6 DeWalt Alternatives Worth Buying (According To Users)

DeWalt is often counted as one of the best major power tool brands on the market. The company is known for making high-quality tools that are ideal for DIY projects and professional-grade tasks alike. There are just two downsides to filling your garage with yellow and black: DeWalt tools are expensive, and they don't make every tool. Take a walk down the aisles of your local big box store, and you'll likely find that the DeWalt-brand products are among the priciest items on their shelves. There will also be some shelves where the company's products are missing altogether. That's not to say that DeWalt tools aren't worth the price, but some budget-minded buyers might be looking for an alternative that's less likely to break the bank or another brand that makes the tools DeWalt doesn't. This can be particularly tricky if you've already invested some money in DeWalt tools and aren't looking to start over with a new battery system.

There are several other power tool brands that make tools that are specifically designed to work with DeWalt's 20V batteries. These third-party manufacturers don't all have DeWalt's sterling reputation, but many of them are considerably cheaper and can make for a good alternative when looking for simple tools or when there is a product that DeWalt itself simply doesn't make. One of the best ways to choose these brands is to take a look at what consumers have to say about them. By checking out reviews on retailer sites like Amazon as well as forums dedicated to discussing the best tool brands, you can get a good idea about which of these alternatives might be right for you.

One of the first places that you might want to look when considering alternatives to DeWalt is Mac Tools, especially when searching for products to use when working on your car, truck, boat, or motorcycle. Mac specializes in 'tool-truck grade' automotive equipment. It makes cordless impact wrenches, drill/drivers, polishers, ratchets, and work lights. Best of all, nearly every cordless 12V and 20V tool that it makes can be powered by DeWalt batteries. This is because even though the company was independently founded in Ohio back in 1938, Mac is currently owned by the same parent company that owns DeWalt–Stanley Black & Decker. In fact, several of the kits that are sold on Mac's own website pair the company's renowned automotive tools with DeWalt batteries, and even the Mac Tools brand batteries say "Powered by DeWalt" on the side.

Mac Tools aren't any cheaper than their DeWalt alternatives (in fact, they are often more expensive,) and they aren't necessarily better tools either. Torque Test Channel did a review where they compared the Mac and DeWalt impact wrenches. They found that the Mac "performed, overall, on average, the same as the DeWalt." That said, Mac does make a handful of products that DeWalt doesn't, making them an easy first choice for DeWalt users who want a tool of similar quality that uses the same battery system that doesn't come in black and yellow.

The electrician and utility workers among you might prefer something a little different, though. Klein Tools has been around since 1857. It is privately owned by the Klein family and exclusively designs and manufactures its tools in America. The company makes a wide range of products, but its battery-operated tools are confined to four categories: gear-driven cable cutters, 7-ton cutters and crimpers, 12-tom crimpers, and impact tools. Despite the fact that the company isn't owned by Stanly Black & Decker like Mac is, Klein's power tools are still designed to be powered by DeWalt's 20V battery system.

Klein's impact driver, impact wrench, and right-angle impact wrench all have scores over four stars on Amazon. "Super useful for the around-the-home tasks and the jobsite tasks," wrote one reviewer regarding the impact driver. "Perfect since I can bum batteries off the DeWalt guys at work. Super easy to use, comfortable, and all-around convenient."

Chris Boll of Pro Tool Reviews wrote a review comparing several of the DeWalt and Kein impact wrenches. "These Klein Power Tools share the same compact size profile: 8.7 x 3.1 x 6.5 inches. They also both feature the same safety and convenience features, like an integrated LED work light and a lockout feature," he said. "The two tools share a similar design and the DeWalt only cost about $40 more. Honestly, it really comes down to whether you want to spend the additional money and need the extra torque."

Graco is a brand that specializes in equipment that deals with fluid handling systems. It makes products for homeowners and contractors as well as vehicle service, industrial, manufacturing, and processing professionals. This involves a wide range of items that pump, spray, or otherwise apply liquids: paint sprayers, textile coating and texturing tools, spray foam applicators, lubrication applicators, chemical pumps, etc. A lot of the more heavy-duty equipment that Graco makes is naturally going to require its own outlet, but you might be surprised to learn that some of its handheld sprayers are powered by DeWalt batteries. The Graco Ultra Cordless Airless Handheld Paint Sprayer, for instance, is powered by the DeWalt 20V XR lithium-ion battery system and can be found for sale on Amazon, where reviewers have given it a weighted score of 4.2 out of 5 stars. "This machine is awesome, I painted the exterior of my home and garage quickly," wrote one reviewer." I don't think it was designed for such a big job, but it worked great for me."

