I am slowly switching from my Ryobi tools to DeWalt. 20v has been great. Ryobi (while lots of people make fun of them) have served me well. It's just time to upgrade now that my projects are beyond basic home needs. I'll be giving all my ryobi tools away for Mexican Cokes soon.

 

I'm with you, I am heavily invested in Dewalt(Mostly 20V, I have 2 12V tools for smaller jobs) too but Milwaukee does make some interesting stuff but it seems like it is at a premium. I look at it as a good thing as it keeps me from buying stuff I probably don't really need I am quite happy with my Dewalt stuff and don't regret buying any of it at all. I have a bunch of their corded tools too :thumbup:

I also have an EGO 650CFM blower but have no plans to purchase anything else from them.

 

^ Speaking for Corded, I still have a corded DeWalt drill that is at least 35 years old. Still fires up!

 

I am also heavily invested in DeWalt tools, both cordless and corded. My first circular saw was a SkilSaw, but it was kind of cheap, so when I bought my first house, I bought a DeWalt circular saw.

The difference in quality, power, torque, cut quality, fit and finish, and how it ran so smoothly sold me. I became a DeWalt tool guy and have never looked back. Corded models are my favorites, really.

I do own one Makita screw gun for drywall and decks, but 99% of my power tools are DeWalt.

I agree that Milwaukee has some very tempting stuff, but I do not want to start all over now....

I use the 18 volt to 20 volt adapters, because I bought a lot of 18V tools. DeWalts just don't break.

If you wait for the inevitable sale prices on DeWalts, you can get some very good deals on them.

 

I used to buy DeWalt tools for my Dad (before he passed away, RIP Pops) every Christmas.

He always bought Sears Craftsman stuff, and it would usually work pretty well, and then fritz....

One day he pulled me aside, and told me not to buy him any more tools. I was puzzled; asked why?

He told me if he didn't have the tools, my Mom couldn't make him do any handyman projects. :lol:

Now that both parents are gone, I have all those DeWalt tools I bought him in my garage.

It makes me feel proud and reconnected to him when I use them. I'm glad I gave them to him....

It is just cool to use a tool that was once in his hands. I have a .22 Mossberg from his Dad. :thumbup:

My Mom's Dad left me his hand bone saw he used to use to butcher meat for her whole family.

All those tools, and GrandPa's squirrel and rabbit gun are among my most prized possessions. :nod:

And those DeWalts my Dad had still run very well, but they look like they went through Hell.... :bd:

 

I have all Rigid but seriously contemplating switching to Milwaukee. Their stuff is stellar. I like DeWalt as well, but from what I have seen lately, Milwaukee bests them.

 

The only issue I have with Milwaukee or Ryobi is the parent company is Chinese; not American now....

They do employ Americans in the USA, but some money goes to support a Communist run country.

Stihl is German, but a NATO ally. Japan and Kawasaki. I am trying to avoid Communist countries....

I know we are supposed to avoid political discussions, but I do think people need to consider that....

 

The only issue I have with Milwaukee or Ryobi is the parent company is Chinese; not American now....

They do employ Americans in the USA, but some money goes to support a Communist run country.

Stihl is German, but a NATO ally. Japan and Kawasaki. I am trying to avoid Communist countries....

I know we are supposed to avoid political discussions, but I do think people need to consider that....

Interesting fact. I work in very expensive homes in Vancouver BC. A couple years ago we worked on a home ($25 million construction cost not including the Oceanfront property) for the person that owns the company that manufactures approx. 65% of all the power tools manufactured in the world.
Milwaukee, Dewalt. And I can't remember the others. He is of German descent and his wife is from Saskatchewan, Canada.. Sad part of this story is that a painter took a risk he shouldn't have and fell off a ladder. He succumbed to his injuries 2 months later. RIP. Maybe he doesn't own the company any longer. I don't know for certain.

 

Dewalt has a plant in China. Everybody has a plant in China.

 

Dewalt has a plant in China. Everybody has a plant in China.

That's why prices are what they are.

