8 DeWalt Products You Should Steer Clear Of And Avoid

Generally speaking, DeWalt knows what it's doing. Founded in 1924, the company is known for its wide variety of power tools, accessories, outdoor power equipment, and storage solutions. The familiar yellow-and-black color scheme is found in the garages and toolboxes of professionals and DIY enthusiasts alike, as the brand has found that sweet spot between pro-level quality and innovation, and weekend warrior affordability.

And that reputation is well-earned — DeWalt's tools land at or near the top spot in many of SlashGear's brand rankings, including impact wrenches and cordless ratchets. However, DeWalt has also made so many products, it was bound to have a few duds eventually. Even Jordan and Gretzky missed the occasional shot, after all. For all the creative, durable, and dependable tools we've gushed about here on SlashGear, there are some products that you shouldn't waste your money on. Some of them underperform; others feel like they missed the quality control process entirely. Here are eight Dewalt products you should steer clear of and avoid.

A good jump starter is an emergency tool you should always keep in your car. And given the fact that just under 50% of new cars come with a spare tire at all, an emergency air compressor is nearly as important as a jumper box. Several brands make combination jump starters and compressors that aren't too heavy, and if properly maintained, they can be a life saver in a bad situation. However, it's important to get something reliable or you'll be in the same situation you would have ended up in with a set of jumper cables in an empty parking lot.

DeWalt's Jump Starter with Digital Compressor might seem like a good choice; after all, it's a trusted brand with a good reputation. But there's a reason it's no longer listed on DeWalt's website. Many owners complain that the compressor on this combination unit fails prematurely, leaving drivers stranded when they thought they were prepared. Others claim that storing the charger in their vehicle during cold weather — you know, when you'd most likely need a jump if you've got a weak battery — quickly drains the DeWalt Jump Starter's internal battery, rendering the tool useless.

For some info on alternatives to the DeWalt Jump Starter, check out these SlashGear articles on options from Ryobi, Craftsman and Harbor Freight.

Here's a fun fact about the DeWalt model numbers that we've listed with each product heading: the prefix DX means that DeWalt licensed its brand out for that product. That means that DeWalt itself did not manufacture the item, but was paid by another company to slap its name on the final tool or product. It doesn't necessarily mean the licensed product is inferior to what DeWalt itself would make, but it is worth taking into account when shopping.

Take this DeWalt Cold Water Gas Pressure Washer. It seems like a solid choice — a DeWalt branded, gas-powered pressure washer that combines 3400 psi of water pressure with a 208cc engine. In practice, dozens of reviewers complain that the motor does not stay running, often due to a broken water sensor. Poor water inlet connections cause frequent leaks, and oil leaks and a cheap plastic battery housing are also issues with this pressure washer. 

DeWalt pressure washers aren't all bad — after all, the brand did earn the top spot on SlashGear's ranking of pressure washer brands, and DeWalt makes one of the most powerful pressure washers out there — but this one doesn't live up to its standing in the tool world.

Having worked on my fair share of older homes, few things more frustrating to me than needing a corded tool in a house without power. A portable generator is handy for these situations, but constantly moving it while you work isn't ideal. A cordless heat gun should be a game changer in that regard — not needing a cord or an outlet would be really helpful when doing work like heating up and scraping old paint or caulk from a window in a project home with no power. In practice, this heat gun doesn't get very hot, kills batteries quickly, and has an underpowered fan.

One of the most common complaints about the 20V MAX Cordless Compact Heat Gun is its fan speed. For applications that you'd want a heat gun for, like removing paint or wallpaper, the effective range of the tool is about 3 inches. That means holding the tool right up to the target with one hand while having your scraper in the other, which can get uncomfortable really fast.

Many users also find the temperature output less than optimal, with online reviewers mentioning that the tool has trouble melting heat shrink material — a job often completed with a cigarette lighter. Others say the heat gun is fine for use as a hand warmer, but little else. This is one example of when to pick a corded tool over a cordless one, especially if you've got a big job ahead of you.

Between third-party (often compensated) reviewers and unverified purchasers reviewing this cordless snow shovel, it's a little surprising to see that it somehow maintains an above-average star rating on Home Depot's website. Most of the five-star reviews for this product, which is basically a handheld, underpowered snow thrower, show the product either in its box, or just propped up inside the house — several of the reviews actually mention that the reviewer has not actually used the shovel on snow!

The 20V MAX Cordless Snow Shovel is simple, in theory. You pop a battery in, adjust the plate to direct snow, and wield it similar to the way you'd use a string trimmer. ANd yet, reviewers that use the shovel in the snow as intended complain it won't even move light, fluffy snow from their walkways. Cheap plastic triggers and safety switches on the shovel regularly break off, and the motor is reported to burn out, especially if the snow shovel's frequent clogs aren't immediately dislodged. It's a shame, too — the benefits of an electric snow shovel make one ideal for people who just have a walkway or a smaller parking spot to take care of. Fortunately, there are plenty of electric snow shovels that will prepare you for the next storm.

