Dewalt Bashing

[Rob Tolentino]

I'm not sure why I see a lot of negative reviews on Dewalt power tools. I own a fair share of them and have mostly been happy with them. They are more geared towards construction than fine woodworking - I use them for both. Some other observations:

I can't remember the last time I visited a job site and didn't see "yellow" tools being used on a regular basis.
I always see them when watching DIY type shows.
They are readily available in stores and on-line.
I understand some of the gripes of not "made in America", but not too many tools are manufactured here.I guess my questions would be to those who were disappointed when Black & Decker (Dewalt's Parent Company) bought Delta and Porter Cable:

Did the quality of those tool companies really suffer when they were bought?
Or is there no difference at all?
I'm not trying to offend anyone. I just wanted to offer my opinion and get opinions from others. I often rely on forums like this one before I make a tool purchase. I find them a great source of knowledge.

[Ken Garlock]

Rob, somebody has been handing you a pile of horse hockey. I have a 12V De Walt drill that I bought through Amazon outlet store. It works like a charm, and is on its second set of batteries.

I have the DW621 router that does a fine job. It is my router to use when something doesn't lend itself to the router table.

I also have the De Walt job site radio for the shop. It is not Hi-Fi unit, but it does the job reliably.

If someone gives you a ration about De Walt tools, tell them to take a hike.

[Michael Fross]

I too have had no issues what so ever. I have a 12V drill, their 733 planer, their table saw, biscuit jointer, etc.

I also have a lot of PC gear and have no issues with this equipment as well.

Not a single issue in years.

Michael

[Dan Oliphant]

Rob, I wouldn't worry about it that much, there isn't a tool on the market that doesn't have a detractor somewhere along the line. All mass produced tools will have some folks that don't like them for this or that reason. Just seems to be the way it is.
Some folks just like to get their shorts in a bunch over tools.

By the way, I also own Dewalt and Porter Cable products and have been quite happy.

[Brad Townsend]

Are most of those negative reviews on Amazon per chance? If so, don't pay a lot of attention to them. In my opinion, many of the people that write reviews on there concerning power tools wouldn't know a router from a raisin anyway. Often when you get to reading them, you find out that the person writing the review is clueless as to how the tool is to be used and complaining that it doesn't do what they expected it to.

[Anthony Anderson]

I like my DeWalt tools. Two of the three base router sets, one of their DW610 routers, DW733 Planer, and probably a few other things if I think about it. No issues at all. Bill

[Fred Gross]

I have a "yellow" two-speed bench top planer. Never had a problem with it and always get excellent results with it. Like somebody alluded to earlier....you can't make everybody happy.

[Harry Goodwin]

I have all brand name tools including PC Delta, Dewalt, Milwaukee, Hitachi,
Jet, Rigid,old Amt, Bosch, Makita, and enjoy using all of them and have had great customer service. So to each his own, sometimes some stores simply don't want to enter the arena of pricing and don't sell the stuff the big stores carry and have exclusive stuff and great following. If it works and you can get parts we might want to be excited. Harry

[glenn bradley]

I agree that I do a little head scratching when someone stated that they'd gone through 2 DW drills in 6 months(?). I try not to exceed a tool's design. I guess if I wanted to I could kill my 6 year old DW drill that is still going strong and has only (just recently) lost one battery. But I'd have to want to.

[Bill Wyko]

I've killed a couple of their screw guns in the past but they get abused daily. I do think their batteries are over priced too. Now as far as my 12 inch compound sliding miter saw goes, it's untouchable. The only design flaw in it is you can't put a stop on it for cutting 14-1/2 inch blocks to go between studs. It's just short of 14-1/2 so a stop has to be fabricated. All in all I've used their tools extensivly and would have to give them an honest b+ for quality and an A- for features. Just so you all know, I haven't experienced any tool that would be able to top these scores.IMHO

[Bill Wyko]

Something else to keep in mind is that someone upset with a product is 12 times more likley to voice their opinion (write a review) than a person that is happy with a product. All in all, DW is a quality product across the board.

[John Shuk]

I use a Dewalt 18 volt hammer drill at work alot and I like it alot. It's a bit heavy but it works well. I have a dewalt biscuit jointer that is a great tool.

