Dewalt 12v Vs. Milwaukee 12v Impact Driver [Video Guide]

First, to set your expectations straight about the tools we’re about to discuss, let’s talk first about what an impact driver is and when it is used.

An impact driver is one of the popular and versatile types of power tools. With its high torque, an impact driver is primarily utilized for driving screws and tightening nuts.

Impact drivers, in general, look very similar to cordless drills. However, they are usually lighter and smaller.

You also don’t have to worry about their availability in the market since they are practically easy to find. In fact, you would have a lot to choose from. There are corded ones and there are drivers of higher voltage.

But for now, let’s discuss two 12V cordless impact drivers – one from DeWalt and one from Milwaukee.

Let’s Compare Dewalt 12v Impact Driver vs Milwaukee 12v Impact Driver 

1. DEWALT DCF815S2 12-Volt Max 1/4-Inch Impact Driver Kit

What will you get?

DeWalt DCF815S2 is a tool kit that packs a 12V cordless impact driver, two lithium-ion battery packs, a 12V charger, a belt clip, and a carrying bag.

It is a 12V impact driver that’s compact and lightweight in design – 6 1/4″-inch in length and 2.2 pounds in weight. It also has a ¼-inch chuck that accepts up to 1-inch bits and can be loaded with one hand only. It also has built-in LED work lights strategically positioned to not cast shadows on your work.

More so, DeWalt DCF815S2 can deliver the max torque of 79 ft/lbs. It also offers multiple torque settings, variable speeds, and a reverse option.

It is also covered by DeWalt’s 3-year limited warranty, a 1-year free service contract, and a 90-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

• Comes as a kit – with batteries, charger, bag, and even a belt clip
• Compact and lightweight
• Equipped with LED work lights
• Allows one-handed chuck loading
• Complete warranty package

Cons:

• Speed trigger is too sensitive
• Batteries take long hours to recharge

Top FAQs

Q: Do the batteries have fuel gauge?

A: No, they don’t.

Q: Does the charger automatically shut off when the batteries are already fully charged?

A: Yes, it does!

Q: Is its motor brushed or brushless?

A: This tool comes with a brushed motor.

Our Take on the DEWALT DCF815S2 12-Volt Impact Driver Kit

DeWalt DCF815S2 is a great buy considering that it’s already a kit complete with batteries and charger, and even a belt clip for portability.

This 12V cordless impact driver has a ¼-inch chuck that accepts bits up to 1-inch and allows one-handed chuck loading. 

It also delivers up to 79ft/lbs of torque that enables you to easily fasten or loosen nuts and bolts. The downside, however, is that the sound output of its motor is quite loud and noisy.

With its compact and lightweight design, you can also easily reach even those areas that are unreachable to other tools. It is also ergonomic, with a slim and contoured handle that will feel well-balanced on your hand so it’s easy to lift and control as you work.  

To help you work more efficiently, this tool also has installed LED work lights to illuminate your surroundings without casting shadows on your particular work spot.

You would also find a variable speed trigger so you can adjust the tool precisely to the tasks you need to do. However, some users reported that this speed trigger is often too sensitive. With its max torque and voltage, you should also know that it is not really designed for large and heavy-duty tasks.

Its batteries will also last just enough, however, you might need to consider the right timing to charge it since some users said that the charge is quite slow.

Nonetheless, for a 12V tool, DeWalt DCF815S2 is a great one that can do simple jobs for you. And for your assurance, it also comes with a great package deal that was already enumerated above.

2. Milwaukee 2462-20 M12 1/4 Inch Hex Shank 12 Volt Lithium Ion Cordless 2,500 RPM 1,000 Inch Pounds Impact Driver w/ LED Light and Fuel Gauge

What will you get?

Milwaukee 2462-20 is one of Milwaukee’s M12 lineup. It is a tool-only product so it does not include any battery, charger, or another component, whatsoever.

It is a 12V lithium-ion cordless impact driver that only weighs 1.9 pounds and is 6.5 inches in length. It can deliver 1,000 in/lbs of max torque and no-load speeds of 2500 RPM and 3300 IPM.

