Dewalt Hammer Drill Review DCD785C2

Compact cordless hammer drill – what a strange combination of words. I have used Milwaukee’s 12V model and am gleefully anticipating Bosch’s new PS130 hammer drill, but Dewalt’s DCD785C2 kit was the first compact 20V Max/18V hammer drill that I have tested.

I have been stubbornly holding on to my large and weighty corded Bosch hammer drill, and thought that Dewalt’s compact version would be wimpy in comparison. I wasn’t entirely wrong, but the DCD785 hammer drill proved to be far more capable and comfortable to use than I anticipated.

Features & Specs

The Dewalt DCD785 hammer drill is much like the DCD780 compact drill driver that I reviewed the other day. It features a 1/2″ ratcheting chuck, 0-600/0-2000 RPM gearbox, 350 UWO torque, 34,000 max impacts, 15 clutch settings, and it weighs 3.5 lbs. (Dewalt 20V drill/driver specs comparison.)

The only visual differences between the DCD785 hammer drill and DCD780 drill driver is a thin silver-colored metal band between the chuck and adjustable clutch, and an additional hammer-mode clutch setting.

Ergonomics & Comfort

I already described this in detail in the DCD780 drill review, but some things are worth repeating. Like with Dewalt’s other new 20V Max cordless tools, the grip on the hammer drill is downright comfortable. I am a huge fan of its shape and textured grip zones, and can wield the drill around all day with less fatigue.

Performance

It is important to remember that this is a compact hammer drill not a rotary hammer. Even so, I found that it can handle most of the tasks I typically rely on a corded blue beast for. I occasionally drill 3/16″, 1/4″ or 5/16″ holes into masonry blocks for drop-in anchors or Tapcons. The DCD785 can handle these sizes without breaking a sweat. It can manage 3/8″ as well, but I wouldn’t go much larger than that.

As with the DCD780, there is a very minor wobble in the chuck – see the comments in the previous review for the discussion about this. However, this does not seem to affect the accuracy or performance of the drill. I actually missed noticing this during the tests since the slight wobble does not lead to any noticeable bit deflection or wobble. From what I can tell, this is nothing to worry about.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a compact cordless drill, the DCD780 is a great model. If you would like to be able to drill a couple of small holes in masonry and brick materials every now and then, the DCD785 is an even better choice. For frequent or larger-sized masonry drilling, a premium or full-size hammer drill with auxiliary handle would be best if you don’t mind the size and weight. And of course a rotary hammer is the next step beyond that.

The DCD785C2 hammer drill kit comes with two compact 1.5Ah batteries, a charger, and kit box. In the photos above, the drill is paired with a 3.0Ah extended capacity battery.

Buy Now(via Amazon)

Thank you to Dewalt for providing the sample for this review unconditionally. Review samples are typically returned, donated, or in some cases retained for further testing or comparison purposes.