[Tom Maple]

I've had no problems with DeWalt battery powered tools. They get used daily in a harsh environment where they get coated with concrete dust, splashed with water and rained upon. The 18v. circular saw cuts aluminum plate and angle with no problem. The only part to go bad is the batteries after 5 or 6 years.
My first drill and saw combo still runs fine but the case is worn out! They have held up better than my Bosch cordless drill which lost both batteries, the charger and the electronic clutch.
I would add that a fellow who works for me got DeWalt's 24v. hammer drill but ended up getting a Bosch Bulldog SDS because he had to wait for a battery to charge during extended drilling. He was probably expecting too much from it, drilling 40 holes in concrete in 30 minutes. For the cost of two batteries he got the corded Bosch.
I also have there 735 planer but haven't used it enough to form an opinion. I'm looking for a 2 or 2 1/4 hp plunge router and DeWalt is one I'm considering.
In summatiion, I would not be afraid of DeWalt tools.

[William Nimmo]

I have heard negative things about the dewalt job site table saw. I have the 744 and think its a damn good little machine. It is still available at a good tool store, but hd sells the 745. Less money and less of a machine. When mass marketers sell something cheaper than everyone else, they are often not selling the exact same item. In turn hurting the reputation of the manufacturer.

[Michael Lutz]

I own a few Dewalt tools. My Dewalt drill is about 10 years old and used all the time. The first set of batteries died a while back and I only bought one new to replace it. It is still going strong. The 12V trim saw I bought with the drill was a turkey. It didn't have the power to cut through anything. The screwgun, bisquit joiner, and jigsaw all work fine.

Mike

[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. :D
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

[Ryan Myers]

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. :)


Dennis, I had a Milwaukee 18V Hammerdrill/driver and flashlight kit that I bought five years ago. I had five batteries and they just all died after 5 years of service using them very hard on a daily basis. I used this as an excuse to upgrade to the 28V LI system, so far after 5 months I have been very impressed this new technology.

A typical homeowner or DIY person doesn't use their cordless tools enough to cycle the battery, which for NiCad leads to its premature death. LI batteries are supposed to improve this factor, with a fully charged shelf life of 6+ months.

[Bruce Page]

Rob, I have the Dewalt 14v drill/driver and the 7.2v driver. Both are excellent tools IMHO. My last drill/driver was a PC 12v that I bought in the early 90’s. It was/is a good tool (still going) but it never had the higher RPM’s that the Dewalt has.

[Barry Beech]

I have an 18v drill, 12v drill, 735 planer, bisquit cutter, 10" cms, two base router, and I'm sure there are others. Never had a single problem with any.

[thomas prevost]

Is the problem Dewalt or are the complaints similar for all battery operated drills? I have many drills floating around with no batteries. as manufactures have changed design or it is often cheaper to buy a new drill with two batteries than buying two replacement batteries. Independent of the manufacturer, battery life time is always an issue. The real question is how do the batteries stack up against similar batteries from other manufacturers?

My feeling on Dewalt tools is that they and Milwalkee are in a class of their own. They are contractors tools. Craftsman, Rigid, Skill, Makita,etc generally aim at the lower price higher volume DYI market.

[Chris Brault]

The only dewalt tool I have is the DW716-the 12" dual bevel CMS. I owned a ridgid 12" CMS before it and something smoked on it in about 20 days---probably just a fluke? But when I went to return it i picked the dewalt, it was the one i really wanted in the first place and i was talking to a guy that was working in that department that he believed the ridgid was a much better saw. My stepdad is a contractor on the east coast and a HUGE dewalt fan!!!! So that could have been part of my itch for the dewalt.

Bought it and have had excellent luck with it for the last year and a half until 7 days ago!! Something is screwed up pretty good, not sure what, it's in the shop and they haven't got back to me yet??? I told them to not start repairing until they tell me what i'll be looking at. The only thing i'm pretty sure of is it's not the motor, I believe it has something to do with the brake.

All in all i've been extremely happy with it. I miss it in my shop and hope it doesn't cost too much too fix. If for some reason it's shot, I may buy a Hitachi for the next one?

[fRED mCnEILL]

I just posted this on another thread and then saw this thread so I thought I would post it here as well. Sorry if some consider it a double post.

