# Is DeWalt Still Good?



## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Clint Eastwood said it best. "A man has to know his limitations". Cordless tools, likewise have their limitations, and exceeding them can be a bad thing. If you have something that requires a lot of torque, use a corded hammer drill. With a 4' long bit, you should be using a 1/2" drill, and possibly even a Hole Hawg or equivalent.


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## notnew2diy (Sep 1, 2017)

You don't say what you were drilling w/a 4' bit. You don't say how big was the hole you were drilling?
As Chandler said, maybe you exceeded the manufacture limits but who here hasn't pushed a tool past its limits? 

Which tool is the best is subjective. Im a Milwaukee guy cuz my bro bought me a cordless drill for Christmas years back. I still have the drill/driver even tho the battery that came w/the tool has long since died. I've since added to my Milwaukee collection. 

Prolly not much help...Don.


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## YaterSpoon (Dec 1, 2016)

I'm considering a switch back to Dewalt. My electrician's Dewalt stuff has always seems to have more punch than my Milwaukee stuff.


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## Extraneous (12 mo ago)

notnew2diy said:


> You don't say what you were drilling w/a 4' bit. You don't say how big was the hole you were drilling?
> As Chandler said, maybe you exceeded the manufacture limits but who here hasn't pushed a tool past its limits?
> 
> Which tool is the best is subjective. Im a Milwaukee guy cuz my bro bought me a cordless drill for Christmas years back. I still have the drill/driver even tho the battery that came w/the tool has long since died. I've since added to my Milwaukee collection.
> ...


It was a 3/4-in bit going into a 6x6 beam. It was one of those long flexible drill bits that the electricians use. The kind that pulls itself in


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## ObserverX2930 (Jan 19, 2021)

DeWalt is owned by Stanley Black and Decker. Various levels of quality exist in every brand.

I've had decent luck with DeWalt, but Black and Decker, not so much.


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## Extraneous (12 mo ago)

ObserverX2930 said:


> DeWalt is owned by Stanley Black and Decker. Various levels of quality exist in every brand.
> 
> I've had decent luck with DeWalt, but Black and Decker, not so much.


I prefer to buy a pro-grade tools whenever I'm buying anything. I think it saves more money in the long run, and it's better to not have tools crap out on you in the middle of a job. Like for my weed wacker, I got a commercial Echo. I know that DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, etc, are pro-grade tools, but basically I'm just checking to see if DeWalt is slipping into a Ryobi type product.


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## wrbrb (Aug 18, 2020)

I went with DeWalt and have been "stuck" on their battery system ever since. Not to suggest it's bad - the tools I have are very good. It's just that as a homeowner I think there may have been value in Ryobi whose tools are "good enough" and has a nice selection of yard/outdoor as well. The DeWalt tools can be kind of expensive. So depending on how much you plan on using them, I would recommend either of those.


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## YaterSpoon (Dec 1, 2016)

Extraneous said:


> I'm just checking to see if DeWalt is slipping into a Ryobi type product.


Basically, no.


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## SW Dweller (Jan 6, 2021)

Nothing like over extending the use of a cordless drill. You really need a corded drill for those holes.

I have Dewalt 20v upgraded from 18 after the batteries with the 18v system got to expensive.

I really like the 4-5 and 6 amp hour batteries in the 20v system. I have a cordless grinder which I use for cutting metal when I do welding. I also have a 14" cut off saw and corded tools for the thicker material. The grinder works great with a 5 amp hour battery. Long enough to tire me out.
I have a cordless blower that will function with any battery. However if you trying to clean the garage you need a fresh 5 or 6 amp battery. Or two the others. high amp tools work better with high amp batteries.


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## 3onthetree (Dec 7, 2018)

No they are not slipping, and some of my recent purchases plastered the Made in USA labels. Corporations sit each sub-brand into a specific market niche. Look at Dewalt's website and all the various tools they offer. They have a majority for tasks only professionals encounter. Most of the generally good brands, like Makita, Milwaukee, Bosch, and Dewalt each will have certain cordless tools that are exceptional, and other offerings that might be run-of-the-mill and they are redesigning and upgrading as time and technology marches on. 

I chose Dewalt cordless 20-some years ago for the couple tools they were good at. The brand has not let me down yet, and stuck with it because of the varied tools they offer on the same battery. Now I have so many I have to keep a list of them and I think my skin is turning yellow. There are threads of opinions and inside information on some of the different brands over on Garage Journal, and Youtube is a rabbit hole with channels that just review cordless tools from each brand.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

According to this, DeWalt is manufactured all over the place, probably like most manufacturers. I have several tools from them and, in homeowner, haven't had one poop out on me yet. Like all, the batteries are proprietary unless you go aftermarket.


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

I've spent thousands on Dewalt 20v cordless and have not had a failure yet. Neither a bad tool or a bad battery. I had a couple take fatal falls but not much is designed to survive falling 20' to concrete.

