Dewalt Bashing

[Grant Wilkinson]

Rob

I have two cordless drills and the DW735 planer. I've had good luck with all of them, but I can't say that I would buy them again. The drills are good, but the chucks are not as good as the chuck on my Ridgid. The batteries are way overpriced in Canada. Virtually every other battery is close to half the price of the Dewalt. The planer does a great job, but as many others have said, the throw away blades are a weak spot. Dewalt does a great job of sending out free sets when you complain. But I don't consider anything that costs damn near $90 Cdn to be a throw away item. My wife bought me the planer, and as I say, it does do a very fine job, but when it comes time to replace it, I'll replace it with a model with blades that can be sharpened.

Grant
Ottawa ON

[Matt Meiser]

I have mixed emotions about Dewalt. My planer and my router set seem very good. However my impact driver died a way too early death. The batteries did not hold up well (meaning they were on their way to needing to be rebuilt way too soon) and then before I got them rebuilt one battery pack literally burned up. It got extremely hot and large amounts of smoke came out. Luckily I was able to take it right outside and drop the battery pack in the snow when it happened. The driver didn't work with the good battery pack after that either (no, it wasn't in the snow.) I also know of someone who's house burned down and the investigators blamed his cordless drill's battery which was in the charger--a Dewalt. Knowing of two incidents makes me nervous about their batteries. I'll probably continue to buy Dewalt tools, but probably not another battery powered one.

[Brad Townsend]

Rob
My wife bought me the planer, and as I say, it does do a very fine job, but when it comes time to replace it, I'll replace it with a model with blades that can be sharpened.

Just so you know Grant, some of us have been resharpening them with good results. Sending them out to a service doesn't seem to work so well, as they tend to remove a lot of material, which is not good. I give mine a light resharpening (honing if you will) on a cheap Woodcraft horizontal wet grinder and I honestly can't tell the difference from when they were brand new. In a mere two years, the grinder has paid for itself several times over.

[Ryan Myers]

I own many tools in all brands of small power tools including, Milwaukee, Rigid, Frued, Bosch, Porter Cable, Skil and Dewalt. I used to kill about 1 Dewalt cordless drill per year using it daily. I think they have improved the longevity when they switched to an all metal gear case (XRP) a few years back.

I have had very good luck with Milwaukee tools in general. I do have numerous Dewalt tools including the 735 planer, which has been great so far. I don't have complaints about any of my tools.

[Dave MacArthur]

I have numerous DeWalt tools that I love using, and have for 15 years. If you read the various magazine reviews, the DeWalt line regularly pulls down the #1 to #3 rating on most items. The 735 13" planer recently was rated the best 13" planer, the DW 618, 621, and 625 are routinely listed as the best PK router kit, the best 2 hp plunger, and the best 3hp plunger. The DeWalt biscuit jointer always shows up in a top 3 pick, and their combo 14.4 and 18 volt tool kits get rated tops.

I began buying DeWalt due to them receiving #1 ratings from both magazines AND real users in forums like this, and I have always felt they were a great tool. Nowadays, I do feel they don't give the same options/details for the same price as some other lines... I hate always having to buy the EXTRA laser for the tool, the EXTRA aftermarket hold-down or clamp, the EXTRA battery pack... but given no knowledge or "study" of a tools reviews, and I HAVE to have one now, I will buy the DeWalt.

[Randal Stevenson]

My experience with DeWalt tools is mixed.

Like ALL tool manufacturers, there are some gems and some flotz. I like several of their routers (even though I don't own any), their planers, bisquit joiner, and some of their circular saws. (I prefer a worm drive).
Their corded drills are fine (I use a 3/8" $69 special, and one of their 1/2" hammer drills), but I have had mixed luck with their cordless drills. The batteries have changed (and I believe they also changed suppliers), but they seemed to hold their charge less time then other brands I used. (setting one down and walking away for a week, then needing one for a quick couple of screws). Just my experience.

But their quality, like a lot of others has changed, my old DeWalt RAS is pretty hefty, and I've even used some OLD B&D circular saws that couldn't be killed. They were replaced more due to weight (didn't need a gym membership).
My general opinion is you can't stick to one brand for every tool. Only you can justify your cost(s) verses your paybacks (fit, feel, how long it will last).

[Allen Bookout]

I'm not sure why I see a lot of negative reviews on Dewalt power tools.

Where are you seeing these reports?