I have(had) a Dewalt 733. After a limited amount of usage a gear broke.It was Saturday and I couldn;t buy a new gear so I welded the old one. I bought a new one as a spare whch was never required. HOWEVER, I understand that the 735 has the SAME gear problem. Hmmm??
I owned a number of Dewalt tools and have had failures on ALL OF THEM including the corless drill and a sawzall.

No more yellow tools for me thank you. I replaced the planer with a 20 inch Grizzly. LOVE IT!!!!

Fred Mc

[Brad Naylor]

90% of my power tools are DeWalt, mainly because I get a great deal on 'factory reworks' from my local dealer.

I'm generally very happy with all of them; a cordless drill has just given up after about 8 years of constant daily use - not bad for about $120.

I thought that DeWalt knocking was a peculiarly European thing. Black and Decker has a reputation here of producing cheap poor quality tools, and the fact that they own DeWalt has influenced opinion, unfairly in my view.

I also suspect a little anti-Americanism here in Europe. People are suspicious of a big nasty American corporation like Black & Decker, as opposed to a small friendly German company such as Bosch, or a cosy little Japanese outfit like Hitachi!:D

Cheers
Brad

[Michael Schwartz]

I think Dewalts quality has gone up, at least with their cordless tools.

I really like Dewalt drills, I own two 12 volt compacts. I fried one of the batteries for the newer one, and the other doesn't hold a charge long. The older of the two drills I bought at a flea market has two batteries (older xrp) that take a decent charge. I did break down and buy a 50 dollar or so 12 volt XRP battery and I can drive a couple of cabinets worth of pocket screws which is prety much what I use it for.

As much as I have always wanted to get the 14.4 or 18 volt Dewalt platform, I recently bought the Milwaukee 28 volt LI combo refurbished for about 20 bucks more than the equivalent Dewalt 18 volt combo kit. I will not buy another NICAD tool unless there is absolutely no alternative. Lithium Ion is the future, and as the batteries are initialy more expensive they are in reality cheaper because they pay in the long run.

I like my 28v Milwaukee tools, the sawzall and 6.5" circular saw perform excelent, the drill is a monster, and the batteries hold out all day long. My only bone to pick is that the drill is a bit heavy, but then again it is more powerfull than alot of corded drills that are out there. :D The saw, I reach for it before I get out my 7-1/4" Hilti.

Anyway, as far as cordless tools Dewalt needs to release Lithium Ion batterie upgrades for their 12, 14.4, 18, and 24 volt lines. I would love to buy some dewalt cordless tools as they do make a great professional product.

[Ken Milhinch]

I have a couple of Dewalt tools and they are ok. The only one that really impresses me is the 18V reciprocating saw. I have used that thing to demolish lots of stuff and even cut two trees down with it. In Australia, I meet more and more tradesmen saying they will not buy Dewalt tools, as they consider them inferior to Hitachi and Makita.
No doubt this is sometimes just personal opinion, but then that's what drives sales. For my money, I wouldn't rush out to buy any more yellow tools.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,

I'm personally heading towards becoming "mellow yellow".
I have a DeWalt ROS and just bought a 734 planer that I haven't unpacked yet. I also have a couple of their blades for my CMS's.

I've been very happy with Dewalt so far and plan on buying more of their tools in the future.

[Dave Sabo]

I don't think small and cozy describe either Bosch or Hitachi.

Those are 2 of the worlds largest multinational conglomerates. They are into everything from hand tools to electronics, automotive parts, heavy machinery, control systems , printing machines, large domestic and commercial appliances, steel, power systems, just to name a few. Hitachi's division list is as long as your arm alone.

I'm not sticking up for B&D or advocating Bosch or Hitachi only posting the facts.

[Matt Meiser]

I think Brad was being sarchastic...

[Dave Morris]

Don't companies (insert brand name of choice) make different levels of each tool type? The last new power tool I bought was a Milwaukee Sawzall a couple months ago. Several different models to chose from, and the ones at the local Borg were NOT the same as the models at the local hardware store. I bought the best model the local hardware store had, choosing to support the local little guy in favor of a giant orange box. I'm just wondering if most of the bad reviews that people hear about from their brother's friend's cousin's buddy who read it on the internet (so it had to be true!) stem from the lower model lines of major brand names.

