The DeWalt DCD701F2 kit comes with two batteries and a small, duffel-style carrying case. The bag doesn’t have a ton of additional room, but there’s enough to store some drill and driver bits or a couple of other small tools. Even with the dewalt impact drill drill inside, the bag is compact, and you can easily stuff it in a closet or on a basement shelf. For these tests, we set the drills to the faster of the two speeds and switched over to the slower speed when a drill stopped being effective.
During our test we noted that assist mode slowed RPMs to help get screws started, while preventing the fasteners from over-tightening as they seated. The XTR has three selectable speed modes to tailor driving for the fastener and material you’re working with. We handily drove all our longer deck screws with the XTR, as well as shorter, self-tapping screws. When we drove the lag bolts, we found it to be competent, straining appropriately for the task. We appreciated the battery level indicator, a feature usually reserved for more expensive models. While the tool head is slightly on the larger size, making it feel slightly clunky in tight spaces, the Cobalt XTR is a solid impact driver for the money.
For our structured tests, we sunk 3-inch screws into doubled-up 2-by-10 lumber . We did this on a fully charged battery until the battery was empty. This test simulated the process of framing, as if someone were building a tree house or a partition wall. To prevent the drills from overheating, we rested them after every 14 screws. Dahl has written about tools since 2002 and has run Charles + Hudson since 2005. I also spoke with Wirecutter senior editor Harry Sawyers, who previously worked at This Old House magazine and Popular Mechanics.
Finally, the DeWalt DCD791D2 kit comes with a nice hard case that leaves plenty of room for drill and driver bits. The DeWalt DCD701F2 Xtreme is the most comfortable drill we’ve ever held, and it’s loaded with convenience features. It packs enough strength and stamina to easily handle common jobs around the home. Ridgid has this nifty little drill bit holder – a small, but nice-to-have feature. I don’t understand why all tool brands don’t include this clever feature on all of their drills.
We’ll go over the features of this impact driver and why it’s our top choice. We’ll also compare it to similar models from other brands and discuss why it might or might not be the right tool for certain DIYers. In the dewalt cordless drill end, you’ll be armed with the knowledge to make the best decision for your needs. The additional features on DeWalt’s impact drivers are standard across the product line with a few notable exceptions in its top models.
Tools with low-voltage batteries are light and compact, making them suitable for maintenance tasks. Tools with high-voltage batteries are heavy but deliver ample power for demanding tasks. Amp-hours describes the amount of power the battery holds , which determines how long a fully charged battery can perform before needing a recharge.
All of DeWalt’s impact drivers come equipped with three LED work lights that provide ample lighting for dimly lit work sites. DeWalt also equips each tool with a metal clip that allows the operator to attach the driver to a tool belt. The Black+Decker BDCDE120C 20V Max Lithium Drill/Driver with AutoSense Technology was a champ at driving screws, but it didn’t do as well in our drilling test, managing only 25 holes . It also has only a ⅜-inch chuck (the rest of the 18-volt models have ½-inch chucks), which limits it with larger bits. In addition, it’s a single-speed tool, whereas all of the others we tried have two speeds.
But they’re also still manageable as an around-the-house tool for hanging curtain rods, adjusting doors, and hanging shelves. The downside is that they’re heavier than the 12-volts and not as powerful as the larger, 18- and 20-volt models. They also provide an affordable entry into a company’s dewalt cordless drill 18- or 20-volt line of tools, all of which have compatible batteries. For most household tasks, a 12-volt drill is more than adequate. It’s the smallest class of drill, and due to advances in battery and motor technology, such models have become formidable with regard to power.
Its short head makes it ideal for pros who spend the bulk of their time driving in framing screws or installing cabinetry. The DCF885 produces enough torque to suit the needs of most DIYers at a price that leaves room in the budget for other power tools. While its 1,400 inch-pounds of torque may not cut it at the pro job site, it’s more than enough power to suit most home improvement projects.