Power tools · owner-verdict comparison

DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver vs Milwaukee M18 FUEL Surge Impact Driver: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 69% of 54 DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver owners recommend it, vs 72% of 125 for the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Surge Impact Driver.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver

69%of 54 owners recommend
69% recommend · 3% neutral · 28% don't
Owners praise
  • Serious power and torque that drives tough screws, bolts, and even lugnuts
  • Reliable workhorse that keeps running after years of drops and jobsite abuse
  • Multiple speed settings handle everything from delicate to heavy driving
Owners complain about
  • Trigger and speed-control electronics can fail, leaving power fluttering or stuck
  • Chuck wobble and bit-retention problems, with springs breaking on bit swaps
  • Repairs cost enough that owners just buy a new tool instead
Full owner report →

Milwaukee M18 FUEL Surge Impact Driver

72%of 125 owners recommend
72% recommend · 10% neutral · 18% don't
Owners praise
  • Dramatically quieter than a standard impact, thanks to the hydraulic drive
  • Smooth with great trigger control and precision for driving screws
  • Plenty of power for most small-to-medium fastening and everyday jobs
Owners complain about
  • Less peak torque than a standard FUEL impact, not ideal for heavy structural screws or big lags
  • Some owners hit reliability issues like gearbox failures or oil leaks
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver 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
Skip it if
  • People wanting a small driver only for light delicate tasks
  • Buyers worried about the reported trigger reliability issues
Get the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Surge Impact Driver if
  • ✓Tradespeople working in occupied buildings who need quiet operation
  • ✓Electricians and cabinet installers driving screws all day
  • ✓Users bothered by noise and hand vibration from standard impacts
  • ✓Anyone driving small-to-medium fasteners smoothly and controllably
Skip it if
  • Breaking loose seized or stuck fasteners
  • Driving large lags and structural fasteners regularly

What DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver owners say

“887 still goin strong, really a beast of an Impact for being roughly 8 years and change”
— @BlackenedEclipse on YouTube
“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.”
— soupyfrood on Reddit
“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.”
— shiyal on Reddit

What Milwaukee M18 FUEL Surge Impact Driver owners say

“you need an impact driver that accepts the 1/4 hex bits. You’ll be able to adapt it for sockets as well. I recommend the Milwaukee Fuel Surge.”
— ElekChiken on Reddit
“Milwaukee M18 Fuel Surge you have my heart”
— BeastlyIguana on Reddit
“I really don't like that it cuts out so quickly.”
— @Skwish6952 on YouTube

DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver vs Milwaukee M18 FUEL Surge Impact Driver: frequently asked questions

Is the DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver or the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Surge Impact Driver better?

Real owners rate these about evenly: 69% of 54 DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver owners recommend it, vs 72% of 125 for the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Surge Impact Driver.

Who should get the DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver?

Owners point the DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver at dIYers driving screws and assembling flat-pack furniture, and tradespeople needing an all-day jobsite driver.

Who should get the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Surge Impact Driver?

Owners point the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Surge Impact Driver at tradespeople working in occupied buildings who need quiet operation, and electricians and cabinet installers driving screws all day.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the DeWalt DCF887 Impact Driver is trigger and speed-control electronics can fail, leaving power fluttering or stuck. For the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Surge Impact Driver, it's less peak torque than a standard FUEL impact, not ideal for heavy structural screws or big lags.