I have an m18 with a 2.0 battery, while a buddy has an xr with 20v battery. Both are comparable, both brushless, both 2.0 amp hour, blah blah. But no matter what we're doing, his dewalt always seems to last twice as long as mine.

Anyone have real world experience with the 2? is milwaukee really that much crappier than dewalt in the battery department or did i just get a bad apple?

Are both batteries either LI-ON or NICAD ?

Neither make their own batteries. If Nicad, they are both made by Panasonic. ... Don't know about the LI ones as I have not had one of those packs apart yet.

PS it could be that you just work harder than your buddy

Right. I was just wondering if he was comparing apples to apples

DeWalt xr batteries are there “contractor” batteries not residential.

Don't know about the new batteries. I have 2 Dewalt drills and one impact driver and they are the bigger/heavier 18v batteries and they last longer than the new Bosh, Ryobi and Makita drills and impacts. Got like 7 batteries and 3 chargers. They are old and heavy but work like new but when I have to buy new ones they will be Dewalt.

I much prefer the NICAD to the LION

I have heard that the li-on batteries will only use a certain percentage of the batteries capacity as compared to the Nicad. I have both and noticed the li-on batteries will be working fine and then suddenly die. The nicad will run all the way dead.

I like Milwaukee lithium ion batteries. It's the cordless drills that burn up on me.

Exactly !! That is what I hate about the LION. The other thing they do is they wait until you get to the top of the ladder and then they instantly die !

^^^ my buddies Ryobi's do that ^^^

Yes both are lithium ion

If Milwaukee press the little red button from time to time. I have Milwaukee and they are the best I've seen.

I burnt up my first Milwaukee drill in three days. Got a refund and bought a bigger Milwaukee and have been using it for four years. You gotta buy one for the job you are doing. Milwaukee has one that you will not burn up.

I wont go back to the 18 volt tools.20 only now.I can run all day with my 20v Dewalt drill driver.Even when my 18 was new,,I could only get a couple hours off a charge.

I guess you guys realize that Milwaukee makes 2 -12 amp hour M18 batteries. Spend some money and get what you need. A 12 amph is about $200 a 2 is about $40. sometimes you get what you pay for.

The LI ion are not supposed to be run dry, so when they hit a certain level, the computer shuts the battery off. That's why the sudden stopping with that type battery. Ni Cads are designed to be fully discharged.

I found a 5 amp 18v DeWalt on eBay. Runs a circular saw much better than lower amp models.

My 20 volt dewalt lasts three times as long as my 18 volt dewalt.