix every case if the spring is damaged. No defect rate has been published, so treat these as owner reports rather than a known failure rate.

Batteries, charger and running costs

The bare tool ships with the body, a four-bit holder and a belt clip, but no battery or charger, so you need an 18 V Bosch or AMPShare pack and a charger unless you already own them. At observed offers a CORE18V 4Ah pack is $99 and the GAL18V-40 charger is $74.99, making an illustrative entry cost of $302.99 alongside the $129 tool. There are no subscriptions, filters or carbon brushes; the recurring costs are bits, sockets and eventual battery age. A nominal 4Ah pack stores about 72 Wh, and a hundred hypothetical full charges works out to roughly $1.80 of battery-side energy at an assumed $0.25 per kWh.

Which model this is

This is the two-in-one FREAK driver, model GDX18V-1860CN, service model GDX18V-1860C with type number 3601JJ0210. Do not confuse it with the GDR18V-1860CN, which is hex-only, or with the GDX18V-1860CB15 and CB25 battery kits. The newer GDX18V-285N is a different tool with more wrenching torque. Confirm the ten-digit type on the nameplate before ordering spare parts, because 1800-series and GDR parts may differ.

Is it worth it?

Under $140 from an authorized seller is strong value for someone already on the Bosch 18V platform, and $140–159 is reasonable if the dual drive is often useful. At $160–179 it is less appealing while the discounted offers are around, and above $180 compare the newer GDX18V-285N or a battery kit. In October 2026 Acme Tools listed the tool at $129 in a hot-deals catalog, Grainger showed $139 through October 29, 2026, and Lowe’s listed it at $179; Ohio Power Tool showed $189 as a special order. The GDX18V-285N was listed at $164.84 at Lowe’s but marked unavailable. A newcomer should price a battery and charger before treating the bare-tool figure as a bargain.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Parts and stores:

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