That said, I've had my Dewalt 708 12" SCMS for a few years now, cutting everything from 1/2" quarter-round molding, to timbers that needed rotating to complete the cut, to hardboard/ply/MDF, to aluminum bar stock. Even had the blade bind and stop a couple times due to *stupid* in-a-hurry cuts on my part from not securing odd-shaped pieces of wood. (DOH!) It still cuts dead-on, even when checked with a machinist's square. Tough, durable, and accurate... no complaint's here.

[Bob Yarbrough]

I own a 10" sliding compound miter saw, 3 base router, and the benchtop saw and have no problem with aany of them. Nice tools.

Bob

[Allen Bookout]

In post #22 of this thread I ask Rob where he is seeing the negative reports regarding DeWalt tools and have not seen a response. I personally have not seen these reports. Nearly all of the reports that I see regarding owners of DeWalt tools seem to be very positive just as they seem to be in this thread. Even when there is a problem, such as with the 735 planner, DeWalt comes up with a fix and the owners seem to understand.

So I ask again; Where are these reports bashing DeWalt tools?

[Dan Lautner]

If you go category by category you will find Dewalt near or at the bottom of the list. Almost without fail they are behind Bosch hitachi and makita in both quality and design. As a rule of thumb I buy no dewalt anything. There cordless tools have always been chunky poorly designed junk. For construction tools I would stick with makita Hilti and Bosch. Rigid is also cheap china junk but a notch above dewalt.

Dan

[daniel lane]

In post #22 of this thread I ask Rob where he is seeing the negative reports regarding DeWalt tools and have not seen a response. I personally have not seen these reports.

Allen,

I haven't seen them, myself, but I own several Dewalt tools (I have a multi-colored shop) and have never been disappointed. I admit that most of my experience has been cordless, but I've never once regretted my purchases.

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit, I bought the Dewalt cordless circular saw in order to do roof repairs (nothing major, but I needed a saw, and I liked the idea of using a cordless for roof sheathing cutouts) and thought it was the best purchase I'd made in years. Light, capable, and certainly of far more than adequate quality. My only regret over the years has been that the cordless circular saw sometimes wears through a battery quickly (I have 4, batteries that is) when cutting through material like cement backerboard. Pine, plywood, and other 1/2" or thinner materials have all been as easy as styrofoam. The backerboard caused some problems, but then I was cutting a fair bit of it for a bathroom remodel.



daniel

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I've had several small issues with the framing nailer and sawzall, but I am particularly hard on them at work. I've had no issues what so ever with the 18v XRP drill/driver, the ROS, the planer, the biscuit joiner or the two 6.5 amp corded drills. My experience is that they last much longer in the field than any other pro tools.

The sawzall's blade changer lever has the most problems, but right behind are the seals on the gun. Last month I completely rebuilt the gun with new seals myself and it was very easy to do. Cost me $25 versus the $60 they charge for the service.

Now I have to tell everyone that I have taken in batteries to our local service center that were at least two months past their replacement dates that they have replaced without question. I find that DW's service is second to none, handily beating out both Milwaukee [now the same company as Ryobi and Ridgid...:eek: ] and Makita's service centers.

I won't be switching to any other tool anytime soon. Yes they have thier issues from time to time, but less so than any other manufacturer that I have ever had in my tool collection. I found Milwaukee to be more troublesome than expected, even before the TTI/OTT buyout.

[Tom Horton]

If you go category by category you will find Dewalt near or at the bottom of the list. Almost without fail they are behind Bosch hitachi and makita in both quality and design. As a rule of thumb I buy no dewalt anything. There cordless tools have always been chunky poorly designed junk. For construction tools I would stick with makita Hilti and Bosch. Rigid is also cheap china junk but a notch above dewalt.

