Dewalt’s 12V Max Xtreme cordless screwdriver is my favorite tool of its kind – I love its compact size and the ergonomics of its handle grip.
I’ve found that everything about this cordless screwdriver is perfectly dialed-in.
It has a single speed range (0-1100 RPM) and is wonderfully compact. In my experience, nothing else comes close.
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Power-wise, it delivers up to 200 UWO. I can’t find a torque rating, but it’s suited for smaller screws and fasteners. I’ve always used this driver for “clean work” – things like drawer slide or cabinet screws.
The adjustable torque clutch comes in handy and is the whole point of using a cordless screwdriver over an impact driver. The compact form factor and quick change 1/4″ hex change is the reason to use this over a cordless drill.
The entire Dewalt 12V Max Xtreme power tool line has great ergonomics, but the screwdriver is really the only one I feel is without equal.
Dewalt DCF601F2 Specs
- Brushless motor
- 1/4″ hex quick change chuck
- 1100 RPM max speed (no-load)
- 200 UWO
- 15 setting adjustable torque clutch
- Weighs ~2 lbs with battery
- 4.8″ length
- 3 LED lights
- Kitted with 2x 2Ah batteries, charger, tool bag
I first compared Dewalt’s 12V Max cordless screwdriver to the Milwaukee M12 Fuel installation drill/driver nearly 5 years ago.
See: Best Cordless Screwdriver: Dewalt vs. Milwaukee?
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Since then, I have found the Milwaukee M12 Fuel multi-head drill/driver to be more versatile and convenient, but the Dewalt 12V Xtreme cordless screwdriver emerged as my clear favorite. The Dewalt is simpler and shorter than the M12 Fuel with its quick-change chuck (which is not shown in the above image).
The screwdriver has always been my favorite from Dewalt’s 12V Max Xtreme lineup. I was going to include it in my next donation box, but luckily I have a bunch of upcoming projects that will involve a high number of small machine screws.
I found myself debating about whether it was a good idea to keep just one tool from a battery platform, but then I remembered that you can recharge Dewalt 12V Max batteries on most of their 20V Max chargers.
Mopar
I have the Dewalt 12v multihead installation tool, and absolutely love it. But I keep eyeballing this one since I often find myself swapping heads back and forth on a project. Plus it’s a little smaller, has a better light, and the kit gives you 2 batteries for $20 more than the bare tool.
Stuart
I prefer the screwdriver over the DCD703 multi-head. In addition to being slightly but measurably more compact, the DCF601 screwdriver has a single speed range (0-1100 RPM) vs the 703’s two ranges (0-425 and 0-1500 RPM). It’s dialed in for smaller fasteners where it’s not so fast that you lose control, and not too slow that you’re wasting time waiting for screws to drive down.
There’s a power difference, but you’re not sinking lags or boring large holes.
The current price of $129 is more than it should be, in my opinion – the non-multi drill kit is currently $99 at Lowe’s – but it sometimes gets discounted with coupon offers.
Lance
Prior to going M12, my favorite was the Bosch PS20; super compact and excellent BRUSHED motor with instant feedback and trigger control.
On M12 my favorite is now the simple 2401; again, BRUSHED motor for PERFECT control.
I also have the M12 Fuel Installation Driver, and though it’s super versatile and does things other tools simply can’t, brushed motors have a complete disconnect from the finger of the operator… the lag in response is unacceptable for truly delicate work like tightening small screws into wood.
A screwdriver tool doesn’t need much torque to be effective. I’ll take control over torque any day. Larger screws? Use an impact or drill.
Relying on a chuck as a torque limiting device to avoid stripping screws is just begging for trouble! I don’t bother with chucks anymore, been bitten too many times, and unless you’re doing a whole bunch of the same screws the time wasted fiddling with getting the right setting is more than just using a tool with good control to start with.
Stuart
The whole point of a clutch is repeatability. Let’s say you have 40 screws to drive into the same material. Set the clutch and drive. Adjust until it’s where you want it, then set and forget as you drive your fasteners.
For wood I set the clutch to drive fasteners flush. For machine screws or similar, I set so that I only have to do final tightening by hand, as I prefer to go by feel. Or I grab a torque wrench if it’s called for.
You can use a clutch to prevent stripped screws, but that’s not its primary purpose.
Lance
I can see success by application being true for clutch use, however, I still maintain that brushed motor control with a good old slide potentiometer in the trigger is way more user friendly and gives much finer control.
Anyone can remind themselves how good a brushed motor is for the low price of an M12 2401. Super cheap, amazing screwdriver, ultimate control. Or pick up a Bosch PS20 at a yard sale… darn near perfect little tool.
