Both Porter Cable and Dewalt are quite popular power tools brands, but they are vastly different. Porter Cable, for example, is considerably less expensive, but is not the first choice for many professionals. DeWalt, on the other hand, has a wide range of professional power tools, along with a strong brand image.
In this blog, we will compare the core power tools offered by both of these brands.
DeWalt vs Porter Cable Power Tools
1) Toolkit
Both these brands offer their own kit of power tools. The DeWalt kit contains the following five tools:
- Hammer drill
- Circular saw
- Reciprocating saw
- Impact driver
- LED light
On the other hand, the Porter Cable toolkit consists of six power tools. Five of those tools are the same as those offered by DeWalt. However, Porter Cable’s kit also consists of variable-speed tool that you can use for several different purposes. If you want to buy the Porter Cable kit but feel that six tools are a bit too much, the brand also offers a four-tool kit which will still have the power drill.
In general, DeWalt offers considerably more quality than Porter Cable. However, we must not forget that Porter Cable’s prices are a great deal more competitive. So, if you are not a professional or only occasionally use power tools, you may not need to shell out a large amount of money on the DeWalt kit.
However, if you are looking for the very best and are willing to pay for it, then DeWalt is the obvious choice. But, if cost-effectiveness is important to you, then you might be better off with Porter Cable. Even though the Porter Cable kit has one extra tool, the kit is still less expensive than that of DeWalt.
Purely in terms of quality, though, DeWalt is the clear winner. When we talk about the comparable tools in the two kits, every DeWalt tool is of higher quality than its Porter Cable counterpart. In addition, the sturdier build will also ensure blade durability.
2) Drill Driver
Again, in terms of quality, DeWalt’s drill driver is the clear choice. However, once again, if price is your foremost priority, you should consider going with Porter Cable – the Porter Cable drill driver offers excellent value for money, especially if you will not be using the driver very frequently.
However, if you are looking for a drill driver to use daily or regularly, we recommend opting for DeWalt. The Porter Cable drill driver, as solid as it is, is not designed for such frequent use.
The DeWalt driver contains higher-quality materials, which contribute to its durability. Porter Cable is the winner in terms of weight, but only because its components are not as good as DeWalt’s. DeWalt uses high-quality materials like metal, while the Porter Cable driver is made using high-grade plastics and nylon.
Even though the batteries for both drivers are 20V, DeWalt’s lasts considerably longer. Either battery can be used with tools belonging to the same brand – this is something to consider if you already own a few cordless DeWalt or Porter Cable tools.
3) Hammer Drills
Hammer drills is one category where Porter Cable and DeWalt really go neck-to-neck – DeWalt’s DCD950 and Porter Cable’s PCC601 are quite similar, and boast comparable features. However, like always, the DeWalt one costs considerably more.
In most cases, DeWalt’s higher prices are justified by something additional – however, as far as hammer drills are concerned, this is not the case. Instead, you are simply paying a premium for the DeWalt brand name.
Perhaps the only (somewhat) standout feature is that the DeWalt hammer drill has more speed settings. This could be a consideration if you work on a large variety of projects that require different levels of speed. Having said that, we still do not think that this feature, by itself, warrants the considerably higher price associated with DeWalt’s drills.
Another aspect that gives Porter Cable the edge is that its hammer drill components are quite easy to find.
So, if versatility is important to you, you might still want to go with DeWalt. However, there is no other reason to pick a DeWalt drill over a Porter Cable one.
4) Reciprocating Saws
In terms of reciprocating saws, we are back to default settings. The DeWalt reciprocating saws are more expensive, but have a higher max torque and performance motor compared to its Porter Cable counterpart.
Moreover, the Porter Cable reciprocating saw collection is very limited – the brand only offers three types of reciprocating saws. In comparison, DeWalt has two dozen different kinds of reciprocating saws, providing a great deal more variety for its buyers.
In addition, some of DeWalt’s saws contain the FlexVolt, which, as the name suggests, allows the tools to be flexible with regards to the voltage. This means that, when you take out the battery from one DeWalt tool and insert it into another, the tool will automatically change the voltage.
Add to this the Bluetooth-enabled DeWalt batteries, and the reciprocating saw category has a clear winner.
Having said that, the Porter Cable saws are good for regular use and can get things done pretty well – but they do fall short of what DeWalt has to offer.
5) Impact Driver
Impact driver is yet another category where DeWalt seems to have an edge over Porter Cable. However, this time, this edge is not in terms of construction but with regards to speed.
The impact driver offered by Porter Cable can reach a maximum speed of 1,700 RPM. On the other hand, DeWalt has certain impact wrenches that can hit speeds up to 1,900 RPM.
Our Final Thoughts
With this, we come to the conclusion of our DeWalt vs. Porter Cable power tools comparison.
To sum up, if you are looking for higher quality products, a wide product variety, and better warranties –and, are willing to pay for all of this – then DeWalt should be your preferred choice.
On the other hand, if you are on a budget, do not require a particularly large set of options to choose from, and are looking for tools that offer decent quality and are good for occasional use; Porter Cable might be the better choice.
