Dewalt has come out with a new 12V/20V Max cordless jobsite Bluetooth radio, DCR028, and it has a 45% smaller footprint than their DCR025 Bluetooth charger radio.
I must admit, I’m a little disappointed. I saw the headline of the press materials – Dewalt Announces Bluetooth Radio and Task Light – and my brain told me “whoa, a combination Bluetooth radio and task light – that could be useful.” But alas, this is just a radio, and we’ll talk about the new Dewalt worklight another time.
Still, a 45% smaller footprint than the DCR025 is a big deal. As long as the sound doesn’t seem smaller, who wouldn’t want a more compact radio?
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Ah, but there is a catch. This is a new Bluetooth radio, but it’s not a charger. There’s no indication that this model is replacing any other Dewalt jobsite radios, and so you can still buy their Bleutooth charger radio if that’s what you want.
The absence of the charger is at least partially responsible for the smaller size of the new Dewalt Bluetooth music player, and it also costs less too.
Not only is the new Dewalt DCR028 radio smaller, its 45% lighter too (without battery).
- Dual 3.5″ woofers
- Dual 1″ tweeters
- Bass reflex port
- AM/FM radio
- Bluetooth music streaming connectivity
- 6-FM memory presets
- Adjustable bass and treble EQ settings
- 3.5mm auxiliary input
- Maximum Bluetooth range of 100 feet
- USB charging port (2A max output)
- AC power cord
- Works with Dewalt 12V or 20V Max batteries
- Roll cage design
- Antenna slot in the top handle for safe storage
- Weighs 8.25 lbs without battery
The new radio can be powered by 12V Max, 20V Max, or FlexVolt batteries, and also comes with an AC power cord.
Launch Price: $149
Price (Updated 1/2023): $179
ETA: April 2020
Discussion
Here’s a look at the existing DCR025 radio and charger.
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And here’s the new model again.
The new DCR028 definitely draws heavily from the DCF025’s design, with most of the differences being in size. Some of the features are of course different. Most significantly, the DCR028 doesn’t have a built-in battery charger, but it’s smaller and costs $100 less. More options are always good.
The LCD display looks bigger to me, but that’s only going by the press images. It’s also interesting to see how the user interface has evolved between models.
USB and aux input ports are added to the front control panel, giving you everything you need in one place.
Dewalt describes the DCR028 as a 12V and 20V Max radio. The DCR025 is a 20V Max radio and was designed to accommodate Dewalt FlexVolt batteries, which are quite a bit larger than 20V Max batteries.
There’s no specific mention as to whether the new radio will also be compatible with FlexVolt batteries, but seeing as how the battery connection is open and at the rear of the radio, I see no reason why it wouldn’t be. FlexVolt batteries should fit just fine. It’s worth noting that it looks like the newest higher capacity and wider Dewalt 20V Max batteries should be able to fit without issue as well.
Update: I missed it – the press sheet does confirm that each of the new products (this radio and a new LED light) are compatible with FlexVolt batteries.
It doesn’t look like the new model has a bottle opener, a feature the DCR025 had on its left side.
Compared to the DCR025 the new Dewalt DCR028 Bluetooth radio has smaller footprint, is lighter, costs less, is compatible with 12V and 20V Max batteries, and does not have a built-in charger. Additionally, the DCR025 had 2 AC outlets, but it doesn’t look like this feature made it into the DCR028.
Sound-wise, the DCR025 is described as having 20W per channel woofers, tweeters, and air ports, but I can’t tell you how this compares to the DCR028’s 3.5″ woofers and 1″ tweeters. I wouldn’t think the sound quality could change much between models, but you never know.
Personally, I felt that the DCR025 was huge. A smaller and lighter Bluetooth radio sounds good to me, and I can live without the built-in charging feature, something I never use except in product testing.
Steve
I was just wishing for exactly this product in the last week and hoping they might do something like this soon, and Boom! I am ecstatic.
Kirk
I think if your paying this much, dewalt should give this radio a charging port and not take any advancements in tech away from newer tools, Stanley b&d is starting to go cheap, but they still seem to surprise me with worlds newest tech first! https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-20-Volt-MAX-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Roofing-Nailer-Kit-with-Battery-2-0-Ah-Charger-and-Bag-DCN45RND1/312302764
Flotsam
It should have been a charger too. and a 115 v power cord as well.
Stuart
What you’re describing would essentially be a DCR025 replacement. I have the feeling this DCR028 is intended as a complement, for users who want to spend less and who don’t the charger.
Steve
“What you’re describing would essentially be a DCR025 replacement. I have the feeling this DCR028 is intended as a complement, for users who want to spend less and who don’t the charger.”
BINGO!
