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

Drilling

The DCD710S2 struggled with a 5" saw. It couldn't get to full depth, overheating at around 2.5 minutes — even with a brief respite part of the way through. It did a little better with a spade bit. It drilled the holes fine, though it was on the slower side. Unsurprisingly, it also struggled with drilling through a steel sheet. 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.

Driving

The DCD710S2 performed slightly better in this metric. It did alright with screws, driving them in most of the way relatively quickly and easily.

With a lag screw, it struggled a little bit towards the end, but it got the job done.

Battery Life

This model didn't do very well compared to the other drills in our review — in fact, it was one of the first to die during our trials. The 1.3 Ah batteries of the DCD710S2 charge relatively quickly, taking less than an hour to recharge fully, and this drill earned a few extra points by including an additional battery.

Convenience

The DCD710S2 is about average for these products. It lacks a battery charge indicator, making it slightly more challenging to install or remove the battery compared to some 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.

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. This is far better at drilling and driving with better battery life than the DCD710S2. While it has a slightly higher list price, it can be found cheaper on sale, which happens frequently. If it is still 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 and offers significantly more power for drilling and driving.