DeWalt 20V MAX Compact Press Tool Kit with CTS Jaws

A compact press tool that actually fits the work

Tight ceilings, awkward tees, and a ladder—that’s where the DeWalt compact press tool earns its keep. I spent a week running copper and stainless drops in a pair of cramped mechanical rooms and a finished basement, and the tool’s inline body and 180° rotating head made one‑handed, overhead presses feel routine rather than acrobatic. It’s not the only compact press tool on the market, but DeWalt’s execution hits the right balance of size, control, and ecosystem support.

Design and ergonomics

The inline format is the star here. With the head rotated at 90° and my off‑hand steadying the fitting, I could guide the tool in with the trigger hand and keep the press axis aligned without wrestling a bulky, pistol‑grip housing. The rotating head doesn’t spin 360°, but 180° has been enough to square up presses against joists and back walls.

The LED work light seems simple, yet it solved a real problem: seeing the witness marks and bead in shadowed ceiling bays. It’s not a floodlight, but it’s bright and focused on the press location.

A couple of small ergonomic quirks cropped up. The power button sits where your hand naturally lands when grabbing the tool from above. More than once I thumbed it off picking it up, then had to wake it before pressing. I also learned to keep my finger off the trigger until the jaws are fully seated; the trigger is responsive, and premature squeezes aren’t helpful. Neither issue is a deal breaker, but both are worth noting for muscle memory.

The included shoulder strap and hook are smarter than they appear. On ladder days, sling-carrying the tool freed up a hand for fittings and cut down trips to the cart. The ToughSystem 2.0 kitbox is durable and stackable, though as a full kit it’s bulky; the kit weight is substantial, even though the tool itself is well balanced in hand.

Jaws and pressing performance

The kit includes four CTS jaws—1/2, 3/4, 1, and 1‑1/4 inch—covering the bulk of service and light commercial work. The jaws are galvanized, which makes sense for tools that live in damp basements and vans. They’ve shrugged off grime and the inevitable splash without picking up surface rust.

Pressing is straightforward. The inline actuation lets you approach with the jaws open, settle onto the fitting bead, and press with one hand while steadying the tubing with the other. The cycle feels consistent and quick, and the tool has had no issue with copper and stainless fittings from the common brands I use. On a handful of misalignments (usually my fault in tight corners), the ram-release button saved time—reset, reposition, and redo without fighting the actuator. That beats backing out a botched sweat joint any day.

If you regularly run larger lines, know that the included jaws stop at 1‑1/4 inch. The tool accepts DeWalt’s compact series press attachments, and IPS/black‑pipe jaws are available separately, but you’ll want to plan your jaw kit around your most common materials and sizes.

Power, runtime, and platform benefits

This press tool rides on DeWalt’s 20V MAX platform and ships with two 2.0 Ah DCB203 packs and a DCB1104 charger. In practice, the 2.0 Ah packs are fine for service work and punchy enough for daylong residential jobs when you top off one battery while using the other. If you’re doing high‑volume commercial pressing, it’s worth adding a couple of higher‑capacity packs to reduce swaps. Either way, staying in the 20V ecosystem is a tangible advantage; everything charges on the same bays as my drivers, lights, and saws.

Cold mornings didn’t faze the tool, and it never felt like it was laboring on 1‑1/4 inch stainless. I did appreciate that the packs are lightweight; combined with the inline layout, the tool stays maneuverable above shoulder height and in cabinets.

Data and inventory features that matter

The onboard Crimp Connect system is more than marketing. Via USB Type‑C, I pulled a log that showed the date and time of each press, cycle counts, and calibration history. That’s handy for my own maintenance, but it also satisfies documentation requests from inspectors and facility managers who increasingly want proof of press cycles and tool calibration. Being able to hand over a simple report cuts down on jobsite friction.

DeWalt also includes a Tool Connect Bluetooth chip for inventory tracking. I use Tool Connect across a few items, and while it’s not a live GPS, it’s enough to check the last-seen location in the shop or on a site and keep tabs on which tech has which tool. If you’re managing a fleet, that’s valuable.

Build quality and serviceability

The overall build feels appropriately rugged. The jaw pivot points are tight, the latch mechanism hasn’t loosened, and the head rotation detents still click distinctly after a lot of flips. The galvanized jaws clean easily and don’t mar fittings. I can’t speak to long‑term calibration drift yet, but the Crimp Connect readout of cycles and the maintenance reporting provide a predictable interval for service.

The warranty is solid: 3‑year limited, 1‑year free service, and a 90‑day satisfaction guarantee. That matches my expectations at this level and provides a reasonable safety net if you’re transitioning a crew to pressing.

Field workflow and usability

Where this tool really helps is tight‑space planning. The inline form, small jaws, and rotating head let you build assemblies in situ rather than prebuilding and hoping they fit. I found I could work from the main to the fixture with fewer unions and less back-and-forth. Overhead, the one‑handed press allowed me to keep my off‑hand mindful of alignment and take some strain off my shoulders compared to larger tools.

The LED is bright enough to see witness marks, but I still mark pipe and fittings clearly before lifting into place—good habits still apply. The trigger modulation is binary by design, so your alignment process matters; seat the jaw squarely on the bead, verify your mark-to-mark alignment, and then commit to the press. If you do mis-seat, the ram release gets you out fast without fuss.

As for daily carry, the shoulder strap earned its keep on service calls. The hook point is placed sensibly, and the tool hangs flat against the body. I kept the four jaws in the kitbox and carried the two most-used sizes in a pouch; swapping jaws is quick enough that I didn’t mind the occasional trip back to the box for 1‑1/4 inch.

Limitations and wish list

• Power/trigger ergonomics: The power button location invites accidental shutoffs when grabbing the tool; once you know, you adjust, but a relocated or recessed button would help. A trigger lockout for positioning would also be welcome.
• Head rotation: 180° has covered my needs, but a full 360° would reduce a few tool flips in extremely tight situations.
• Battery capacity in kit: Two 2.0 Ah packs are fine for many tasks. High‑volume users will likely want to budget for 4.0–5.0 Ah packs.
• Included size range: The included CTS set tops at 1‑1/4 inch. That’s a practical spread for service and residential work; larger or different materials require additional jaws.

None of these are deal breakers; they’re just the sort of small things that show up once you live with a tool.

Who it’s for

• Service plumbers and remodelers working predominantly in 1/2 to 1‑1/4 inch copper or stainless.
• Facility maintenance teams that value press-cycle documentation and inventory tracking.
• Crews already on DeWalt 20V MAX who want a compact, one‑handed press solution with ecosystem perks.

If you’re focused mostly on large-diameter commercial or specialized materials, you’ll want to confirm available jaws and plan your kit accordingly.

Recommendation

I recommend the DeWalt compact press tool for anyone who needs a truly one‑handable press solution in tight spaces and values documentation and platform compatibility. It’s compact, the 180° rotating head and LED genuinely improve alignment in awkward spots, and the galvanized CTS jaws deliver consistent presses across common sizes. The Crimp Connect logs and included Tool Connect chip add real, not gimmicky, value for maintenance and accountability. While I’d like a relocated power button and a trigger lockout, those are minor nits on an otherwise capable and well‑thought‑out tool. If you’re already on 20V MAX and your work lives in the 1/2 to 1‑1/4 inch range, this kit is an easy tool to put into daily rotation.