DEWALT 3-Speed: Review, Pros & Cons

Summary

A 20 V brushless SDS-Plus rotary hammer for concrete drilling, anchoring and light chipping, with 2.1 J impact energy and a 3-year limited warranty. Check your listing before buying: bare tool only, no battery or charger, and the kit SKUs and contents vary.

Strengths

Brushless motor on the 20 V MAX platform, with full XR battery compatibility.
2.1 J impact energy and three application modes cover drilling, hammer drilling and chipping.
Mechanical clutch with bind-up protection stops the tool if a bit binds.
Dust-collection ready and OSHA Table 1 compliant with the DWH303DH extractor.
3-year limited warranty with a 1-year free service contract.

Weaknesses

Bare tool only: no battery, charger or case in the box.
No independent instrumented test of the DCH273 was found.
Owner discussions report hammer power concerns, chuck play and a few faulty or DOA units.
2.1 J limits performance in hard aggregate concrete and larger holes.
Vibration is noticeable in dense blockwork over extended sessions.
Warranty applies only to authorized-seller purchases.

Verified specifications

Model	DCH273; bare-tool SKU DCH273B; kit variants include DCH273P2 and DCH273P2DHO (on-board dust extractor).
Platform	20 V MAX (nominal 18 V).
Motor	brushless.
Impact energy	2.1 J (manufacturer-stated).
Maximum speed	0-1100 rpm; the manufacturer page also lists a 1050 no-load speed.
Blows per minute	0-4600 (US listing); 0-4900 in UK coverage.
Chuck	1 in SDS-Plus.
Application modes	3 (rotary only, hammer drill, chip/hammer only).
Vibration control	SHOCKS Active Vibration Control; measured vibration 6.6 m/s².
Mechanical clutch	yes, with bind-up protection.
Dust collection	dust-collection ready; OSHA Table 1 compliant only with the optional DWH303DH on-board extractor.
Drilling capacity	26 mm concrete, 13 mm steel, 30 mm wood.
Optimal concrete drilling range	3/16-1/2 in.
Chipping	yes.
Bind-up mode	the tool stops if a bit binds.
Dimensions	4.1 × 12.99 × 8.5 in.
Power	battery powered, bare tool (0 batteries, no charger).
Included	rotary hammer, 360-degree side handle, depth rod, adjustable hook (4 pieces).
Case	none included.
Warranty	3-year limited, plus 1-year free service contract and 90-day money back guarantee for authorized-seller purchases.
UPC	885911405102.

Full research notes and sources

Battery and platform

The DCH273 runs on DEWALT’s 20 V MAX (nominal 18 V) XR platform, so existing XR batteries and chargers work. The brushless motor maintains consistent output across the battery charge. No runtime or drilling-rate figures were published.

Drilling, vibration and dust

Manufacturer specs list 2.1 J impact energy, 0-1100 rpm, 0-4600 bpm (0-4900 in UK coverage) and drilling capacities of 26 mm in concrete, 13 mm in steel and 30 mm in wood, with an optimal concrete range of 3/16-1/2 in. SHOCKS active vibration control is rated at 6.6 m/s², and vibration is noticeable in dense blockwork over extended sessions. The tool is dust-collection ready and becomes OSHA Table 1 compliant only when paired with the optional DWH303DH on-board extractor. A mechanical clutch with bind-up protection stops the tool if a bit binds, and hearing protection is advised.

Reliability, service and warranty

Coverage is a 3-year limited warranty, a 1-year free service contract covering worn parts from normal use in the first year, and a 90-day money back guarantee, all for authorized-seller purchases. Service parts and diagrams are available through DEWALT ServiceNet for the DCH273B. Owner discussions raise signals about hammer power, chuck play, units not drilling under load and a few faulty or DOA units, but no prevalence data exists. These are signals, not defect rates.

Ohio Power Tool lists the DCH273B bare tool at $349.00, a DCH273B-DW-DCB2108 kit at $349.00 (was $578.00), a DCH273B-DW-DCB2104-2 kit at $618.00 and the DCH273P2DHO kit with on-board dust extractor at $769.00. UK coverage cites about £145 body only. At $349.00 for the bare tool, value depends on whether you need an SDS-Plus rotary hammer versus a smaller rotary hammer and on existing battery-platform investment. No independent test data confirms the performance claims, and no price thresholds beyond the listed retailer prices are defensible.

Which model this is

This page covers the DEWALT DCH273, sold as the 20 V MAX XR Brushless 1 in. SDS-Plus L-Shape rotary hammer. Bare-tool SKU DCH273B; kits include DCH273P2 and DCH273P2DHO with an on-board dust extractor. Do not confuse it with other DEWALT rotary hammers such as DCH133, DCH172, DCH253, DCH263 or DCH614. UPC 885911405102. Launched 2018-01-01 per the manufacturer page.

The Amazon listing for this tool is ASIN B00YDZI9BA.