Oh boy, today was an exciting day! In their biggest product launch since first introducing their nascent 12V Max compact cordless tool lineup one year ago, Dewalt has announced details about their new 20V Max cordless power tool system. Not only that, we were lucky enough to be a part of the small group with exclusive access and hands-on time with the new tools. Having the opportunity to chat with and grill the design engineers and product managers greatly adding to the excitement!
Update: Much of the full lineup is now available for sale via Amazon!
There is a LOT to be said about these new tools, so we’re going to break it up into shorter more manageable segments. All of our posts discussing these tools will be tagged under Dewalt 20V Max, and if the list gets long enough we’ll add an index for easier navigation.
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18V vs. 20V Max
First and foremost, this is worth stressing – the 18V system isn’t going to be phased out anytime soon. In fact, Dewalt reps stressed that with 63 million stem-batteries in the field, they will continue to support the 18V platform for a long, long, loooooong time.
That said, no, 18V and 20V Max tools and batteries are NOT cross-platform compatible as there’s just too much of a difference between battery techs and tool form factors.
Dewalt 20V Max Cordless Power Tool Lineup
There are quite a few different tools included in the new lineup, listed below. Some of these tools do resemble their 18V brethren, but there are many differences that we’ll go over when discussing the individual tools in more detail later on. Stock photos of the tools can be found in the gallery at the end of this post.
- Compact drill/driver; DCD780C2
- Compact hammer drill; DCD785C2
- Premium drill/driver; DCD980L2
- Premium hammer drill; DCD985L2
- Impact drivers, 2 models with the difference being the amp-hour capacities of the kit-bundled batteries; DCF885C2 and DCF885L2
- Reciprocating saw; DCS380L1
- Circular saw; DCS391L1
- SDS rotary hammer; DCH213L2
- Right angle drill/driver; DCD740C1
- LED pivoting head worklight; DCL040
- 2 battery sizes – 1.5 Ah & 3.0 Ah
- Several combo sets will be available
Recurring Features
As we’ve seen with their 12V Max system, Dewalt is strongly focusing on improving the usability and features of their tools. While pure specifications and ratings must have still been a concern when developing these new tools, it really looks as though Dewalt’s main driving force was to enhance the overall user experience.
We have seen a similar trend in other industries in recent years, such as with digital cameras and computers. So it should come as no real surprise that after hitting a certain point there’s not as much real added value in pushing the torque ratings and specs envelope as it there is in is fine-tuning a tool’s design according to what users really need.
Not that there aren’t times when specs don’t come into play. For example, Dewalt’s engineers remarked about how proud they were each time they could shave even a millimeter off the length of their impact driver prototypes. The final 20V Max impact driver design is 1/4″ shorter than the 18V model it closely resembles. This may not seem like a lot, until of course you need to drive a fastener in a tight cabinet or drawer, and your tool is just a hair too long.
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When developing the 20V Max tools, Dewalt’s engineers looked at the current 18V tools and focused on improving their performance and ergonomics while adding innovative features that further contributed to a quicker, easier, and overall better end user experience.
In coming days I’ll talk a bit more about some of improvements I saw when demoing many of the new tools. Once we share more details, you’ll see why I’m so excited about the new 20V Max cordless power tool lineup. And of course, once the tools are released approximately in September, we’ll conduct a few proper hands-on reviews.
Update: Much of the full lineup is now available for sale via Amazon!
Gallery:
(Click on thumbnails to view the larger images)
Allen McGranahan
“Not only that, we were lucky enough to be a part of the small group with exclusive access and hands-on time with the new tools!”
I don’t imagine that would affect your review any, with a negative review I’m sure you would be invited back next time. Might keep that information to yourself.
Stuart
I believe in absolute open disclosure and would never keep such information about the event and my participation a secret. In fact, most companies, Dewalt included, stress that we must inform readers about things like this.
