DeWalt Radio – Two Products in One

Only a few things are more upsetting than to have a battery pack on a portable power tool run out before you finish your application. Also, a bad news is to reach for a second battery pack and to find it flat because you forgot to recharge it. So what are the possibilities? You can take a standard DeWalt one-hour charger and wait until the battery pack is recharged. But what can you do to make time run faster? The answer is simple, you can listen to your favorite radio station while the battery pack fully recharges. The DeWalt DW911 jobsite radio and charger is two products in one. It is not only a stereo-radio but also a one port battery charger. A newer version is the DC011. This stereo/charger looks better and is packed with many cool features. This worksite radio delivers quality sound that can match some expensive stereo systems. And what makes it so unique is the fact that it combines three-stage charger with a stereo which can run off AC, a portable generator, or its battery pack. But if you leave the battery inside the stereo it might go flat even if the radio is not on. So remember to remove it when not in use.

Unfortunately, this radio/charger can recharge only NiCad battery packs. You will have to use another charger for Li-Ion batteries. As said, the DC011 can recharge nickel cadmium battery packs 7.2V to 18V in 1 hour or even less, depending on the battery stage. This innovative DeWalt three-stage recharger allows the nickel cadmium battery to remain in the unit for a long time to keep it fully charged and ready for use when you need it.

This DeWalt stereo/charger is only designed to recharge DeWalt batteries. This may be disadvantage if you are using Makita or Bosch power tools. It would be a great thing if these companies could reach an understanding to the benefit of their users.

Most popular 18v battery packs are sufficient for this radio to work for full 12 hours. Off course, this may vary. But one thing is certain – the quality of the sound is more than good. The stereo volume equates to 92 decibels. And this is very loud. This radio features a bass tone with a very good sound that is enjoyable to listen even while wearing ear plugs. The unit also features a simple volume control. And the volume set at maximum is loud enough to be heard over a 36v hammer drill or a planer thicknesser.

The DeWalt says that the DC011 is up to 78% louder and offers up to 65% better reception than their older DW911 radio. And they could not be more right. This DeWalt radio is water resistant and features a robust housing. It comes with sealed control knobs in a plastic case and speaker grills made of rust-resistant steel. This makes it to be very durable. You will probably have it for many years. The unit is protected with a roll cage with rubber shock mounts built around it to help the radio/charger to withstand drops which are common on the construction site. It is also good to mention that this DeWalt radio/charger weighs only 3.2 pounds.

Other relevant features include a dual pivoting 11’’ antenna which delivers better reception than the last DW911, a digital tuner with LCD display, 8 station memory presets, and a built-in clock. This DeWalt radio/charger is also perfect for outdoor activities like, skiing, snowboarding, biking, motorcycling etc.