Every DeWalt Battery Type, Ranked From Most To Least Powerful

There are a few different ways to measure electrical energy. We can talk about voltage, which is a measure of electric potential. You've probably noticed that your DeWalt tools and batteries operate with a certain number of volts. Most have a specific voltage, while others can flex between multiple voltages.

We can also talk about amp-hour (Ah), which is a measure of a battery's charge capacity and how many amps it can deliver over time. For instance, if a battery has a charge capacity of 10Ah, it can deliver 10 amps for one hour, five amps for two hours, or one amp for 10 hours. The amp-hour essentially tells you how long you can use a battery before it needs to be recharged.

Watt-hours (Wh), by contrast, measures the total amount of energy in a battery. What hours are a better measurement of power consumption over time, because they help you to compare batteries of different voltages to see which ones store the most energy. Fortunately, you can convert amp-hour to watt-hours, as long as you know the voltage at play. You simply multiply the voltage by the amp-hour. For example, a 20V battery with 10Ah can deliver 200Wh of energy. DeWalt makes batteries of multiple different voltages so, while we will talk about amp-hour, the central way we'll be measuring battery power is by the watt-hours they can provide.

Powershift is a relatively new battery category for DeWalt. The company introduced Powershift in 2024 as an alternative to conventionally gas powered tools used by concrete workers. The battery carries power equivalent to 7 horsepower and can run for a long time to keep the job site moving.

It has a working capacity of 554Wh, and it runs 55 volts, giving it 10 amp-hour of charge capacity. It charges from zero to full in under an hour, and an array of four LED lights lets you know how much charge remains at a glance. Four lights means you have at least three-quarters charge left. Three lights means you have between half and three quarters, two means you have between a quarter and half, and one means you're between 16 and 25%. One flashing light means you're under 15% and it's time for a recharge.

In addition to electrical capacity, the 554Wh Powershift battery has a handle for easier transportation and integrated Tool Connect to give you information about your battery and its location in case you misplace it. With 554Wh of power, it's undoubtedly the most powerful battery in DeWalt's lineup.

DeWalt's Flexvolt batteries take their name to heart by offering automated power flexibility. Flexvolt batteries can operate at either 20 volts or 60 volts and have a capacity of 6Ah or higher.

Flexvolt batteries can operate DeWalt 20V Max and 60V Max power tools, including DeWalt's XR tools, and there's nothing you need to do to switch from one to another. They have internal technology which automatically changes the voltage delivered when you change your tools. You can choose between a 6Ah battery kit with an included charger, a 9Ah battery, 12Ah batter, and 15Ah battery. It should be mentioned that the estimated amp-hour is based on usage with a 20V tool. At 20 volts, the Flexvolt 15Ah battery has a capacity of 300Wh. If you're using your Flexvolt battery with a 60V power tool, it will have fewer amp-hour and run out more quickly.

Flexvolt batteries are compatible with any of DeWalt's 20V power tools, as well as the 60V Max rotary hammer, circular saw, reciprocating saw, and six-inch grinder. If you're a professional in need of additional power delivery or flexibility with a range of different tools, Flexvolt might be a good solution.

"Max" batteries are the most common batteries DeWalt makes, with the widest selection and variety. There are batteries that operate at 12V and others that operate at 20V. There's also a wide range of charge capacities, ranging from 1.5Ah to 10Ah.

Where other battery categories might have only one or two batteries to choose from, there are dozens of Max batteries for just about every use case you could imagine. At the lower end of the lineup, you'll find DeWalt's 12V MAX 1.5Ah Battery (DCB120). Despite the name, the batteries specifications reveal it actually only has 1.3 amp-hour which, when multiplied by its 12 volts, gives you just 15.6 watt-hours. This battery is likely to run out of charge comparatively quickly, but it also charges from zero to full in just 20 minutes.

On the other end of the Max battery spectrum, you'll find the 20V Max 10Ah Battery (DCB210). It comes alone or in a two-pack, and its 10Ah charge capacity and 20 volts gives it 200 watt-hours of power. If you don't like living at the extremes, you can also find Max batteries with two, three, four, five, six, and eight amp-hour of capacity.

DeWalt's Powerpack lithium-ion batteries have higher capacity and power when stacked up against comparable Max batteries. There are currently only two Powerpack battery options available. They both run at 20 volts and have a charge capacity of either 4Ah or 8Ah.

The little brother of the Powerpack lineup is the 20V Max XR Powerpack 4Ah Battery (DCB2104). It has lower capacity than the other Powerpack, but comes in a kit with an included battery charger. It also features a battery charge indicator light so you know when it's time to give your battery a recharge. At 20 volts and four amp-hour, you'll get 80 watt-hours of power out of this battery.

The more powerful Powerpack option is DeWalt's 20V Max XR Powerpack 8Ah Battery (DCB2108). You can buy one battery or get two in a kit. Having twice the capacity, it can run for twice as long as the 4Ah battery, and it has the same charge indicator light to let you know how much battery power remains. It's one of DeWalt's highest performing batteries, with roughly 50 percent more power when compared to the 20V Max 8Ah battery (DCB208). With 8 amp-hour of power at 20 volts, you'll get 160 watt-hours on a charge.

DeWalt's 20V Max Tool Connect 5Ah battery has integrated Tool Connect technology, adding your power tool battery to the Internet of Things. You can purchase this battery singly or in a two pack. Either way, the battery comes with Tool Connect already built in, providing you information about the battery's use and health, as well as providing the last known location in the event that you lose your battery.

