ok lets be clear- I am a loyal Milwaukee user and will remain one especially with the upcoming V28 release, But this Dewalt product is outstanding in every aspect.
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br /I have used it for about two months now and cut drywall, plywood, tile and backerboared with it. The battery life is excellent and weight and balance are outstanding. with two batteries you can litterally do drywall cut outs all day long.
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br /Dust protection seems good and keyless chuck performs well.
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br /An excellent buy.

I have been waiting years for Dewalt to make an 18V cordless cut-out tool kit like the DC550K. It's great to finally have a cordless version that can utilize the same charger and batteries as my other 18V tools. I bought one of these as soon as they became available online and now use it almost every day on the job. Before the DC550, I was most indignant about having to drag an extension cord along when using my Roto-Zip, as this is the last holdout in a tool collection that I use daily which still required being plugged into an outlet to operate.
br /I use the DC550 mainly to make cutouts in wood, drywall, plaster and acoustical tile for recessed lighting or electrical boxes. With a carbide burr bit, it will make cutouts in ceramic wall tile, solid surface or laminate backsplashes, but of course, won't cut harder floor tile materials. It also makes clean, splinter free cutouts in solid wood or veneered cabinets, such as when installing an outlet for a microwave/hood over a range or outlets in kitchen island or peninsula base cabinets. I have even used it for cutouts in thin stainless sheet clad walls that are found in commercial kitchens, and it works well on aluminum and vinyl siding too.
br /Battery life is very good and since the DC550K kit comes with two batteries, you can have one on charge and keep going all day long. The extra length and weight the battery does make this tool slightly less well balanced than the corded version when using it in the horizontal position, but the rubber grip area allows you to hold the tool firmly in various positions and as with anything else, the more you use the tool, the less noticeable this imbalance becomes.
br /There is no bump switch on top of the tool but the push through type on/off switch sticks out far enough so you can get at easily.
br /The tool-less quick-change bit holder is the same as on Dewalt's corded cut-out tool. It takes a little getting used to, but is much better than having to use a wrench every time you need to change a cutter bit. At 26,000 rpm's it's not as fast as the corded version but this doesn't really seem to affect its cutting ability. Overall, I feel that the DC550 is a very good tool that can go along way toward making your workday easier and more productive.
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I purchased the DeWalt DC550KA about two years ago when I needed to make several circuit box cut-outs in drywall during a kitchen renovation. I was swayed by the initial positive reviews, the brand, its portability over the Rotozip, and that it complemented my other existing DeWalt 18V tools.
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br /My first use on a box cut-out was very disappointing. It had plenty of power and speed but quickly spent one battery before I could complete the entire cut. Other attempts yielded similar results with other charged batteries.
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br /I was not going to post a review but felt compelled when it was receiving so many favorable one. Besides the poor run-time, the spindle lock was awkward and not well designed. Unlike most solidly designed and built DeWalt 18V tools, this tool is not designed for prolonged or rigorous use.
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br /I would only recommend this kit if you needed the extra batteries or the case (it fits the DeWalt DW960 right angle 18V drill, charger, and two batteries).

This tool has excellent battery capacity and is easy to handle;
br /has plenty of cutting power. The only drawback is the tool just slightly heavy.

This tool has lots of cutting power and runs forever on a battery. It is a little heavy and awkward at some cutting angles. Overall a good tool.

A fairly handy tool (probably not supposed to use it with router bits but....). A great deal tho because of the two XRP battery's charger (well over the price of the combo)
br /Shipped quicky (in stock) priced same as "refurb" on other sites

Quick,mobile and wireless. Tool works excellent and very powerful.

Purchased to replace a Roto-Zip tool. The DeWalt is proving to be a much better tool. The only challenge I have is that the chuck lock is a little difficult to operate.

great product horable customer service it took over 10 days just for product to sip and over 15 phone calls to amazon!!! this is the 4th item I have bought and absoutly the worst experience yet

this product is absolutely great. I use many dewalt tools and this is as excellent as the rest. the price was unbeatable. it's not a tool you will need all the time, but, when the time comes for a tool like this, and you have it, jackpot! highly recommended.

Very nice tool. Great to work without a cord. Works great on drywall. Had to put standard router bits in for laminates as the small laminate cutting bits do not cut very well, however with router bits it cuts very well and gets into tight spaces easily.
br /My only real problem with this tool is the location and operation of the on/off switch. That needs work.

Working with a three man crew doing sheetrocking, and one battery lasts us the whole day. Of course it is heavier than a corded model, but it isnt a tool you have to hold for a long time. Cut out your can light, or your outlet box and put it back down. Weight is not an issue. It is far nicer than having to drag a cord around wherever you go. I have no complaints, and the tool works nicely.

Received the tool quick enough and looks like a nice, usable tool however the box did not have the 1/4" collet in the box. The operator, that was almost impossible to understand, wanted me to return the entire tool kit back to Amazon for this $2.00 missing part. Or, he wanted me to call DeWalt and tell them that the part was missing. Who would I call there? My third option was a small credit, that I did accept, so I can run around my city and try to find a 1/4" collet that fits a DeWalt DC550 tool that is so new that nobody even stocks the tool yet! Ya, right.