Importing Dewalt Tools from USA

Bedgrub on 14/09/2020 - 21:08
Last edited 14/09/2020 - 21:09

There are some decent priced Dewalt combo kits available on eBay and I’m interested to hear if anyone has imported one.

The specific combos themselves aren’t available in Australia (they tend to be prepared specific to each retailer anyway to avoid price matching).

This 10-piece combo works out to be about $1200AUD plus import duties: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/202281077575

There’s another 6-piece one here that’s a bit over $800AUD plus duties: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/402285023186

The equivalent sets at Bunnings are probably around $2500 and $1200 respectively.

Obviously the chargers would have US plugs (not sure if they are multi voltage), but I have a charger anyway. They seem to have lower capacity batteries also, but it’s not a deal breaker.

Warranty seems to be the main issue.

Anyone else have any thoughts, advice, experience?

Home & Garden

Comments

  • tight-ass on 14/09/2020 - 21:21

    I've purchased several Dewalt cordless tools from the US for the reasons you mentioned. I buy locally now simply because the savings aren't there like they used to be when the Aussie dollar was buying $1.10 US

    Obviously you don't get a local warranty, however you most likely don't need it - I've not had any issues with the tools I've purchased over the 10+ years so far. Plus the money you save negates the fact it lacks a warranty.

    Unless things have changed the chargers aren't multi-voltage, so you'll need to buy this locally…..everything else you can buy without any issues

    • Bedgrub on 14/09/2020 - 21:41

      Good to know that they’d actually get through - I haven’t imported anything larger than a server.

      I just noticed they’re 20v though, not 18/54v.

      • ihavok on 14/09/2020 - 22:26
        +2

        20V (USA) batteries = 18V (AUS) batteries.

        Google "Dewalt 18V vs 20V" for more info. It's to do with the way they are measured rather than the battery itself.

        • Bedgrub on 15/09/2020 - 07:56

          So they’re interchangeable? I did a quick search but I’m stuck on mobile and really only got a bunch of blog spam

          • Euphemistic on 15/09/2020 - 12:23
            +1

            @Bedgrub: IT will be the same battery. Same number of cells, same configuration. The marketing dept got hold of the battery specs and use a max voltage rather than the nominal voltage for each cell.

            Ryobi is the same. Marketed as 20v/40v in the states while we get 18/36v.

    • limeburner on 15/09/2020 - 00:29

      My experience was that I purchased a Dewalt drill and driver combo from the USA via eBay, but the order was cancelled due to it having a 54v High capacityFlexvolt battery in the kit and therefore deemed unsafe for international air transport. Dewalt do make it safe by the inclusion of a transit cap for the battery, but I couldn’t be bothered trying to argue the point.

  • dasher86 on 14/09/2020 - 21:39

    Something to take back home with you after a holiday maybe

  • brad1-8tsi on 14/09/2020 - 23:54

    I looked at DeWalt / Milwaukee when I was in Utah in 2018. In both cases the chargers were 110v.

    I finished up buying an end of line AEG kit from Bunnings that was 50% off. I was keeping an eye out for about 6 months

  • Hugh G Rection on 15/09/2020 - 07:28

    dewalts are the best, you wont have warranty issues. i also got mine from the usa and throw mine around and no problems. i had to buy a transformer so i can charge it because its 110v. i al

  • TuckSumBong on 24/09/2020 - 23:12
    +1

    Most my dewalts are 20/60v. Yes, from the USA because they're assembled in the USA or Mexico. Most Australian 18/54v are made in China (not that it makes it any less being dewalt). I just found it cheaper. I brought the tools back when travelling to the USA.

    Then I bought Australian chargers to charge the batteries and works like a charm. There's a YouTube video about how to easily convert the chargers from 110v to 240v. USA release some tools before Australia. I got the jizsaws and Sanders (orbital and square) well before Australia had them.

    I had to declare them to customs but only once did I pay the tax and it still works out cheaper. Home depot, lowes, acmetools are some of the retailers I buy from and they have amazing deals during black Friday, veterans day or any other sales period.

    I also have Australian 18/54v tools and batteries. They're identical to 20/60v tools/batteries meaning USA batteries work on Aussie tools and Aussie batteries work on USA tools. Nothing to worry about there.

  • JNSD on 08/10/2020 - 07:46

    I've bought a ton from the USA for these reasons, but also because I used to live there so the prices were simply unbeatable. As tight-ass rightly says (must have a lot of experience as he's spot on) the voltage is exactly the same - as recently as last year I still wondered and was talking to my local Sydney Tools about it and got friendly with them. I actually took one of the batteries in from my USA kit (20v max lithium 3.0a) and physically put it in one of the Aussie chargers and it works exactly the same.

    Also I got the clarification the tight-ass rightly put above about 20v Vs 18v as I was confused thinking the USA were more powerful and bigger and better and yada yada yada - it's simply marketing! The 20v is the peak voltage - so in essence the 18v we have here peaks at 20v but we don't market it that way.

    As for charging, I have a little step-down transformer (have a few as have bought so many tools from the USA over my lifetime) and I keep it in the bag to use with the charger. I did ironically look up a second hand one this week to use as I'm trying to minimise all my tools these day (too many to count). But it's not an issue. Re-warranty - if you go SUPER unlucky and got a dud, you could be in trouble. But again, I've had DeWalt tools for so long and only ever had one issue (with a USA drill) and I sent it back, but that was like 15+ years ago to Home Depot.

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