Milwaukee VS DeWalt 18Volt Cordless... Update: Check Out The Ridgid Hot Deal!

[Ornery]

Milwaukee 18 Volt 1/2in. Lok-Tor® Hammer-Drill Kit, # 0624-24 is what my brother recommends I buy. He says he's used, and broke quite a few other brands, including DeWalt. I personally dropped his Milwaukee from the top of an 8' ladder onto a concrete floor (DON'T TELL HIM!), and the battery popped off. I put the battery back on and it works perfectly, so I'm impressed with that.

I checked out the DeWalt 18.0 volt Cordless Hammerdrill Drill/Driver Kit at Sears, since I can get a discount there. It's about $30.00 more than the Milwaukee, and its battery doesn't reverse like the Milwaukee's either. I really like the chuck, though. It cinches down really tight, by using a "ratcheting chuck lock". It also has higher RPM and torque than the Milwaukee.

Which to buy?


Update:

OMG, I have a HOT DEAL for anybody interested in heavy duty cordless tools. I've settled on Milwaukee, but there's a new kid on the cordless block, and it's a force to be reckoned with! The hot deal is the fact that these tools will be sold with a lifetime purchase agreement that is offered now through December 31, 2003. This includes free service on normal wear items like batteries, brushes, motors, gears and switches. From what I've read, if you keep your receipt, you'll have free battery replacements for life! This is huge! Those batteries are $80.00 each!

That is all. Grab this deal for Christmas at your local Home Depot, and have a Happy New Year for years to come!

 

[Spoooon]

I like Milwaukee. My dad uses Makita.

 

[Sluggo]

They are both good tool lines. Either should give you years of great service.

From here probably ergonomics take over. Which feels better balanced to you? This is important, especially with something as heavy as an 18 volt battery. Will either of them stand up on its own? This is a great convenience sometimes, easier to pick it up while holding something if it is upright.

 

[Ornery]

I'll never hear the end of it if I buy the DeWalt and it doesn't hold up. I use my brother's Milwaukee daily. I don't like the way it stops abruptly when you let go of the trigger. It's almost as if something's wrong with the bearings or something. We had to use two channellock pliars on it once to tighten the chuck for hammer drilling concrete. The chuck kept working loose before we did. That ain't too cool.

 

[cavemanmoron]

ryobi

we have milwaukees at work,and dewalts,

the milwaukee's seem to eat batteries,and they die,where they can't be recharged,too easy''


i like the 14.4 Ryobi,i own at my own house,much better

Home Depot,has them

 

[amnesiac]

I'm a fan of deWalt and Makita. A friend of mine in HS and his dad would build stuff all the time and they had DeWalt.

Personally, I used the same Makita drills for 4 years while on stage crew (building sets, etc) and never had a single damn problem.

 

[amdskip]

DeWalt, I've dropped them about 3 stories onto a hard concrete basement floor of a house we were building. Put the battery back in and continued working.

 

[FrustratedUser]

I got the 18V Ryobi.

 

[Ornery]

I already know he's had a Makita and DeWalt die on him. I'm hoping the DeWalt was a lesser model. It must have been, because I can't imagine him coughing up $250.00 over and over! I doubt he'd even bother with Ryobi. I happen to own their 6Volt model and I'm hppy with it's $25.00 price and performance for that dollar.

 

[RU482]

The last place I worked we had Milwaukee Cordless Drills (I think they were 14.4V, though)

We burned the batteries out like crazy. The drills would get pretty hot, but I don't think we ever had one crap out. We really beat them up, and they were used daily. Oh, and those reversable batteries can REALLY come in handy when you get into tight spots.
Snap-on, on the other hand, makes CRAP cordless drills (OT)
As for DeWalt...I always liked the way they felt/sounded when I used them. Like the Porsche of drills..

 

[Nocturnal]

DeWalt hands down bro. I really love my DeWalt drill.

 

[Ornery]

OK, I'll buy the DeWalt and be prepared for the derision that's sure to come. I LOVE my Milwaukee 1/2in. Magnum, but I have a gut feeling the DeWalt has the better cordless. I guess I can return it if I don't like it. That's good to know when you're spending so much money.

Thanks!

 

[dartworth]

I just picked up a 14V DeWalt 1/2in cordless drill. The best drill I have owned. DeWalt makes some nice stuff. This drill has an unreal amount of torque. I bought it to replace a 14V Porter Cable which I just wore out.

The Milwaukee 1/2in Magnum is a nice drill I have to admit. I have one myself, but I just prefer a cordless.

