DeWalt 20V MAX Lithium Ion Compact 5 Tool Kit

A compact five-piece kit that covers the basics

I’m a sucker for “do-most-of-it” kits, especially when I’m setting up a secondary toolbox for the truck or a job trailer. This 20V MAX Compact 5-Tool Kit from DeWalt checks the right boxes on paper: a compact 2‑speed drill/driver, a single-speed impact driver, 6-1/2 in. circular saw, reciprocating saw, and a work light, all running on the 20V MAX platform. The battery pairing—one 4.0 Ah and one 2.0 Ah—makes sense for a mixed set like this, and the soft contractor bag is an easy toss-and-go solution.

After a few weeks of framing repairs, cabinet installs, and punch-list fixes, here’s where the kit shines, where it shows its age, and how I’d configure it if it were my only set.

What’s inside and first impressions

• Drill/driver: 2-speed gearbox (0–600 / 0–2000 RPM), 1/2 in. ratcheting chuck
• Impact driver: 1/4 in. hex, one-handed bit loading, LED with ~20‑second delay
• Reciprocating saw: keyless blade clamp, tool‑free blade changes
• 6-1/2 in. circular saw: cuts 2x material at 90° and 45°
• Work light, charger, 4.0 Ah and 2.0 Ah batteries, contractor bag
• Brushed motors across the board; 3-year limited warranty

Build quality is familiar DeWalt: rigid housings, overmold in the right places, and controls that click positively. Everything fits the bag (tightly), but if you’re carrying extra blades and a bit case, you’ll want a hard box or a larger bag.

A quick note on specs: the “Max Torque (ft-lbs) 1400” listed for the impact is clearly a typo—this compact driver is in the neighborhood of 1400 in‑lbs, not ft‑lbs. Real‑world feel lines up with that.

Drill/driver: compact and quick, with caveats

The drill’s 2-speed transmission and compact head make it easy to drive cabinet screws and run spade bits in tight spaces. The 1/2 in. ratcheting chuck holds round shanks securely, and I didn’t get any bit walk under light pressure. In high gear, it’s fast enough for pilot holes and small bits; low gear has enough grunt for 1‑1/4 in. spades in SPF and for running 3 in. construction screws without stalling, as long as you let the tool do the work.

Because it’s a brushed motor, you will notice more heat during continuous heavy drilling compared with DeWalt’s brushless XR drills. After running repeated larger holes in studs, mine developed a noticeable hot motor smell and the housing warmed up. That’s par for the course with brushed compacts, but it’s a reminder to match the tool to the task and manage duty cycle. I did encounter one sample early on that emitted an aggressive electrical smell and struggled under load; I swapped it out and the replacement behaved normally. Since then, no smoke and no stalling beyond what I’d expect from a compact brushed drill.

If you need all-day 1‑1/2 in. augers through LVL or a steady diet of hole saws, step up to a brushless model. For light-to-medium drilling and fastening, this drill gets it done.

Impact driver: dependable single-speed

The impact driver is the workhorse of the kit. One-handed bit loading is smooth, and the LED with a short afterglow is genuinely helpful when you’re adjusting hardware between drives. It’s a single-speed unit, so there’s no precision or assist mode. Despite that, it handles common tasks—deck screws, structural screws up to 5/16 in., and Tapcons in predrilled holes—without complaint.

Feel-wise, it’s more compact than the newer three-speed drivers, but it’s also louder and vibrates more when you’re driving long fasteners. I’d stick the 2.0 Ah battery on this to keep it nimble and put the 4.0 Ah on the saws.

Circular saw: capable within the 6-1/2 in. envelope

A 6-1/2 in. blade is a conscious compromise for portability. This saw lives happily in the world of 2x lumber, plywood rips, and on-site cut-to-fit jobs. It will clear 2x at both 90° and 45°, and it tracks straight enough for crosscuts without a guide. Use a decent 24T framing blade for construction lumber and swap in a 40T when you need cleaner ply cuts.

