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DeWalt 12V Max 3/8 In. Drill Driver Kit DCD710S2 Review

This underpowered 12-volt drill failed to impress, all while being a bit on the more expensive side
dewalt 12v max 3/8 in. drill driver kit dcd710s2
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
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Price:  $130 List
Manufacturer:   DEWALT
By David Wise and Austin Palmer  ⋅  Feb 14, 2022
33
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#19 of 20
  • Drilling - 35% 2.8
  • Driving - 35% 4.0
  • Battery Life - 20% 2.0
  • Convenience - 10% 5.2
RELATED: Best Drills

Our Verdict

Scoring in the lower part of the group of top-ranked drills, we weren't overly enamored with the DeWalt 12V Max 3/8 In. Drill Driver Kit DCD710S2. This drill delivered below average results in our drilling, driving, and battery life tests, only scoring about average in our assessment of convenience features. This drill is compact and lightweight, similar to the budget models we have tested but it costs significantly more, making it hard for us to recommend for DIY projects.
REASONS TO BUY
Compact
Convenient
REASONS TO AVOID
Underpowered
Expensive
Editor's Note: This review received an update on February 14th, 2022, with information designed to help you make a confident buying decision.

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Overall Score Sort Icon
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35
Star Rating
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Pros Compact, convenientGreat for driving fasteners, heavy-duty, efficient use of battery lifePowerful, great battery life, fantastic integrated worklightImpressive drilling power, strong steel drilling performance, good control, great priceInexpensive, lightweight
Cons Underpowered, expensiveHeavy, takes some force to swap batteriesExpensive, only includes a single batteryOnly includes a single batter, so-so battery life in our testsWeak, minimal features
Bottom Line This underpowered 12-volt drill failed to impress, all while being a bit on the more expensive sideIf you are looking for a top-tier drill to go with your existing Milwaukee batteries, this is your best betThe highest scorer in our group, this is a heavy-duty drill that can keep up with all your toughest projectsA decent drill for DIY projects that won't deplete your savingsAn okay drill for basic household tasks and assembly projects at a great price
Rating Categories DeWalt 12V Max 3/8... Milwaukee M18 Fuel... Kobalt 24-volt Max... Craftsman V20 1/2-I... Black+Decker 20V Ma...
Drilling (35%)
2.8
9.4
9.8
6.6
4.1
Driving (35%)
4.0
10.0
9.2
6.2
3.2
Battery Life (20%)
2.0
9.8
9.0
4.4
2.6
Convenience (10%)
5.2
6.1
6.3
5.8
4.3
Specs DeWalt 12V Max 3/8... Milwaukee M18 Fuel... Kobalt 24-volt Max... Craftsman V20 1/2-I... Black+Decker 20V Ma...
Included Battery Pack(s) 1.3 Ah Tested w/ 2 Ah 2 Ah 1.3 Ah 1.5 Ah
Battery Voltage 12V 18V 24V 20V 20V
Max Chuck 3/8" 1/2" 1/2" 1/2" 3/8"
Battery Chemistry Lithium-Ion Lithium-Ion Lithium-Ion Lithium-Ion Lithium-Ion
Drill Model Tested DCD710 2803-20 KDD 524B-03 CMCD700 LDX120C
Box Model (Kit) Tested DCD710S2 Tested tool-only, no kit 672823 CMCD700C1 LDX120C
RPM Low: 0 - 400
High: 0 - 1500
Low: 0 - 550
High: 0 - 2000
Low: 0 - 550
High: 0 - 2000
Low: 0 - 450
High: 0 - 1500
0 - 650
Peak Torque (manu) 189 UWO 1,200 in-lbs 650 in-lbs 280 UWO N/A
Measured Length 7- 3/8" 7" 7-3/8" 8-1/4" 7"
Measured Weight 2 pounds
7.5 ounces
4 pounds 1 ounce 3 pounds
15.2 oz
3 pounds 7 ounces 2 pounds
10.8 ounces

Our Analysis and Test Results

Performance Comparison


dewalt 12v max 3/8 in. drill driver kit dcd710s2 - the dcd710s2 is compact and lightweight but lacks power.
The DCD710S2 is compact and lightweight but lacks power.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Drilling


First, we rated and compared the power and speed of each cordless drill at drilling holes, which constitutes 35% of the total score for each tool. We scored the DCD710S2 as it drilled a hole in a solid door, dimensional boards, and a steel sheet with a 5" hole saw, 1" spade bit, and a pair of twist drills, respectively. It didn't do terribly well.

dewalt 12v max 3/8 in. drill driver kit dcd710s2 - we used multiple twist bits to keep the drills on a level playing...
We used multiple twist bits to keep the drills on a level playing field.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

The DCD710S2 struggled in the solid door with the 5" hole saw. It couldn't drill the saw to the full depth, overheating at around 2.5 minutes — even with a brief respite part of the way through.

