Out friends at Tools in Action recently reported about several of Dewalt’s new product videos that compare their brushed drill with Milwaukee and Makita’s brushless ones. The mudslinging started with Milwaukee but we’re not happy to see Dewalt join them on the low road. Makita has not joined the fray presumably because they have nothing to say.
Milwaukee FUEL vs. Makita Brushless
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Summary: Milwaukee’s M18 drill pulls a large vehicle and Makita’s 18V drill smokes up trying to do the same (we’ve seen this before). And then the personification of Milwaukee makes a jab at a yellow and orange-clad personification of Dewalt – “what about your drill?” While throwing his hands in the air, the suggested Dewalt figure says “I’ve got nothing for ya.”
Personally, I feel that the video is utter BS. Sure, it’s real, but pulling large machinery is a parlor trick. Milwaukee engineers likely designed the winch to require more torque than the “competing” drill can muster. We’ve been asked to compare the two drills as well, but after much consideration we deemed such a comparison unfair seeing as how the Makita is a compact drill and the Milwaukee a heavy-duty premium model.
Dewalt vs. Milwaukee FUEL
http://youtu.be/ixAt_6JkKao
http://youtu.be/3oI9atY-WQQ
http://youtu.be/eP_hwQvclhE
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http://youtu.be/IuDym9HL5_8
Summary: Dewalt’s angle is that their drill is more durable than Milwaukee’s and that its speed of application is either comparable or slightly better. Basically their point is that their premium drill doesn’t need to be brushless to be competitive.
We’re willing to bet that Dewalt engineers are nevertheless working to develop brushless drills of their own. They already have a brushless impact driver on the market and will have to release additional brushless models if only as a marketing strategy. Pro users are being accustomed to the marketing message that brushless drills are far better than ones with brushed motors. Once the message starts to stick, users will believe brushless > brushed regardless of how the products actually perform.
Dewalt vs. Makita (Brushless)
http://youtu.be/YdMwdVJ65V4
Summary: Dewalt takes a page from Milwaukee’s book and shows how their premium drill performs quicker and better than Makita’s brushless drill. As with the Milwaukee test, this is but apples vs. oranges.
Our Response
Dewalt, we get it that you had to respond to Milwaukee’s jabs. You’ve made your point, but please don’t take this further than you need to. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Milwaukee, you started it, and Dewalt took offense and responded in kind. P.S. we were quite amused by the video and liked the acting.
Makita, c’mon, we’re waiting for you to show the world how your newer premium hammer drill can hold its own against Dewalt and Milwaukee. This is of course assuming that it can.
Bosch, nice work staying out of all this. But we still don’t see how tossing a drill out of a helicopter at 500 feet is a good demonstration of product durability.
Jack
Given that Milwaukee produces all their products in you guessed it China, Dewalt produces a majority of their products in China/Mexico and Makita produces some products in China as well, I think it’s fair these companies bickering at each other really for no reason.
At the end of the day, all this bickering is a marketing ploy and probably Dewalt, Makita and even to a extent don’t even care what their products can and can’t do. As long as they bring in revenue that is all that matters.
Stuart
I have met Dewalt and Milwaukee product managers and engineers, and I can assure you that they do care about the products they work on.
A brief chat with Steven Richman, the current president of Milwaukee Tools, demonstrated that he too is focused on developing good products. Obviously his ultimate goal is to sell more tools, but there are less honorable ways that can be done.
While I am usually very conscious about where tools are made, I am struggling to understand what the drills’ manufacturing origin has to do with your point.
Brian
Almost reminds me of political ads. My opponent kicks puppies. My opponenet punches old people. I have had Makita and Dewalt impact drivers and drills. The makita was a 14.4 volt Ni-MH and the Dewalt is the 20V max Lithium. (Talk about comparing apples and oranges.) Both did/do an amazing job of driving screws and won my heart equally, (like children I guess), I think it comes down to personal preferance and what the purpose is that you use them for. I get it is a marketing ploy. It’s like when Ford and Chevy say their diesel truck is better and more fuel efficient, but you don’t see Dodge in the commercial. It is a funny commercial.
Rob
I don’t buy into this stuff. I’ve always thought Bosch had the best colors 🙂 Plus I really like how that company operates (read the Wiki on Bosch some time).
Bosch seems to manufacture most of their (all?) cordless drills in Malaysia, although some of their heavy duty stuff (hammer drill) and one of my jigsaws were both made in Switzerland. What I wish is that they would get into the brushless game. I hated to do it, but I just ordered a Hitachi brushless drill because I had to see what the fuss was and it seemed like a great deal.
