DeWALT XR DCD995 Brushless 3 speed Hammer/Drill – First Look

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Today DeWALT announces a new flagship drill to the 20V MAX line and we just happen to have been testing one.  The DCD995 is smaller, smarter and more economical to its big brother the DCD985.  The 985 is still available as the DCD985M2 with 4.o Ah XR batteries.  The 995 has a new E-clutch that shortens the tool up a bit.  The clutch and drive mode are on the same selector ring which slows you down a tad when compared to the 985’s 2 separate selector rings.  DeWALT is known for their 3 speed drills, they surpass almost every other drill in the versatility department.  For quality jobsite reliability, they are a market leader.

The LED on the DCD995 is the base of the unit just like the other compact XR hammer/drill the DCD795.  It lights up a wider area and makes the tip easier to see than a under the chuck set up. The light remains on for 20 seconds after the trigger is pulled. Ergonomics are what you would expect from a 20V DeWALT tool, they are great!  The DeWALT 20V has one of the most comfortable grips on the market.  The 995 has excellent balance with the included 4.0 Ah batteries which is model number DCD995M2.  The 3 speeds are as follows: 0-450, 0-1300 and 0-2000 RPM.  DeWALT states that this tool produces 650 UWO which is Unit Watts Out, DeWALT’S system of measuring performance.  We were easily able to run a 1″ auger bit through a log in the first speed and in second got a good way in before the overload protection kicked in.

The side handle is made from a composite material which makes it lighter.  The drill weighs approximately 4.7 lbs.  The brushless motor is going to give you approximately 57% more run time than a standard brushed drill.  Combined with the new XR 4.0Ah battery you are looking at some serious run time.  The 1/2″ metal ratcheting chuck really grips down tight on the bits.  DeWALT builds these drills to survive years of job site abuse and the 995 with its all metal transmission should stand the test of time.  Stay tuned for the DCD995 up against the MilwaukeeM18 Fuel hammer/drill in a Friday night tool fight.

 

24 COMMENTS

  1. Great review Dan! Dewalt is really stepping up to the plate. When other companies are getting ready for the holidays they are releasing new products. A lot of really good products. This hammer drill, the corded and cordless Oscillating tools,and more. Thanks for the review. Keep up the great work!!

  2. Call me stupid, i have never understood the usefullness of ll these different typed of drilld.
    Brush vs brushless vs fuel. For the home owner DIY person what is the most practical tool?

  3. Dewalt is feeling the pressure from Milwaukee and is now trying to keep up pace with brushless and missing products in their gap. At this point they are scrambling to get new products to market in an attempt to keep their current customers from jumping to other brands. They are doing a great job of getting out new products. I think a smarter strategy would have been to have focused on their current new dewalt products and should have put them out around the time the Porter cable 20v line came out.

  4. Do you know if this will lower the price on the dcd985 like what happened when the brushless compact drill came out which caused the brushed one to drop quite a bit.

  5. Great video guys! Looks like a great new flagship drill! There are some things I dont like. I like production and with that e clutch it slows down production, i will take a slightly longer tool than having to rotate my clutch every time i want to go from hammer to 21 back to drill. I like the new light, 3 speed is always nice, can’t wait to see it against the fuel. I do not like the composite handle, it may be strong but i feel much more comfortable putting all my wait on metal than a plastic. Keep up the great work!

  6. I bet the price will be around the same as the milwaukee fuel so in theory the older 985 should go down like the compact did

  7. I’m interested to see a comparison with the Milwaukee M18 Fuel. On paper, I think the Milwaukee has a little more power (torque anyway) but it’ll be fun to see you guys run the drills through the tests and give as some benchmarks on comparative performance and battery life.

  8. would you guys be able to review the Stanley 18v lithium ion hammer drill. it is at walmart for around $70. I think it will be a big piece of junk but I am just curious. But I thought it would be worth it to just check it out and compare it to pro brands.

    • I would like to try that and see how it is. Might not be bad. I thought the PC we tested wouldn’t be any good, but they turned out to be very nice. maybe the Stanely will be the same way.

  9. Nice video – I’ve been waiting for this! Any word on when it will become available? Couldn’t find it on some of the big box store sites…

  10. Hey guys, enjoyed the review. In fact I just received my dck296m2 kit which came with this premium brushless drill along with the impact driver. They are just starting to trickle into stock in some places. But anyways I have tried working with it a little, and thought the new electronic clutch was interesting. You never really mentioned it, but this has an electronic clutch to save some length instead of a standard mechanical clutch and it operates differently then I expected. When you have it on one of the clutch settings the drill speeds up at a slower more controlled rate then if it were in driver mode. It caught me off guard actually and I thought the drill was having issues. Also when it reaches its cut out torque it doesn’t do the normal clicking like you normally hear on drills, it just kind of stops and doesn’t make much noise. I thought it was odd right away and didn’t know what to think, but now after working with it I really enjoy it and it seems like a much more efficient method and is more enjoyable to use.

    Did you guys try or notice this? I haven’t heard about this on other drills, have you heard of or had any experience with this? It may even be worth a video to discuss this feature if it is new to the cordless drill segment.

    • Hi Mark, That is so weird my DeWALT compact drill has a normal clutch where it clicks. Maybe the newer versions have an electronic clutch? I know the Milwaukee right angle drill we tested a few years back had an electronic clutch.

  11. This drill is the bomb. It has everything needed, the shorter barrel is so much more helpful in tight areas, the light is in a better place, the electronic clutch is AWESOME for controlling screw depth and making your starts, no more holding it with the hands once you get used to it with a magnetic tip bit, magnetic bit holder, the selector switch is now thicker stronger and easier, the brushless motor is quieter, i actually prefer the single clutch ring, no more accidental shifts of one or the other in a “in between” area causing issues, the 4.0 batteries last for ever it seems, and the torque in first gear is superior to anything i’ve seen

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