 

[grillmasterP]

Lets see if Danzig replies- He is the Tool Guy

All I can say is Milwaukee! Listen to your Brother
1)Compare their tool warranty to Dewalts- Milwaukees have a lifetime warranty and even their refurbished stuff has a lifetime warranty-
2) replacement parts on wearable items (brushes etc..) are readily /easily available

I personally own the Milwaukee Cordless 18 volt: Impact wrench, Hammer drill/driver, Circular saw, sawzall and love them
I have used other brands as well Dewalt, Makita, Ryobi, B&D, Craftsman - - I have no complaints about the other brands and basically feel you get what you pay for - but if I am spending my money on tools I want to last - I am sticking with Milwaukee

Youre gonna find die hard Dewalt fans- but how many of them have actually used comparable Milwaukees-
My Uncle uses Dewalt 18V tools at work on a daily basis - His Work paid for them. He & I were repairing the framework of my aunts garage one weekend.
He was very impressed with my tools and said he could feel the difference in the quality/performance of the Milwaukee drill-

 

[deerslayer]

DeWalt

 

[Ornery]

Milwaukees have a lifetime warranty...

Uh, that's a pretty important distinction! Why haven't I heard this before? I just looked over their site, and they never mention this warranty. I do see it mentioned all over the Web, but no details. I'll call one of their service centers this afternoon and see what gives.

In my research I stumbled across mention of "DeWobble" in reference to DeWalt's chuck issue. Needless to say, I'm leaning toward Milwaukee now. Found it at HeavyDutyTools.Net for $227.00!

 

[Scarpozzi]

I prefer Milwaukee over DeWalt because they just make a superior product. However, DeWalt is also very good. They just don't have the same warranty. Milwaukee is contractor-grade with a solid reputation. DeWalt is starting to be recognized more frequently these days so I'm sure you'd be good going either way...

 

[Shockwave]

Milwaukee. Its what I use, and per your links the Wil got 495 in lbs of torque vs 450 from the DeWalt.
Anyways, I'd do the Mil myself. Thats what I got (Except the 14.4) excellent power, reversible battery is the best thing ever. Helps to balance the drill better as well as allow you to get in tighter spaces. And having good balance is important if your holding it up alot.
Also, the reason the chuck stops is due to a chuck break. Its SUPPOSED to stop, a feature I really like. When I let off, I want it to STOP.
So, I'd say get the Milwaukee. Better drill all around IMO, although the DeWalt is no slouch either.

 

[Analog]

Get the 24V Dewalt. Built like a tank - plus you can say you have more power than the Milwaukee.

 

[Thegonagle]

I haven't been impressed with DeWalt tools when I've picked them up and used them. Yes, they work well, but they don't feel like they were built to just last forever and ever. Milwaukee's more expensive, but probably for good reason. They've got quite a good reputation in power tools.

 

[grillmasterP]

Originally posted by: Ornery
Milwaukees have a lifetime warranty...

Uh, that's a pretty important distinction! Why haven't I heard this before? I just looked over their site, and they never mention this warranty. I do see it mentioned all over the Web, but no details. I'll call one of their service centers this afternoon and see what gives.

Heavydutytools is a great site btw.

Yeah- Milwaukee has a much better warranty than Dewalts (1 year?). Just be aware that its only the tool thats covered by the [limited] lifetime warranty- The batteries are only supposed to be 1 year- However, The service centers are pretty lenient if the batteries don't look abused. I am surprised more people aren't aware of the warranties.
- I think Dewalt/Black & Decker have just done a better job marketing their product- they probably have better promos/pricing to commercial/businesses - IMHO many probably assume Dewalt is the tops because they make themselves so visible - (Bright Yellow is very hard NOT to notice when among shops full of oil/dirt covered tools)
- I Really respect a product if the factory extends the lifetime warranty to its refurbished tools
the warranty info IS available on their website

warranty - Go to Select a Topic (Upper righthand corner) click on the drop-down menu - and choose warranty

 

[Krassus]

We have several drills available to our workers, mostly the two you mentioned. The Milwaukee always gets picked up first in beginning of the day, because the battery lasts longer. So people who use drills a lot clearly prefer one over the other. We picked up a new Milwaukee 18V a last week.

 

[BillGates]

Panasonic battery drills own you. Their 14.4v owned an 18v DeWalt in my dad's tool magazine. He's a builder and is a tool pimp.

 

[Mday]

dewalt, and an extended service plan.

 

[Doggiedog]

I've got a DeWalt 18V and had no problems though I've never used a Milwaukee myself.

I'm wondering how those Skil tools are. They seem to heavily promote them at Home Depot.