C bailey
The old ones wouldn’t pick up but one or two stations is this one any better I have plenty of chargers a charger and radio that works would be great
Stuart
It’s not out yet and so I can’t comment.
Personally, I wouldn’t expect any better radio reception.
Steve
As it’s the same wattage and very similar to the 25, I’m guessing they used a lot of the same or similar audio system components on the 28. I would expect similar audio and reception quality. We’ll see when/if Stu gets to test one.
Big Richard
It does come with a removable AC power cord. DCR025’s power cord was not removable, another difference between the two.
Planegrain
Giving the Milwaukee M-12 radio some competition.
Jared
No AC power option or did I miss it? Can you plug in a 3.5mm audio jack or is it strictly Bluetooth?
I’m not complaining BTW, just curious. Looks like a good product. I need some computer speakers and would like to have a speaker I could use in the shop on occasion – I though maybe I could justify a purchase like this if I pretended it was going to be dual purpose.
Jared
Ignore me. I see both an AC power cord and the 3.5mm jack is mentioned in the bullet points. Must have skipped that section in my enthusiasm to keep reading about the radio.
Chris
Where do you see the AC option?
Do you mean the USB?
Stuart
It comes with an included AC cord which for a product like this usually means an AC adapter with DC input.
Big Richard
I beg to differ, I would bet it includes the same AC power cord that the DCR010 speaker uses, not a AC power adapter like the older DCR006.
Stuart
I meant AC adapter vs. 3-prong extension cord port.
I didn’t see any cord-wrap in the images, but figured this would take a DC input similar to the ToughSysyem radios.
I’ll take another look at the press images, but We’ll have to see.
Stuart
Thanks Richard!
Correction: It comes with a “Detachable 120V AC Power Cord.”
I can’t see the port or cord in product images, and would guess that the port is covered when a battery is attached.
Big Richard
On the DCR010 it is behind where the battery is (so you can’t use both at the same time I suppose?), I suspect you are right and that this is the same. But we will have to wait til it comes out for sure.
Stuart
Thanks, I’ll add a separate mention of this. If you missed it, others will too.
Dustin Teemsma
“let’s make it…ugly”
RR
I’m NOT satisfied with the DCR025’s AM/FM reception.
In the store, I’m unable to pick up stations that I can easily pick up, in the parking lot, with my car’s radio. I understand the radio waves will not be as clear in the building. However, many people will be using this inside a building!
It would be interesting to see someone put a C Crane EP Pro radio next to the DeWalt. Then, compare how many stations the Crane picks up compared to the DeWalt.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the C Crane picked up twice as many stations.
Lately, cell phone reception is poor. I still listen to the radio. I don’t want to be stuck having to listen to the closest radio station. Reception matters.
Chris G
Does anyone happen to know if the AC adapter is comparable with the inflator? The inflator retails for $109 and the AC cord is sold separately (for ~$50 if you can find it). Is this cord works for both, that’d save me some cash
Big Richard
Highly unlikely. The inflator power supply (N557514) is just that, a 12v DC power supply. I have to assume this has an internal AC/DC transformer and uses the same simple AC power cord that their very similar 12v/20v Bluetooth speaker (DCR010) uses.
Especially since DeWalt says it includes an “AC power cord”, not an AC adapter.
James Chalifoux
Every thing has been said about this radio.Blue tooth technology is a must for on the job.
Josh
I love new tools. I do wish a clock was a priority. I dont always want to dig my phone out of my pocket.
Aaron
I thought the DCR025 had mediocre at best sound quality, especially given Makita’s radios, which take up about 1/3 the space, sound clearer with better reception and bass.
DeWalt’s TSTAK and Tough system radios are still the best-sounding radios of any company (and that includes the Milwaukee Packout and Bosch Power Box; I’ve owned all models and was especially disappointed with the Packout given its size, price, and how new to the market it is). Their bass and immersion are unrivaled and I’d highly recommend the TSTAK for its (relatively) smaller size, sound quality, charging ability, and the fact that it’s oddly cheaper than the DCR025.
James Chalifoux
The radio looks like it has the latest in bluetooth technology. Real nice tool to have for the job.
Garrick Moe
Price-wise, seems more like a replacement of the DCR010 which was phased out over the last few months at HD with a ever dropping price (and I can’t find it on their site anymore). DCR010 sounded awful…bought the battery promo and got it “free” after Black Friday. I think it’s original price was $99 or $119.
Fm2176
I use a DCR010 for my commute and it sounds decent enough, but then again I listen mostly to talk radio. I also have two DCR006 speakers and three TS radios, so I’m pretty much covered. Oh, and a Ridgid X4 mini radio (no Milwaukee or Ryobi versions…yet).
I found a DCR025 slightly used a while back but passed it up. Depending on reviews I may look for this new radio if I can get it for the right price.
