Scored on 56 verified owner verdicts, from 458 comments read across 4 communities
TL;DR
Owners overwhelmingly praise the DCD800 as a compact, lightweight drill with more power than its size suggests, though a few note cheap-feeling triggers and the lack of kickback protection.
89% of 56 verified owners recommend the DeWalt DCD800 20V MAX XR Drill, based on real owner verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.
458 comments reviewed · scored on the 56 clearest verdicts
89%
Recommend
50 owners
6%
Neutral
3 owners
5%
Don't recommend
3 owners
Source
Breakdown
Score
N
Counted in the score
Reddit
89%
54
Other forums
100%
2
Reviewed, but not counted — and why
YouTubeiOrdinary owner comments (not the reviewer), but here they sit too far from the owner consensus on Reddit and forums — channel comment sections can skew heavily positive or negative by trend — so they're shown for perspective and kept out of the score.owner comments
83%
12
Affiliate blogsiThese blogs earn a commission when you buy. Across our data they rate products ~35 points more positively than actual owners — shown for transparency, never counted in the score.paid commission
100%
2
No clear verdictiGood-to-know notes — setup, tips, and things to watch for. We use them for the pros, cons, and who it's for, but they don't reflect a definitive opinion on the product, so they're never counted in the score. See the 'Good to know' section below the quotes.Setup, tips & quirks
—
2
Affiliate blogs here say 100% recommend, while the owner-based score is 89%. They earn a commission on every sale — so we show them for transparency but never let them move the score.
The headline score reflects owners (Reddit, enthusiast forums), independent lab tests, blogs with no affiliate links, and YouTube owner-comments when they line up with owners. YouTube and Affiliate blogs are shown for perspective but kept out here — hover the i for why.
What owners like
Powerful for its small size · 45 · 80%
Compact and lightweight · 40 · 71%
Tough, solid, well-balanced build · 16 · 29%
Metal chuck feels premium · 8 · 14%
Great value, often on deal · 8 · 14%
What owners flag
Triggers and switches can feel cheap · 6 · 11%
No kickback/anti-rotation protection · 6 · 11%
Who it's for
A great fit if
Homeowners and DIYers wanting a capable everyday drill
Tradespeople needing compact power in tight spaces
Owners upgrading from older or entry DeWalt drills
Look elsewhere if
Buyers who need a hammer-drill function (get the 805)
Anyone wanting built-in kickback protection
Synthesized from what DeWalt DCD800 20V MAX XR Drill owners say — not a spec sheet.
Retailers' own star averages, for comparison — separate from our vetted owner-verdict score above.
Top quotes, sourced
458 reviewed · 70 shown
Sentiment
Community
Sort
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“definitely not worth the upgrade to the newer ones”
YouTube▲ recommend
“For the money I would say that this is a great setup for Professionals and DIY/Weekend warriors.”
YouTube— neutral
“I'm not a fan of DeWalt, but the light on that drill is a great idea.”
Reddit— neutral
“I do have Atomics DCD708 and DCD794 and XRs DCD796 and DCD800 and I prefer the clutches in the atomic drills as they have a much lower setting at level 1 compared the XRs and increase way more linearly.”
Reddit▲ recommend
“The DCD800 is the latest and greatest drill and the DCF850 is the newest impact driver.”
Reddit▼ don’t recommend
“when I switch from reverse to forward and start the drill it vibrates and grinds a little until I really crank up the speed”
Reddit▼ don’t recommend
“that makes 708 model more comfortable to use compared to newer 800 model”
YouTube▲ recommend
“It’s definitely built solid like a tank.”
Reddit— neutral
“I think the DCD800/805 is a nice middle ground, but I honestly wish I had went smaller when drilling in overhead fixtures while standing on a chair recently.”
Reddit— neutral
“I’ve used DCD800, a DeWalt 20V MAX XR drill, with auger bits for 3/4”-7/8” holes in top plates. It did fine. Just need a bigger battery.”
YouTube▲ recommend
“I like the dcd800.”
Reddit▼ don’t recommend
“DCD800 can break your wrist”
YouTube▲ recommend
“Currently rocking a DCD805 at work. Typically used for drilling through metal. Works a treat in tight spaces.”
Reddit▲ recommend
“I also like the DeWalt DCD800 drill”
Reddit▲ recommend
“I would recommend the new dcd800 for a drill driver. It’s compact and extremely powerful.”
YouTube▲ recommend
“Out of all the dewalt drills I own this is my favorite.”
Reddit▲ recommend
“Should be all you need to get started for as cheap as possible but still have quality tools that should last at least 10 years.”
Reddit▲ recommend
“Dewalt: DCD800 drill; compact, spins fast, powerful, lightweight with a powerstack battery.”
YouTube▲ recommend
“The DCD800 has been my daily driver for a bit over a year now and I love it.”
YouTube▲ recommend
“I have had this new drill for awhile now and it is very powerful.”
Reddit▲ recommend
“That drill is great in the dark, super compact for tight spaces (which I’m in a lot), and it’s balanced better/feels better in hand than my older Dewalt drill.”
Reddit▲ recommend
“I just bought a Dewalt DCD800. The motor has to be at least 300 watts, which is like 1/2 horsepower. It has a hell of a cooling fan built in too. They are designed to hold up in construction use being used all day.”
Reddit▲ recommend
“I have the new DCF850, and DCD800, gets everything done I need to around the house, and works great when doing electrical work as well at my job”
Reddit▲ recommend
“the dcd800 is the newer replacement for this drill and is better in basically every way - power, weight, size.”
Practical notes owners raise — setup, quirks, and issues to watch for. They don't say whether the person likes the product, so they're not counted in the score, but they inform the pros, cons, and who it's for.
Redditⓘ good to know
“The drill I bought (dcd800) and the 891 impact both feel kind of cheap. The triggers and the directions switch feel pretty awful. And I noticed the direction switch on the floor. Models at Home Depot is worn out and doesn’t work anymore. But the actual power performance of the tools is pretty fantastic.”
Redditⓘ good to know
“I'm using a DeWalt DCD800 to power it when I need to.”