 

I have a few of everything Bought my rigid drill set because it was on sale and I had called to make sure they had some, they said yes. I drove there, they didn't. They took another 50 bucks off. Got the drill and impact with a couple batteries and charger for 150 bucks about 10 years ago.

I inherited some dewalt stuff from my dad, mostly because I replace his stuff at Christmas and birthdays. that's his living so, they get used a lot. But I do have a few of my won, drills and compound miter saw. My favorite miter was a Makita, but I think that was about 700-800 dollars when I bought my dewalt. I don't make a living with them, so in order to stay married I passed on it. Trimmed a lot of houses with one of those, very accurate and smooth.

I do love Makita's skill saws though, just replaced one that I used to use when I was in high school in the 90's working for my dad over summers and that's because I dropped it again and it bent the fence. I figured I'd just buy a new one. another Makita. Man it cuts nicely.

only MKE stuff i've had were corded hammer drills and sawzalls. I like their new stuff, but i don't need a 4th set of batteries around.

But really, Dewalt, MKE, and Makita make great stuff. I don't think you can really go wrong. Other stuff has worked for me too, but usually not for long. I probably use my stuff more than the average homeowner so spending extra for the feel, balance, power, torque and quality of build is worth it for me.

 

I own both Dewalt and Milwaukee. I prefer DeWalt for corded and Milwaukee for cordless, although I do own an older DeWalt XRP cordless drill. I just overhauled my cordless tool collection this spring and went with Milwaukee 12V Fuel Brushless. I read way too many reviews and watched way too many tool comparison videos. In the end, I liked the smaller and lighter 12V option, and I went the fuel route to make sure I have the power. I've put quite a few hours on them already, and couldn't be happier. My impact driver is by far my favorite. It's an absolute beast.

With holiday season coming up, they'll surely do their typical Milwaukee buy 2, get one free deal. This was about the best pricing I've found so far.

 

I have tried them all. I used to really like DeWalt, but quality has declined in recent years. I tried Ryobi and found them to be similar. Right now, I am currently using Milwaukee for cordless. Their new M18 Fuel drivers are quieter, more compact, have great torque, and don't rattle around. I bought them a few years back when they first came out. Like Brian says above, they usually do a holiday season deal of some sort.

If I need serious power, though, for example for drilling a 24 inch concrete foundation, I am going with a corded drill. For that, I use a corded SDS drill. I also have a 20 year old Craftsman corded drill that still works great and has enough power it feels like it will break your wrist if it jams suddenly.

 

I know we are supposed to avoid political discussions, but I do think people need to consider that....

For what it's worth, I didn't consider that a political statement. Being mindful of where your money goes after a purchase is part of being an informed consumer.

Your reasons may be different than my reasons, and maybe those reasons are political, but simply considering where your money goes is a completely worthwhile part of a purchasing decision IMO. I often spend more to buy American (I have a soft spot for Allen Edmonds shoes), but I also recognize that the world is interconnected and that it is probably to my benefit most of the time.

More on-topic, I spend a lot of time on construction sites and DeWalt seems to be the runaway favorite for the carpenters I work with. There's also a fair amount of Ryobi, some of them think its cheaper just to buy them and replace on a more frequent cycle. Milwaukee is more represented in larger corded tools, generators, stuff like that.

 

Milwaukee cordless everything. Mostly because of my job was switching from Milwaukee to dewalt , so I was able to take some home and that was the start of my Milwaukee ecosystem. One thing Ive done since I have 4 different M18 batteries and chargers, is just buy bare tools now.

As for you questions I use both brands daily from being at work to being home. I don't notice a difference besides weight and color.

 

I think it's kind of like iPhone and Android - most people probably prefer what they started out with, but they each seem to have some offerings that are better than the other brand - the DeWalt 20V inflator comes to mind. There are some things I really like about Milwaukee, but not enough to completely switch at this point.

Has anyone ever used the adapters that let you put a DeWalt 20V battery on a Milwaukee M18 tool, or vice versa? They add a little bulk, but might be a good option for someone that wants a niche tool offering, but doesn't want to buy into another battery system. Here is one that goes the other way.

