Hi, I am a newbie. I need suggestions about Milwaukee and Dewalt tools. I am looking for a new drill tool. Dewalt or Milwaukee which will be better? I searched on google and found a blog about the difference between Milwauke vs Dewalt tools. But I am a bit confused about which will be better. Can you give me some suggestions about drill tools?
What will you be using them for? Have you considered other brands? If it’s down to Milwaukee versus DeWalt, you really just have to pick your flavor and run with it. Based on my knowledge and experience, here are a few comparisons:
Price: DeWalt seems to have an edge, with Milwaukee M18 Fuel tools often costing more than DeWalt 20v Max XR. This difference depends on the tool, and some tools, like the FlexVolt miter saw, cost more than their M18 counterparts. However, that tool runs at 120v Max and can also be used with AC power. Your standard tools, though: drills, saws, etc. will usually be a slight bit cheaper in Yellow.
Tool availability: both brands offer the basics up to and including things like the aforementioned miter saws. Each brand also has some more niche tools which may not be available in both colors. If you have a Lowe’s near you, DeWalt may be the best choice. Home Depot carries both, as do Ace Hardware stores.
Technology and innovations: Milwaukee seems to continuously release new versions of their tools, especially the Fuel brushless ones. Take an impact driver, last I checked there were three generations of the Fuel model and a OneKey Gen2 version. Maybe it’s just not as conspicuous, but DeWalt seems to update their tools a bit slower. Then again, I often hear Fuel tools referred to by their generation while XR tools are usually described by their model number (DCD796, DCD797, etc.). Milwaukee seems to be trying to maximize their M18 batteries and tools while DeWalt released FlexVolt 6-7 years ago. There is the newer Milwaukee MX platform, but unlike FlexVolt and 20v Max it isnt compatible with M18.
12v vs 18/20v: Milwaukee has probably the best line of 12v (10.8v) tools in their M12 line. DeWalt has some good stuff in their Xtreme line but they neglected 12v Max for years and let M12 corner the market. The one major advantage to DeWalt is that some acessories (radios, USB chargers) can run on 12v or 20v batteries and that most chargers can charge both. Most M18 chargers include an M12 port but the batteries are not at all interchangeable. If you buy into M12 first, you’ll likely get an M12 only charger. On the off chance you buy a 12v kit and then find an M18 or 20v tool and battery without a charger, you’ll be covered with DeWalt but have to buy an M18 charger with Milwaukee. Not a major issue, they usually sell for cheap through private sellers.
Warranty: Milwaukee offers five years, DeWalt three. I haven’t had any issues with either.
I could go on, but Milwaukee vs. DeWalt is a constant debate and in my opinion they are pretty much equals. I prefer DeWalt but have plenty of Milwaukee.
Neither get Ryobi and their newest line up.
If you aren’t using it every day or every week at that point. No reason to spend more and they have a deep line of tools that work pretty well.
I used to also suggest picking a line that you would stick with to keep from having different non-compatible batteries and chargers and etc. I’ve stuck with that but if I was doing it today and knowing how little I’d use some of it I’d probably change my plan.
Never had an issue with any of my Dewalt stuff and I know people would say similar with Milwaukee. I’d alos look at the other choices. I liked initially that Dewalt was a US based and owned company and they were making big strides in US made or assembled tools. that’s apparently less the case now but who knows.
If you aren’t going to us them often I’d roll Ryobi or maybe craftsman and perhaps even Kobalt these days.
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I second Ryobi. The only reason I didnt bring the brand up in my first response was to try to avoid cluttering up my reply even further.
A lot of professionals use Ryobi. My neighbor owns an electrical contracting company and uses the brand; he wasnt satisfied with DeWalt’s performance Ni-Cad 18v) so he ended up buying his employees Ryobi kits years ago. Given the time period he probably got them some of the earlier Li-Ion kits, which were worlds better than the older technology. Similarly, during my last few months at work they were renovating the building I worked in. The contractors who had won the bid were using mostly Ryobi, though a few teams had DeWalt. In the other hand, the team that installed our Joint Battle Command - Platform hardware in 2015 use M12 and M18 exclusively.
Given its long platform life (26 years and running), insistence in keeping backward compatibility, and continuing to innovate and release stuff that is almost, if not as, good as more premium brands, i think Ryobi would be where I’d have put my money, in hindsight. Instead I have plenty of their tools tossed around with DeWalt, Milwaukee, Ridgid, Bosch, and MetaboHPT. The funny thing is, when i need to use something I can’t find a charged battery for any of them.
yeah I will say one battery platform is nice for me - but I’m also an occasional user I sometimes think of adding another like perhaps getting into milwaukee 12 or bosch 12. just for the bosch flex click
dewalt now has one so meh.
meanwhile though I’m also looking at getting into flexvolt OPE when I ditch my Echo - so again common batteries for all my stuffs (all yellow).
TLDR - look a little ahead at what other tools you might want in cordless and let that be an added decision thought
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I’ll third Ryobi. They are usually good enough, and often more than good enough, especially for occasional use. And they are considerably cheaper than either Milwaukee or DeWalt.
But a lot depends on what’s available in your area. About where do you live, Willie?
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