DeWalt 12-Volt / 20-Volt Max Lithium‑Ion Battery Charger

I’ve kept the DCB101 charger on my bench for years, and it’s the kind of accessory you only notice when it misbehaves—which this one rarely does. It’s a straightforward, single‑port charger for DeWalt’s 12V and 20V Max slide‑pack batteries, and it leans into reliability and clarity rather than speed or bells and whistles.

Design and build

The DCB101 charger is a no‑nonsense black brick—compact enough to live in a toolbox yet with a footprint that stays put on a bench. The six‑foot cord reaches a wall outlet without dragging an extension, and the 120V plug means it’s intended for North American mains. It’s UL Listed, which is table stakes for shop gear but still worth calling out in a charger that might live on a crowded, dusty shelf.

The battery interface is the standard DeWalt slide‑pack rail. Packs seat positively and don’t wiggle once engaged; that stable connection matters if you’re charging on a rolling cart or in the back of a van. There’s no fan inside, so it runs quietly. The casing sheds heat well enough for typical use, though you’ll feel warmth on long sessions with larger packs.

Compatibility and speed

This unit supports both 12V Max and 20V Max lithium‑ion slide‑pack batteries. In my rotation, that covers compact 2.0Ah packs for 12V tools and 4.0Ah and 5.0Ah packs for 20V drills, impacts, and saws. The published “typical charge time” is about 90 minutes. In practice, here’s what I see in a mild shop environment (around 70°F):

• 12V Max 2.0Ah: roughly 35–45 minutes from one bar to full
• 20V Max 2.0Ah: about 40–50 minutes
• 20V Max 4.0Ah: around 80–90 minutes
• 20V Max 5.0Ah: typically near the 90‑minute mark, occasionally a bit longer if pack temps are high

Those times are consistent with a charger tuned for pack longevity rather than raw speed. If you’re used to “rapid” or “fan‑cooled” chargers, the DCB101 will feel conservative. But it’s steady, and it doesn’t cook your cells to shave a few minutes.

LED diagnostics that actually help

The DCB101 charger’s LED panel is simple and useful. It communicates:

• Charging vs. fully charged
• Hot/cold pack delay (battery too hot or too cold)
• Replace pack (bad cell/pack)
• Line fault/power quality issue

That last bit—line diagnostics—has saved me guessing more than once. On a job powered by a small generator and a tangle of cords, the charger flagged a line condition before I wasted an hour wondering why charge times stretched. The hot/cold delay is also helpful. Lithium‑ion packs don’t like extremes; if you pop in a battery straight off an impact driver after long, heavy use, you’ll see the hot pack indicator blink until temperatures come back into a safe window. Just set it aside and let the charger manage the rest.

Noise, heat, and everyday behavior

Because there’s no fan, the DCB101 charger is silent in operation. That’s a plus in a small shop or indoors. The trade‑off is passive heat dissipation; after back‑to‑back charges on larger packs, the case gets warm. It’s never been alarming in my use, and the thermal logic has been conservative—if a battery needs time to cool or warm, the charger waits. I appreciate that restraint, especially for packs I expect to last years.

Single‑port simplicity

This is a one‑battery‑at‑a‑time tool. If you’re managing a fleet of packs on a crew, that’s a limitation. For solo users, a small shop, or a homeowner, it’s less of a problem—especially if you build a rotation: one battery in the tool, one on the charger, one resting. The single‑port design also reduces complexity and keeps the unit compact and inexpensive.

There’s no USB jack for charging a phone or a headlamp. That’s not a deal‑breaker for me, but it’s worth noting if you’ve come to expect that convenience from jobsite chargers.

Where it fits in a kit

The DCB101 charger has a clear niche:

• Reliable shop or garage base charger for 12V and 20V Max tools
• Van/bench charger for a DIYer or pro with a light-duty battery rotation
• Backup charger that doesn’t fight for outlet space or make noise

If you’re routinely burning through multiple high‑capacity packs in a day—for example, heavy saw or grinder use—you’ll want either multiple chargers or a faster model in the lineup. For drill/driver, impact, oscillating tool, and light saw tasks, I can keep a day moving with two batteries and this charger without a hiccup.

Limitations and trade‑offs

• Speed: The 90‑minute typical window isn’t slow, but it’s not rapid. If you live on 6.0Ah and above, you’ll wait.
• Port count: One pack at a time means planning your rotation or buying a second unit.
• Power input: 120V only, so not for international travel or sites without a proper step‑down transformer.
• No extras: No USB, no multi‑chemistry tricks, just Li‑ion packs in DeWalt’s 12V/20V Max system.

None of those are flaws so much as design choices, but they’re worth weighing against your workflow.

Durability and warranty

I’ve had no drama with the DCB101 charger—no mystery faults, no melted housings, no intermittent connections. The pack rails still engage cleanly after countless insertions. Being UL Listed and backed by DeWalt’s 3‑year limited warranty, 1‑year free service, and 90‑day satisfaction guarantee adds confidence. Chargers tend to be the unsung heroes (or single points of failure) in cordless systems; this one has been the former.

Tips for best results

• Let hot batteries cool: If you’ve just hammered on a tool, give the pack a few minutes before charging. You’ll avoid the hot/cold delay and shorten total time to full.
• Keep it ventilated: Passive cooling works best with air space around the charger. Don’t bury it under rags or pile batteries on top.
• Label your packs: If the “replace pack” light appears intermittently, mark the battery and watch it. The charger’s diagnostics are often your first hint a pack is drifting out of spec.
• Use sensible rotations: One in the tool, one charging, one queued. With that rhythm, a single‑port charger rarely holds you back for common tasks.

Alternatives and context

DeWalt’s ecosystem includes faster and multi‑port options. If you need rapid turnaround or you’re running several tools all day, a modern fast charger or a dual‑port unit can make sense. You’ll pay more, you may get fan noise, and you might increase heat exposure for packs. The DCB101 charger sits on the reliability side of that trade‑off: not flashy, not noisy, and easy on batteries.

The bottom line

The DCB101 charger is a steady, quiet worker. It charges both 12V and 20V Max slide‑packs with clear status feedback and conservative thermal management. It won’t win speed contests, and it won’t charge two packs at once, but it also won’t surprise you with weird behavior or finicky connections. For many users, that predictability is exactly what you want from a charger.

Recommendation: I recommend this charger for anyone with a light to moderate battery rotation who values reliability and clear diagnostics over sheer speed. It’s a smart fit for a home shop, a maintenance cart, or a solo pro’s kit. If your day depends on turning around multiple high‑capacity packs rapidly, look to a faster or multi‑port alternative; otherwise, this is the dependable baseline I’m happy to keep on my bench.