WEN 20119: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-09

Summary

The 20119 is a budget brushed drill whose known limits are power, runtime and a plastic chuck: Consumer Reports lab-tested this exact model and calls it fast at drilling holes and driving screws but less powerful, with only moderate run time per charge. Batteries, brushes and bits are the recurring costs, and the kit is a good buy around $47.99-52.99, while above roughly $75 established-brand brushless drills are the better deal. [2][4]

Common problems and fixes

Less powerful than larger drills — Consumer Reports reports the drill as “Less powerful, limiting use to smaller screws and drills”, and the manual calls it intended for light-duty general tasks. There is no fix inside the tool; keep it to smaller screws and light drilling, or step up to a brushless model. [2][4]
Only moderate run time per charge — Consumer Reports reports a “Moderately long run time per battery charge” and warns that a large job may need battery changes, and the kit ships with a single 2.0 Ah pack. The practical fix is a second 20V Max battery, which is the most likely extra purchase on this kit. [4]
The chuck is not metal — Consumer Reports’ spec table records a non-metal chuck, a build detail seller copy never mentions, and the manual lists a defective chuck as a service-contact item. A metal-chuck drill is the only real answer, and it is a different, more expensive tool. [2][4]
Brushed motor wear — the motor is a 580 DC motor, and the manual’s troubleshooting guide lists worn motor brushes as a cause of failure to start, noting that sparking on start and stop is normal. Brushes are excluded from the warranty as a wear item, so replacement is a paid job. [2][3]
The tool can twist on a stall in drill mode — in drill mode the clutch does not engage, and the manual warns the tool may suddenly twist if it stalls. Use the clutch settings when driving screws and hold the tool firmly when boring into hard material. [2]
No case, no bits and no side handle — the kit ships with zero bits, no bit storage and no storage case, so bits are an immediate extra purchase for most buyers. [4]
Battery warranty is disputed — WEN’s warranty text excludes batteries as wear items, while Consumer Reports describes a two-year battery warranty on the WEN 20V platform; WEN’s own text is the stricter reading. Confirm battery coverage with WEN before relying on it. [3][5]

Parts and consumables

20V Max 2.0 Ah battery (model 20202) — one pack is included, with a three-LED charge gauge; a second pack is the most likely added cost on a single-battery kit, and WEN’s warranty excludes batteries as wear items. [2][3][4]
20V 2A charger (model 20200C) — included; WEN’s copy for this charger says a 2.0 Ah pack charges in approximately one hour. [2][9]
Motor brushes — wear parts for the brushed 580 DC motor, listed among the service items in the manual’s troubleshooting guide and excluded from warranty. [2][3]
3/8 in. keyless chuck — sold by WEN as a discrete part with its own number, and listed as a service-contact item when defective. [2]
Drill bits — none are included; WEN sells DB-series bit sets listed in the manual. [2][4]
Other 20V Max batteries (4.0 Ah, 5.0 Ah and 8.0 Ah packs) — compatible with the drill, though the manual flags that some tools may not take the older 1.5 Ah pack model 49120B. [2]

Yearly running cost

Not enough data to give a yearly figure: no battery life, brush life or bit-change interval is published for this model. The running costs are a replacement 2.0 Ah pack when capacity falls to 80% of new, a charger if it fails, brushes for the brushed motor, and bits. The manual’s guidance is to charge fully before first use, prefer frequent charging over deep discharge, and never charge a pack that has sat uncharged for 12 months or more. [2]

When it is a good buy

WEN direct listed the kit at $52.99 (Jul 2026) and Northern Tool showed $47.99, with Consumer Reports tracking it from $47.98 across four retailers; the bare tool 20119BT was listed at $27.99 (Jul 2025) by WEN direct, which only makes sense if you already own WEN 20V Max batteries. [1][4][6][7]

At $47.99-52.99 the kit is reasonable for a light-duty second drill or an entry into WEN’s 20V Max battery platform, with the two-year warranty, the published parts list and cross-compatibility across the platform as the real value. Between $56 and $75 it is acceptable if you specifically want WEN battery sharing, and above that it loses out: brushless drills from established brands sit around $89 with the top Consumer Reports scores in the same 44-model set. WEN’s own 3-tool combo 20VK3DDL, which adds a brushless impact driver and a work light, was listed at $109.99 and is the better way to buy into the platform. [4][9]

Ryobi PCL206K1 — the better choice at $89.00 when you want a brushless drill with the top score in Consumer Reports’ 44-model set. [4]
Black+Decker BCD382DS1 — the better choice at $89.99 for a brushless drill in the same price band with the second-ranked score in that set. [4]
Porter-Cable PCC601LB — the better choice at $123.99 when you want a higher-ranked drill and can spend more. [4]