It is also equipped with trigger-activated LED light and fuel gauge. Since it doesn’t include any battery, you may use the batteries from other Milwaukee M12 tools.

Milwaukee 2462-20 is great for your home projects such as repair and assembly or disassembly of your furniture. Should you find any problem with your tool, you have nothing to worry about because it’s covered with a 5-year limited warranty by Milwaukee.

Pros:

• Compact and lightweight
• Versatile and durable
• Comfortable-to-hold handle
• Equipped with fuel gauge
• Five-year limited warranty

Cons:

• Comes with the tool only
• Does not have multiple torque settings

Top FAQs

Q: What type of battery does it need?

A: For Milwaukee 2462-20, you may use any M12 RED LITHIUM battery.

Q: Does its trigger control the speed?

A: Yes, the tool comes with the variable speed trigger.

Q: Is its motor brushed or brushless?

A: This tool is built with a brushed motor.

Our Take on Milwaukee 2462-20 M12 Impact Driver

Milwaukee 2462-20 is a versatile and powerful cordless tool that’s pretty impressive in doing light construction works and some general repairs and jobs around the house.

It produces the max torque of 1000 in/lbs and no-load speeds of 2500RPM and 3300IPM. It just needs a 12V lithium-ion battery to power it; to which, you may use other Milwaukee M12 REDLITHIUM battery if you already have one from other power tools.

The impact driver also has an onboard fuel gauge in increments of 25% to give you an idea of the battery level. In addition, is the built-in LED work light that’s trigger-activated and located just in front of the trigger so it would cast a shadow as you work.

All these plus a five-year limited warranty from Milwaukee, the Milwaukee 2462-20 M12 Impact Driver sure is a great buy.

What’s the Difference DeWalt 12V Impact Driver and Milwaukee 12V Impact Driver

Before discussing how these two differ from one another, let’s first acknowledge the aspects where they are similar.

Evidently, both the DeWalt DCF815S2 and Milwaukee 2462-20 are 12V cordless impact drivers, meaning they work the same and are used for the same purposes – light-duty applications. 

They are both engineered with a brushed motor and have built-in LED work lights that trigger-activate. More so, the two tools come with a variable speed trigger for you to set the tool’s speed as accurately as you need.

Although one may be lighter than the other, both are considered lightweight. Interestingly, they both measure 6.5 inches in length. They are also designed to provide maximum comfort to their users.

Now that we’ve laid those out, the succeeding paragraphs then discuss their differences.

The Milwaukee 2462-20 is slightly lighter, weighing only 1.9lbs compared to DeWalt DCF815S2’s 2.2 pounds.

More so, Milwaukee is quite more powerful as it can deliver 1000 in/lbs while of DeWalt’s only produces 948 in/lbs of max torque. However, DeWalt has multiple torque settings while Milwaukee doesn’t.

When it comes to speed, Milwaukee can deliver the no-load speed of 2500 RPM which is quite higher than DeWalt’s 2450RPM. 

However, when it comes to the number of impacts per minute, DeWalt leads over with 3400 compared to Milwaukee’s 3300. As mentioned above, both their speeds are controllable using the variable speed trigger.

On the downside, users stated the DeWalt DCF815S2 is quite noisy and its battery takes a long time to charge. Such concerns were not raised with Milwaukee 2462-20.

However, when it comes to convenience in purchasing, DeWalt has a better offer since the DCF815S2 already comes as a kit while Milwaukee 2462-20 is tool-only.

Final Thoughts

Overall, both these tools we presented above are great ones for light-duty tasks, especially around the house. They can surely get the job done.

Even more, they are designed for comfort and built to last. Yet, to further assure you that you won’t be wasting your money, both DeWalt and Milwaukee also provide warranty packages for their tools.

If you’re asking, “so which one’s better?”, well we can’t provide one simple answer to that because it all comes down to what you prioritize.

Should you want a complete product package and a tool with multiple torque settings, then DeWalt DCF815S2 is the one to go! However, if you need a lighter impact driver, and can produce more torque and faster speed, Milwaukee 2462-20 is the one for you.

Regardless, you are assured that you’ll be receiving a great, reliable tool to use around the house.