close

99 Power Tools

Dewalt vs. Black and Decker Cordless Drill: Which One is Best?

Starting from DIY projects to repairing things, the use of cordless drills is endless. No matter how basic your tool kit is, you should always have a cordless drill to add extra convenience and efficiency to your job. Assuming you don’t have any cordless drill in your tool kit till now, you are probably thinking about getting one. But what is the market saying here?

Cordless drills come in different varieties at different price points on the market. So making a buying decision is not easy at all. As a former carpenter, I have reviewed countless cordless drills in my lifetime, and my experience says that most of the time, the buying decision comes down to the price.

So, today I will discuss two of the most popular cordless drills from two different brands, Black and Decker vs. Dewalt. So, why have I decided to pick these two? The main reason is that though both these products are equally popular, they come in totally distinctive price points.

So, without wasting any more time, let’s get into comparison and see what each of these cordless drills brings to the table. This will help you clear out any decision regarding these two products.

Dewalt vs. Black and Decker Cordless Drill: Key Differences

With that huge price difference in mind, it’s pretty obvious there will be some key differences between Dewalt vs. Black and Decker 20v cordless drill. So, let’s look at them in different segments to find out which will be the better choice for you.

Power

As a power tool, the key difference was supposed to be in the power department of these cord drills. The max power varies as the Dewalt has 300 watts while the Black and Decker has a maximum of 1800 watts. But surprisingly, both of these corded drills come with the same 20 volts. Twenty volts is pretty common for cordless drills and is often considered the standard in this particular segment.

One important thing to note here is that neither the volt nor the wattage draws the complete picture of the motor’s performance. However, popular opinion dictates they are a pretty good indicator. So, in terms of power, there is no major difference here as both cordless drills pack more than enough punch for any household repair job.

Ergonomics

After the power segment seems like a draw between two cordless drills, let’s move on to ergonomics. Now, ergonomics is an essential factor to consider as it’s closely related to the comfortability of the particular machine. We want a tool that’s small, lightweight, and still packs enough punch to pull off the job flawlessly. With a heavier drill in hand, it’s way easier to build fatigue.

Though it doesn’t seem like a big deal, this is where the better drill appears to have the lead. Dewalt’s drill is a little lighter and compact than the Black and Decker drill in terms of form factor and weight. Now, Dewalt has been able to pull it off because of the motor, and I’ll come to that later in this comparison. But, for now, Dewalt is the clear winner in the ergonomics department.

Motor

Remember I mentioned that the power rating doesn’t draw the complete picture? That couldn’t be truer as we look at the motor of both these drills. Despite having similar voltage and wattage, Dewalt cordless drill comes with a brushless motor, while the Bland Decker has a brushed motor.

Before we get into the benefits of brushless motors, let’s have a quick look at how both these motors work. While both motors use magnets to spin, the power is delivered by an internal circuit in brushless motors. On the other hand, the brushed motor’s power delivery is done through carbon brushes.

The elimination of carbon brushes in motors provides the following benefits:

  • Smaller form factor
  • Lightweight
  • More power
  • Less power consumption
  • Less friction and heat
  • Longer life span

In the past, brushless motors were only seen in high-end power tools that cost a lot of money. But things are changing slowly as we see more brushless motors in the budget segment.

However, as the Black and Decker falls under the ultra-budget-friendly cordless drill, it was somewhat expected to see a brushed motor here. But the talk of cost aside, Dewalt cordless drill is again the winner here with a more sophisticated brushless motor.

RPM

RPM refers to the drill’s rotation per minute. So, the max RPM means the maximum amount of speed a drill can achieve. In this case, there is a significant difference between the RPM of the drills.

While the Dewalt cordless driver has a staggering RPM of 2250, the Black and Decker have only 750 RPM, one-third of Dewalt’s speed. So, how does higher RPM help? The answer is pretty simple. With more drill bit rotation, it’s easier to push through any object, especially harder ones.

Another drawback of Black and Decker is that it doesn’t have any operation modes to control the RPM and torque, while the Dewalt cordless driver has three. With these operation modes, you can easily calibrate the RPM according to the drilling object. In addition, it’ll save you from wearing out the drill bit. So, in terms of RPM, Dewalt is again the clear winner.

Clutch

Clutch is another important factor of efficient drilling since it controls how far the drill bit will work. You might also recognize it as the torque selector. This clutch disengages the bit when it reaches a certain level of resistance.

Depending on where you want the bit to stop, every drill has several clutch positions that can be adjusted. The number of clutch positions usually varies from model to model. Here, the best practice is to get the drill with a wider range since you’ll have more options.

In this comparison, the Black and Decker cordless drill has 24 clutch positions, which is impressive to see in this price range. On the other hand, Dewalt cordless drill has only 15. Though most of the tasks done with cordless drills don’t require such a wide range of clutch positions, it is easier to tailor the drill job according to the material. So, in this case, Black and Decker is the clear winner.

Battery Backup

Any cordless tool out there is just as good as the battery backup it gets. No matter how great the performance is, the battery backup can be a drill breaker since the drill can stop in dire needs. So, who do you think gets the lead now? It gets confusing since both cordless drills are powered by the same 20V lithium-ion battery.

Now let me clear out the confusion here. Though the battery packs hold the same amount of power, the motor seems to decide. Due to the brushless motor, Dewalt claims to have an impressive 57% more runtime than a brushed motor.