Conductor562
I’m primarily a Milwaukee user with some Makita mixed in, my dad is strictly Dewalt. They’re all comparable in terms of quality as far as I’m concerned. Dewalt might make this a little better and Milwaukee might make that a little better, and so on, but none of them are leaps and bounds better than the next. I like the Milwaukee 2604 drill better than the Dewalt 985, I like the Dewalt impact better than the Milwaukee. I think independent reviews such as Coptool and Tools In Action have pretty much established that the brushless Makita is at the back of the pack though. I admire Bosch for taking the high road. I think it’s best to distribute the products to the independent review sites and let the results speak for themselves. On a totally unrelated note, I’d love to see Milwaukee put out an M12 blind (POP) rivet gun. If anyone from Milwaukee is reading this please pass this along! lol.
Stuart
The Makita shown in the videos is behind the pack not because of any shortcomings but by design. It’s inappropriate to directly compare a compact drill rated at 400 in-lbs with a premium model rated at 725 in-lbs.
An M12 rivet gun would be nice!
Aellynh
I really don’t understand why people are comparing the Makita brushless with drills that are a size and weight class larger. Comparing it to a drill that is 3 pounds heavier and has a proportionally larger motor doesn’t make any sense for determining performance.
Stuart
Because Milwaukee’s and Makita’s are the only mainstream brushless hammer drills on the market.
It’s like comparing a $100 bill vs. a $50 bill because both bills are paper currency. While true, they have different buying powers. 725 in-lbs brushless motor >> 400 in-lbs brushless motor if all you’re looking at is power. But to be honest, that is what many if not most pro users look at first.
Conductor562
This article started it all
http://www.coptool.com/18v-hammer-drill-showdown-bosch-dewalt-makita-milwaukee/#more-811
The Makita LXPH03 is a game changer though.
Aellynh
I suppose that is true. Would you include lesser known brands such as Panasonic or Hitachi as mainstream? I know Hitachi has upgraded most of their major cordless tools to brushless and Panasonic is in the process of changing to brushless as well.
The whole numbers versus numbers argument just seems so dumb, especially in the day and age where the quality of most equipment is high enough that the batteries for these drills will lose effective capacity long before the equipment dies. I can’t even begin to count the number of drills I’ve owned that weren’t worth keeping only because it cost more to replace/repair the batteries than to buy a new set.
Stuart
Not really. Hitachi’s offerings can hold their own, but many pros skip right over the brand when shopping for new tools.
Panasonic is even further behind in market share, at least from what I can see.
Cordless batteries, especially li-ion, are more expensive to package and sell separately. Or at least that’s what I’ve been told two or three times before. In reality, manufacturers probably settle for lower margins with kits as it provides entry into a system. Users that buy into a system are more likely to buy additional tools, batteries, and accessories.
Numbers vs. numbers is dumb in practice, but it does provide for a measurement of comparison. A lot of people buy tools hands-off, and so they have little more to rely on than specifications and ratings.
Conductor562
If you’re not comparing numbers such as torque, rpm’s, runtime, etc, what else is there to compare? colors? Most people don’t buy their tools because they’re prettier. If they did Dewalt wouldn’t be in business with all that yellow.
Stuart
Technical specs and ergonomics are important, but everything should be considered as part of the big picture.
Just taking max torque ratings into account and ignoring all else is what I’m opposed to.
Think of cameras. You can no longer compare on grounds of megapixels. And with computers, processor speed can be a false measure of performance.
Trent
I would like to see apples to apples. Makita LXHP03 vs DCD985, of course having testing done by product managers ruins it for me. These guys develop tests that their tool can win, as stated in the article.
Helicopter
Drills being thrown out of helicopters is a much better use of time than the videos above! People love seeing things fall from great heights, specially things that shouldn’t survive the fall.
I had a bosch tool fall 5 stories onto gravel and dirt below and it survived the fall and i’ve seen tools fall off ladders and scissor lifts and break from 10 feet or less.
So is a helicopter unrealistic yeah maybe, but its a cool way to get your point across that your tools are tough.
Why did Red Bull just spend a ton of $$$$ to have a guy skydive from space? Because its frickin cool and it gets people’s attention.
joe
the dewalt winds over all in speed…i can just imagine if dewalts bring out a three speed transmission drill. my jaw droped when i saw the makita struggle though since i always hear people talk good about makita.
joe
edit: i meant to say dewalt three speed transmission brushless drill.