DeWalt Cordless Drill Mixer Flexes its 60V FlexVolt Muscle in Concrete
The DeWalt cordless drill mixer ain’t your daddy’s mud mixer: it’s a protein shake-drinking, powerlifting, 60V FlexVolt beast that can mix concrete. Multiple buckets of it on a single charge. I’ve been mixing it up with the DeWalt DCD130 for a couple of months now. This may be your new favorite cordless drill for mixing.
Pros
- Has the power to fully replace corded handheld mixers
- E-clutch and low speed, high torque motor allow heavy drilling for rough-ins
Cons
- The battery’s additional weight means you can’t let the mixer stand in the bucket
- Side handle is longer than it needs to be
Performance
Into the Mix
We’re turning the porch of a client’s home from Roman to Craftsman and it’s coming along nicely. There’s no shortage of mixing to do. I picked up the DeWalt cordless drill mixer to replace my trusty but aging (and corded) mixer.
Since the majority of our work it outside, finding a place to plug in a corded mixer is usually a pain in the neck. Then the cord’s in the way and takes the abuse of the jobsite.
The DeWalt DCD130 eliminates that headache and gets me on to the FlexVolt platform with its suite of more powerful cordless tools. The batteries also work with DeWalt 20V Max cordless tools if you don’t mind the weight of the battery.
The mixer arrived with the auxiliary handle screwed into the right side – one of three position options with the left and top. One of the guys on my crew immediately switched the handle to the top. That’s the first thing I would have done, too. There may be times when using the handle on one side or the other is helpful, but most guys will mix with the handle on top.
In practice, the handle is just too darn long. For better control, I keep moving my hand in toward the tool.
Clutch Play
DeWalt includes an E-Clutch and it works perfectly. You can even test it out: pull the trigger and twist your wrist quickly. The motor disengages and the red E-Clutch light lets you know it. It’s a quick visual so you know it’s not stopping because of a dead battery.
I’ll never gripe about a safety feature, but it’s important to note that bind-ups are not typically a problem when you’re mixing. If the mud or concrete gets too dry, your bucket will just start spinning around.
However, you can use this mixer for drilling as well. Its low speed and high torque give it some relevance for plumbers and electricians during the rough-in phase. Here are some rated capacities:
- Spade bit: 1-1/2″
- Hole saw: 6-1/4″ (wood), 4″ (metal)
- Ship auger: 2″
- Self-feed bits: 4-5/8″
For that kind of work, having the clutch system is incredibly helpful.
DCD130 Balancing Act
There are times when the material you’re mixing needs to sit before being mixed further. Then there are times when you’re called away from mixing because someone on the job needs a hand. In any event, it’s common to simply leave the mixer and paddle standing in the bucket until you get back to it.
That’s not always possible with this DeWalt cordless mixer. It weighs more than a corded version and can tip your bucket over if you let it stand.
You’re better off setting the motor on the ground with the paddles over the top of the bucket. If you have an extra bucket handy, flip it upside down for the motor to set on and more of your mix drips back into the bucket.
Additional Field Notes
Variable Speeds
As far as drills go, this one is pretty basic with its single-speed brushless motor and no variable speed dial. Just use the trigger to feather it from 0 – 600 RPM.
Keyed Chuck
Even though most cordless drills use a keyless chuck, that’s not the case with drill mixers. That’s not a big surprise and DeWalt isn’t alone on the cordless side.
Price
At $269 bare and $379 kitted, the DeWalt Cordless Drill Mixer directly competes with the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Mud Mixer at $199 and $349 respectively. Here’s how they compare:
DeWalt FlexVolt Drill Mixer
- 0 – 600 RPM
- Variable speed trigger
- (1) 108 watt-hour battery in kit (2.0/6.0 FlexVolt)
- Estimated 85.5 gallons on mixing on one charge
- 3-position side handle
- $269 bare/$379 kit
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Mud Mixer
- 0 – 550 RPM
- Variable speed dial and trigger with lock-on
- (2) 90 watt-hour batteries in kit (2 x 5.0 Ah)
- Estimated 75 gallons of mixing on one charge
- 180º rotating side handle
- $199 bare/$349 kit
Head-to-head, Milwaukee seems to give you a bit more for the money, but the specs don’t show that DeWalt is producing more power. Of course, if you’re already using Dewalt 20V Max or FlexVolt tools, there’s not so much difference between them that it makes sense to switch based on this tool alone.
DeWalt Cordless Drill Mixer Bottom Line
The DeWalt FlexVolt drill mixer is very capable in terms of its power to get the job done, including mixing concrete or pulling double-duty with plumbing and electrical rough-ins. Its longer side handle and top-heavy weight take some getting used to over corded models but we don’t think they’re deal-breakers.
DeWalt FlexVolt Drill Mixer Specifications
- Models: DeWalt DCD130B (bare), DCD130T1 (kit)
- Chuck Size: 1/2-inch
- No Load Speed: 0-600 RPM
- Weight: 6.94 pounds
- Prices: $249 (bare), $349 (kit)