To pair the battery with the Tool Connect app, you hold down the pairing button for three to five seconds. A blue LED will let you know when the battery is paired with Tool Connect. If you're running a big job site, the visibility can help with inventory management, and if you're an everyday user it'll help you find your tools when you lose them.

The battery takes about an hour to charge and offers a couple of different features to help it stay in your possession. You can set the battery to disable when it's out of range, so if it's stolen it can't be used. You can even let your friends borrow it and the Lend feature will disable the battery after a set amount of time, encouraging them to return your tools.

DeWalt's award-winning class of Powerstack batteries (not to be confused with DeWalt's Powerpack batteries) launched in North America back in 2021. Since then, this class of batteries has grown to include bite sized 1.7Ah batteries and more powerful 5Ah batteries. There are five Powerstack batteries available and they all operate at 20 volts, giving Powerstack a capacity range between 34 and 100 watt-hours.

The 1.7Ah 20V Max XR Powerstack Compact Battery (DCBP034) can be bought singly, in a two pack, in an oil resistant form, or in a kit with a charger. Despite its compact size, it offers 50% more power when compared to the 20V Max 2Ah Battery (DCB203). It can also take more charge cycles, giving it a longer operational lifespan. It takes about an hour to charge, and an LED charge indicator light lets you know how much power is left at all times.

The best performing battery in this class is the 20V MAX XR Powerstack 5Ah Battery. Like its smaller sibling, it delivers 50% more power than the 20V Max 5Ah Battery. It can also take twice as many charge cycles, doubling its effective lifespan. You can buy it singly, in a two pack, in a four pack, in a kit with a charger, or in an oil-resistant form.

The 36V battery format is one of the most unusual in DeWalt's lineup, and it's only a ghost of its former self. DeWalt's 36V Battery (DC9360) is a lithium-ion battery that lasts two or three times longer than its 18/20V counterparts. At 36 volts and 2Ah, it provides 72Wh of power.

The batteries are compatible with DeWalt's now discontinued 36V tools, like the 36V 1/2 inch hammer drill, 36V circular saw, and 36V cordless reciprocating saw. DeWalt also lists a 36V one hour charger and a dust extraction system for use with the 36V rotary hammer. Once upon a time, these tools and batteries were favored by DeWalt consumers, but the company has stopped promoting the line.

In fact, the 36V batteries and tools are effectively discontinued. While DeWalt still lists all of these tools and batteries on its website, the company doesn't sell them directly and doesn't provide any resellers where you can actually purchase them. That said, there are alternative battery replacements available from third parties, in case you already have 36V tools you want to keep using.

DeWalt's XRP batteries are a different shape than the company's modern slate of batteries. There are two versions listed on the DeWalt website. They both have a charge capacity of 2.4Ah, but one of them runs at 12 volts while the other runs at an unusual 14.4 volts. They deliver 28.8Wh and 34.56Wh respectively.

Each battery, the 12V XRP Battery (DC9071) and the 14.4V XRP Battery (DC9091), charges in about an hour and is compatible with 12V and 14.4V DeWalt tools, with the exception of the Univolt line. There used to be an 18V XRP lithium-ion battery, but DeWalt lists it as discontinued. According to consumers, they had an incredible lifespan. One review says they bought some in 1996 and didn't have to replace them until 2019. Another says they used the XRP batteries for 25 years before they needed to be replaced.

While the DeWalt website still lists XRP batteries, and lists CPO Outlets as a seller, the batteries are no longer available for sale. That said, you can still find "knock-off" DeWalt replacement batteries from third party sellers.

There's only one Max compact battery on the market. The 20V Max 1.5Ah Compact Battery (DCB201) provides the same technology as the ordinary Max batteries in a compact package. It's just 3.2 inches tall, seven inches long, and 7 inches wide. On the scale, the Max Compact weighs in at just 500 grams, or 0.77 pounds.

As the name suggests, this battery operates on 20 volts and has a capacity of 1.5 amp-hour, for a total battery power of 30Wh. It's a compact battery, so it sacrifices some power capacity. It's not necessarily intended for big construction jobs or long-running projects, but it's ideal for quick jobs around the house. The battery runs out quickly, but it also fully charges in just 30 minutes. So, even if the battery is dead when you need it, you'll be off to the races soon, power tooling around in the time it takes to watch a short episode of your favorite programming.

Over the years, DeWalt has gone through a series of innovations and evolutions in its cordless power tool technology. As battery technologies have improved, the company has changed the shape and power capacity of its batteries. The 7.2V Compact Battery (DW9057) is an older battery type which may be difficult to get your hands on.

The battery is 7.28 inches tall, 2.76 inches long, and 6.1 inches wide. It weighs just 12.8 ounces or 0.8 pounds. It's the least powerful battery currently listed by DeWalt, at just 25.2Wh. That's enough to do a few small jobs around the house, but it pales in comparison to the beastly power of the 554Wh Powershift battery. The upside is that this nickel-cadmium battery takes just 30 minutes to charge.

It's not currently listed as discontinued, but DeWalt doesn't list any resellers where you can buy it and the company doesn't sell its products directly on its website. However, if you have 7.2V tools in need of a battery, you can still find compatible replacements from third party sellers, even if you can't find the official battery from DeWalt.