It did a little better at drilling through the 2x12 with the 1" spade bit. It drilled the holes fine, though it was on the slower side. Additionally, you had to push this drill, and we could hear it straining the entire time throughout this test.

Unsurprisingly, it also struggled with drilling through the 16 gauge steel sheet. It did about average with the ¼" twist drill, making the hole in a little less than five seconds. Still, you could hear more of a struggle compared to the higher voltage models. It took about 30 seconds to make it through with the ½" drill, protesting and binding up the entire time, when the best drill only took 3-4 seconds with the same drill.

dewalt 12v max 3/8 in. drill driver kit dcd710s2 - the dcd710s2 is a good option for light-duty home improvement...
The DCD710S2 is a good option for light-duty home improvement projects.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Driving


The DCD710S2 did a little better in this metric. For this metric, we graded each drill's performance at driving in both #9 screws that measured 3" in length and driving in a ½" lag screw that is 5" long. Overall, these two tests are responsible for 35% of the total score.

dewalt 12v max 3/8 in. drill driver kit dcd710s2 - this dewalt drill struggled a bit at driving in the large lag screw.
This DeWalt drill struggled a bit at driving in the large lag screw.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

This drill did alright with the smaller screws, driving them in most of the way relatively quickly and easily.

dewalt 12v max 3/8 in. drill driver kit dcd710s2 - a close up of one of the driving test boards.
A close up of one of the driving test boards.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

It did struggle a little bit towards the end, especially when it came to setting the countersunk head. However, it could usually set the head flush eventually.

dewalt 12v max 3/8 in. drill driver kit dcd710s2 - the dcd710s2 didn't have an amazingly impressive battery life.
The DCD710S2 didn't have an amazingly impressive battery life.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Battery Life


Next, we compared and scored the battery performance of each cordless tool, which is responsible for 20% of the overall score. We awarded points on the effective runtime of each drill and the time it took for a dead battery to recharge. The DCD710S2 again didn't do exceptionally well. We tested this model with a 1.3 Ah battery.

To compare the runtime of each cordless drill, we alternated driving in 16 of the 3" long, #9 screws to their full depth in a pair of stacked dimensional 2x12s and then drilling three 1" diameter holes through a single 2x12 with the paddle bit with the DCD710S2. We repeated this until the drill died, with the DCD710S2 unfortunately only making it through two complete cycles of this and died two screws into the third cycle. The best tools made it more than ten sets before dying.

The 1.3 Ah batteries of the DCD710S2 do charge relatively quickly, taking less than an hour to recharge fully, and this drill did earn a few extra points by including an additional battery.

dewalt 12v max 3/8 in. drill driver kit dcd710s2 - the chuck on the dcd710s2 can only expand to 0.375".
The chuck on the DCD710S2 can only expand to 0.375".
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Convenience


Our final set of tests dealt with each drill's different functions and specs that make them more enjoyable and efficient to operate, which accounts for the remaining 10% of the final score. The DCD710S2 is about average for these products.

This drill does not have any sort of battery charge indicator, and we found it to be a bit more challenging to install or remove the battery compared to some of the other tools. The release button for the locking mechanism also isn't the most user-friendly that we have seen so far.

This drill is on the lighter side, weighing less than 2.5 pounds, and includes a belt clip. It has two different operating speed ranges — 0-400 and 0-1500 --, and the chuck can expand up to ⅜".

It also has a built-in work light that turns on when you hold the trigger. However, we did find that it is a bit on the dim side, and we would usually want supplemental lighting when working in a dark area.

dewalt 12v max 3/8 in. drill driver kit dcd710s2 - there is a decent amount of light emitted by the dcd710s2 but it has...
There is a decent amount of light emitted by the DCD710S2 but it has a bit of an annoying shadow.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Should You Buy the DCD710S2?


Overall, we wouldn't really recommend the DeWalt 12V Max 3/8 In Drill Driver Kit DCD710S2. It didn't score particularly well and had an overly high list price, with many less expensive drills scoring a lot better. The DCD710S2 presents a poor value, performing similarly to other drills that cost a fraction of the price.

What Other Drill Should You Consider?


If Dewalt is your band of choice or you already own compatible batteries, we prefer the DeWalt Atomic 20V Max Brushless Compact 1/2 In. Drill/Driver Kit DCD708C2 and the DeWalt 20V Max Compact Drill/Driver Kit DCD771C2. Both are far better at drilling and driving with better battery life than the DCD710S2. While both have a slightly higher list price, both can be found cheaper on sale, which happens frequently. If these are out of your budget, and you aren't worried about the brand, the Craftsman V20 1/2-In. Drill/Driver Kit CMCD700C1 is almost half the price of the DCD710S2 and offers significantly more power for drilling and driving.

David Wise and Austin Palmer
 
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