5 Tools DeWalt Makes That Milwaukee Doesn't

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In addition to manufacturing hand tools, DeWalt and Milwaukee are two of the best major power tool brands. Each has its dedicated fans and naysayers, and it wouldn't be hard to find valid points from both Team Yellow and Team Red when pitting one brand against the other. While debating which company makes the better products could be a mostly subjective conversation, there is an objective list of tools that DeWalt makes that Milwaukee does not.

These devices span a range of trades and applications, including woodworking, plumbing, floor installation, and more. The fact that DeWalt makes certain tools that Milwaukee does not doesn't necessarily mean Milwaukee dropped the ball — there are any number of reasons a tool company may choose not to bother offering a particular product. However, some items may be exclusive to DeWalt simply because the brand was the first to offer a tool with its particular function, even if similar tools or manual equivalents already exist.

Unfortunately, you cannot use Milwaukee batteries on DeWalt tools without risking adapters that may be faulty, hazardous, or warranty-voiding. So if you're invested in Milwaukee's ecosystem of interchangeable batteries and chargers, you may find yourself with tool FOMO after learning about some of the devices DeWalt makes that Milwaukee doesn't. Here's a list of five (though not all) such tools.

Milwaukee makes several different kinds of saws, including some that are considered the best Milwaukee power tools for woodworking, whether it's for DIY work or professional jobs. One tool it doesn't make, however, is a scroll saw, which is essentially a stationary jig saw. Like a jig saw, a scroll saw can be used to carve tight curves or detailed cuts, whether for inlays, fretwork, or decorative purposes. Unlike a handheld jig saw, you can be more precise as you maneuver the piece around the fixed blade.

While there are Milwaukee jig saws, the brand doesn't manufacture a stationary tool like the DeWalt 20-inch Variable-Speed Scroll Saw. DeWalt's scroll saw includes a large, cast-iron table to prop up the tool as you cut, so you don't need a workbench to use it. The device weighs less than 60 pounds. With variable-speed capability, you can adjust it depending on the task, and a double parallel-link arm design helps reduce vibration for more accurate cutting (it also helps lower the noise the machine makes). The saw also features a flexible dust blower, while the arm lifts to thread the blade through material for inside cuts. The blade stays perpendicular to the piece, so you're less likely to over- or undercut than you might otherwise be with a jig saw.

The DeWalt 20-inch Variable-Speed Scroll Saw (model DW788) costs $659 at Home Depot, but some may find the cost worth it since the tool isn't offered by some major brands like Milwaukee. Or you can create your own makeshift Milwaukee Scroll Saw, as this Redditor did by clamping their jig saw upside down into a vise.

It can be very tricky installing large square or rectangular pieces like glass panels, ceramic slabs, and similar pieces when working on kitchens, bathrooms, floors, windows, and other projects. It may not even be the weight that's tough to bear, but the awkward process of trying to lift and maneuver a piece with two hands while trying to install it precisely. That's why many workers love to use specially-designed handheld suction cups that hold a piece in place, allowing you to keep your hands off of it while also centering its weight for easier carrying.

There is even a powered version of this common hand tool — the DeWalt 20V Max Grabo Lifter, which creates a strong vacuum to securely hold your workpiece. It's an innovative 21st-century way to work with both heavier materials like tile, glass, and metal, as well as semi-porous materials that suction cups can struggle with, like drywall, wood, and concrete. One Bob Vila reviewer, who says they've struggled with this part of the job before, reports that they "can't imagine lifting without" DeWalt's Grabo Lifter after testing it out on all kinds of objects.

You won't find any equivalent tool from Milwaukee. DeWalt's Grabo Lifter (product code DCE592B) has a list price of $249, though it's currently discounted on Amazon. You'll need a DeWalt 20V Max battery to power it, as it doesn't come bundled with any. Once powered and activated with its double-action button, its electric pump can lift and hold up to 265 pounds at once, while an integrated pressure sensor makes sure the pump maintains a vacuum grip. The tool includes a digital pressure gauge and a low-battery alarm that sounds off so you know to put down whatever you're carrying before you lose gripping power.

Hand planers still have their place in the woodshop, but you'll often wish you had a powered planer on hand for larger pieces or if working on a lot at once. Milwaukee, like a lot of tool brands, sells cordless handheld planers, but what it doesn't offer is a stationary benchtop planer. DeWalt does: the 13-inch, 3-Knife, 2-Speed Planer (model DW735), which costs around $615.