DeWalt has several vacuums with its name on them. Some are made in-house, and some are licensed. Some are the familiar wet-dry barrels, some are handheld models like the one we're focusing on here, and others are designed for dust mitigation. However, one thing they all have in common is that they're designed to suck up debris. If a vacuum can't even do that, there's probably no point in considering it.

This vacuum sucks...but not in the way you might hope. Shoppers complain about really short battery life, and complaints about the vacuum's power are repeated throughout several reviews on different sites. The vacuum or its filter seem to clog with just about everything you might use a handheld vacuum to pick up, from small wood chips to dust or ash to little bits of plastic. Accessories like the extension tube and floor nozzle reportedly crack only a few months after purchase.

While the attached belt hook is a good idea, it's poorly designed — too wide to keep the vac stable on your belt, but too narrow to hang it on a 2x4 if you're cleaning wood debris. And the LED on the unit, which could theoretically help with cleaning under cabinets, is underpowered, and doesn't help when you're using longer accessories. Fortunately, there are much more powerful cordless vacuums, as well as popular budget options, available that are far superior to this one.

Battery powered lawn mowers have been gaining popularity as rechargeable tool battery capacities have improved. If you've only recently made the decision to try one, you should set your expectations accordingly; switching from gas lawn mowers to battery-powered outdoor equipment means getting a tool that runs more quietly, is better for the environment, and requires less maintenance, but at the cost of power, speed, and run time. Even so, plenty of powerful electric lawn mowers will make quick work of a smaller lawn. Just not this one. 

This DeWalt self-propelled mower is powered by a pair of 20V MAX batteries, which puts it at a disadvantage when compared to EGO's lineup of 56V mowers. Its bumpy handling, uncomfortable handles, and flimsy controls make it hard to maneuver when mowing, and the absence of any kind of shock absorption or throttle control makes for a rushed, almost frantic mowing experience.

This mower is also one of several DeWalt models that were the subject of a 2024 recall. Battery powered lawn mowers produced between certain dates were vulnerable to electrical shorts if the mower experienced severe water intrusion, and those shorts could keep the mower running with the bail released, or allow the motor to start without a key inserted. The situation has since been addressed by DeWalt.

When you're shopping for a chainsaw, there are a few choices you'll need to make early on. First, the saw needs to be the right size for the job. Then, you'll need to decide whether a powerful, gas-powered chainsaw or an electric chainsaw is more appropriate. Finally, picking out a good chainsaw brand from the dozens available at your local hardware store, and then narrowing that pick down to the perfect saw for you is its own adventure. While SlashGear has plenty of guides to help with those tasks, this one exists, in part, to help you steer clear of this compact cordless chainsaw.

Poor cutting speed, massive oil leaks, and spontaneous motor failure are some of the most frequent notes left on DeWalt's product page for the 20V MAX XR Compact 12-inch Cordless Chainsaw. The oil leak problem is particularly widespread, though DeWalt does note in several responses to customer complaints that instructions clearly state the saw is to be drained of oil after use. That may be true, but if several people are complaining about the issue, it may be time to address the product's design.

The chain speed of this cordless chainsaw is reportedly one third that of a gas saw. While this extends the battery life of the tool, it comes with a significant drop in power. And what good is a longer chainsaw runtime if you spend all that extra time slowly working through a single log?

DeWalt makes many of our favorite drills and drill/drivers; in fact, the brand ranks number one on SlashGear's list of the best cordless drill brands. In this case, though, the fact that DeWalt markets to both professionals and home DIY types can muddy the waters in terms of product quality. This compact drill/driver kit is on the low end of DeWalt's quality tool spectrum, with a number of issues that might not be apparent until it's compared to other drills.

The 20V MAX Compact Drill/Driver Kit is of those sets that's always available around the holidays, usually in those big temporary cardboard displays set up near the registers at Home Depot. This kit includes two batteries, a charger, and a storage bag — for around a hundred bucks, that seems like a bargain. However, a variety of issues makes this one of DeWalt's worst drills. It's really big, heavy, and unwieldy, unlike many of the more compact drills available. It has a plastic chuck that feels cheap, and its brushed motor makes it both underpowered and unreliable compared to the brushless models available from both DeWalt and other manufacturers. And while a pair of batteries might seem like they make the kit worth the investment, the ones included are considered some of the weakest DeWalt offers.

The DeWalt products you should steer clear of and avoid were chosen for this article using a variety of sources. Reviews on sites like Amazon and Home Depot (the exclusive home of DeWalt tools) were searched, and although the amount of influencer reviews on those sites can skew the numbers we picked tools and products that had consistent issues among negative reviews. As a former mechanic and current homeowner/perpetual project procrastinator, I've also had a few bad experiences with some of the DeWalt products on this list.