To be quite frank, I really am extremely excited about the new lineup as it borrows heavily from the features I like about the 12V Max lineup. For this preview post, I cut out a lot of my subjective opinions in order to keep it more objective and informational.
A follow-up post will actually go through a bit more of the details surrounding the product launch media event, similar to this one from last year.
One of the things about Dewalt and the people there that I met with and spoke to, is that they’re all for feedback of any kind. A negative review means to them an opportunity for improvement. They’ve never attempted to censor or guide my voice, nor would I tolerate such influence.
In fact, I imagine that if I wrote an extremely negative review, I would almost certainly be invited back to offer additional feedback on pending tools or future iterations still in the development process.
Todd @ Tool Box Buzz
Stuart,
It was great seeing you again this week. I’m right there with you, I say it how it is, good, bad or indifferent. Most every tool company that I write reviews for are just as interested in the negative feedback as the good, it’s a way for them to focus on improvement.
I’m with you on the 20V, it’s a sweet platform. I still think the 12v that came out last year is the best 12v on the market. Seeing that the 20v is borrowing from that lineup it’s sure to be a winner!
ttamnoswad
Just google “20 volt max” and you will find a very similar product from black and decker that retails for $70.00. As we know, B&D owns Dewalt. I don’t feel too eager about buying into a new system 3-4 times more expensive just for yellow plastic.
Todd @ Tool Box Buzz
The B&D version is NOTING like this. Not even close to apples – apples comparison!
Stuart
As Todd so concisely put it, there’s no comparison between B&D and Dewalt power tools these days. It’s like comparing a compact economy sedan to a high-end sports car. Sure, both will probably get you from point A to point B, but the roads taken and the driving experience along the two paths will vary greatly.
ttamnoswad
The reviews on the Black and Decker version of this tool are very good.
I invite you guys to look at the form factor, the battery style, and oh……the “20v Max” name. I propose that Dewalt is repackaging this tool in yellow plastic, just as they did in the early 90’s when they turned Black and Decker industrial cordless and renamed it Dewalt. Yes, it will feel better, it will have more amp hours, the numbers will be more impressive, but the starting point seems obvious.
btw, Im not hating on dewalt, as I own more than 10 dewalt cordless tools, but I’m not drinking this koolaid either.
Stuart
There may be some surface similarities between Dewalt and B&D 20V Max designs, but once you take a closer look that all disappears. There may have been some collaboration between the two project teams, but given the widely different target audiences for both brands’ tools, I’d say such joint efforts were a minimum at best.
Looking at the two drills’s geometries, motor specs, chuck specs, clutch and speed settings, trigger shape, angles, and everything in between, the resemblance disappears.
I will agree that the battery form factor looks somewhat similar from the outside, but at the same time so do the newest Bosch, Milwaukee, and Makita batteries.
Looking at all of the electrical, mechanical, functional, and cosmetic differences, I cannot see how you can assert that the new Dewalt drill is a rebadged B&D.
Scott
Great. Another voltage marketing race. I may have missed this in your article, but aren’t these just 18v tools? Just like the 12vMax tools are all 10.8v. I remember when the Bosch tools went from 10.8v to 12vmax – all they did was put a sticker over the 10.8v on the battery. I have both. And the stupid stickers fray and peel off. They both work the same.
Stuart
Yes, the nominal voltage is 18V, exactly how “12V Max” run at 10.8V.
I was 100% sure that this was a marketing ploy, until I spoke to Dewalt engineers and marketing heads. Since the 20V Max batteries and tools are NOT compatible with current and previous 18V versions, they needed some way to differentiate the two systems.
The new line is called 18V XR in Europe, but that’s consistent with the 12V Max tools’ 10.8V labeling.
When I pushed my questions about this, I was told that there is a far larger existing Dewalt userbase in the USA and that when they observed groups’ behavior when comparing tool lines, they saw much confusion. Users would try to connect the 20V Max batteries to the 18V tools and vice versa.
