DeWalt vs Milwaukee cordless drill
The internet answers this question with brand loyalty. Here is the dataset answer instead: the two flagships, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2904-20 and the DeWalt DCD1007, pulled from our 31-model sourced dataset, every number traceable to a manufacturer page or an independent test, and the one spec trap that makes most DeWalt-vs-Milwaukee comparisons wrong before they start.
The head-to-head spec table
Both rows below are rendered straight from the dataset as of 2026-10-11, not retyped. Torque units are shown exactly as each manufacturer publishes them; see specs explained for why UWO and in-lbs never rank against each other.
| Spec | Milwaukee 2904 (M18 Fuel) | DeWalt DCD1007 (20V MAX) |
|---|---|---|
| Power rating (as published) | 1400 in-lbs | 1530 UWO |
| Max RPM | 2100 | 2000 |
| Weight, bare (lb) | 3.2 | 4.2 |
| Hammer mode | Yes, 33,000 bpm | Yes (bpm not verified to 2 sources) |
| Motor | Brushless | Brushless |
| Speeds | 2 | 3 |
| Bind-up protection | Auto-Stop control mode | ANTI-ROTATION system |
| Recorded price (dataset, 2026-09-07) | $259 | $249 |
| Live price on our 2026-10-11 pull | $229.00 (CTW, check current price) | $249.00 (Ohio Power Tool, check current price) |
Weight is bare tool without battery. The DCD1007's 4.2 lb comes from Pro Tool Reviews' tested figure; DeWalt's dealer pages list 4.1 lb, within rounding of the same tool. Both prices are bare tool, battery and charger sold separately.
The UWO trap, before anything else
DeWalt does not publish an in-lbs torque rating for the DCD1007. The spec sheet rates it at 1530 UWO, unit watts out, a measure of electrical power delivery. Milwaukee rates the 2904 at 1400 in-lbs of torque, a measure of turning force at the chuck. There is no honest conversion between them, which is why our table shows both exactly as published and refuses to rank them against each other. DeWalt's marketing copy does quote "2100 in-lbs of MAX torque" for this drill; that is DeWalt marketing language for a best-case figure, not a comparable in-lbs rating, and it should not be set against the Milwaukee's 1400. Our specs explained page covers the unit mess in full, including which DeWalt rows in the dataset do carry in-lbs ratings.
Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2904-20: what the specs say
1400 in-lbs, 0-2100 RPM, 3.2 lb bare, brushless, hammer mode to 33,000 bpm. Sources: Pro Tool Reviews 2904 test, Power Tool Insider 2026 comparison, Construction Tool Warehouse listing
The 2904 is the M18 Fuel flagship hammer drill: the most torque Milwaukee has put in the platform's 1/2 in body, a 33000 bpm hammer rating that leads the dataset, and 2100 RPM that finishes holes the DCD1007's 2000 RPM gets to slightly later. It is a two-speed drill (BobVila's seven-drill hammer test clocked it and lists its two speed options explicitly), and it carries Auto-Stop control mode, Milwaukee's bind-up protection, with a dedicated indicator light on the foot of the tool; DeWalt's ANTI-ROTATION system answers the same problem, so neither brand holds a safety edge here. At 3.2 lb bare it is a full pound lighter than the DeWalt, and that shows up all day overhead. The M18 platform is the deepest cordless ecosystem in the dataset; a first Milwaukee battery is also the entry ticket to several hundred existing M18 tools.
The price moved. Our dataset recorded $259 (2026-09-07, per the Construction Tool Warehouse listing). On this page's build-day pull, 2026-10-11, that same cited source listed the 2904-20 at $229.00, in stock. We show both numbers rather than silently editing the dataset, because the recorded-vs-live drift is exactly the kind of thing a comparison page should disclose. Treat $229 as the number to verify, not trust: check the current price at the recorded source.
DeWalt DCD1007: what the specs say
1530 UWO, 0-2000 RPM, 4.2 lb bare, brushless, 3-speed transmission, ANTI-ROTATION bind-up protection. Source: Pro Tool Reviews DCD1007 test; price verified at Ohio Power Tool and Burns Tools, $249.00 each, 2026-10-11
The DCD1007's case does not rest on the power figure. It is a 3-speed drill: 0-450, 0-1200, 0-2000 RPM against the Milwaukee's two speeds, which matters when a middle gear is the difference between driving screws without cam-out and stripping them. It carries the ANTI-ROTATION system, which senses a bind-up and shuts the tool down before the torque twists your wrist; the Milwaukee answers with its own Auto-Stop control mode, so this one is a tie, not a decider. And DeWalt's 20V MAX line spans the FlexVolt 60V tools at the top, so the platform argument is closer here than Milwaukee fans admit. Our 18V vs 20V page dismantles the voltage marketing: both platforms run the same cells.
Price stability is the quiet DeWalt advantage this month: $249 recorded in September, $249 live on both retailer pulls on 2026-10-11. No drift to disclose. Check current: Ohio Power Tool DCD1007B.
Which one should you buy
- If torque and speed decide: the 2904. 1400 in-lbs is a published, tested, comparable figure; the UWO rating means the DCD1007 cannot enter that comparison, in either direction. 2100 vs 2000 RPM is small; 3.2 vs 4.2 lb is not.
- If you drive fasteners all day: the DCD1007's 3-speed transmission, with its middle gear between the Milwaukee's two, is the functional edge no torque table captures; Pro Tool Reviews scored it 91 points in its hammer-drill head-to-head. Bind-up protection is a wash: Auto-Stop on the Milwaukee, ANTI-ROTATION on the DeWalt, same job.
- If price decides: the 2904 as of 2026-10-11: $229 live at the recorded source against a steady $249. That $20 gap has not always existed and may not last; both rows carry dated prices on this page precisely because they move.
- If you own batteries already: the brand you own. A flagship drill at $229 plus a $99 battery you do not need is a $328 drill. Platform, not spec sheet, is the real decider for anyone two or more tools deep, and both ecosystems are excellent.
Related pages
This page covers exactly one model pair. The full price comparison sorts all 31 dataset models into budget, mid and premium tiers with a torque-per-dollar ranking. The budget picks page covers every under-$100 drill in the dataset. Specs explained covers torque units and the UWO conversion trap in depth, and 18V vs 20V covers the battery-voltage marketing both brands play. The sortable comparison tool renders the whole 31-model dataset as one table, sources attached per cell.