Are DeWalt's Biscuit Joiners Any Good? Here's What Owners Say

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For beginner or casual woodworkers, the sheer number of tools you can buy can be overwhelming, including routers, grinders, and saws of every shape and size. Because it can quickly become an expensive hobby, it's no wonder that a lot of people feel confused as to what to invest in first. If you're currently in the market for an essential woodworking power tool, you might be thinking of adding a biscuit joiner to the mix. Although we've mentioned before that it's not exactly a necessary tool for everyone, there's certainly a whole segment of people who can benefit from it. Sold as a convenient way to keep things aligned, it's typically a useful and time-saving tool for people who want to join wood pieces together at different edges.

If you're a fan of the DeWalt power tool family, you'll be happy to know it has a biscuit joiner option too. Depending on what you need, DeWalt offers two kinds of biscuit joiners: corded and cordless. In terms of price, the cordless DeWalt Biscuit Joiner is a few dollars more expensive. Compared to the $239 corded version, this battery-powered biscuit joiner model retails for $80 more on Amazon at $319, which doesn't even include the cost of its DeWalt 20V batteries yet. So, if you're curious, here's how well these DeWalt biscuit joiners have been rated, what users think about both types, and some things to think about if you are wondering which one is right for you.

On Amazon, the DeWalt Biscuit Joiner (DW682K) generated an average rating of 4.7 stars from over 2,800 customers. Between the two, it's definitely more popular. It's also an Amazon's Choice product, which means it sets itself apart from the competition for factors like availability, value for money, and positive feedback. However, it does have a slightly lower rating of 4.2 stars from 25 people on the DeWalt website. As with all corded power tools, one of the main advantages of the DW682K model is that it has both consistent and unlimited power, as long as you're within proximity of an AC plug. Comparatively, the corded model is also lighter than the cordless one, which has the added weight of the battery to consider. With this, it's ideal for people who plan to use it for long periods and tend to work primarily inside job sites, where plugs are more accessible.

In general, people have praised its ergonomics, good build quality, and ease of use. For example, some reviewers share that they found the plunge trigger quite smooth. For its satisfied users, people have mentioned using it to make everything from drawers to cabinets and even joining table tops. However, there were also several comments cautioning that its poor dust collection system struggles to collect fine dust and tends to clog. Not to mention, there were also peppered concerns about its adjustment mechanism.

Another Amazon's Choice product, the DeWalt 20V Max XR Biscuit Joiner, has been rated 4.8 stars by over 340 users. On the official DeWalt website, it generated the same rating from 13 reviewers, who all gave it above 4 stars. While it doesn't have a lot of reviews on Home Depot, it did score 4.9 stars from more than 20 people. Among its advantages, users have cited things like portability, which is something that it shares with other cordless tools in the market. In particular, one professional cabinet shop worker said that it helped their production team avoid a lot of tripping in their workshop. Being cordless is a double-edged sword, though, as one user complained that its power didn't hold a candle to its corded alternative.

The tool itself is about 5.5 lbs, while its 4 Ah 20V MAX battery is about 1.4 lbs, so the entire system ends up at around 6.9 lbs in total — about 0.3 lbs heavier than its corded counterpart. That said, people said that they didn't feel it was too heavy and still felt balanced in their hands. If you're not in love with this particular model, there are other highly-rated cordless options from other brands that might be a better fit for you, like the Makita biscuit joiners that run on its 18V battery system.