DeWalt DCD803 Review: One Drill That Swaps Heads for Every Job

Introduction

The DeWalt DCD803 is an interesting take on the modern cordless drill: it is a drill that becomes other tools depending on which chuck you clip onto the front. Based on an older DeWalt design, it keeps the standard features you would expect from a contemporary DeWalt drill, like a rubberized overgrip, a belt clip, a trigger-activated light, two speed settings, a torque collar that goes up to 15, and a final drilling setting. There is no hammer action at all, which is fairly common for DeWalt drills, so if you need hammer mode, pick a different model.

The real difference is the front end. The chuck is detachable: push it on and it clips with a satisfying click, pull the collar back and it slides off. In the kit you get four chucks in total, and they change what the tool can do entirely.

The Four Chucks Explained

The first is a standard keyless drill chuck, which works exactly like a normal drill once it is on. The second is a hex-style head that takes hex-type bits, and it is worth being clear about what this is not: despite looking like an impact driver head, there is no impact mechanism inside. It is simply a hex chuck. It is quite powerful, but it will not drive heavy fastenings with the force of a true impact driver.

The third is an offset chuck, and the fourth is a right angle attachment. These two are where the kit earns its place, especially for renovation and fitting work. The clip-on system itself is nicely engineered: each head rotates around the drill body and clicks firmly into position.

The Offset Chuck: Tight Corners Solved

The offset chuck can be rotated to any position around the drill and locks in place with a click. Its head sits only about 10 to 12 millimetres across, so you can reach fixings that sit right up against walls, corners, or the underside of units. Anyone who has tried to drive a screw into a corner under a kitchen or bathroom unit, only to end up working at an awkward angle, will immediately see the appeal.

In testing, driving a screw about 10 millimetres from both edges worked well. For kitchen and bathroom fit-outs, this is the kind of attachment you will be glad is in your toolbox.

The Right Angle Chuck: Getting Into Joists

The right angle chuck attaches one way to the drill and accepts another fitting at its far end, such as the standard drill chuck. It feels solid in use and can be set to any angle you need. The most practical application is drilling a series of holes in joists for cables or pipes: because the bit sits at 90 degrees to the drill body, you can work between joists spaced at standard centres without the drill body getting in the way.

For plumbers and electricians, or anyone renovating a house, this attachment alone can genuinely get you out of trouble.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The honest trade-off is weight. All the machined steel hardware in the heads adds real bulk, and with the standard chuck fitted the tool feels notably front-heavy compared to a normal drill. It still drills well, but you will notice the heft.

The second consideration is that the hex head is not an impact driver. If you regularly drive large fastenings, a dedicated drill plus a separate impact driver may serve you better than swapping heads back and forth. The whole system tries to do everything at once, and for the standard drilling and hex heads, two separate tools are arguably more convenient.

The kit price is around £230 bare, without a battery, though it may well be found cheaper elsewhere. On the plus side, the chucks store together in a compact case you can hang on a wall, so you are unlikely to lose any of them.

Buying Advice

For professional plumbers, electricians, and anyone doing kitchen or bathroom renovations, the offset and right angle chucks justify the kit on their own. They will go in and out of the toolbox constantly, and the clip-on mechanism makes swapping them quick and reliable.

If you only ever drill straightforward holes and drive standard screws, a conventional drill plus a true impact driver is probably the better pairing. But as a single, well-built tool that adapts to awkward situations, the DCD803 is a genuinely useful addition to the toolbox.

Conclusion

The DeWalt DCD803 is a nicely engineered convertible drill that earns its keep in tight spaces. The offset and right angle chucks are the standout attachments and make a real difference in renovation and trade work. It is not a complete replacement for owning both a drill and an impact driver, and the front-heavy feel takes some getting used to. But for anyone who regularly works in cramped corners, this is a kit that will pay for itself in saved frustration.