Speed and torque are what you’d expect from a brushed 20V saw: it’s not a corded replacement, and you’ll notice it bog if you lean too hard into wet pressure-treated stock. With a sharp blade and the 4.0 Ah battery, it kept pace for punch-list framing and trim-to-fit work. If you’re ripping stacks of subfloor or running it all day, you’ll want a brushless 7‑1/4 in. upgrade.

Recip saw: quick changes, serviceable cuts

The keyless blade clamp is a joy—gloves on, blade out, blade in. The saw’s stroke and speed put it in the “general purpose” category. Cutting EMT, demoing drywall and studs, trimming PVC—no problem. It’s not as smooth as DeWalt’s larger recip saws and it lacks orbital action, so cuts in wood are slower and there’s more vibration. Use sharp, task-specific blades and let the shoe rest firmly on the work to keep chatter down.

For remodeling and maintenance, it’s a solid utility player. For long demo days or thick timber, you’ll feel its limitations.

The work light and the bag

The pivoting work light is one of those “nice to have” pieces that ends up used more than expected—inside cabinets, in crawlspaces, or just to spot a cut line. It’s not floodlight-bright, but the runtime on a 4.0 Ah pack is excellent.

The contractor bag holds everything, though once you add a spare blade pack and a bit set, it’s snug. The zippers and handles feel durable enough for daily tosses into a trunk.

Batteries, runtime, and charging

Pair the 4.0 Ah battery with the saws and the 2.0 Ah with the drivers—that balance felt right. The 4.0 Ah pack carried me through small- to medium-size cut sessions without mid-task swaps, while the 2.0 Ah kept the drivers light and nimble. The included charger is standard fare and tops a depleted 2.0 Ah quickly; the 4.0 Ah takes noticeably longer, which is expected.

Because everything is 20V MAX, you can future-proof the kit incrementally—adding a high-output pack makes a noticeable difference on the circular saw, and a compact 3.0 Ah or 5.0 Ah is a nice comfort upgrade for longer fastening runs.

Ergonomics and usability

• Grip and balance: Classic DeWalt feel, comfortable for medium hands, with rubber where you need it.
• LEDs: The driver’s delay is helpful; the drill’s nose light is adequate but can shadow larger bits.
• Controls: The drill’s clutch clicks positively and the gearbox selector hasn’t slipped on me.
• Blade and bit changes: Tool-free everywhere you’d want it.

I’d love to see a rafter hook on the circular saw and a second battery of the same capacity, but those are wish-list items for a more premium kit.

Reliability and service

This is a brushed, value-focused combo. That means more heat under sustained load and, in rare cases, the potential for early motor smells if you push the compact drill too hard too fast. In regular jobsite use—mixing light drilling and driving, short cut sessions, and general repairs—everything in my kit has held up. On the one drill that acted up early, swapping the unit resolved it. Register the tools, test them under load on day one, and you’ll be covered by the 3‑year limited warranty if anything is off.

Who it’s for

• Great fit: Homeowners, DIYers, facility techs, maintenance crews, punch-list carpenters—anyone who needs a compact, affordable way into the 20V MAX ecosystem that can genuinely cut and drive.
• Not ideal: Framers, heavy remodelers, or MEP pros who need brushless efficiency, longer runtime, and higher saw performance.

If you already own 20V MAX batteries and want a light, secondary kit for the truck or RV, this set makes a lot of sense.

Recommendation

I recommend this kit for users who value portability and platform compatibility over cutting-edge performance. The drivers are dependable, the saws are genuinely useful within their size class, and the included 4.0/2.0 Ah battery pairing makes the kit practical out of the box. You give up brushless motors and the sustained heavy-duty capability that comes with them, and you should be mindful of heat on the compact drill under continuous load. But as a well-rounded starter or secondary setup that covers drilling, driving, and basic cutting, it earns a spot in my rotation. If your work skews toward all-day production or heavy demo, invest in DeWalt’s brushless XR tools and larger-capacity batteries; for everyone else, this compact combo hits the value-to-capability sweet spot.