Will
The clutch is so sensitive that you can adjust for sheet metal screws going into thin material, like an appliance or screws going into plastic and just zip them in without worry of stripping anything.
Sure you can feather the trigger and watch carefully, but that requires a lot of skill to get repeatable results. On this driver, you set the clutch and it’s precise every screw, even in a blind area or over your head where you don’t have the best view or access.
Stuart
You can use the clutch to drive a fastener 90%, and then feather it to 100% if you’d like. The clutch gives you that option.
Drills are longer, and impacts aren’t ideal for smaller fasteners. Some brands – notably Milwaukee – have been tweaking their impact driver speed ramping to make them friendlier to smaller fasteners, but I still don’t see them as ideal for finish work. They can do it, but a screwdriver with clutch is easier.
I’d rather have a torque clutch and not need one.
fred
I can see its appeal.
I have no Dewalt cordless tools on any of their battery platforms – so adding another platform would be hard for me to justify. But the ergonomics look appealing. I have used a Milwaukee M12 screwdriver (2401-20) since 2008 – and it is my go-to tool. I also have a Bosch GSR12V – Flex-Clik – drill/driver that was a favorite of our cabinet installers – but like the Milwaukee better in my hands. I tried the Milwaukee 2505 when it was first released – but my fat hands did not comport with the grip – so I gave it away. My wife – seldom grabs a power tool – but she likes the Bosch 12V and Makita 12V tools better than any of my M12 tools – saying that the M12 grips feel clunky compared to Bosch (even though the battery has the same form factor) or Makita CXT – with slide battery.
Mark. M
I could not agree more. For years I thought it was sort of a dumbed-down drill or driver with a different label so they could sell yet another tool. Boy was I wrong. It’s a separate animal and “dialed in” is right. Everything just works…size, weight, balance, clutch, lights. I use mine all the time and if I lost it or something happened to it I would replace it in a heartbeat. This and the M12 Surge are the two cordless tools I reach for the most.
Stuart
I was planning to include this in my next donation box, along with every other Dewalt 12V Max Xtreme cordless power tool, but it’s just too good. I haven’t been using it as much, and decided to move it to my electronics bench where it’s likely to see a lot more use.
The rest of the line is great too, but with 18V tools getting more compact with every generation, there are less benefits to the form factor. Dewalt also hasn’t shown interest in expanding the system.
Big Richard
Its torque rating is 8 Nm, or about 71 in-lbs.
eddiesky
This is my go to driver. The Atomic 12v. Lightweight, easy on-off bits, long battery time, not too powerful to overdrive/strip out bit but could with softer metal fasteners. Good lighting time too. I put together an entire IKEA Sektion kitchen with it and 2 batteries. Hint-PZ2 bits are a must for IKEA stuff.
Compared to my 1/2″ drill/driver/hammer Dewalt, its so lightweight. Neighbor helped with some sheetrock and was amazed how it handled. I have considered the Milwaukee M12 fuel driver but really I need something between the 12V Max Atomic and Dewalt 8V gyroscopic driver for tight, dark places like inside cabinets, crawlspaces, electronic cabinets and automotive.
Peter
For me the smaller form factor of the Bosch/Milwaukee 12V batteries is more important to me.
Otherwise it looks like a very good choice.
jonah
I’ll pile on and say this is the tool I use the most. Furniture assembly, standard house projects, and anything where I don’t need much torque for drilling. Surprisingly compact and nice for working over my head, too
Schill
It’s also my most used power tool. I have used the Bosch 12v drivers (my previous favorite) and I have a 12v Surge. Of all of them, the DeWalt has the most comfortable grip for me. And I think it’s a great tool.
I also really like the battery format and don’t mind giving up a little compactness for it. I have several 12v Milwaukee tools (Surge, Rocket light, air pump) that I like but I find removing the batteries can be difficult sometimes.
Big Richard
Also want to add that if you want a slightly bigger/more powerful version of this, check out the 20v Craftsman CMCF610.
https://www.craftsman.com/products/cmcf610b
Stuart
I’ve got a sample in-hand and briefly compared the two last night. I’ll be passing the Craftsman along soon, but will be keeping my Dewalt.
Big Richard
If you could, toss in a picture of the two side by side, I’m curious to see how their size compares. For $79 I almost bought one to test/compare the two but have not yet done so. Obviously the Craftsman’s larger battery will make it feel larger.
With DeWalt more or less giving up on 12v, I’m wondering when/if we will see a yellow 20v version of the Craftsman.
Stuart
Will try my best, but it might take a day or three.
