Power tools tool review
DEWALT DCK661D1M1 6-Tool Combo Kit Review
Buy the DEWALT DCK661D1M1 if you are starting from nothing and about to take on a real project, because six tools on one battery platform for around $799 is genuinely cheaper than assembling the same set piece by piece. Skip it if you already own a drill and an impact driver on another platform, because the value of a combo kit collapses the moment you are buying duplicates.
DEWALT 20V MAX 6-Tool Cordless Combo Kit (DCK661D1M1)
about $799
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| Spec | DEWALT 20V MAX 6-Tool Cordless Combo Kit (DCK661D1M1) |
|---|---|
| Platform | 20V MAX |
| Drill/driver | DCD771, compact, 300 unit watts out |
| Impact driver | Compact, 5.55 inches front to back |
| Reciprocating saw | DCS381 with keyless blade clamp |
| Circular saw | DCS393, 6-1/2 inch carbide blade, cuts 2x4 at 45 degrees in one pass |
| Grinder | DCG412, up to 8,000 RPM |
| Oscillating tool | DCS356, 3-speed selector |
| Included | Battery and charger |
Specs come from DEWALT's published product bullets returned by the Creators API. Price is approximate.
What each tool is actually for
The drill makes holes and the impact driver drives screws, and the reason both are in the kit is that using a drill as a driver strips screws and wears out wrists. The reciprocating saw is a demolition tool for cutting through studs, nails and pipe where the cut does not need to be pretty. The circular saw handles sheet goods and framing lumber. The grinder cuts metal, tile and rebar, and the oscillating multi-tool is what you reach for when nothing else fits, such as undercutting door casings before flooring goes in. Together they cover most of a renovation without duplication.
Where a combo kit is genuinely the cheaper route
Six bare tools bought separately plus a battery and charger typically costs more than the kit, and that gap is the entire argument. It also puts every tool on one battery, which matters more in practice than any individual specification: a shared platform means one charger, interchangeable packs and no dead tool because its particular battery is flat. For a homeowner about to finish a basement, price the project first in the basement finishing cost calculator so the tool budget sits in proportion to it, and if the project is a garage, the garage conversion cost calculator does the same.
The deck or patio question
A cordless kit like this builds a deck. It does not pour a patio. If you are still choosing between the two, that decision changes what tools you need as much as what the project costs: our deck vs patio cost comparison works through both, and a patio is a materials-and-labor job where the tools you would want are a plate compactor and a wheelbarrow rather than a combo kit. Price a deck in the deck building cost calculator and a patio in the patio installation cost calculator.
Battery strategy is the long game
The tools in a combo kit are the cheap part of a platform decision. Over the following years you will buy more 20V MAX tools because you own the batteries, and that lock-in is worth thinking about before you commit. DEWALT's advantage is the sheer breadth of the range, including a cordless miter saw and larger tools that run on the same packs. Buy a second larger capacity battery early rather than a seventh tool, because runtime is what limits a working day, not tool count.
The honest weakness: kits are built around the entry-level version of each tool
The DCD771 drill is a brushed, entry-level model, not the brushless XR drill sold separately, and the same logic applies across most of the kit. They are perfectly capable homeowner tools and they are not the tools a trade user would choose. The battery situation is the other compromise: a kit like this typically ships with a compact pack and a larger pack rather than two large ones, and the circular saw and grinder in particular will empty a compact battery quickly. Expect to buy another battery, and possibly to replace the drill with a brushless one in a few years if you use it hard.
What owners consistently report
Published owner reviews of DEWALT combo kits consistently praise the value and the platform, and consistently note that the individual tools are the entry-level members of their families. The recurring practical advice from owners is to buy an extra high-capacity battery immediately, because the circular saw and grinder drain compact packs fast. Complaints tend to be about the bag rather than the tools, and about the drill chuck on the brushed model after heavy use.
Who it suits
- Homeowners starting a renovation with no cordless tools
- Basement finishing, garage conversions and whole-house projects
- Anyone consolidating a drawer of dead chargers onto one platform
- First-time DIYers who want coverage rather than specialisation
Who should skip it
- Anyone already invested in another 18V or 20V platform
- Trade users who need brushless tools and long runtime
- Buyers who only need a drill and a driver, which are cheaper as a pair
- Projects better served by a specific tool such as a track saw or a miter saw
Safety, stated plainly
Cordless does not mean low risk. The circular saw kicks back exactly as a corded one does, so keep the guard working, support the offcut and never lock the guard open. The angle grinder is the most dangerous tool in the kit: use the correct guard and the correct wheel for the material, never a cutting disc on a wheel meant for grinding, and let it reach speed before contact. Reciprocating saws cut through what you cannot see, so check for wiring and pipe before plunging into a wall, and treat any wire as live until an electrician confirms otherwise. Eye protection for everything, hearing protection for the saws and grinder, and a respirator for anything that makes dust.
Alternatives worth comparing
about $649
More tools for less money on the same platform, which is worth checking on the day because combo kit pricing moves and the seven tool set frequently undercuts the six.
View on Amazonabout $500
A cheaper six tool set for lighter work, sensible when the heavy demolition and metal cutting in your project is limited or hired out.
View on Amazonabout $845
Ten tools and two batteries, which is the better buy if your project list is long enough that you would otherwise add tools one at a time at full price.
View on AmazonHow we researched this
We did not test the DEWALT 20V MAX 6-Tool Cordless Combo Kit (DCK661D1M1) in person, and nothing here is written as though we did. This review is drawn from the manufacturer's published specifications, the product's own documentation, and the consensus of published owner reviews, which is summarised as exactly that rather than presented as our own use. Specifications are sourced as noted under the table above, and prices are approximate and move. Cost figures elsewhere on this site are 2026 estimates, not quotes. This is researched information, not professional advice: anything touching electrical, gas, structural, roofing or hazardous material work should go to a licensed professional and through your local permitting process. For the cost side of this decision, see Deck vs Patio.
Frequently asked questions
Is a DEWALT combo kit better value than buying tools separately?
Usually yes if you are starting from nothing, because six bare tools plus a battery and charger typically cost more than the kit. It stops being good value the moment you already own some of the tools or are already on another battery platform, because you are then paying for duplicates you will not use.
Are the tools in a combo kit lower quality?
They are usually the entry-level model in each family rather than the brushless premium version. The DCD771 drill in this kit is brushed, for example. They are capable homeowner tools and they are not what a trade user working daily would choose, which is a fair trade at the price.
Do I need both a drill and an impact driver?
For any real project, yes. A drill makes holes and controls torque precisely; an impact driver delivers rotational hammer blows that drive long screws without camming out or twisting your wrist. Using a drill as a driver strips screw heads and is the most common reason people think driving screws is hard.
How many batteries do I need?
At least two, and ideally one high-capacity pack for the circular saw and grinder. Runtime rather than tool count is what limits a working day, and the saws in a combo kit will empty a compact battery quickly. Buying an extra battery early is better value than adding a seventh tool.
Can I build a deck with a cordless combo kit?
Yes, with the circular saw for cutting and the impact driver for fastening, though a miter saw makes repeated crosscuts far faster and more accurate. What a combo kit will not do is a patio, which is a materials and compaction job rather than a cutting one. Our deck vs patio cost comparison sets out the difference before you buy tools for either.