I'd question maybe how are you using that long flexible bit. Those bits aren't meant to drill deep holes in solid wood, but rather reach into a wall and punch a hole in a 2x or two. They only have short flutes on about the first few inches of the end, they are unable to clear out the chips if you're drilling deep holes. You would have to stop often to clear the chips or the bit will most definitely get stuck. Even an 18" ship auger bit with full length flutes can get jammed up drilling deep into a large timber, unless you regularly clear the chips or pass completely through before it gets stuck.


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## Extraneous (12 mo ago)

I appreciate all the responses. So essentially I misused the tool. I just figured that it was geared down so much that there wouldn't be any damage to the motor, and since it's geared down to such a degree to keep turning at high torques, that it was built to withstand that. Anyway, for $150 I just bought an 8 amp Milwaukee Magnum corded drill to do the things I need to do. I'll keep my DeWalt cordless drill reserved for drilling small holes and driving screws. Live and learn.


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

I have DeWalts, battery and corded. But I won't buy more. Corded drill chuck jammed & I can't get it off. Battery circular saw uses (up) blades too quickly. Batteries are not lasting lately. Bits come undone on the battery drills. Can't vary the speed of the percussion drill. Etc.
Time to move up. Maybe Milwaukee ($$$) next.

Sent from my Pixel 5a using Tapatalk


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## Tom Foolery (Feb 16, 2018)

I think I am all tooled out. I was told presentation is key and people will not take you seriously if you have cheap or crap tools. I am a DIY from the amateur hour. I have the 12V Milwaukee Fuel Drill/Driver and Impact driver so people know I mean business. I just got several Dewalt 20v tools mostly for show and also so people know that I don't go harbor freight cheap anymore. It's Home Depot premium tools for me. I also have Ryobi stuff. I have 6x 4amp Ryobi batteries. I have a 6.5" Ryobi circ saw, but just got a Dewalt 6.5" circ saw. Both have Diablo blades. Oh yeah, I have the Ryobi hedge trimmer. Because of Ryboi days, you probably should buy into their system just for the bare tool deals. I suggest getting their brushless tools and be picky. Some Ryobi stuff is not that good.

I also have the brushed Bosch 12V drill and impact driver. The Bosch stuff looks great but it's their entry level cheap stuff. 

For heavy duty stuff, you want corded tools. The Dewalt batteries cost a small fortune.


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## Scottg (Nov 5, 2012)

I'm mostly committed to the DeWalt 20V tools at this point due to battery collection. I do have an Ego mower and the DeWalt 40V batteries for weed and hedge trimmer.

At this point, I've got multiple drills, an inflator, power caulking tool, and several others. They get somewhat frequent DIY use with occasional heavier use. (When I go into a furniture building binge in Spring and Autumn.)

They've all held up well. I have hand 2 of the 2 amp hour batteries go bad... after about 4 - 5 years. (When I buy batteries, I label the month/year on them with a Sharpie to keep track of this.) So my personal take it this is still a quality brand; certainly for a home DIYer. (Though I know a lot of contractors use as well.)


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## FM3 (Aug 12, 2019)

Tom Foolery said:


> The Dewalt batteries cost a small fortune.


That's probably the main criticism I hear about DeWalt. 
I'm trying to think of what DeWalt power tool I saw recently that is apparently rebranded cheap junk with DeWalt's name on it. Was disappointing to see DeWalt's name on such a thing.

Milwaukee tends to make good stuff, but there's a surprising number of people lately who say they're switching brands because their Milwaukee stuff breaks in some manner within months. 

Milwaukee generally has the most powerful impact drivers currently, but then you see people using them like impact wrenches and breaking the 1/4" bits, so how much power do you need really. haha


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## GrayHair (Apr 9, 2015)

Over the years i tried just about all the major brands, slowly weeding out those that didn’t measure up. Everyone at work used DeWalt, except me. When I had to replace a 20+ year-old drill, I bought Milwaukee and was asked why not DeWalt.

I asked him how many times I had taken a Milwaukee tool in for repair in the last 10 years. (It was twice.) Then I asked how many times a DeWalt had been in for repair in the last year.

I don't baby my tools, but I never abuse them: Use 'em hard, but use 'em right. A tool in the shop is a pain in the rear and the pain isn't limited to the wallet.


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## Tom Foolery (Feb 16, 2018)

I have Bosch, Dewalt and Milwaukee. The 12v Milwaukee Fuel impact and driver. Great. I have a bunch of Dewalt 20v mostly brushless. The Bosch is the cheapt impact and driver but those two tools look really nice. I am a light tool user, none of these tools should break.


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## MIShopDude (9 mo ago)

I've been a hardcore diehard Dewalt fan since they first started making the cordless drills back in the 90's. I use the cordless tools hard, and up until around 2008, you couldn't break a dewalt drill.

Now, they last about 2 years

I'm done with them. Their quality is suffering.

I have switched to Makita and a bit upset I didn't switch a long time ago. Everything they make seems better.

If you're going to plug it in, buy Milwaukee, if its cordless, buy Makita.


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## runagate (6 mo ago)

My worst tool is Hitachi

My best is Porter cable


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