DeWalt DCD999B 20V MAX FLEXVOLT 1/2" Hammer Drill/Driver

Drill is great for heavy work, but the eclutch is useless for precision work. If you buy this for woodworking, you will likely need a second drill with a proper mechanical clutch or you will be stripping out screws all the time.

The DCD999 worked like a beast until it didn't. Minimal use around the shop and property. After approx 1.5 years of use, drill quit on a hole saw project and won't spin. I can hear internal click plus LED comes on, but that's all. I emailed DeWalt and after a few questions and pictures to upload, my new drill body (covered by warranty) should be on the way. Drill was 5 stars until it died. Custom Service was 5 stars in handling the warranty claim.

The DEWALT DCD999B FlexVolt Advantage Hammer Drill had promised to be a game-changer, and as a professional in the construction industry, having the “supreme best” hammer drill in my toolkit is more than a luxury, it's a necessity. One particular aspect that filled me with hope was learning from DeWalt that they had finally tackled the long-standing issue of the chuck freezing.
This fix was long overdue, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation as I unboxed this power tool. After unboxing I inspected it and gave it a spin. The balance, ergonomics, and feel of this hammer drill are just so good. I then went to the shop and did some real hard testing to see if I could get the chuck to lock up. I was not able to get the chuck to lock up or malfunction and was VERY impressed by the power and performance of the drill. I did lots of holes in concrete, and then drilled well over a dozen of ½ inch holes (with a ½ inch twist drill bit) all the way through treated 4x4 in about 1.5 seconds a piece. Then I got out a dull 1 inch spade bit and the drill tore all the way through the 4x4 with no hesitation in about 3 seconds!! All these tests were done on speed 3 with a 9AH FlexVolt battery and the drill was able to effortlessly handle it all. I then tried using a 5 inch hole saw. For the hole saw I finally had to put it down to speed 2. The drill still performed beyond expectations, though caution is advised with 5 inch bits due to dangerous kickback. (I seriously hurt my shin and arm myself)
As for features, the work light is worth mentioning! Most drill lights do not do that much, but this light has been VERY helpful. The drill has 3 brightness settings. The first setting is about what you would expect from a normal drill except for the fact that it remains on for 20 seconds after the trigger is released before turning off. The second setting is a little brighter than setting one; it is about as bright as a dim flashlight. It also remains on for 20 seconds after the trigger is released. I usually use it on setting 2. The third setting is very bright and impressive and stays on for 20 MINTUTES after the trigger is released. I have used it on setting 3 to light up the whole jobsite, all by itself!!! Setting 3 is about as bright as a portable work light.
After these demanding tests, the hammer drill swiftly became my favorite in my tool chest. I now use it regularly without any issues or the chuck ever locking up. It is also very durable and tough. I take good care of it but it has fallen more than once and been subjected to jobsite abuse and never had a drop in performance. Its reliability and power have truly impressed me, making it a reliable companion for every project.

I live and work on an active farm and although I don’t use tools often; I do use them hard at times. I had a brushed dewalt hammer drill that I’ve had for at least 5 years and it did well until I decided to drill a 2 inch hole through old concrete with it. Prior to this I’ve never had to drill such a large through concrete with that drill and it burnt it up. The drill still works some but I decided to retire it. I watched some reviews on Dewalts flex volt advantage tools and since I already own and are a big fan of the flex volt advantage 7 and 1/4 inch circular saw; I figured I’d get the drill for all the tough applications I’d use it on. I have had my new flex volt advantage drill for about 2 months now and all it has is power. It easily drilled a 3/8 inch hole through 3/8 thick mild steel. It never gets hot and it has amazing grips on the handle and it drills through the hardwood I use to fix up the barn and stuff like nothing, I also like that it sips juice less than my other drill even though it’s much larger. Also I love the long handle for it, the fact that it can moved any direction is awesome. I look forward to getting many years out of this drill, it was quite the upgrade but it’s worth it.

I have found this drill to be one of the best I have ever owned. It does all the heavy duty jobs but the one I find amazing it can hold the smallest of drill bit and do the delicate work that other drills won't even hold the bits for. I have Dewalt hammer drills all the way back to a 14.4v that I purchased at home depot when they first became available.

To start I was looking for a cordless hammer drill but then saw that there was a kit with this in it so I figured why not to save a little money and I can use it for more than just a hammer drill. It get the job I need done with no issue. I’ve been drilling mostly concrete and I’ve dropped this thing out 2nd floor windows multiple times and still works as if I just bought it. I would highly recommend this over the competitors.

Whatever you need to drill through this will get the job done.

And it’s worth every penny. I’m a full time commercial and residential plumber, and I’ve put this thing through the wringer. It almost made me regret buying the 60v joist drill (DCD471), but that’s an entirely different animal. I know it’s got its limits, I just haven’t found it yet. It eats whatever I put in front of it and wants more. I’ve had every iteration of the 20v hand drills minus the atomic, and it’s definitely a step up from the XR. I mix concrete with it, drill holes from 1/8” to 4 1/2” in solid lumber, through steel, shred 4” PVC pipe out of fittings, dunked it in some questionable fluids a few times, and buried it in a hole. Still smokes holes like it’s Ron Jeremy, just better looking. Couldn’t be happier with it.

I have the 18V european model (bought from Zivtool), but I'm not very impressed in this toll's quality and futures.

The metal chuck is not centered, it is offset, it has a gap of 1mm in one side and 2mm in the opposite side, measured to the grey metal round case edge.

If I use a 2 inch long fine drill bit, it's tip will not puncture as a dot, but drawaing a little circle with a 2mm radius. Imagine how hard will be to point it with a longer bit.
I also noticed this issue to my last dcd800 that I returned after 7 days, but not as worst as this dcd999.

I don't like the noisy "clank" sound when starts and stops (brake).

Last thing, I don't like that I can't shut off the light (like dcd800, for example).

First time I fasten the chuck, it got stucked, but manged to release it after a few tricks. Hope it will not happen again, as I've seen a lot of youtubers highlithing Dewalt's metal chuck problems.

In my opinion, a lot of issues for such a "big" brand.

Still, it's a powerful and heavy tool.

I'll call the warranty guys to see if they can fix it.
If not, I'll sell it, toghether with all my new Dewalt tools and chose another brand.

I purchased this drill for rebuilding a fence and finishing out our new patio. It had zero problems with mixing small batches of quikrete, drilling and driving through treated lumber, and putting pilot holes in cured concrete. It has since been used for metal fab on two project cars and several small projects. While I have a smaller DCD791 for normal use, I break out this monster when I absolutely need to put holes in tougher materials. It never fails to do the job.

Make sure that you use quality bits with this drill. It will destroy the cheap stuff in seconds.