Bosch 10.8v vs Dewalt 10.8v Impact driver

[Mehran2]

About 10 months ago I bought my self a new impact driver...
Ask for advice on here and promised a review which-10-8v-drill-driver-impact-driver- ... 62927.html

I got my self an Bosch GDR 10.8-LI 10.8V Li-Ion Impact Driver and I am going to compare it to my father’s DeWalt DCK211S2 10.8V Impact Driver for my review.
I am using both these drill for work(we share tools) and they get used a far bit(we built a gazebo in the summer out of about 40 tons of wood with 39.5 tons of it being off cuts…to fathers that can’t be told…) but generally used in the plumbing and heating context.

Build quality:

The Bosch: is well build, have a real solid feel to it. Have drop it and bashed it about loads. I can be a bit hard on tool but the Bosch has done well in it's harsh use.
The Dewalt: is also well built but not to the same feel as the Bosch. Can feel a little bit of give in the plastics and though it has been knocked about I think a bad fall from waist height on to a hard surface could break it.

Would say build quality would go to Bosch

How it feels in the hand:

The Bosch: though solid it's top heavy. It feels unbalanced and can be awkward in odd angle when you are really stretching. Not great for long hours of use.
The Dewalt: feel much more refined and has a much better balance. It has a good hand feel. Could imagine doing long hours of work with it. Also feels light even though I think they are the same weight ( I think)

Dewalts is the clear winner for hand feel

Performance (with full batteries).

The Bosch: does very well for a 10.8v impact driver. Can feel brutal at times with smaller screws and I have sheared a few bolts.
The Dewalt: is very good, almost surprising for it feeling lighter. Does the job and feels less brutal with the smaller screws.
Though I think the Bosch is more powerful the Dewalt feel good enough. so equal really(slightly to bosch)

Battery life (comparing base model battery’s that come with the device)

The Bosch: comes with 1.3ah batteries and uses up that power quickly. The full battery performance is good but towards the end it becomes much worse before cutting out. You feel short changed with what you get out of them. I have bought a third battery to go along with the original two. On the bright side they charge nice a quick (30mins at most). I have over load one battery and tripped the over heat on it putting in hefty beast of screws. My fault I think for going at it hard/fast). I think the 2.0ah battery would be a must if you were getting this driver.
The Dewalt: comes with 1.5ah as minimum. Good amount of use out of one charge (would say 1/3 more than the bosch)… and I think delwat has pulled a little trick here…I think there 10.8v battery is in fact a 12v battery which I think helps them a lot. Though one little knock against dewalt. We did have one battery fail for no good reason…replaced under warranty.

This round goes to delwalt for its better default battery life.

Overall.

If I have to choose again between the two… though I love my bosch it would be the Dewalt. It feels a better tool in the hand with better battery life. If you were careful not to bash the drill to much it should hold up.
Would still recommend the bosch but with the 2ah. The dewalt is the winner if you only look at the bog standard ones.

[big-all]

great reveiw thank you well constructed

they are all 10.8v regardless off the manufacturers claims
they contain 3x 3.6v batteries to give 10.8 at nominal rating this is the average throught the use of the battery
a 10.8 will start at around 20% overvolt at 13v after charging and finish up around 9v before it cuts out
so claiming 12v is taking the power from the wrong point in the cycle

[FFX]

...Would still recommend the bosch but with the 2ah. The dewalt is the winner if you only look at the bog standard ones.

I believe that all the Bosch kits are gradually being moved over to a 2Ah battery as standard - depending on when they run out of stock of the 1.3Ah batteries/kits.

All the new 10.8 tools only come with 2Ah batteries

Regards
Ian

[ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the review

I must admit that I used to think Bosch were unbeatable, but in the last few years they have produced some very poor tools.

Sadly the quote from Robert Bosch no longer seems to ring true "I would rather lose money than trust".

I have always been happy with my Dewalt tools although both Dewalt and Bosch have made some cheap, crappy drills with plastic chucks in the past. Why manufacturers make this garbage is beyond me as it just tarnishes their name when people buy them and they break after a few months!