So, in terms of battery backup, Dewalt cordless drive will provide you with more juice.

Warranty

The warranty has been a great general indicator of a product’s quality and longevity, and these cordless drills are no different. The longer the warranty period, the longer you’ll be using the drills without worrying.

In this regard, Dewalt again seems to have a slight lead over Black and Decker. While Dewalt is providing a three-year warranty, Black and Decker isn’t falling much behind with two years of warranty.

Additional Features and Accessories

Though this aspect is not directly related to the performance of these cordless drills, they surely help add more value to the products. However, this last segment seems like a draw as both cordless drills offer separate accessories.

Dewalt’s cordless drill package comes with a carrying bag which makes it easier to carry around. Additionally, both the drill and impact driver have three LED lights embedded in the front of them to work easily in dark corners.

While Black and Decker don’t seem to provide any of these extras, it does come with tons of extra drill bits. With the cordless drill, you’ll get,

  • Brad Point Drill Bits x6
  • 1″ Screw driving Bits x10
  • 2″ Screw driving Bits x9
  • Nut Drivers x4
  • Magnetic Bit Tip Holder x1

So, in this segment, it’s a draw again, and both these cordless drills offer something useful.

After the detailed discussion, let’s have a quick look at the differences again. It’ll help you sum up the decision between the Black and Decker 20v drill vs. Dewalt 20V drill.

Features Dewalt Black and Decker
Power Tie Tie
Ergonomics Winner Runner-up
Motor Winner Runner-up
RPM Winner Runner-up
Clutch Runner-up Winner
Battery Backup Winner Runner-up
Warranty Winner Runner-up
Additional Features
and Accessories
Tie Tie

Black and Decker 20v Drill vs Dewalt: Which Cordless Drill Best for Your Job

Review of Black and Decker 20v Drill vs Dewalt, two of the best cordless drills and features are discussed here in detail, it will be useful to know which one is perfect for you.

1. Dewalt 20V Max Lithium-ion Cordless Combo Kit

Dewalt has been one of the most reliable names in the power tool industry for a long time. This time with a 20V cordless drill combo, Dewalt again proved why it’s so popular.

The combo drill kit comes in a durable plastic carrying case, and you have to love Dewalt for that. Carrying these tools is so much easy and convenient now. Then it’s time to get the tools out of the box. Dewalt’s trademark black and yellow design will take your attention to the drill and impact driver’s beautiful and handy ergonomics design.

If you work for long hours, these cordless tools will allow you to do that without discomfort or fatigue. To make the tools more convenient, three LED lights are equipped at the front of each kit tool. So if you need to work in dark corners, you can do that without any difficulties.

The motor is rated 20V, pretty standard for the cordless drill segment. However, the motor still stands out as it’s brushless. The brushless motor allows the drill to have a smaller size, more power at reduced power consumption, and, most importantly, a longer life span. With an RPM of 2250, it can go through any object you throw at it.

There are 15 clutch positions to calibrate your drill experience, but I would like to have at least 24 for the best customization. Lastly, Dewalt is providing a 3-year warranty for the kit. That ensures you’ll be able to use it for a long time.

Every feature considered, this combo kit is one of the best you can find on the market right now. The price is a bit high, but it’s worth the investment due to the performance and additional features that make the user experience great.

Features

  • Brushless motor for a more robust and efficient operation
  • 20V lithium-ion battery
  • Ergonomic and lightweight design
  • 2250 RPM with 16 clutch position
  • Backed by a 3-year warranty
  • LED lights at the front of each tool

2. BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Cordless Drill

Unie the previous Dewalt model; if you are trying to complete your purchase at a tighter budget, this Black and Decker can be an excellent choice for you.

You’ll notice how beautiful and lightweight the construction is right out of the box. Admittedly, the drill is not the lightest since it has a brushed motor but is lightweight enough to make up for a comfortable user experience.

This drill, too, comes with a 20V motor, the standard one for most of the drills out there. However, the RPM is relatively lower this time, only 750. It’s not a lot, but you should do most DIY jobs and home repairs with it. 

The Black and Decker cordless drill offers 24 clutch positions to adjust the drill despite being budget-friendly. So, no matter how delicate holes you need to make, this cordless drill, always be up for the job.

The drill runs on a 20v battery, a standard number for a cordless drill. The backup might not be as great as Dewalt’s drill as that one had a brushless motor, but good enough to back you up for a long time.

In the accessories department, Black and Decker’s cordless drill offers something that no one in its price segment provides. With the drill, you get a set of 30 different drill bits to do any job you want.

Overall, we have to appreciate that Black and Decker is allowing you to have the convenience of cordless drills below $50. Backed by a 2-years warranty, it’s a deal you don’t want to miss if you are on a budget.

Features

  • 20V brushed motor
  • 20V lithium-ion battery
  • 24 clutch position
  • 30 different drill bits included in the package
  • It comes with two years warranty

Final Verdict

As you can see, Dewalt cordless driver gets the win in almost every segment. So, is Dewalt better than Black and Decker? Unfortunately, there is no direct answer to this question as both cordless drills are targeted towards two very different budget segments and user groups.

Though the Dewalt looks like a better choice, it doesn’t take away anything from what Black and Decker tried to accomplish through this absolute bang for buck cordless drill. Black and Decker’s cordless drill is almost impossible to beat in its respective price segment.

About the Author

Leave a Reply