Obviously their are marketing benefits of having “20V Max” tools on the shelf next to “18V” competitors’ models, but that wasn’t their real intention. I’m not inclined to believe that several people could all look at me in the eye and flat out lie, especially when caught off guard. So, I truly trust when they say, at least with respect to the USA market, that 99% of the reasoning behind 20V Max vs an 18V variation (eg 18V XR) was to avoid confusion among users and potential users.
Christian
There is a lot of people who think Dewalt is a Black and Decker under the shell. All of them have never taken a cheap junk drill apart and a quality drill like Dewalt. There is nothing in common with a Dewalt drill and a Black and Decker drill. I have repaired a lot of makita tools for my carpenter friends and I started to wonder why my Dewalt tools never broke down. So I have also taken apart my Dewalt tools and the answer why they do not break down is to be found under the shell. Just take a look for your self ttamnoswad.
Also, one of my friends bought a Black and decker drill ( an 18 v drill and one of the more “expensive” Black and Decker ). With a 20 mm self drilling bore the black and Decker stooped after a few rounds on second gear. On first gear it was able to finnish the hole but with struggle and nothing you want to do to many times. My XRP DCD 920 with the same bore finnished the hole on a couple of seconds in the 3 gear. B&D same as Dewalt, do not think so.
Wild Bill
So for years DeWalt reps have bashed Makita and Milwaukee for slide packs and now they have exactly the same thing a battery with 10 2volt Lithium Ion cells and call it 20v Max
Stanley is about 4 years late on this- will be very interesting to see how they get arround Milwaukee’s patents- Makita paid royally out of court to Milwaukee to get arround their patents- Hitachi and MKE are in court now- how did Stanley get arround them? Lithium Ion does not work well with out electronics which MKE owns the patents on- should be interesting
Stuart
I can’t comment on the slide-pack design bashing, but I’m fairly certain that the batteries are built from five 3.6V Li-Ion cells.
I also don’t know about any patents on the Li-Ion battery electronics, but I do know that Dewalt spent a lot of time and effort developing smart circuitry. It’s possible that they developed their own tech that doesn’t draw upon existing patented methods.
Nate
Stuart,
I purchased Dewalt’s DCD 985L2 cordless hammer drill/ driver contractor kit that came paired with the DCF 885L2 impact driver, both 20v max just the other day. In puruseing the web and other places I came across what appears to be the same drills but under different model numbers, the “DCK” series as its called. My question to is what’s the difference, if any, and should I feel swindled as I do that they tricked me into an older model at the same price as a possible newer one.
Stuart
Nate, the DCK290L2 combo kit includes the DCD985 hammer drill, and DCF885 impact driver. The DCK part only means that the product is a retail combo kit.
The tools in your kit should be identical to the ones in the DCK kit. Deciphering Dewalt’s coding, it looks like DCD refers to cordless drill/drivers, DCF refers to impact drivers, DCS to the saws, DCH to the rotary hammer, DCL to LED work lights, and DCK to combination kits.
The first two letters are probably for Dewalt Cordless, the third denotes the product category, and the number is used to reflect different models. C2 and L2 refer to whether the kits come with 2 compact 20V batteries or 2 extended-capacity ones.
Nate
Stuart, that makes me feel alot better and the information is quite useful. I might still be able to go save myself $60 on tool king. Thanks a bunch!
Ron
What is the difference between 20V vs 20Max ??
Stuart
20V Max is 18V nominal.
20V power tools are most often more accurately described as 20V Max/18V.
Greg Harris
Stuart totally agree with you.this is informational post! i have question do you think the 20V power tools has long life then 18V or they are same in working!!
Stuart
Hard to say. Today’s 20V Max tools, which operate at 18V nominally, benefit from years of continued cordless power tool tech and engineering. Tools are more complex and less user-repairable, but seem to be reasonably durable.