DEWALT has a reputation for durability. Their company has been in business for over 90 years. If there is a problem with a tool, they promise a 90-day money-back satisfaction guarantee, a one-year free service contract, as well as a three-year limited warranty.
Here are three DEWALT cordless drill/driver combo kits that are covered by this promise of durability and satisfaction. Each combo kit comes with the same impact driver, but each has a different companion drill and different accessories. Let’s drill down into the details to see which kit is right for you and the job you want to do.
The DCF885 Impact Driver
The impact driver in all three kits is the DCF885, the winner of the “Editor’s Choice Best Overall”in the 2014 Taunton Tool Guide. An impact driver like this one is made to put screws and bolts into tough materials without twisting the wrist of the person drilling. It isn’t made for fine woodworking or delicate jobs.
The DCF885 uses a20-volt MAX rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The slide-on battery allows the drill to stand steady on its base. At 2.8 pounds (with the slide-on battery) and only 5-1/2 inches’ width, this impact driver fits into tight places.
There are three LED lights on the chuck collar that eliminate shadows. The lights power on when the trigger is depressed. They power down automatically in twenty seconds when the drill is not in use. The side-to-side button for forward and reverse locks the drill power off when the button is slid into the center position.
The motor has plenty of torque: with no load at 2800rpm it is ready to go with 117ft-lbs or 1400in-lbs. The 1/4-inch hex chuck spring-loads with one hand and accepts short 1-inch-long bits if needed for drilling in tight places.
The DCF885 is not just a workhorse. It has a useful design too. The handle grip is non-slip and slender so as to be comfortably held in one hand. There are strategically placed bumpers on the motor housing, keeping the driver from sliding around when laid on a workbench. There are places on both sides of the handle for a belt hook.
If you like the DCF885 impact driver, let’s see which kit has everything else you want.
Dewalt DCK240C2 20V MAX Cordless Lithium-Ion Drill Driver and Impact Driver Kit
With the DCF885 impact driver in this kit comes the DCD771 drill, a compact charger for the two 1.3Ah batteries, and a contractor bag to hold it all. Note that the batteries are rated for 1.3Ah. They may give you slightly less work time before recharging than the 1.5 Ah batteries in the other two kits. But they are the newer 20-volt MAX standard slide-on batteries that are slimmer than the previous style.
The DCD771 is a 1/2-inch drill. It has a transmission with two speeds: 0-450rpm and 0-1500rpm. At 1500rpm it has 300 unit watts out of power ready to go. There are 16 clutch settings numbered around the torque adjustment collar. Bits change one-handed with a keyless ratcheting chuck. The drill weighs 3.6 pounds with the battery and measures 8.7 inches across. For drilling in dark places it has an LED light above the trigger. The light powers down automatically when the drill is not in use.
Features of the DCK240C2 Combo Kit:
- DCD771 1/2”two-speed transmission drill with 16 clutch settings
- DCF885 1/4”impact driver
- Two 1.3Ah rechargeable 20-volt MAX lithium-ion batteries
- Battery charger that takes about an hour to recharge the batteries from empty
- Contractor bag
DEWALT DCK280C2 20-Volt Max Li-Ion 1.5 Ah Compact Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit
Besides the DCF885 impact driver, this kit contains the DCD780 drill. It is a 1/2-inch drill with a ratcheting chuck. It comes with a two-speed transmission: 0-600rpm and 0-2000rpm. It is rated for 350 unit watts out, so it is slightly more powerful than the DCD771 in the previous kit.
It weighs 3.4 pounds with the battery attached and measures 7.5 inches across, making it slightly smaller and lighter than the DCD771. It also comes with a built-in LED light.
This kit includes two 1.5Ah batteries that recharge in 30 minutes in the accompanying rapid charger, and two belt hooks. There is a contractor bag to store it all.
Features of the DCK280C2 Combo Kit:
- DCD780 two-speed transmission drill
- DCF885 1/4”impact driver
- Two 1.5Ah 20-volt MAX lithium-ion rechargeable batteries
- Rapid charger that only takes 30 minutes to refill the batteries
- Two belt hooks
- Contractor bag
DEWALT DCK285C2 20-Volt MAX Li-Ion Compact 1.5 Ah Hammer Drill and Impact Combo Kit
The third kit comes with even more extras. Besides the DCF885 impact driver, there are two 1.5Ah 20-volt MAX lithium-ion batteries, a 30-minute rapid charger, a bit-tip holder, two belt hooks, and a hard plastic storage and carrying case.
Also included is the DCD785 1/2-inch hammer drill. It has 14 clutch settings and two transmission speeds: 0-600rpm and 0-2000rpm. The ratcheting chuck has carbide inserts to better grip bits and withstand high torque. The power rating is 350 unit watts out and it is rated for 34,000 maximum impacts, or beats per minute. The hammer setting makes it possible to drill through brick and concrete. It weighs 3.5 pounds and measures 7.95 inches in width.
Features of the DCK285C2 Combo Kit:
- DCD785 1/2-inch hammer drill with 15 clutch settings
- DCF885 1/4”impact driver
- Two 1.5Ah 20-volt MAX lithium-ion rechargeable batteries
- Rapid charger that only takes 30 minutes to refill the batteries
- Two belt hooks
- Bit tip holder
- Hard plastic carrying and storage case
Recommendation
If you want maximum flexibility—a drill for lighter to medium work and an impact driver for tough jobs, consider the DCK240C2 kit. It has the DCD771 drill with sixteen clutch settings. It is the least powerful drill of the three but it has the most settings to select exactly the force you want.
Maybe the longer-lasting batteries that charge in half the time make the other two kits more attractive to you. How do you decide between those two options?
The DCK280C2 has the smallest and lightest weight drill of the three kits. It isn’t as powerful as the hammer drill but it has more torque than the DCD771. It handles small to medium jobs with ease. If weight and size matter, consider this kit.
Finally, there’s the DCK285C2 kit with the two powerhouses: the impact driver and DCD785 hammer drill. The hammer drill can handle masonry. If you need more power for tougher jobs, consider this kit. You’ll also end up with a hard plastic storage case and a bit tip holder, things the other two kits do not include.