DeWalt 20V Max Compact Brushless Drill/Driver DCD777C2 Review

Drilling

As one could expect, each product's drilling performance makes up a large portion of its overall score. In our testing, the metric accounts for 35%. To judge the performance of each tool, we evaluated and compared their drilling performance in three tasks: drilling through a solid door with a 5" hole saw, drilling through a 2x12 with a 1" paddle bit, and using both a ¼" and ½" twist drill to make some holes in a 16 gauge steel sheet. The DCD777C2 did exceptionally well.

The DCD777C2 easily drilled the 5" hole saw to its full depth in about 17 seconds, cutting through the solid door without any signs of slowing down or struggling.

It packs plenty of power, letting you keep the drill in its higher gear the entire time, and it delivered one of the best performances we have seen to date in this test.

This tool continued its fantastic performance in our steel drilling tests. It drilled through the metal with both the ¼" and ½" twist drill with absolutely no trouble at all, taking less than two seconds with the smaller drill and less than four with the larger one.

It finished this metric with another excellent showing in our last test, the 1" spade bit. This drill made it through the wood easily, but it didn't drill the holes quite as fast as the top drills — occasionally getting a little hung up and stalling for a brief moment when in its higher gear.

Driving

We then moved on to evaluating the driving performance of each drill, scoring each tool on how quickly and easily it drove in fasteners and if it could properly set a countersunk screw head without stalling. This also accounts for 35% of each tool's total score, with the DCD777C2 doing exceptionally well.

Starting, we drove in a ton of 3" long, #9 screws with the DCD777C2. It handled this task easily, driving the screws in quickly and powerfully. It has no problem at all setting the heads to be flush with the surface of the wood and affords you tons of control, so you don't accidentally overdrive the screw.

Our next driving test upped the difficulty a bit for each of the tools, as we had each of them drill a 5" long, ½" lag screw to its full depth to connect a 2x4 to a 4x4. However, we did drill a pilot hole first, as it is a bit unreasonable to drive in a screw that large without one. This more challenging test proved no match for the DCD777C2, which drove the screw to its full depth without any issue, even tying with the best for speed.

Battery Life

After assessing each tool's drilling and driving power, we next compared and scored the battery life and recharge time. Regrettably, the DeWalt DCD777C2 didn't do all that well in this metric, due to its included 1.5 amp hour battery.

However, in the battery life test, the DCD777C2 faltered. For this test, we alternated between driving in 16 #9 screws and drilling three 1" holes with the spade bit until the drill died, scoring based on the number of cycles the tool did. The best drills were in the double digits before they died. Unfortunately, the DCD777C2 only made it through five full cycles before quitting; it drilled a single screw of the sixth set before the battery gave out.

This drill earned some points by including a pair of 1.5 amp hour batteries and recharging slightly faster than average — it only takes a little over an hour to completely charge a dead battery with the included charger.

Convenience

For the remaining 10% of the score, we looked at each drill's different convenience features. Specifically, we awarded points for the quality of the built-in work light, the range of bits the chuck can hold, the different speed modes the drill has, its weight, and if there is a belt clip. Additionally, we also compared the ease of swapping the batteries and whether there is an integrated battery charge indicator. The performance of the DCD777C2 rebounded a bit. This drill can be equipped with a belt clip, but it isn't included.

The chuck can hold a bit with up to a ½" shank, and the integrated work light on this tool is decent. It's located above the trigger and stays on for about 20 seconds after releasing the button.

The DCD777C2 has two different gearing ratios to maximize speed or torque for your specific project, but it is one of the heftier drills of the group, weighing in at 3 lbs., 4.1 oz.

It is super easy to install or remove the battery, with the locking tab releasing easily and a new battery sliding right into place without too much effort. However, it does lack a battery indicator to alert you that the battery is running low before it dies.

Should You Buy the DeWalt 20V Max?

Undeniably, the DeWalt 20V Max Compact Brushless Drill/Driver DCD777C2 is an excellent cordless drill. It handled our most challenging drilling and driving tasks with relative ease, often rivaling any other top performance overall. It's not overly expensive and is decently convenient, but we wish it offered better battery life, for the included batteries. The DCD777C2 is a decent value, holding its own against the best drills while having a slightly lower list price. It is still a bit expensive for the casual homeowner, but could be a good pick for someone who wants the exceptional drilling and driving performance of a higher-end tool.

What Other Drill Should You Consider?

If you are loyal to the yellow and black, this drill or any other DeWalt Atomic series or Max XR series of drills are good options for you. Choosing tools from the same brand often means compatible batteries that make the battery life easier to accept since you often have backups to swap with. However, if you aren't already married to the DeWalt brand name, then it might be worth considering our top-performing drill, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2" Drill Driver. The M18 offers slightly better driving ability. If neither DeWalt nor Milwaukee appeal to you, and you are just starting out buying tools, then you should consider the Kobalt XTR 24-volt 1/2-in Keyless Brushless Cordless Drill KXDD 1424A-03. This all-in-one kit includes a tool, battery, and charger and offers exceptional performance overall.