DeWalt's introduced its first generation radio charger with the DW911. That was followed up by the DC011 which we reviewed earlier this year. With the DC012 DeWalt is releasing its 3rd generation radio charger. The most notable distinction is the addition of three AC power outlets, each rated to 10 amps. Since they aren't rated at a full 15 amps, you're going to want to refrain from plugging in any full-size circular saws or other heavy amp-draw tools into these ports - a disappointment considering how much convenience it would add to this tool. Cord storage is still provided on the bottom of the tool - a nice features that we can appreciate as it cleans up the surface and allows easy acces to the rear battery compartment. The radio still charges all DeWalt 7.2-18V NiCd, NiMH & Lithium-ion Nano battery packs and, of course, can be powered off them as well.

The front panel LCD display is backlit and will automatically light up when radio functions are activated. There are now 10 FM presets & 5 AM presets, each programmable into the 5 physical memory buttons located underneath the display, an increase from the DC011. An AUX input is again provided for iPods or portable mp3 players. The radio has a new physical design and the roll cage takes on a more wrap-around feel than the DC011 which stood more or less on "4 legs". The speakers are also better protected, now being positioned behind molded covers in addition to a metal grill.

Below is an adapted review of the DC011 which contains 95% of the same features and characteristics of this radio.

Our favorite part of this radio is that not only does it look rugged, it is rugged! The radio is safely suspended inside a full roll cage with rubber suspension mounts.  The speakers feature steel grilles and there are rubber seals on the openings and doors. The radio is definitely constructed to be weather resistant.

Ergonomics and Use

The Radio features an AM/FM Digital Tuner with LCD Display, and has a built in clock. The volume and tuner knobs on the top of the radio are large and adjust easily, even with gloves on. The radio has both a seek and a manual adjustment knob but there is no way to adjust tone or bass. The radio and clock functions use a coin-type battery (included) to maintain the clock and radio preset memory. The battery is located in a separate area inside the battery charging compartment. The trouble with many smaller radios is the fragile collapsible antenna; this is not the case here as the flexible, rubberized 11" antenna has a durable pivoting base. The speakers are weather resistant and feature steel mesh covers for protection. We beat them up pretty good (on purpose) and they held their shape. In addition to the radio functions, there is a 1/8" mini jack located on the front of the unit that will allow you to plug in your auxiliary CD players, MP3 Players or any other portable audio device. Unfortunately, there is only a top-mounted tray store your iPod or other MP3 player, so if you're on a typical dirt-ridden jobsite, we're not sure how helpful this feature will be for most. We found the radio to have great reception on both the AM & FM bands. The sound quality was decent, provided the unit was placed several feet away from any walls (which reduces the unit's "boominess") The DeWalt DC012 also has plenty of volume to overcome other sounds encountered on a job site.  A CD player and weather station tuner would have been nice features and we hope to see them in future models.

The charger function of the unit will handle 7.2 - 18 volt DeWALT standard NiCd, NiMH or Li-ion battery packs. The standard charge time is 1 hour.  The charger features a 3 stage charging system that provides better run time and will help to extend the life of the battery (helpful with older NiCads). The battery charging compartment is located in the back of the radio with a rubber sealed door and a strong latch. There is a battery status indicator located on the front of the radio. The indicator consists of a light that flashes in certain sequences, conveying the status of the charging process. The indicator light works in the same fashion as the standard battery chargers from DeWALT.

The Radio is designed to function on both 120V and batteries. The radio should operate up to eight hours on a fully charged 18V battery which makes this great to use where there are no other power sources.

There is convenient wrap around cord storage located on the bottom of the unit.

Conclusion

This is a pretty expensive radio for the money but if you are a DeWALT tool user with lots of batteries, this is a pretty good choice because of the functionality it offers.