Reno Paddy
It’s frustrating to watch DeWalt seemingly abandon 12V for a second time – I love my 12V tools for most jobs, particularly the screwdriver. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice…
Big Richard
Yeh, they seemed invested in it at first launch, coming out with at least a few new tools every year for the first 3 or 4 years. But now they haven’t had a single new tool in over a year. I want to say the DCF500 ratchet was the last new tool and that was late 2023.
If you look at SBD as a whole, when they launched their version of the Craftsman brand, there was going to be a 12v line, called V12. and it never came to fruition. SBD just seems to think 12v is not worth the investment anymore.
Stuart
Milwaukee seems to be the only brand truly invested in 12V-class cordless power tools.
Dewalt, Milwaukee, and Bosch all have little beyond core 12V tools. Ridgid abandoned their 12V line years ago.
There’s definitely potential and money to be made, but I think the costs aren’t worth it for corporate mindsets.
You can also look at Home Depot and Lowe’s as being influential customers. If either brand wanted more 12V offerings and visibility, brands would be motivated to make it happen.
You can buy at least 3 different Dewalt 20V Max cordless drill/driver kits at the $99 price point for months out of the year during different promo periods. Are consumers really going to buy the 12V drill kit at the same price?
There are 2 or 3 different Dewalt 20V Max impact driver kits at the $99 price point throughout the year, also during promo seasons. The 12V Max impact kit is also $99 for some of the same promo seasons, but it’s harder to sell to consumers.
Low sales and customer interest is stopping most brands from expanding 12V cordless systems.
I really like my purchased Dewalt 12V Max Xtreme cordless power tools. But, I rarely use them anymore – compact 18V, 20V Max, and even 36V or 40V Max (XGT) offerings are nearly as compact but far more capable.
This post started out as a “Dewalt 12V Xtreme tools are leaving my workshop” post, but I eventually refocused it on the one tool I intend to keep.
It sucks that Dewalt seems to be giving up on the 12V line – and they did give up plans to launch a Craftsman 12V line. But the fact is too few people care about this, and that’s the reason why.
Timothy Wozniak
I prefer the Milwaukee installation driver – especially for cabinet and slide installation. I keep a pilot hole bit in the drill chuck; suitable Torx bit in driver and easily switch the heads back-and-forth. When needed, pop on the offset or 90 degree head. I keep all the head in my tool belt for easy access and changes.
MattW.
At one of the latest hvac expos hvac guy had a interview at a dewalt booth and that said 12v platform will not get any new tools. They sited that 1.7ah ps batteries on 20v tools were roughly the same size and would be the replacement. I actually like that old 12v brushed dewalt screwdriver it had something to it that felt really good without a comical size.
JMJR
I figured the 12V line was dead a few years ago, but then they came out with the Xtreme drills, drivers and impacts, so I bought in because I like the compact size and low weight, plus the batteries charge on my existing 20V chargers.
I was planning on switching the majority of my M12 tools to Dewalt 12V as the tools were launched, but if they’re not expanding the platform, I guess it’s a dead end.
Matt
Have you handled it side by side with the Milwaukee 12V brushed screwdriver 2401? Just curious. Add the flat bottomed battery to the Milwaukee and it rapidly became my go-to.
I could easily see this dewalt being the same or even better and understand why you love it.
Steven B
This is my most used tool. I have the old brushed version and it’s still works perfectly. I do a lot of recreational woodworking and use it for all fasteners as well as home improvement projects. I’ve done a LOT with it…including driving extremely long and thick screws into both softwood and hardwood….tasks one would associate with an impact driver typically work fine with it.
My favorite feature is the low noise, unlike impact drivers.
I am surprised it’s not more popular. It’s far superior to an impact driver for everything but massive lag bolts. I even used it to put together a heavy duty power rack…over 400lbs of steel with 5/8″ wide 4″ bolts…worked great.
Not only is it easy to set precise torque and super light as everyone indicated, it doesn’t require hearing protection. I can work in a tight, small space with a lot of echo without any protection or worrying about hearing damage or my ears ringing afterwards. For example, like when you’re crawling into a cabinet to fasten something.
At this point, it’s my main tool and my impact driver, as nice as it is, is reserved for rusted fasteners or lag screws thicker than 3/8″
FixThis
Have you tried Makita’s version DF032 12v from their CXT line as a comparison. It wasn’t easy to track down b/c they don’t import it here, but i found it on amazon. I’m strongly considering to give up on Dewalts 12v line considering how stale it has become in comparison to Makita’s slow but expanding brand.
Tdot77
I’ve never even heard of a 12v Makita tools(recently atleast – not talking about old ni-cd batt tech). I think that’s one of the big problems with Makita is their lack of advertising their less popular powertool lines, while pushing the 40v EGT line over 18v LXT, and the 12v I’ve never even heard of.