[Andy Fox]

My 3 Dewalt tools (621 plunge router, circular saw, 10" miter saw) could easily bash many other manufacturer's tools in design, durability, and performance.

[Dan Clark]

Dewalt tools are a mixed bag. I have a DW735 planer that I like a lot. I also have a 4 piece 18V kit that's given me pretty good service. I also have a D24000 tile saw. Nice saw. That said...

I almost bought a DW718 SCMS. While the DW708 (the 718's predecessor) is supposed to be a good saw, virtually every review I've read about the 718 has been poor.

Dewalt is outsourcing many of its tools to the lowest bidder. That's a big issue. So you need to evaluate each tool on it's own merits. Don't buy the brand; buy the tool.

Regards,

Dan.

[Chuck Lenz]

I have bought alot of DeWalt tools over the years, a 10" compound miter, a 12" compound miter, a 12 volt cordless drill, a 1/2" drill, a 1/2" hammer drill, a biscuit joiner, a laminater router kit, the large plunge router, a angle grinder, 2 randon orbital sanders, and have never had a problem with any of them, all have been solid performers and I've been proud to own each one.

[Dennis Peacock]

I have owned and used several DeWalt power tools. However, my best impression and experiences of this line of tools started about 12 years ago and ended about 6 years ago. To me, the tools I bought YEARS ago were much better made than the same "type" tool in their line today. I haven't had any real negative experiences with DeWalt tools.

Now...if we can just come up with a cordless drill battery that will last longer that about 18 months...THEN we'll have something.

[Vic Damone]

I own the 735 planer and the blades are a cleverly designed joke. Infeed/outfeed tables cost extra, chip diversion hose extra, stand extra. It might well be one of the better planers in it's class but I wouldn't dare recommend it. Their little random orbital sander's dust bag is failing within nine months and the on/off switch is starting to feel sketchy. I recently and reluctantly purchased the 621 router and it seems OK but its still new.

My impression of DeWalt tools is that they can design some of the best functionality as well as failure into their product. From a marketing standpoint they are possibly the best at what they do yet I find their quality to be pedestrian at best, sorry.

Replacing cordless tool batteries is American marketing at its best. Battery technology got over a big hurdle in the late nineties. Check out Hilti cordless tools. Following their directions I haven't replaced a NiCad cordless tool battery in the three years I've been using their products.

[Greg Cole]

I own a few yellow tools: 12" CMS, 18V cordless drill, 5" ROS, jig saw.
I like all the tools & only can say the cordless drill saw alot of abuse before it's demise.. couple trips on the day time job and it being in others hands, the case actually broke. But the day job bought a Milwaukee replacement.
The dust bag on the sander went in the trash as I hook it up to a shop vac.
The miter saw is just fine & has been a total work horse, a slider would be nice for dedicated shop use... but I use mine for all kinds of 'round the house stuff.
The jig saw doesn't see much use but for $89 bucks, it works when needed.
In general they are all decent tools, not top of the line but not "firestorm" either.

[Grant Wilkinson]

Thanks for your comment, Brad. I hone mine, too, and it gets me a bit more life out of them. But I would prefer knives that don't mount on pins, so that I could set them to reflect the decrease in width. The older Dewalts were better in that area.
As I said, I love the job it does. I just want perfection, that's all.

Grant
Ottawa ON

[Al Willits]

imho, I've made my living with tools and I don't care who makes them given a bit of time and misuse, you can ruin any tool.

Are some better than others?
Sure, but picking the tool that fits what your going to use it for is as important as brand names in my opinion.

I have a 14v cordless drill by Dewalt, and when I bought that there was a couple of things I looked for, first I stayed with a major brand and one that had a repair service in my area.
Secondly, weight and comfort of using it, the Dewalt drill fit closest to what I was looking for.
The key less chuck has worked well for me, controls are easy to use and its balanced in my hand to work well in awkward positions, I'd buy another in a minute.

I've had others that are probably as well or possibly better made, but none that fit my needs as well, the Mikita I have is a workhorse.
I have run thousands of screws with it during the time I built enclosed trailers and its just like a Timex, it keeps ticking, but I don't like the direction change switch and the keyed chuck, same goes for the pair of Craftsman Pro series cordless I had, these were work issued and lacked power compared to todays drills, but they run and run, just didn't like using them.
On the other end, there's Festools square looking drill, probably run forever, but the design just won't work for me.

At the risk of being repetitive, find a couple of brands that you like, then find the model that fits you.
Does no good if it runs forever and your uncomfortable using it.

Al