In the left hand corner, we have the Dewalt DCKTS600M2 cordless power tool combo kit, as Home Depot’s flagship deal, priced at $499. In the right hand corner, we have the Dewalt DCKSS699M2 cordless power tool kit, Lowe’s flagship Dewalt option, also priced at $499.
Both options feature Dewalt 20V Max cordless power tools with brushless motors, both give you 6 tools, and both are priced at $499.
So which one is better?
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Dewalt DCKTS600M2 6-Tool Cordless Power Tool Combo Kit
Here’s what you get in the Home Depot Dewalt 20V Max cordless power tool combo kit:
- DCD709 Atomic Series hammer drill
- DCF809 Atomic Series impact driver
- DCS354 Atomic Series oscillating multi-tool
- DCF890 XR 3/8″ impact driver
- DCG416 FlexVolt Advantage angle grinder
- DCS573 FlexVolt Advantage circular saw
- (2) 4.0Ah batteries
- Charger
- ToughSystem rolling tool box
Read More About Dewalt FlexVolt Advantage Gere
It seems that this combo kit could be considered an upgrade to their former 7-tool Dewalt 20V Max combo kit, which featured a mix of brushless and brushed motor tools.
The edge here will be in the FlexVolt advantage tools, XR impact wrench, and FlexVolt Advantage tools. This combo does not come with a FlexVolt battery,
Price: $499
Dewalt DCKSS699M2 Cordless Power Tool Combo Kit
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This is what you get in this Lowe’s special Dewalt 20V Max combo kit:
- DCD796 XR brushless hammer drill
- DCS356 XR brushless oscillating multi-tool (3-speed)
- DCF887 XR brushless impact driver (3-speed)
- DCS367 XR brushless compact reciprocating saw
- DCS570 XR brushless circular saw
- DCW210 XR brushless sander
- (2) 4.0Ah batteries
- Charger
- Rolling tool bag
The advantage here would be in the XR brushless drill, impact driver, and oscillating multi-tool, and the inclusion of a reciprocating saw that some users might prefer over an angle grinder or impact wrench.
Price: $499
Dewalt 6-Tool Holiday 2020 Cordless Power Tool Combo Kit Deals Compared
Here are reasons to get the Lowe’s bundle over Home Depot’s:
- Better hammer drill
- Better impact driver
- 3-speed oscillating multi-tool vs 1-speed, but both have variable speed switches
Here are reasons to get the Home Depot bundle over Lowe’s:
- Better circular saw – FlexVolt Advantage
- ToughSystem tool box
- Free shipping (the Lowe’s deal is only for pickup right now)
There are notable differences in the tools you get. Both combo kits give you a cordless hammer drill, impact driver, circular saw, and oscillating multi-tool, all with brushless motors. Here are the other two tools both options give you:
- Home Depot
- Impact Wrench
- Angle Grinder
- Lowe’s
- Compact Reciprocating Saw
- Sander
The Lowe’s combo gives you a step-up in price and performance with respect to the hammer drill, impact driver, and oscillating multi-tool, while Home Depot gives you an upgraded circular saw and tool box. It is our understanding that the difference in circular saw performance is only going to come into play when used with a FlexVolt battery, which neither kit option gives you.
The Lowe’s deal gives you an XR compact reciprocating saw and XR sander, while the Home Depot deal instead gives you an XR impact wrench and FlexVolt Advantage angle grinder. What you need to know is that all of these are regular Dewalt 20V Max main-line cordless power tools, and that they don’t seem to be “special buy” or “combo kit” versions.
Cordless power tool combo kits, especially as part of holiday season deals, typically feature some compromises or scaled-down features to help reduce costs.
Neither of these combo kits look to have any notable compromises, although it could be said that Dewalt’s Atomic Series drill and impact driver in the Home Depot bundle are a step down from the XR models featured in the Lowe’s combo kit. The Atomic series tools are also a Home Depot exclusive, as are FlexVolt Advantage.
Both kit options give you 4Ah batteries, which are reasonable for combo kits like these.
It’s a toss-up. The Lowe’s bundle has some better tools, the Home Depot bundle has other better tools.
Both combo kits are going to be solid options.
I’d go with the Lowe’s option for the better drill and impact driver, or if I wanted a recipricating saw and sander included, or the Home Depot option if I wanted the updated circular saw, and an impact wrench, angle grinder, and ToughSystem tool box.
If I absolutely had to pick… it would be the Home Depot bundle. That would give me the freedom to choose a reciprocating saw that aligns with my preferences (I like full-size and one-handed over the compact design here), and I have corded sanders that I use plugged into a dust collector vacuum, with no plans for regular cordless use. Both the impact wrench and angle grinder would come in handy. I would miss the 3 speeds of the Lowe’s bundle impact driver.
There’s the option to piece-together a more customized deal to more perfectly align to my needs and preferences, but it’ll cost more than starting with either of these kits.
Tom D
I wonder if some of the differences are because Dewalt is alongside Milwaukee at Home Depot but not at Lowe’s. It has the older Toughsystem box so maybe this is a way to drain the channel a bit – though I haven’t heard that Toughsystem is being discontinued at some point I assume they’ll want to stop making them.