Dan


Dan, no offense, man, but you gotta be kidding! This Old House magazine rates DW consistently near the top, and that is usually up against the best in the market!! I too have a multi-colored shop, and when I'm out on a jobsite, I won't take any of the other tools, because they get gummed up, or won't take the punishment that others who don't OWN the tools will give them. I used to be a huge fan of Makita, and Hitachi, but when it comes to service, DW is second to none! There are 3 service locations in my area alone! Rigid makes decent harry homeowner tools, and those for the weekend shop kings, but for us in the business, I'm a big fan of DW, Milwaukee, PC, Bosch, Paslode. They are built to last, and take a beating. They may be made elsewhere, but the specs they are built to are made in the USA!:D

Tom

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Not true Dan...no one lists DW anywhere near the bottom of any list. Makita and Bosch aren't bad, but neither are any better than DW for longevity in the field....proof? Visit any constrcution site and compare colors, you'll see a lot more yellow than blue shades.

[Brad Townsend]

My Dewalt experience:

Recip saw - Had it for 14 years and beat the living h&ll out of it. Still works like new.

Corded drill - Likewise.

735 planer - Beautifully designed. If only the blades would last longer it would be perfect. I resharpen them, so not a big issue.

618 router kit - One of my favorite tools. Accurate, powerful, well-balanced, smooth plunge action, and feels great to hold.

706 CMS - The reason I don't have a decent miter gauge. I use this "rough carpentry tool" (with a fine tooth blade) to cut nearly all my fine miters. Was dead on when it came out of the box and has never been adjusted.

Also had a 12v cordless drill for over ten years. I wanted to replace it and the darn thing wouldn't die. Finally gave it to my son who still uses it.

I own lots of colors and DW wouldn't be my first choice for every tool, but they're not at the bottom of any list I've ever seen.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Almost forgot the 12" CMS....works perfectly so far. That said I am starting to miss the slider and may have to get another one.

[Art Mann]

If you go category by category you will find Dewalt near or at the bottom of the list. Almost without fail they are behind Bosch hitachi and makita in both quality and design. As a rule of thumb I buy no dewalt anything. There cordless tools have always been chunky poorly designed junk. For construction tools I would stick with makita Hilti and Bosch. Rigid is also cheap china junk but a notch above dewalt.

Dan

May I have your sources for this information please? Such sweeping comments as these unaccompanied by proper credits aren't worth much, at least to me. It would seem to me that, after reading this entire thread, most people would not agree with your anonymous reviewers anyway.

[Dan Lautner]

"Not true Dan...no one lists DW anywhere near the bottom of any list. Makita and Bosch aren't bad, but neither are any better than DW for longevity in the field....proof? Visit any constrcution site and compare colors, you'll see a lot more yellow than blue shades."


You have got to be kidding me. Look at the line of cordless stuff dewalt offers. I don't need a bunch of contractors to tell me they are poorly designed and not up to par with the german/jap cordless. Look at the nailers or the hammerdrills. The reason you often see them on jobs is because they are cheaper and have USA badging. You will also see a lot of American trucks on jobs because many contractors will not drive a superior Toyota. Next time you are at Home depot go compare some dewalt tools with hilti and notice difference in quality/engineering and yes price.

Dan

[Gary Keedwell]

If you go category by category you will find Dewalt near or at the bottom of the list. Almost without fail they are behind Bosch hitachi and makita in both quality and design. As a rule of thumb I buy no dewalt anything. There cordless tools have always been chunky poorly designed junk. For construction tools I would stick with makita Hilti and Bosch. Rigid is also cheap china junk but a notch above dewalt.

Dan
I too, am interested in this LIST. Could you please post where we can find this list?
There are good and not quite good tools from De Walt but generally I find alot of their tools to be more then adequate. (SCMS, routers, drills etc.)
Gary K.

[Nancy Laird]

I, too, would like to see Dan's list. I've read through this entire thread twice and see posts by a lot of people who are pleased with their DeWalt tools. I sense an undercurrent here that Dan has recently had an unpleasant experience with one or two of his DeWalt tools and has decided that all of them are lousy, despite his lack of personal experience with all of them. Am I right, Dan?? If so, that's a lousy reason to damn all of them. That's a blanket indictment of the brand, which isn't fair or accurate or even reasonable. That's sort of like indicting an entire group of people (choose your group) for the personally witnessed actions of one or two persons.

Nancy

[Dan Lautner]

"I too, am interested in this LIST. Could you please post where we can find this list?
There are good and not quite good tools from De Walt but generally I find alot of their tools to be more then adequate. (SCMS, routers, drills etc.)"