Kevin D
Couldn’t agree with you more on this one Stuart. I bought this when it was first released and ended up buying a second one to keep in the garage because I loved it so much. The thing I love the most about this driver is the feedback and balance of the tool. I often find myself not even needing the clutch because its so easy to feel the torque through the fastener. Nothing that could be conveyed on a stat sheet of course. But its actually kind of refreshing in this day and age to see a manufacturer make a tool that operates way better in person than it looks on paper, instead of the other way around.
Will
I hope that dewalt isn’t really going to abandon the 12v platform. This is the best screwdriver they make and the 12v ratchets are the only ones small enough to be useful under a hood. The 20v ratchets are huge, really only useful for bigger stuff like suspension. If they promoted these tools properly and didn’t give Lowes the exclusive deal, maybe they would be more popular. The tiny powerstack is still much larger than the 12v 3ah battery and most or all of the tools are substantially larger.
TB
Also a huge fan of the extreme screwdriver, and disappointed Dewalt hasn’t expanded the 12v lineup.
Clay
Put me down as another stan for this tool. Use it all the time.
Big fan of their 12v line in general — except the 12v one-hand recip, but I did not like DeWalts’ 20v one-hand recip either.
I love the 12v drill for smaller tasks. I find the balance is even better with a 5ah battery.
Hope the line does not end.
James Szabo
I got these when the 12v series just came out. I found these more goto around the house. But I had to swap from my 18v to the 20v stuff and mainly got them for work. But the series really has a good variety of tools to make a compact kit
A-A-Ron
So has the discontinuation of the 12v line been officially confirmed by anyone beyond a random “DeWalt guy” at a booth?
I sent a question about this very issue to the official DeWalt Facebook page, and the rep responded with “I would definitely say, they are not going anywhere anytime soon.”
Stuart
No? To my knowledge, it hasn’t been discontinued. Has development been abandoned? It sure seems like it, until or unless there’s new expansion.
You can still buy the older brushed motor 12V Max tools, e.g. DCK211S2 and DCF610S2, and those tools predate everything in the 20V Max cordless power tool system.
So no, I don’t think the 12V system is going to be discontinued, but there’s also no evidence that there’s new energy or momentum feeding it. The same could be said about nearly every 12V cordless power tool system aside for Milwaukee M12.
I am fairly confident that Dewalt will continue to support their 12V line for a very long time, but that’s very different from expanding it.
Sam Thorn
I don’t have anything in the 12v Dewalt line but I have the brushed M12 cordless screwdriver and I love it. I keep it with my electrical packout because that is the ideal application. With the smalled stick type batteries (2ah) and below) it is incredibly compact and light. Also used it to put a grill together because it is great for small low torque sheet metal screws. Set the clutch to 12 and drive until it clicks.
Billy
With DeWalt killing my all time favorite 8v gyroscope screwdriver, I’m struggling to find a replacement. All I see are options like this; which is great on the high end but too much for things like electrical terminal strips, or options that are too weak to do things like remove cover plates. Alternatives like the Milwaukee 4v is weak and doesn’t lock into positions. Is there anything out there that’s between this and a USB charged screwdriver?
Stuart
Not that I’ve seen. There are plenty of 4V options, but not much between those USB drivers and 12V.
Some have removable 4V batteries, but they’re not much more powerful than other 4V cordless screwdrivers.
Billy
Would you be able to review the Snap-on CTSS761DB 14.4V inline screwdriver in the future? I was looking at it as a possible replacement for when my DeWalt fails, but I’m nervous about the cost of I don’t like it.
Stuart
Frankly, probably not. $260 for the bare tool, plus whatever it costs for the battery and charger? It looks like the kit option is $532. 65 in-lbs max torque?
The form factor is interesting, but not well-suited for my personal needs or preferences, and so I cannot easily add this to ToolGuyd’s sample budget. It also would be far from my first choice to potentially ask Snap-on to send over for review consideration.
Unless you have strong application preference for the Snap-on form factor, why not buy another Dewalt and maybe also a compact 4V screwdriver? Given the price difference, you can buy another Dewalt and several premium 4V screwdrivers with different features and form factors.
Billy
Yeah, the price really is a sticking point. I can’t find any reviews on them either, so there would be a lot of risk since I’m not in that battery ecosystem.
As to why not getting both, I work out of a pelican case; so space and weight are huge considerations. Most of the tools I take with me have to fit in the Goldilocks zone, and the snap on battery chargers take both 120v/220v which would also be very helpful.
Thanks anyway!