DeWalt
DeWalt 20V Max XR DCD801 Drill/Driver
Launched in May 2025 to replace the DCD800, the DCD801 is DeWalt's highest-output 2-speed drill/driver, rated at 1,050 max watts out (MWO). DeWalt no longer quotes in-lbs for it. A gyro-based ANTI-ROTATION system cuts the motor if the body spins suddenly in a bind-up, and a red LED on the tool shows when it has tripped. Gearing is 0-650 and 0-2,000 RPM through a 15-position clutch and metal ratcheting chuck. The head is 6.47 in long, about half an inch shorter than the DCD806 hammer drill version.
Specifications
Features
Written from the maker's spec sheet and independent reviews, not from owner reports.
Strengths
- ✓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.
Drawbacks
- ✗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.
Common Questions
How many in-lbs of torque is the DCD801?
What does the red light on the DCD801 mean?
Is the DCD801 kit worth $90 more than the bare tool?
Should I get the DCD801 or DeWalt's DCD806 hammer version?
Is there a 3-speed DeWalt drill if the DCD801's two gears aren't enough?
Compare the DeWalt 20V Max XR DCD801 Drill/Driver
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Milwaukee
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