It's not cordless, though that makes sense since the idea is to create less hand and arm fatigue, not more. Its 15-amp motor can generate up to 20,000 rpm, allowing the tool to easily make large cuts through wider pieces of wood. (Milwaukee's M18 cordless planer maxes out at 14,000 rpm.) The DeWalt Benchtop Planer is equipped with a three-knife cutter head and a two-speed gearbox. By changing the feed speed, you can perform either 96 or 179 cuts per inch.

The tool has a large 19-¾-inch cast aluminum base that is especially rigid and stable, though it takes up a decent amount of space on your workbench. It also has an automatic carriage lock, so you won't need to do so manually when trying to prevent snipe. After testing the planer, Bob Vila found that its heavier base definitely improves stability. The reviewer also especially loved one innovative feature — a fan that blows chips off the cutter head and away from the machine. The tool also includes a material removal gauge and an extra-large, turret depth stop for your most-used thickness settings.

Just as there are multiple reasons you'll want to smooth pipes as you cut them — whether it's to ensure proper sealing, maintain an unobstructed flow, or just prevent any accidents while working — there are a few different ways to do so. For effectively removing uneven burrs from the inside or outside a cut pipe, you can use manual reamers or specialty deburring bits for power drills, so you might be wondering if DeWalt's 20V Max Pipe Deburring Tool is worth investing in.

According to one Redditor on r/DeWalt, the product "is a game changer" that "works really well no matter what." They note that when using it for their profession, the tool "takes about six seconds to deburr inside and out." (They do note, though, that they wish it were a little lighter.) As a dedicated deburring tool, DeWalt's device uses a variable speed switch and paddle trigger to control rust-resistant blades for deburring circular tubes between 3/8-inches and 2 inches. In addition to iron and copper pipes, it can work on hard plastic, PVC, EMT, RMT, and more.

It sports a handheld design and a large, round head that allows you to easily place it around the pipe you're deburring. The cordless 20V Max Pipe Deburring Tool (model DCE710B) is one of DeWalt's newest tools, and it's also the first of its kind — so it's not just Milwaukee that lacks such a device in its product catalog (Milwaukee does sell a Reamer Attachment for its compact band saw, though.) Unlike many DeWalt tools, it's not currently available at Home Depot, but you can find the tool at retailers including Acme Tools and Amazon.

Wet tile saws are essentially table saws that can cut harder, thicker material thanks to diamond-tipped blades continuously cooled with water. Several tool manufacturers make a variety of these devices, which include multiple wet tile saws available from Harbor Freight brands. Milwaukee, however, does not make or sell a wet tile saw. Not only does DeWalt make one, but its tile saw is a beefy, heavy-duty benchtop model that can easily cut through marble, granite, and slate, as well as ceramic and porcelain tiles.

DeWalt's tool is able to make straight and precise cuts for larger tiles as well as mosaics and sheets of smaller ones, so you'll be able to use the saw when working with bathrooms, kitchens, outdoor spaces, and more. It can also cut tiles to fit around corners and fixtures, make mitered-edge cuts for trim and decorative purposes, perform plunge cuts for fitting pieces around outlets and pipes, and create beveled edges for joining one tile to another.

The saw can rip 25 inches and plunge 28 inches, as well as cut 18 x 18-inch tile on a diagonal. It features stainless steel rollers for stability and a cut line indicator to help you make accurate cuts within 1/32-inches. Plus, DeWalt says it's the lightest saw in its class, weighing just under 70 pounds. The DeWalt 10-inch Heavy-Duty Wet Tile Saw (model D24000) doesn't come cheap, though — it costs nearly a grand at Home Depot. People who do purchase it generally don't regret it, as 91% of customers recommend it, and hundreds of users have given the tool an average of 4.6 out of 5 customer score.

To ensure that each tool on this list is made by DeWalt but not by Milwaukee Tool, the websites and product catalogs of both companies were thoroughly cross-checked. When determining which tools to include on this list, an effort was made to provide different kinds of devices for various trades. This way, the list doesn't insinuate that there are any specific gaps in Milwaukee's lineup, such as a lack of plumbing tools. Rather, these tools only represent specific products offered by one brand and not the other.

There may even be somewhat similar products made by Milwaukee, such as manual hand tool equivalents or devices that can be used outside their intended use to perform similar functions to what DeWalt's exclusive tools do. However, each DeWalt tool on this list has been confirmed not to have a close equivalent manufactured by Milwaukee. To ensure the tools included on this list aren't gimmicky niche products but are actually functional and work as advertised, a variety of sources were referenced. These include user reviews for each product, professional reviews from reputable websites like Bob Vila, and the firsthand feedback of users and hardware enthusiasts on Reddit.