Stuart
These deals are almost never “let’s clear out old stuff” inventory, they’re purposefully built for the promo.
These boxes get ToughSystem rolling tool boxes vs. ToughSystem 2.0 by design, and possibly also due to supply limitations.
Even when I was at the Dewalt factory to report on brushless tool production, they were still making new 18V tools.
When you count how many tools are sent to Home Depot and independent channels for the holidays, and to online order fulfillment warehouses, it’s rare that it’s remnant inventory.
Sometimes it could result from a “let’s use this production equipment one last time before we replace it for the new model” mindset, I don’t know.
Like years ago when they had M12 Fuel + Packout deals. The amount of inventory needed to fulfill store orders must be so much greater than “tools left of the shelf and need to be sold” quantities.
Matthew S
Just picked up the Home Depot deal yesterday. I was able to use a Lowes 10% off coupon and the final price came out to 450. I too was on the fence about the XR line, but ultimately the angle grinder, XR impact wrench, and ToughSystem (1.0) were my deciding factors.
Dave Wittmann
For me, it comes down to the retailer. As a contractor, I am at the yard multiple times a week. I have been treated so badly at all three local Lowes stores that I would not go there if they were giving away the tools. You cannot intentionally treat your customers badly over and over and expect them to return.
Matthew S
True that. Lowes has the worst customer service. When asked them to price match a Graco paint sprayer, I was literally told that I can go to Home Depot to purchase it. Product was price matched, but employees do not know policy.
Stuart
I’m sorry, but that’s just funny.
Customer service experiences will vary from store to store, and it often comes down to store managers and how well (or poorly) they train and manage their associates.
Dave Wittmann
Stuart,
Normally I would agree with you. But, all three Lowe’s stores in my service area have screwed me badly.
The last straw was on an $11,000 material order. Went in on Friday to purchase and set up a Tuesday morning pickup, Went back in on Monday to talk to the pro desk and double check that the order would be ready on time. I was assured that the order would be ready no later than 9 am. Showed up at 9:15 AM with four man crew with two trucks and two trailers. The order was not ready.
When we talked to the store manager she said the order would be ready by 3 and turned around and walked away. We had already waited an hour and a half just to talk to her.
That was four guys I was paying skilled labor rates standing around with their hands in their pockets. And to top it off, it made one of the crews late for another job. Which did not make my clients happy.
I will not use them again.
Stuart
Ouch – I don’t blame you.
There’s nothing I would even try to say to convince you to give that Pro dept. another chance.
Patrick
I live very close to a Lowes. I usually only go there for the super quick off the shelf hardware or small lumber runs and when I just need a particular hand tool I might be lacking. When I ask for something less common (Glue Sticks) they seem lost so I just wander the store until I find it. They rarely have more than 2 standard registers open, so I have to go to the lumber dept to avoid crazy lines.
For larger purchases, power tools and special orders, I found the Home Depot in either of the next towns over will both always go above and beyond. They always have more registers open. The managers and even regular employees seem more attentive. I’ve never left the store irritated and frustrated for wasting my time.
Lyle
I do find that my local Lowes has customer service problems. Their customer service desk and returns desk are serviced by the same area with the return facing the entrance door and the customer service counter facing the inside of the store. There are 2 registers on each side (maybe the returns side has 3). There are usually like 5 employees in that area, but only like 2 of them helping customers at any point in time. I found 8 employees in there one time. I think part of the issue is that some employees are in there doing paperwork or something, so it looks like they don’t want to help customers.
When I go to the pro desk in the back of the store the customer service is great. I basically only work with 1 person there now, I can call or email them. They’ve gone out of their way to be helpful and they’ve worked there since it was Eagle Hardware and Garden like 20+ years ago. I often tell them how bad the service is in the front of the store.
At my local Home Depot, it’s kinda the opposite. Most of their employees at the cash registers and customer service are helpful and the pro desk people have all the attitude.
George
For what it’s worth, Lowe’s will throw their always-on Military discount on top of sale prices. Even on big sales — they gave me another 10% off a Weber grill that had already been marked down from $900 to $450. All you have to do is put your my Lowes profile through an online military service verifier.
fm2176
Home Depot does the same…but only on standalone Special Buys. I learned a few years ago that any HD deal including a “free” item does not allow the military discount to be used–likely due to HD’s applying of the discount as a “coupon” and thus only allowing one coupon per purchase. This has applied to various M12, M18, DeWalt, Ridgid, and Ryobi deals.
Lowe’s, on the other hand, applies the military discount to their “Buy This, Get That” deals. I bought my first DeWalt oscillating tool and got a free 6Ah battery, and can name a few other good deals I’ve gotten that way.
Matthew
I basically put the Lowe’s kit (plus the mid-torque impact wrench) together over a couple of years as I found the pieces on sale or needed them.
I think the Lowe’s kit would be the one I’d get if I was looking for one. The impact wrench and grinder are more occasional use tools that I don’t mind running a cord or air hose for. If I was working in fabrication I’d probably go with the Home Depot Kit.
(Ironically, I’ve been trying to find this DeWalt grinder or the brushless Ryobi grinder used because the convenience would be great for those times I needed to use one.)