Investigating the Biggest Lie in Power Tools: DeWALT's Flexvolt Advantage v Power Detect

We re-wrote this episode 3 times because their product lines are so confusing. We tried to lay it out as straight forward as we can with numbers and even a summary of FAQ at the end - and it's still not easily skimmable content. Sorry for that. You can find many of the best tested options here: www.amazon.com/shop/torquetestchannel We're not recommending going out and buying "the best" battery here, more figuring out which tool is a better buy overall with any battery.

Thanks for being the industry's lie detector test. You guys do some great work and we appreciate it. See you in the next one.

I think the purpose of this is that they signed “exclusive” contracts with both Home Depot and Lowes. Both stores wanted a different line, and Lowes wanted to make sure that their product wasn’t clearly worse than home depots. If the flexvolt was the “top of the line” then nobody would buy dewalt tools from Lowes. Thus they end up making two slightly different tools, surround it with un-verifiable marketing, and confused customers continue to buy tools from both retailers

If there is one thing to be said about DeWalt, they really do top the chart in customer confusion. You laid it out as plain as can be and I'm still mildly bewildered.

"If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull$h!t." - W.C. Fields. (also, StanleyBlack&Decker)

I'm convinced that a lot of these manufacturers create confusion for profit. They want their old stock to sell as well as their sub par tools that may have higher margins/ profits because of lower R&D costs, etc. They don't want transparency, but that's where TTC comes in and lays down the pimp hand! Thank you!

Great video. What's not ambiguous is Dewalt's entire marketing department should be fired for incompetence.

Well done analysis. My takeaway is that the marketing and model line complexity is a total mess on this brand (and others). Too many variations of similar products, too many different names, etc. Reminds me of 1980's General Motors. You could get away with this in the old days, but a smart marketer at SBD/Dewalt would clean and tidy the product lines and simplify things. The websites are absolutely useless when trying to understand which drill (or insert favorite power tool) is best for your needs.

As a dewalt guy this is the video I have been waiting for. You guys are killing it with this content!

Would have been nice seeing the 9 Amp/Hr battery head-to-head on the drills. Would also be nice to see comparable tools that aren’t FlexVolt Advantage or PowerDetect to see if it’s really the tools or tech.

My money is on the Dewalt taking this one.

Just got into professional carpentry and you guys have been my guide for disentangling the mess that is DeWalt tool lines. Much appreciated and love the Friday lunch time vids!

Have you thought about testing to see how much variance there is between tools of same make and model? I am curious how much they might vary.

I'm honestly more confused now than ever. Not by your testing or methodology. But by why these differences exist at all.

I was in Home Depot the other day and bought a grinder, as I only had a corded one. Got home and couldn't fit my 5ah batteries in, and it was then I was introduced to FlexVolt tools. HD had a deal on Dewalt chainsaw, which came with two 9ah Flexvolt, so I bought that and now have a grinder that works and a chainsaw to boot. I have been buying Dewalt tools since 2006 and did not know about this (just a DIYer, more of a tool collector and workshop user!)

Thank you TTC. I have been in the DeWalt line for years and have to watch this channel before I go out and buy a new tool. DeWalt confuses the hell out of me.

Great stuff, I would really like too see them disassembled and compare the motors themselves. Interested if it's only a difference in software or inverter components.

I think this will need a Part 2, where now all these types and combinations are thrown through a battery runtime gamut, to see if they're Ah rating match up. As well as to see if the confusion continues between which can do more work despite being the more, or less, powerful tool!

Is there anyway you can hook up the tools to a current regulated power supply? This would definitively prove that there's no tech really involved, it's just down to how much total power the tool is able to draw from what is connected and that most of the tools are artificially limited by the capabilities of the battery packs, wiring, and controllers. This could also add another stat to the charts of theoretical maximum output for the tools which could help see what kind of improvements the manufacturer could make just by optimizing the batteries to hit those max power targets in future revisions of the tool(s).

Starting my tool collection from scratch after being out of the country I spent a lot of time picking a base brand I went down the rabbit hole. I ended up with Milwaukee because they had the least confusing battery solutions. I know every battery works on every respective tool. I think DeWalt has some amazing stuff but limited by their complicated battery options. Trying to buy my dad and brother DeWalt tools can lead to madness. Thank you for this video as I hope it saves others the rabbit hole.