Hot on the heels of Dewalt’s DCR015 cordless and corded jobsite radio is the new compact and highly portable DCR018. The new jobsite radio is similar in styling to its larger sibling, but is trimmed down in terms of size, weight, and power distribution features.
Dewalt DCR018 Radio Features
- Heavy duty roll cage design for high durability
- AC/DC corded/cordless operation
- Compatible with 12V Max, 18V, 20V Max batteries (NiCd and Li-ion)
- Power Cord Wrap
- USB power port charger
- 3.5mm aux input for connecting audio devices
- Compact size for easier maneuverability
- Weighs 7.2 lbs
- 10.5″ H x 10″ D x 7.5″ W
Note: the DCR018 is not capable of charging battery packs. It is compatible with 12V Max, 20V Max, and 18V battery packs in regard to cordless operation.
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Price: $99 to $129
Availability: September 2013
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
Right now the product is listed at Home Depot as “item must be purchased in-store,” but it isn’t available just yet.
First Impression
The DCR015 corded and cordless jobsite radio is a decent model, but also somewhat large. Larger radios, such as the DCR015 and the even larger Bosch Power Box 360 we reviewed, often benefit from durable construction and larger better quality speakers.
That does not mean that small radios have to be wimpy-sounding, as Makita’s jobsite radio proved when we tested it earlier this year.
The DCR018 looks to be a more totable size and hopefully produces some respectable sound quality. It lacks some of the features of the fully featured DCR015, such as the AC outlet adapters, but that seems to be a fair tradeoff.
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It seems to me that this model is especially better suited for 12V tool fans. It’s a nice touch how, like the DCR015, this model can be powered by any Dewalt 12V Max and 20V Max Li-ion batteries, or 18V NiCd and Li-ion batteries.
By no means is Dewalt’s new radio as compact as Bosch’s 12V or Makita’s 12V/18V models, but it seems manageable.
The DCR018 does not feature a built-in charging capability, so it is strictly a jobsite radio. If you want a Dewalt radio that can charge battery packs or power 120V corded tools while plugged in, you’ll need to step up to the DCR015.
Javier
It hasnt even come out yet and already it looks outdated. Im also a dewalt fan but have never been wowed by any of their radios in terms of visual design. I actually like all other tool brands radio designs. My favorite visual design is the large milwaukee radio, second would be the large bosch and the smaller bosch radio is pretty slick too. I prefer smaller tools though. Im most likely gonna get the milwaukee m12 radio even though it too looks outdated and I hope it gets redesigned soon but even as it is it still looks way better than this one. I would consider this dewalt but its too fat at 10″ deep. I hope the 10″ deep dimension isnt true and is more of a pancake like the milwaukee and bosch 12v radios. Then I would consider it since at $99 its a great deall since it takes 12v-20v batteries and charges them.
Stuart
In terms of aesthetics, I think this Ridgid leads the market.
Javier
That one’s nice too. I like that it has a remote.
mnoswad1
I agree with all the above……Dewalt radios and vacuums seem to have a bloated look. the roll cage is dated, I’d prefer if they went for a truly compact design similar to the makita brick style radios.
Huge plus that dewalt is using this multi battery compatibility in their accessories though.
jesse
I don’t see what difference the appearance makes. It’s not a piece of furniture – it’s a jobsite radio. Who cares what it looks like as long as it performs well.
Stuart
Jobsite radios aren’t only used for jobsite entertainment – a lot of users buy them for their garages, workshops, picnics, tailgating activities, and so forth. In those cases it can be considered a personal entertainment product, where looks become more important.
Product appearance might not seem important, but it can still heavily influence a consumer’s purchasing decision, even at the subconscious level.
Mitch (route246)
I have the original analog-tuning DeWalt and the more modern Makita mentioned in the article. The DeWalt analog tuner is far superior to their later digital tuner. I don’t know about this tuner but it is probably better.
The Makita is fantastic from every aspect EXCEPT it doesn’t charge the battery, which I find odd, very odd. After all, the original DeWalt was a charger first and a radio second in my opinion. The Makita is just a radio and quite a nice one due to the size and compactness, but, what the heck, no charger?
Stuart
Black & Decker (and by extension Dewalt) owned a patent that prevented other companies from releasing radios with built-in chargers without negotiating a licensing fee with B&D.
I thought this was covered by patent US6427070 B1, but apparently the patent has expired due to “reexamination that cancelled all claims”, at least in the USA. Maybe it’s covered by another patent?
that plumber guy
Big mistake not including a charging capability, that is dewalts big claim to fame for their radios. Nice that it supports the older 18v, but it should have a 12/20v charger especially at its not so micro size. I find dewalts sound quality to be not so great but on the plus side I noticed increased battery run time because of it, which I prefer on the jobsite.
Floor guy
It seems the radio has been discontinued on the Home Depot website