If you like your Dewalt SCMS, routers and drills that is great. My opinion from my experience with SCMS is that there are far superior scms on the market. I also know that Dewalt Badges some decent routers which they do not make themselves. Dewalt is notorious for cheap junk batteries that fail often. I would not buy any Dewalt made drill period. Drills have a lot of moving parts and have a tendency to break. As far as a list goes, you are on your own. Each person makes their own list based on price, need and longevity. I value my time highly. A good warranty does not help me when a tool breaks and costs me time. If you are a hobbyist on the cheap I recommend Rigid tools over Dewalt. Like Dewalt, they tend not to last but will perform well while they do. Rigid also has a great warranty if down time is not an issue.

Dan

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Rob, I wouldn't worry about it that much, there isn't a tool on the market that doesn't have a detractor somewhere along the line.

Ditto.

Look at the squabling one often sees between Felder and MiniMax owners.

[Gary Keedwell]

I, too, would like to see Dan's list. I've read through this entire thread twice and see posts by a lot of people who are pleased with their DeWalt tools. I sense an undercurrent here that Dan has recently had an unpleasant experience with one or two of his DeWalt tools and has decided that all of them are lousy, despite his personal experience with them. Am I right, Dan?? If so, that's a lousy reason to damn all of them. That's a blanket indictment of the brand, which isn't fair or accurate or even reasonable. That's sort of like indicting an entire group of people (choose your group) for the personally witnessed actions of one or two persons.

Nancy
I have to agree with Nancy on this one. Seems to to be a tone more of anger then reason.:o

Gary k.

[Dan Lautner]

"I sense an undercurrent here that Dan has recently had an unpleasant experience with one or two of his DeWalt tools and has decided that all of them are lousy, despite his lack of personal experience with all of them. "

"Am I right, Dan??"


You are wrong Nancy. I don't buy Dewalt tools for the same reason I don't buy GM automobiles. I don't make decisions based on magazines or other peoples opinions. I make decisions objectively based on my needs and perceived value. My perception of tools is based on past performance , specification, and design/engineering. Yes I think in general Dewalt makes poorly designed and poorly built tools. I still look at their offerings when I need a tool but never see a need to buy them. I never by American unless it is the best choice for a given purchase such as an Apple computer or a piece of Knoll furniture.

Dan

[Jason White]

I have many DeWalt tools and like them very much (a couple of 12-volt drills, ROS, corded drill, etc.). Having said that -- I'm now addicted to Festool and when the sander and drills go belly up, I'm replacing them with Festool equivalents (maybe even earlier).

TP


I'm not sure why I see a lot of negative reviews on Dewalt power tools. I own a fair share of them and have mostly been happy with them. They are more geared towards construction than fine woodworking - I use them for both. Some other observations:

I can't remember the last time I visited a job site and didn't see "yellow" tools being used on a regular basis.
I always see them when watching DIY type shows.
They are readily available in stores and on-line.
I understand some of the gripes of not "made in America", but not too many tools are manufactured here.I guess my questions would be to those who were disappointed when Black & Decker (Dewalt's Parent Company) bought Delta and Porter Cable:

Did the quality of those tool companies really suffer when they were bought?
Or is there no difference at all?I'm not trying to offend anyone. I just wanted to offer my opinion and get opinions from others. I often rely on forums like this one before I make a tool purchase. I find them a great source of knowledge.

[Dan Lautner]

"I sense an undercurrent here that Dan has recently had an unpleasant experience with one or two of his DeWalt tools and has decided that all of them are lousy, despite his lack of personal experience with all of them. "

"Am I right, Dan??"


You are wrong Nancy. I don't buy Dewalt tools for the same reason I don't buy GM automobiles. I don't make decisions based on magazines or other peoples opinions. I make decisions objectively based on my needs and perceived value. My perception of tools is based on past performance , specification, and design/engineering. Yes I think in general Dewalt makes poorly designed and poorly built tools. I still look at their offerings when I need a tool but never see a need to buy them. I never by American unless it is the best choice for a given purchase such as an Apple computer or a piece of Knoll furniture.

Dan

[Jim Becker]

Things are getting a little too testy here and it's time to give it a rest. This thread is closed to further posting for the moment...

I also remind posters that derogatory flaming of people, places, countries, etc. is unacceptable at SMC.

Jim
SMC Moderator