Hughes Home and DIY reviewed the Graco TC Pro Paint Sprayer as well, and they seemed to like it quite a bit. They stated that it was lightweight, easy to use, easy to clean, doesn't require the user to thin the paint, and was particularly handy for DeWalt users since it used the company's 20V batteries. Their biggest cons were that the sprayer was a bit on the expensive side, and it could only hold 32 oz. of paint at a time.

Another option that you might want to consider is getting a third-party adapter that allows you to use another company's tools. Several of these adapters can be found on Amazon for around $10-$20. They work by converting the fittings and electrical output of a battery from one brand to match that of another brand so long as the flow is less than or equal to the maximum output of the battery.

This one from X-Adapter, for instance, allows you to use a DeWalt 20V Max XR lithium-ion battery in any modern Ryobi 18V cordless tool. This particular adapter has a weighted user rating of 4.7 out of 5 on Amazon, with users enthusiastically citing its functionality, fit, value, and build quality as reasons for their positive scores. "The adapter fits perfectly into the Ryobi products and the DeWalt batteries click in firmly," wrote one user. "It is very good quality and has a solid feel to it. Definitely a must-have product for anyone who owns both Ryobi and DeWalt batteries."

These adapters are made for a bunch of different brands, but Ryobi is easily one of the best options for people who are looking to save a bit of money on a specific item by not buying DeWalt and who still want to get their hands on a quality tool. The Home Depot-affiliated brand has over 300 products in its 18V One+ battery system, and pros and novices alike cite it as one of the best options when considering a price-to-performance ratio.

Those who aren't interested in getting an adapter and want to find alternative tools that work natively with DeWalt's battery system might want to consider taking a look at Meliff. Like DeWalt and Mac, Mellif Tools is an American company. It's based in Curtice, Ohio, and operates with the goal of "making life environmentally friendly" by providing tools that are powered by existing battery systems from DeWalt, Makita, and Milwaukee. It specializes in pumps and tools for lawn and garden care, but it also makes dust blowers, paint sprayers, vacuums, dust blowers, hot glue guns, and numerous other devices. It even makes a battery-powered electric heated lunch box. The company currently has 134 products listed on Amazon, several of which DeWalt itself does not have an alternative for. These tools also typically have either a yellow-and-black or a yellow-and-blue color scheme, which is a nice touch for those who are concerned about having a wall of matching tools.

Most of Mellif's DeWalt-compatible products are rated over 4 stars on Amazon. One thread on the DeWalt Reddit page asked people what their favorite "Yellow DeWalt copies" were, and Mellif was easily the most mentioned brand. "I've had nothing but success with the Mellif glue gun in the couple months that I've had it," said one contributor. "[Yes, the] Mellif vacuum is [much] better than any DeWalt one I've tried and got it for about [$80] on Amazon," said another.

Another brand that might be worth a look is Livowalny. This is a smaller, family-owned business that, like Millif, offers a wide range of tools designed to work with the DeWalt, Makita, and Milwaukee battery systems. They have a much smaller range of products, but the tools on offer tend to be even more affordable than most other DeWalt-compatible brands. It's worth being selective about which Livowalny tools you buy, though. Some of them come quite highly rated, while others appear to have garnered a more mixed response.

The work lights and air compressors seem to be among the company's more popular items. All of them are rated over four stars and feature reviews that praise them for their affordability and effectiveness. "This little inflator is amazing — reasonably quiet, no air leaks, lightweight, and works flawlessly," wrote one reviewer. "It's not a toy or gimmick; it inflates a tire with decent speed."

The more power-consumptive products, such as the company's heat gun and vacuum cleaners, were not received nearly as well, though. There were several complaints of products feeling cheap, being underpowered, or simply not working out of the box. So, while Livowalny may be a solid budget option for simple devices, you might be better off splurging for a more robust product when it comes to high-power gear.