CRAFTSMAN V20 20-volt Max 1/2-in Keyless Brushless Cordless Drill (1 Battery and Charger Included)

sobie39

May 13, 2026 12:02 AM

185 Comments

Joined Dec 2015

sobie39May 13, 2026 12:02 AM

185 Comments

I think someone is confused - Lowe's calls this brushless and Ace calls it brushed. The Craftsman site does not specify but the CMCD714D1 is definitely brushless and $129 at Lowe's
https://www.acehardware.com/depar...ls/2053422
I only checked Ace because I have some Cash Rewards to spend and spotted the conflict. Nothing on the poster - all Lowe's bad here.

Gar03001

May 13, 2026 4:46 PM

110 Comments

Joined Jun 2014

Gar03001May 13, 2026 4:46 PM

110 Comments

Don't spend your money on Craftsman V20 anything. When I bought my first house, I made the mistake of buying into the Craftsman's V20 line, so I am speaking from experience. I didn't know much about tools and saw that my dad always used Craftsman's tools, so I assumed they were still good quality. What I didn't know is that Stanley Black & Decker bought the brand out of the Sears bankruptcy and turned it from a legendary "Made in USA" tool brand into complete junk (which they've also done with Porter Cable and Stanley). Since then, I've had to buy more tools and quickly determined that Craftsman's V20 is at the bottom of the barrel in terms of quality, warranty, power, and value (relative to performance and durability). I owned their 10" chainsaw, chainsaw loppers, hedge trimmer, brush drill, and brush impact driver. Over the past 6 years, all these tools have failed, except for the impact driver, which is extremely weak and bulky for what it is. The outdoor tools typically come kitted with a 2Ah battery, which is insufficient to power them effectively. The chainsaws also have an auto-tension mechanism that doesn't keep the chain on and eventually breaks. When I tried to claim warranty on a pile of broken junk tools, it was such a hassle that I decided to just start over and take the loss on the Craftsman V20. As an aside, Craftsman's V20 and Dewalt 20V tools are 18V tools, like pretty much every other 18V tool line out there. Stanley Black & Decker, owner of Craftsman and DeWalt, lists its tools as 20 volts in North America primarily for marketing purposes, using the maximum initial battery voltage (20V) rather than the nominal working voltage (18V) to imply higher power. These batteries are technically 18V (5 cells at 3.6V each), which is the standard 18V label that Dewalt tools are required to use in Europe. The only Craftsman V20 tools worth buying, in my opinion, are the RP trim router and the cut-off tool (basically the Dewalt cut-off tool without Dewalt's stupid dust shroud), but two relatively specialized tools aren't worth buying into a battery ecosystem for. While the brushless RP line of tools is an improvement over the brushed junk they still sell (Dewalt still sells some brushed junk as well), there are many other budget-friendly brands that are far superior to Craftsman's V20 in terms of performance, durability, warranty, and value. In terms of warranty, Craftsman's 3-year tool warranty is amongst the worst in the industry, and the claims process is slow and painful to navigate. While Dewalt, Makita, Rigid, and Ryobi also only offer 3-year warranties on their cordless tools, there are responsible arguments for why you would buy into each of those tool lines. Most other tool companies offer a 5-year warranty on their tools and a 3-year warranty on batteries. You don't even need to leave Lowe's to find a superior budget-friendly tool brand, Kobalt 24V. Kobalt's 24V line of tools is made by Chervon, the makers of EGO, Flex, and Skil, with Kobalt slotted between Flex and Skil in terms of power, quality, and price. Since Kobalt tools run on 24V batteries, typically 6 cells in series vs 5 cells in an 18V battery. A standard 4Ah 24V battery can deliver higher power output and better heat management than a standard 4Ah 18V battery, although Kobalt's batteries are admittedly larger and heavier as a result. They offer a similar, if not broader, line of power tools and outdoor tools in their 24V line as Craftsman V20, and while not all of them are great, they easily outmatch Craftsman V20 at similar price points. You can also opt for higher-performance batteries and Kobalt's XTR line, which uses the same 24V batteries. An important difference is the warranty process. If you keep your proof of purchase, you can warranty a Kobalt tool at any Lowe's and get a brand new one off the shelf. If you are just starting a tool collection and don't need the same batteries for yard equipment, Hercules 20V brushless tools from Harbor Freight are a great option. Like Kobalt, Hercules power tools punch way above their weight in terms of value, price/performance, and durability. Like Kobalt, they offer a 5-year warranty on their 20V brushless tools and a 3-year warranty on their batteries. Their bare tool and battery prices are extremely reasonable, and they offer a newer line of high-performance batteries that are extremely well reviewed. To warrant a tool or battery, bring it to any Harbor Freight with proof of purchase and grab a new one from the shelf. Finally, if you are looking for more compact tools for DIY tasks and can spend a bit more than the Craftsman V20, go with Milwaukee's M12 line. They are significantly more compact, have much higher build quality, offer a range of batteries and tools, and are generally as powerful as, if not more powerful than Craftsman V20 tools. If all you need is a drill and impact driver for stuff around the house, it is hard to beat the M12 Fuel Hammer Drill and Impact Drive kit.

1

Orange_Elvis

May 13, 2026 4:51 PM

1K Comments

Joined Jan 2007

Orange_ElvisMay 13, 2026 4:51 PM

1K Comments

Quote from sobie39

:

I think someone is confused - Lowe's calls this brushless and Ace calls it brushed. The Craftsman site does not specify but the CMCD714D1 is definitely brushless and $129 at Lowe's
https://www.acehardware.com/depar...ls/2053422
I only checked Ace because I have some Cash Rewards to spend and spotted the conflict. Nothing on the poster - all Lowe's bad here.

good catch, it's definitely brushed.

https://www.toolservicenet.com/i/...253781.pdf

Follywood

May 18, 2026 3:31 PM

4.5K Comments

Joined Aug 2011

FollywoodMay 18, 2026 3:31 PM

4.5K Comments

Junk, even Ryobi is better.

Product Description:	Powerful and efficient motor to complete common DIY drilling applications with ease. Up to 300 UWO to efficiently complete a range of drilling applications. Up to 1, 650 RPM and variable speed trigger for greater control. CRAFTSMAN V20 20-volt Max 1/2-in Keyless Brushless Cordless Drill ( 1 -Batteries Included, and Charger Included ) \| CMCD702D1
Product SKU:	5018700285_5018700285
UPC:	198706013483

CRAFTSMAN V20 20-volt Max 1/2-in Keyless Brushless Cordless Drill (1 Battery and Charger Included) | CMCD702D1 $59

$59

$99

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