Big Richard
The DCR010 is just a speaker, not a radio. It also is about half the footprint and half the weight of this new radio. So this is not a replacement for the DCR010.
As mentioned above, it lacks the charger of the DCR028, so it is not a replacement for that either. It is a new radio. That’s all.
Also, the DCR010 had some pretty decent sound for a portable bluetooth speaker. It’s not a Bose or JBL (which are also 3x the price), but it’s pretty good. Take it golfing with me every time.
JoeM
ANOTHER RADIO?
…How many varieties of Jobsite Radio are needed? I would LOVE to see a breakdown of how many models of each type of tool there are from DeWALT. How many Drills, Radios, Impact Drivers, the different saws, all the way down the line.
Something strikes me as freakishly weird about how often they release Radios, or Bluetooth Speakers. If they were ruggedized Communications Radios, I would understand this frequency of release. But… Jobsite Radios? This many? Do they die easy? Is it just a matter of Bluetooth standards changing? I understand Charger/Radio versus Radio Only… That’s a space saving issue… I DON’T understand why they release so many Jobsite Radios in between the announcements of new Drills, Saws, Batteries, and Specialty Tools.
It’s like “NEW DRILL!” Radio, Toolbox, RADIO, Saw, Specialty Tool, Specialty Tool, Hand Tool, RADIO, RADIO, Drill, SDS Drill, RADIO, RADIO, RADIO… or something to that effect. I don’t get it.
Stuart
You are exaggerating.
https://toolguyd.com/category/power-tools/jobsite-radios-and-speakers/
I posted about 7 new models in the past 36 months, 3 from Dewalt and the 4 others from other brands – 1 each from Makita, Milwaukee, Ridgid, and Ryobi. The number goes to 8 if you consider Rockler’s kit as a jobsite radio.
Respectfully, calm down.
Each brand has models at different price points and form factors. There are others that I haven’t posted about yet, but the frequency of new models is still nowhere near as high as your comment suggests.
JoeM
No no… I intentionally exaggerated actually… I’m calm, it’s just… I’m confused. I’m counting past models as still being actively sold, not just new ones, and not just the current quarter, year, or sales cycle.
You know me, I just type a lot. Seems like I’m angry or hyperactive, but I just type fast. I apologize for the confusion. My typing speed just makes it easy to say a lot of words, in a short amount of time.
I’m shocked, not upset. Seeking some clarity about the average lifespan and… whatever the tool industry calls “The amount of time they offer an item on the shelves.”… What most businesses would call Market Availability, I believe.
I WOULD love to see a comparisson chart somewhere about if/when DeWALT specifically discontinued one model in the 20V Max line, and replaced it with the next model, and where they overlap. This new one, for example, I think it overlaps with its sibling with the charger, because one is a Charger/Radio and the other is just a Radio. They also have JUST a Bluetooth Speaker, which I don’t know if it qualifies as a full Radio, but would be interesting to see it lined up next to the other available models. Like a kind of… Timeline of Progression? Maybe it lines up with Bluetooth Standards changing, or the release of specific ToughSystem/TSTAK system changes?
I’d just love to see it. For fun, not for anything important. I’m weird.
Big Richard
Where are you seeing these? I tend to follow all the big brands tool developments/new products and I haven’t noticed any drastic increase in radios. Maybe they have a bunch that only available in Canada? Here in the States I can only recall a few from all the brands over the past few years and they all are very different (speaker vs radio vs modular container system radio/charger).
JoeM
I’m counting previous models that I believe are still on the market in the 20V Line, not new releases only. I don’t follow the Radios myself, so it’s just my perception (and confusion) to see yet another model being reported for release.
From the start of the 20V Max Line until now, I’m randomly guessing approximately 9-12 models have been released. I’m not referring to the same model being replaced, just different varieties of specifically Radios of some sort. The TSTAK and ToughSystem radios are very different, but I count them both as a Radio that has been released. Also the dedicated Bluetooth Speaker, even though it’s not quite the same. From the first model they released, to this new one in the article… I don’t know if some are discontinued or replaced, thus getting an updated/sleeker version, or not.
And, I’m talking DeWALT specifically. I rarely notice so many new releases of radios from the rest of the major brands, hence why I was surprised by this. I know the other brands also have a variety of models, I just don’t remember seeing so many for the same systems being released since those companies’ platform debuted. That’s all.
Jeff
You can delete this since it has nothing to do with the radio. I’m just wondering why you haven’t given us a sneak peek of the 20v roofing nailer.
Lee
Am I the only person seeing that it is $249?
Stuart
You’re probably seeing listings for the older DCR025, which has a built-in charger.
The DCR028 doesn’t appear to be available or listed at any online retailers yet.