DeWalt 20V Max XR DCD801 Drill/Driver vs Makita 18V LXT XFD14 Drill/Driver
Quick take: The DeWalt 20V Max XR DCD801 Drill/Driver is lighter (3.2 vs 5.1 lbs); they live on different battery platforms (DeWalt 20V Max vs Makita 18V LXT), so the deciding factor is usually which batteries you already own.
| Spec | DeWalt 20V Max XR DCD801 Drill/Driver | Makita 18V LXT XFD14 Drill/Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Price (bare tool) | $179 | $179 |
| Kit Price | $269 | — |
| Rating | — | — |
| Category | Drill/Driver | Drill/Driver |
| Battery Platform | DeWalt 20V Max | Makita 18V LXT |
| Voltage | 20V | 18V |
| Motor | Brushless | Brushless |
| Weight | 3.2 lbs (bare) | 5.1 lbs (with battery) |
| Released | 2025 | 2021 |
| Top Speed | 2,000 RPM | 2,100 RPM |
| Chuck | 1/2 in metal ratcheting | 1/2 in all-metal self-ratcheting |
| Speeds | 2 | 2 |
| Clutch Settings | 15 | 21 |
| Head Length | 6.47 in | 7 in |
Pros & cons
DeWalt 20V Max XR DCD801 Drill/Driver
- ✓At 6.47 in it is shorter than Milwaukee's 2903 and fits between joists and in cabinet boxes where full-size drills don't.
- ✓The gyro anti-rotation cutoff is new to DeWalt's mainstream drill/drivers and stops a jammed auger or hole saw from wrenching your wrist.
- ✓The 70-lumen LED has three positions, so you can aim it past the chuck and avoid the usual shadow of a foot light.
- ✓At $179 bare it undercuts the Milwaukee 2903 by about $40 while sitting in the same power class.
- ✓Tool Connect chip-ready, so a crew can add DeWalt's tracking chip for asset management without buying a different SKU.
- ✗DeWalt rates it only in MWO, so you can't compare it directly with the in-lbs figures Milwaukee, Makita and Ryobi publish.
- ✗DeWalt's 'up to 25% more powerful than Milwaukee' claim was measured with the new DCB2104 PowerPack, which comes only in the kit and isn't sold separately.
- ✗Only two speeds. Anyone who wants a middle gear for sustained auger work has to step back to DeWalt's older, less powerful 3-speed DCD991.
- ✗No side handle in the box, which you'll want at this output with big self-feed bits.
- ✗No hammer mode. Bare, the DCD806 hammer drill costs about $20 more.
Makita 18V LXT XFD14 Drill/Driver
- ✓At 1,250 in-lbs it is Makita's strongest LXT drill that isn't a hammer drill, rated for 3-inch self-feed bits and 6-inch hole saws in wood.
- ✓The 21-step clutch is finer than the 15-16 steps on the DeWalt and Milwaukee equivalents, which helps when setting small screws in hardwood or cabinet hardware.
- ✓XPT gasketing keeps dust and rain out, and Makita builds that into its premium LXT tools for sites where drills get left out.
- ✓The side grip and belt hook both come in the tool-only box, and many rivals don't include both.
- ✓It runs on any star-marked 18V LXT pack, and that's one of the biggest and most discounted battery lines around.
- ✓At about $179 bare it costs roughly $40 less than Milwaukee's 2903.
- ✗No anti-kickback cutoff. Milwaukee's 2903 and DeWalt's DCD801 both have one, and at 1,250 in-lbs a jammed auger will twist your wrist hard.
- ✗Makita only lists weight with a battery fitted, 5.1-5.7 lbs, and that's heavy against the 3.2-lb bare Milwaukee.
- ✗Milwaukee's 1,400 in-lbs 2903 has out-specced it since 2022, and Makita hasn't updated the LXT model since 2021.
- ✗Two speeds only. The 550 RPM low gear is fine for augers, but there's no middle gear like the 3-speed XGT drills have.
- ✗No tool tracking, app or electronic clutch.