DeWalt 20V MAX XR Compact Hammer Drill with TOOL CONNECT

Why this compact hammer drill stayed in my kit

I didn’t buy this drill for the Bluetooth. I picked it up because I wanted a compact, brushless hammer drill that could live on my belt all day and still push small masonry anchors without complaint. After months on remodel work and a couple of shop builds, the DCD797 has earned that spot—Bluetooth and all.

Setup, pairing, and the app bits

Out of the box, it’s a bare tool, so I ran it primarily with 2.0Ah compact packs and occasionally 5.0Ah packs for heavier days. Pairing to the Tool Connect app took under a minute: hold the small button on the foot for a few seconds until the blue LED blinks, then add it in the app. The connection has been stable on both iOS and Android in my testing.

Tool Connect brings three things to the table:
- Inventory/location: you get “last seen” reporting if the tool has been near a phone running the app or a Tool Connect hub. It’s not GPS, but it’s genuinely helpful for “which jobsite did I leave that on?” moments.
- Diagnostics: the app shows runtime, trigger pulls, temperature, and the health of the internal coin cell that keeps the Bluetooth alive when a main battery isn’t attached.
- Controls: three programmable performance profiles in addition to the default Home mode. I set one profile for delicate cabinet work (low max RPM and soft-start), one for general drilling, and one for hammer drilling with the LED set to maximum brightness and a short delay.

There’s also an optional “disable-when-out-of-range” feature. It works, but I recommend setting a sensible radius and making sure your crew knows the rules; it can bite you if your phone walks away at lunch.

Power and drilling performance

In terms of muscle, this is a compact drill, not a high-torque hog. It’s rated at 460 W with 0–500/0–2000 RPM, and 34,000 blows per minute in hammer mode. In real work that translates to:

• Wood: In low gear it will drive 3-inch construction screws all day without drama, and it handled 1-1/4-inch spade bits through SPF studs cleanly. For 2-1/8-inch hole saws in plywood, I prefer high gear with a 5.0Ah pack; it’s fine for a handful of holes, but if you’re doing door prep nonstop, step up to a heavier drill.
• Metal: No issues spinning step bits up to 7/8-inch in 16–18 gauge sheet. Use cutting fluid, low gear, and let the clutch save your wrist.
• Masonry: In hammer mode it’s a genuinely useful tool for Tapcons and light anchors. I comfortably drilled multiple 3/16- and 1/4-inch holes into cured concrete for Tapcons and pipe clips. For bigger anchors or continuous overhead work, an SDS-plus rotary hammer is the right call, but this compact hammer drill is great for punch-list tasks and mixed-material days.

The included side handle is not a decorative extra—use it. The tool is short front-to-back, which is fantastic in cabinets and between studs, but that also means when a bit catches there’s not much lever arm before the body wants to twist. With the handle on and the clutch set appropriately, it’s easy to manage.

Chuck, clutch, and controls

The 1/2-inch keyless chuck locks down well. I didn’t experience bit slip, even with larger spade bits, and runout was within what I expect for this class. The 13-position clutch is predictable, with a wide enough spread to dial in for cabinet hardware without stripping out soft material. Mechanical shifting between the two gears is positive and hasn’t popped out under load.

Where the app adds value is the programmable caps on RPM. I have a profile that limits high gear to a mid-range top speed, which makes drilling metal cleaner and keeps hole saws from chewing themselves to pieces if I get sloppy with the trigger. It’s not mandatory, but once I set it up, I used it constantly.

LED work light and ergonomics

DeWalt’s foot-mounted LED has adjustable brightness and delay. In cramped spaces, that matters. I keep the delay short most of the time to save battery, then bump it up when I’m working in a wall cavity and need light while swapping fasteners. The blue pairing LED is thankfully small and only flashes during pairing or alerts.

Ergonomically, the handle shape and overmold are classic DeWalt—neutral wrist angle, grippy without being gummy. At about 4 pounds bare, it balances nicely with a compact battery and stays manageable overhead. With a 5.0Ah pack, it’s still fine, just less nimble. The compact length (around 9 inches) really shows its value under sinks and in cabinet toe kicks.

Runtime and battery notes

Brushless efficiency is good. With a 2.0Ah pack, I can knock out a full afternoon of mixed drilling and light fastening. A 5.0Ah pack turns it into an all-day tool unless you’re hammer-drilling continuously. The app’s runtime and trigger count metrics are surprisingly handy for fleet management or just understanding who’s using what on the job.

One practical note: because it’s sold as a bare tool, make sure your battery and charger situation is squared away. The Tool Connect telemetry doesn’t fix a dead pack, and the Bluetooth module can’t wake the drill if the main battery is empty.

Reliability and service

My first sample developed a fault early on where the LED flashed but the motor wouldn’t engage. I exchanged it and the replacement has been solid through months of use. That hiccup underscores two things: don’t ignore early weirdness, and register the tool. The 3-year limited warranty, one-year free service, and 90-day satisfaction guarantee are meaningful—use them if you need to.

On the connectivity side, the internal coin cell that maintains Bluetooth presence when no main pack is attached will eventually age. The app exposes its health, which is a thoughtful touch for long-term fleet use.

Who benefits most from the Bluetooth features?

If you’re a solo DIYer, the programmed modes and diagnostics are nice-to-haves, not must-haves. If you’re running a small crew or managing tools across sites, the “last seen” tracking, assignment of tools to users/jobs, and the ability to standardize profiles are genuinely useful. I assigned this drill to a project in the web portal, set a profile lock so its settings don’t get “adjusted” mid-day, and it cut down on head-scratching moments.

Just remember: “last seen” depends on the tool getting within range of a phone or hub. It’s not a LoJack. As long as expectations are set correctly, it’s an effective layer of accountability.

What I’d change

• I’d like a slightly higher torque ceiling in low gear for running larger hole saws. The compact form is worth the tradeoff most days, but a bit more grunt would extend its range.
• The app could better surface per-profile RPM caps in real time on the tool, perhaps via a quick LED code. As it stands, you need to be intentional about what mode you’re in.
• A clearer user pathway for coin cell maintenance would be welcome for long-term ownership.

The bottom line

As a compact hammer drill, this model checks the right boxes: strong everyday performance, genuinely useful programmability, and practical tracking features that don’t get in the way. It’s not a replacement for an SDS-plus when concrete is the main course, and it’s not the brute I grab for 3-inch hole saw marathons. But for remodelers, electricians, HVAC techs, and anyone who values a compact, configurable drill that can switch from cabinetry to Tapcons without switching tools, it’s a smart pick.

Recommendation: I recommend this drill for pros and serious DIYers who want a compact, brushless hammer drill with thoughtful app-based controls and basic inventory tracking. If you have no interest in Bluetooth and you only drill wood, there are simpler, cheaper options that will serve you well. If you appreciate the flexibility of programmable modes, the accountability of “last seen” tracking, and a compact tool that punches above its size in light masonry, this one belongs in your kit.