Dewalt 20 V or Milwaukee 18 V

[BrokenBackJack]

All of my 18 volt dewalt batteries are about had it, so in the near future I am going to have to replace the tools with a new set.
Wondering which is better, IF there is any difference. Which batteries seem to last longer.
I know to get brushless if possible.
No commercial use, just my own tinkering.
Thoughts?

 

[lunkerslayer]

I'm partial to dewalt since dewalt was the go to for contractors when cordless tools came out.

 

[SupressYourself]

There's an adapter you can get to run your old 18v Dewalt tools with new 20v batteries. That's what I did.

 

[wslayer]

^^^^ this ^^^^

 

[guywhofishes]

There's an adapter you can get to run your old 18v Dewalt tools with new 20v batteries. That's what I did.

I have a relative who went the adapter route - They sure know what they want for those stupid adapters. Good grief.

I'm a Milwaukee guy. I'd hate to switch over half way through a collection. $$$$$$

 

[Wall-eyes]

New 20 volt Lithium Ion is what I had to go too also. Small light weight not too expensive. We run Milwaukee with ice tools they are great too. The Dewalt adapter couple friends had too bulky for me and tools were starting to show wear out stage so time for new correct, like Tim tool man Taylor says oh,oh,oh,oh

 

[guywhofishes]

Both brands are excellent. The nice thing is that you can't screw this up.

I'd go with whatever brand has the most sales and availability locally. In a big city that's no big deal of course.

 

[guywhofishes]

Stick with your Dewalt, buy a couple/three adapters, and some spiffy new tools in a big tool group purchase.

Use the "old beaters" to act as second drills, second drivers, etc.

It's such a luxury to have the old beaters loaded up with the odd tool while you're using the lightweight new ones for the majority of the project work. But being able to grab the heavy old timers that have an odd occasionally-needed tool on them - so you don't have to swap bits/tools so often - or better yet never.

 

[tikkalover]

Ya, be like a farmer that has a tractor for every piece of equipment, so you never have to worry about unhooking and hooking back up.

 

[Weekender]

I'd recommend waiting for black friday deals at this point, save yourself a bunch of cash

 

[guywhofishes]

buy an oscillating multi-tool

an absolute lifesaver and all around miracle tool over and over and over again

 

[Lycanthrope]

Milwaukee

 

[luvcatchingbass]

I inherited some Dewalt 20v when I started my current job in 2013 so I have kind of just stuck with Dewalt and they are fine, I know people with Milwaukee and they are just as happy as I have been. I do have some Milwaukee M12 tools though that I got as a kit for a darn good price during the holiday season, I wanted the electric ratchet and I could either by the bare tool for like $199-$299 or I could buy a 5 tool kit with 2 batteries and charger for the same price. Have no complaints on any of the tools in the kit but need to get a couple bigger capacity batteries. Just depends what you plan on doing and now Dewalt makes a ratchet too, its not as compact but it uses the same batteries as what I have now.
If you already have a bunch of Dewalt that are in good condition maybe look at the adapters like mentioned above and just keep going. If you are going to start from scratch then look at the whole product offerings for what you need/want and go from there. Between the two brands I don't think you can go wrong

 

[lunkerslayer]

The 20v battery really brings the untapped power out of those old dewalt power tools, when considering that most nicad batteries only put out 2 ah. That's peak amps. I did the adapter thing until I decided to give my older dewalt, which still worked fine just wanted to update without the adapter gave them to my brother.

 

[johnr]

Milwaukee has been my new go to, gave my dewalt stuff to the boy.

Very happy with them, also just tinkering, as I am not in the trades

 

[guywhofishes]

don't poo poo those smaller batteries that sometimes come with the big combo sets

I usually find myself reaching for the 2-3 amp, even on big all day projects - they recharge over lunch or swap-outs

Those extra ounces really add up during an all-day project and you're a weany DIY guy once every few months and not used to slinging tools all day

 

[Allen]

I've run Dewalt for years, current set is running out of functional batteries, I could be wrong, or just special, but I've had a few Dewalt battery/charger malfunctions that have cost me both the battery and the charger. That being said, and if other brands do that as well, the Dewalt tools have been everything I've wanted when I bought them.

Outside of the battery/charger durability thing.

I have a buddy who is a diesel mechanic. He uses Milwaukee and has nothing but good things to say about them.

 

[guywhofishes]

^^ Same experience for my relatives - great tools - but batteries/chargers not so reliable.