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DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver

DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver

Scored on 54 verified owner verdicts, from 381 comments read across 4 communities
TL;DR
Owners overwhelmingly call the DCF887 a powerful, reliable everyday driver that shrugs off drops and abuse while giving fine speed control for both delicate and heavy work. The main complaint is the trigger and speed-control electronics failing over time, sometimes just past warranty, and a repair often costs enough that people replace the whole tool. A smaller group reports chuck wobble and bits not staying seated.

69% of 54 verified owners recommend the DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver, based on real owner verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.

See the problems 15 owners report →

What 54 owners say
381 comments reviewed · scored on the 54 clearest verdicts
69%
Recommend
37 owners
3%
Neutral
2 owners
28%
Don't recommend
15 owners
Source
Score
N
Counted in the score
Reddit
68%
50
Other forums
75%
4
Reviewed, but not counted — and why
YouTubeiowner comments
89%
19
Affiliate blogsipaid commission
100%
1
No clear verdictiSetup, tips & quirks
3

Affiliate blogs here say 100% recommend, while the owner-based score is 69%. 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
  • Serious power and torque that drives tough screws, bolts, and even lugnuts · 9 · 17%
  • Reliable workhorse that keeps running after years of drops and jobsite abuse · 9 · 17%
  • Multiple speed settings handle everything from delicate to heavy driving · 7 · 13%
  • Precise low-speed control drives fasteners without stripping or damaging material · 5 · 9%
  • Compact and comfortable, feels like an extension of your hand · 4 · 7%
What owners flag
  • Trigger and speed-control electronics can fail, leaving power fluttering or stuck · 7 · 13%
  • Chuck wobble and bit-retention problems, with springs breaking on bit swaps · 3 · 6%
  • Repairs cost enough that owners just buy a new tool instead · 3 · 6%
Who it's for
A great fit if
  • DIYers driving screws and assembling flat-pack furniture
  • Tradespeople needing an all-day jobsite driver
  • Users wanting three-speed control for fine or delicate work
  • Anyone driving lots of long or stubborn fasteners
Look elsewhere if
  • People wanting a small driver only for light delicate tasks
  • Buyers worried about the reported trigger reliability issues

Synthesized from what DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver owners say — not a spec sheet.

How buyers rate it elsewhere

Retailers' own star averages, for comparison — separate from our vetted owner-verdict score above.

Top quotes, sourced

381 reviewed · 74 shown
Sentiment
Community
Sort
Reddit▼ don’t recommend

the tool repair shop at the other location has literal crates of DCF887 impacts that are just older than 1 year and if the switch just now went out thats not considered a defect so you'll have to ~$97 plus shipping on a tool that sells for $139.

YouTube▲ recommend

887 still goin strong, really a beast of an Impact for being roughly 8 years and change

Reddit— neutral

I do like that the M18 Fuel impact driver is more compact than the Dewalt DCF887

YouTube— neutral

For it’s day it had plenty of power

Reddit▲ recommend

I have the Dewalt DCF887. It makes driving and removing screws effortless, and the impact action does so without stripping heads, wrenching your wrist, and lets you drive long screws into wood like butter. It's the most used tool I own.

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

Dewalt is now just a yellow black & decker

Reddit▼ don’t recommend

I have a DeWalt DCF887 and its way overpowered for most tasks so I'm waiting for the new 12v screw driver

Reddit— neutral

I think the DeWalt DCF887 impact driver is more comfortable than the Milwaukee 2853

Reddit▲ recommend

my DCF887 is still chugging along, and I don't plan on replacing it anytime soon.

Reddit▼ don’t recommend

DCF887 and 2853 M18 require $80-90+ electronics assemblies just to replace a trigger. AKA toss the tool and buy another.

YouTube▲ recommend

887 is good as new, no need to replace it with anything

Reddit▲ recommend

Very impressed with the power of these tools, and a great upgrade from my older Ryobi gear

Reddit▼ don’t recommend

I have 4 of the last generation dcf887 and everyone of them has horrendous chuck wobble. Not only that but I am constantly replacing the spring inside the chuck because they brake constantly when you swap bits regularly. Sometimes in as little as 3 days. The anvil/collet wears out very quickly and causes your bits to fall out

Reddit▲ recommend

On a 1/4" impact, it's hard to beat the DCF887 from Dewalt. I have a few different impacts, but keep reaching for that one.

Reddit▼ don’t recommend

a DCF887 impact driver and 2 amp. 3 moths in the trigger assembly started to "flutter". You'd hold the trigger at one speed and the motor would be all over the place. Just like the rest of my coworkers DCF887's. So i switched to red

Reddit▼ don’t recommend

My dcf887 impact driver which was 200 dollars when i bought it 6 years ago does this thing where when you pull the trigger full and constant it alternates between full and half power every few seconds. Just some electronics issues that cant be fixed.

Reddit▲ recommend

Had the 887 for years and the newer models since released. No failures and they’ve definitely been abused on site and my own projects

Reddit▼ don’t recommend

I followed the instruction in the video and replaced the spring and ball, but it didn't solve the problem. I think the video is for the problem where the chuck can't hold the bit but my problem is different.

Reddit▲ recommend

The impact driver has multiple speed settings so it works for more situations than my previous HF Bauer impact, plus the quick insert collet is a nice touch.

The Garage Journal▼ don’t recommend

I just grabbed a DeWalt 20v, DCF887. A cordless impact driver I got at a pawnshop cheap. It will not hold bits in the chuck(?).

Reddit▲ recommend

3 Speed is something I very much appreciate with mine (A dewalt DCF887). Lowest speed gives precise control, middle is great for general purpose driving, top is perfect for driving masonry screws into concrete etc.

Reddit▲ recommend

The 887 is my go-to 1/4” driver, I don’t even use the snap-on 1/4” anymore, and the belt clips on these guns are amazingly convenient.

Reddit▼ don’t recommend

I had it for years. It’s alright but I happily left it behind. It notoriously smokes under stress.

Reddit▲ recommend

it's a Dewalt DCF887 which has a computerized/smart **"delicate"** setting which seems to do a great job at metering torque

Showing 124 of 74

Common problems & things to know

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

I was so happy with the Craftsman impact driver that I replaced my dying Dewalt DCF887 with it, since it was pretty much identical but $30 less.

Redditⓘ good to know

I'll 100% be replacing my 887 with the 860 when it dies.

Redditⓘ good to know

the 887 is the top of the line for Dewalt