I love my DeWalt 12V stuff. It is nice an compact and has adequate power for quick jobs around the house. I think Milwaukee has more tool offerings in their M12 line, but I prefer the grips on the DeWalt - to me they are more ergonomic because they do not house the 12V battery inside the grip. There are also some DeWalt chargers that work with both the 12V and 20V batteries.

 

I started off using DeWalt and slowly switched to Milwaukee... idk why but I did. Maybe the color scheme helped with that decision.

 

I started off using DeWalt and slowly switched to Milwaukee... idk why but I did. Maybe the color scheme helped with that decision.

I do prefer the red. :thumbup:

 

Milwaukee all the way here. Also all we use in line work!

 

I think it's kind of like iPhone and Android - most people probably prefer what they started out with, but they each seem to have some offerings that are better than the other brand - the DeWalt 20V inflator comes to mind. There are some things I really like about Milwaukee, but not enough to completely switch at this point.

Has anyone ever used the adapters that let you put a DeWalt 20V battery on a Milwaukee M18 tool, or vice versa? They add a little bulk, but might be a good option for someone that wants a niche tool offering, but doesn't want to buy into another battery system. Here is one that goes the other way.

I love my DeWalt 12V stuff. It is nice an compact and has adequate power for quick jobs around the house. I think Milwaukee has more tool offerings in their M12 line, but I prefer the grips on the DeWalt - to me they are more ergonomic because they do not house the 12V battery inside the grip. There are also some DeWalt chargers that work with both the 12V and 20V batteries.

Ware I have one of the adapters to use my DeWalt 20V batteries on my Ryobi brad nailer. I wanted the DeWalt brad nailer, but I got the Ryobi basically brand new from DirectToolsOutlet for $200 cheaper than the DeWalt & it has been an amazing nail gun. I also use the Ryobi hot glue gun, has been super handy when doing woodwork & for only $20.

My DeWalt collection grew when COVID hit, I have the 12V impact, 12V hammer drill, 20V Atomic multi-tool, 20V recip saw, 20V fan, & the 20V shop vac. This led me to purchase the DeWalt mower, blower, & string trimmer. All of the tools work great, but my neighbor got the M18 string-trimmer with the edger attachment & that is one negative about the DeWalt OPE stuff. I live really close to Lowe's, so I'll probably add the Ego edger next season. But, If I lived closer to a Home Depot I'm sure I'd have some red or even Makita blue in the garage.

 

My dad bought into Ridgid (yes, there is a d before the g in their name)when he built his house because of the lifetime warranty. I followed suit a couple years later when I bought my first house and needed to get some projects done. I've been happy with them, but part of me wishes I would have gone with Milwaukee just for the color scheme.

 

In the past, I purchased a lot of Dewalt corded power tools and 18v tools. However, the 18v batteries were so bad about keeping a charge that I decided to switch cordless platforms.

I ended up going with Lowes private labeled Kobalt 24v by Chervon (Chinese makers of EGO which might explain why they no longer selling EGO at Home Depot). So far, the batteries have been much better and the tools work just fine for my limited use. Replacement batteries are super cheap and I love the color Blue!

During the April pandemic shutdown, I left my Kobalt drill at work and didn't want to make the drive. So, I went back to Lowes to buy a Dewalt 12v drill but they had completely sold out of about every drill they had. (Supposedly, people who had never owned a drill decided to do home projects that month.) :roll: So, I bought the last drill Harbor Freight had available which was a Bauer 20v Drill/Driver that has worked flawlessly so far.

About three weeks ago, I ordered (2) 18v replacement batteries for my Dewalt jigsaw. :lol:

 

I need to organize this stuff better. The bigger saws are in another cabinet plus the yard tools are in the garden shed.

 

I need to organize this stuff better. The bigger saws are in another cabinet plus the yard tools are in the garden shed.

I was about to ask for charging station pics.

 

Many years ago I got tired of throwing away drills because the batteries would no longer hold a charge and new ones were the same prices as the tool + batteries. I bought Ridgid with the lifetime service agreement. I just ordered another set of replacement batteries this week for both my drills. This is the 5th set for one drill and third for the other. You have to be careful reading all the "gotchas" for registering a tool but after that you're done.