Whilst there is no simple answer, as DeWalt and Milwaukee are so closely comparable in price and performance at their core Milwaukee's focus is more clearly on innovative technology whilst DeWalt makes tools more heavily favoured by trade professionals. 

DeWalt and Milwaukee. If you’re a DIY fanatic or have simply purchased your fair share of power tools, then you’ll be familiar with these two names. They’re two of the most established manufacturers in the power tool space, and many of their products have become staples of jobsites across the country. 

They’ve both been around for decades and have established themselves as leading manufacturers. But which of these two brands is best for you when it comes to their most popular tools?   

This guide aims to answer that very question, weighing up some of the different features to be found in both DeWalt and Milwaukee tools and, more importantly, where they outperform each other. 

• An Introduction to DeWalt
• An introduction to Milwaukee
• Who Has the Best Range of Tools? 
• Who Has the Best Prices? 
• Whose Tools are the Most Popular? 
• Which Tools Perform the Best? 

Another American company, DeWalt is recognised the world over for manufacturing tools for everything from construction and manufacturing to woodworking and even textiles. You may also recognise the name which DeWalt falls under the umbrella of – Stanley Black &Decker. DeWalt was officially founded in 1924 and sold to Black and Decker in 1960.

Milwaukee was started prior to 1924. As the name suggests, it was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was Acquired by Techtronic Industries in 2005 and has been a subsidiary since then. Milwaukee develops both corded and cordless power tools, and also produces hand tools and accessories to form a huge and diverse range of construction products and equipment.

Both DeWalt and Milwaukee collections are vast. With hundreds of different power tools and many more products if you include hand tools and accessories. Both are releasing new products several times a year while retaining several older models for many years before retiring them. This means that both manufacturers boast a catalogue that is quite simply massive. 

It is also apparent when you shop through their ranges that they have developed different tools for different users, contributing to the reasons behind this extensive number of available products. Contractors, tradesmen, and DIYers are all likely to benefit from many of the tools and accessories offered by both manufacturers. 

What’s more, if you are drawn to a certain tool from one of these names, it is likely the other also produces a very similar model to that specific product, meaning not only do both manufacturers feature plenty of choices but those choices have been designed to compete with one another. 

Ultimately, both brands are neck and neck when it comes to their product range. Whether that be drills, table saws or multi-tools you’ll be able to find the tool for your job in red and black and yellow. 

For many, however, choice means nothing if the price isn’t right. This can be a tossup, however, as both Milwaukee and DeWalt are known for offering tools at excellent prices for their quality. Their prices are also very similar, with both brands looking to compete directly with one another.

However, if you take the average price of all the different products produced by both brands, you will likely notice that Milwaukee products tend to be sold at a slightly higher price point than the DeWalt alternatives.

Let’s get a little bit more specific with Combi Drills. DeWalt’s DCD706D2 and Milwaukee’s M12 BPD-202C to be specific. Both are compact 12V models, both are supplied with 2 2.0Ah Li-ion and both boast similar capacities in steel, masonry and wood. The price difference? Around £16 in DeWalt’s favour.

If you look at the DeWalt range, meanwhile, you’ll find that they tend to offer slightly more choices in the lower price brackets, which may appeal to those who like to budget more strictly.   

However, it should be noted that, overall, these price differences are actually minuscule and barely worth mentioning outside of the fact that you may be better off looking at what Milwaukee has to offer first if you’re in the market for a very specialised tool. Most prices from these names – and the quality of the products themselves – remain more or less the same. 

If you associate the colours of yellow and black with hand tools, then that is because of DeWalt, who are without a doubt the bigger name in the UK, thanks in part to extensive marketing under the DeWalt name and the wider Black & Decker group. However,  

Milwaukee is also a long-established brand, and in their home country of the US in particular, the two manufacturers are almost equal in popularity. 

Back in the UK however, Milwaukee is a relatively new name due to the fact that they didn’t start to achieve the popularity DeWalt tools enjoyed until around a decade ago. This was when they become notable for releasing specialised M18 lithium-ion batteries and released a series of similarly specific tools that became extremely popular.

However, both brands have enjoyed extremely strong reputations, with each of their products celebrated for their quality, ease of use, and standout features such as optimal durability and longevity. 

Innovation is essential for improved tool performance year on year. As two of the biggest names in this space, DeWalt and Milwaukee are no strangers to developing new technology. Though there is one feature from each brand that should be highlighted: Milwaukee’s One-Key system and DeWalt’s Tool Connect service. Both are apps that, in some cases, provide user access to view tool tracking and inventory, as well as the ability to control tools.

However, most reviewers agree that the Milwaukee system is superior in this regard. One-Key offers more sophisticated layouts, greater user-friendliness, and excellent levels of integration. It also boasts more features designed for professional users as opposed to DeWalt's, which is aimed more squarely at casual DIYers.

When it comes to their proprietary tech, however, the gap closes considerably. Milwaukee, as similarly well branded as their one-key app, has RedLink plus™. Intelligent hardware and software described by Milwaukee as ‘the most advance system of cordless power tool electronics’ which ‘enables full-circle communication between tool, battery and charger ensuring unmatched levels of performance, protection and productivity.’

This technology ensures that you get the best out of your tools, ensuring efficient use of battery power throughout.

DeWalt, on the other hand, takes a simpler and much broader approach. In addition to their standard brushless motors – improving the individual lifespan of their tools – they also introduced unique FLEXVOLT® batteries. These can be used to power 20, 60 & 120V tools, making use of automatic voltage-switching technologies to reduce downtime between jobs.

As you can infer, DeWalt designed this for the trade. There are no two ways about it. The system, whilst extremely useful on a job site without a wide range of tools, loses some of its practicality at home if you, say, are just putting up a shelf.

These are just some of the key factors to keep in mind when looking to choose between a DeWalt and a Milwaukee but, as you can tell, there is a reason their products are considered to be more-or-less equal in quality. While DeWalt tools may fall short of a Milwaukee when it comes to technology and convenience, they more than make up for it with slightly better price tags.

This is why the decision is really down to your own preferences and the job you are looking to get done. There are literally hundreds of tools in both DeWalt and Milwaukee lines, so we can’t cover every single one of them here, but what we can do is suggest you check out the product you are looking for here on our site. If DeWalt produces it, there is likely a Milwaukee alternative for you to compare it with.