4 DeWalt Tools That Are More Powerful Than Snap-On

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Fans of Snap-On’s products will say that the convenience of purchasing from a tool truck and the quality of the products are enough to justify the brand’s steep price premiums. However, it’s hard to argue that some of its products aren’t simply overpriced. Either way, if you’re paying a premium for Snap-On, you might reasonably expect that you’ll at least be buying the most powerful tools of their kind.

It turns out that’s not necessarily true, at least not when you compare Snap-On’s power tools to those from other big brands like DeWalt. As well as being less expensive to buy, a number of DeWalt tools are actually more powerful than their closest Snap-On equivalents.

It’s not like DeWalt is the exception either. We’ve previously compared the power of Milwaukee and Snap-On’s tools and found several where Milwaukee has the edge. In some cases, even Harbor Freight’s professional-oriented tools boast outputs that beat Snap-On. Nonetheless, now it’s time to highlight some of the areas where the yellow-and-black tool brand outclasses its famous tool truck competitor.

With up to 450 ft-lb of breakaway torque on offer, DeWalt’s 20V Max Atomic ⅜-inch impact wrench is comfortably more powerful than Snap-On’s closest equivalent tool. Despite being around $200 more expensive, the Snap-On 18V MonsterLithium ⅜-inch impact wrench is only capable of delivering 325 ft-lb of breakaway torque.

DeWalt’s impact wrench is available for $239 at Home Depot, and much like its Snap-On rival, it’s sold as a standalone tool. That means buyers who don’t already have a suitable 20V battery and charger in their tool kit will have to purchase them separately. As standard, the DeWalt tool is covered by a 3-ear warranty and a year of free servicing. In contrast, Snap-On’s tool is only protected by 2 years of warranty cover.

Although it delivers superior power, DeWalt’s impact wrench isn’t any larger than the Snap-On. In fact, it’s slightly shorter, measuring 6.25 inches in length while the Snap-On clocks in at 6.7 inches. The DeWalt features four different speed settings to suit a variety of jobs, and a built-in LED light helps make it easier to work in spaces with limited visibility. Also featured is a hog ring anvil for ease of use and a control system to prevent overtightening.

It seems that not everyone is sold on DeWalt’s heat gun, with some reviewers claiming that it’s not quite as powerful in the real world as its manufacturer suggests. However, on paper at least, the 20V Max Heat Gun is a very capable product. According to DeWalt, it will reach a maximum output of 990 degrees F, which is significantly higher than the 840-degree output of the Snap-On 18V heat gun.

It’s cheaper too, with the DeWalt tool retailing for $179 at Home Depot and shipping with both flat hook and nozzle attachments. Thanks to its standard size nozzle, it should also fit attachments from other brands. Meanwhile, the Snap-On tool is much pricier at $284, although at least it does still come with multiple attachments.

DeWalt’s heat gun offers a locking on and off trigger to allow users to keep it running hands-free, as well as a built-in LED. According to the brand, it’s capable of providing up to 42 minutes of runtime using a 5Ah battery on its low temperature setting. Like almost all of DeWalt’s other 20V Max tools, the heat gun is covered by a 3 year warranty, which is a year longer than the Snap-On tool’s coverage period.

Most major cordless tool brands offer their own angle grinder, including DeWalt and Snap-On. If you order Snap-On’s 18V angle grinder, you’ll receive a tool that can handle 4-½ inch or 5 inch wheels, has a seven-position safety guard for additional convenience, and has a motor capable of hitting a peak of 8,000 rpm. However, pick DeWalt’s 20V Max 4-½ inch angle grinder instead, and you’ll have a tool with a more powerful motor that reaches up to 9,000 rpm.

Like all of Snap-On’s other tools, its angle grinder is far from cheap. It retails for $585, which makes the $199 retail price of the DeWalt look like a bargain in comparison. Both tools require users to buy a battery and charger separately, but DeWalt’s 20V battery packs will power a far greater range of tools. At the time of writing, DeWalt offers more than 300 different tools in its 20V Max line, and that number regularly increases as the brand launches new and improved products. In contrast, Snap-On’s equivalent 18V tool line only includes around a dozen unique tools.

The Snap-On 18V MonsterLithium grease gun retails for $427 and can deliver a maximum of 7,500 PSI, but it’s no match for the DeWalt 20V Max grease gun. DeWalt’s tool delivers pressures as high as 10,000 PSI, although its two speed settings allow users to prioritize output when maximum pressure isn’t needed. As a bonus, the DeWalt tool also features a hose that’s 11 inches longer than the Snap-On, which helps increase its reach and maximizes its capability for jobs in spaces with limited mobility.

In a pattern that should be familiar by now, DeWalt’s tool is significantly cheaper even though it has the edge on power. Snap-On’s grease gun retails for $427 as a standalone tool, while buyers can purchase the DeWalt grease gun plus a 2Ah battery and a charger for $299 at Home Depot. For good measure, the brand also throws in a kit box and a shoulder strap. Just like the other powerful DeWalt 20V tools, the grease gun is also covered by a 3 year warranty, which is a year more than Snap-On’s equivalent tool.

To compare tools from both manufacturers, we used specs taken directly from the website of both DeWalt and Snap-On. Comparisons are made based on manufacturers’ claims, and have not been subject to independent verification or testing. We matched products based on their respective positioning in each brand’s overall range, comparing DeWalt’s 20V cordless tools to Snap-On’s 18V tool line.