How to read a power tool model number before you buy
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On eBay, the title is written by the seller and the model number is the fact. Two listings with the same headline can be different tools, and the difference is often one character.
This guide shows where to find the model number on a DeWalt or Milwaukee tool, how the common endings are usually read, and how to match what you find to the right Amazon item. The endings below are common patterns, not rules published by the brands, so confirm each model on the maker's own product page before you rely on it.
Why the model number decides the price
Amazon lists a bare tool, a one-battery kit and a two-battery kit as separate items, each with its own price. If you buy the bare tool and your ASIN is the kit, your profit math is wrong from the start. The same goes for a brushless tool versus an older brushed one, or one generation versus the next.
So the model number is the match key. The listing title is a hint, a photo of the label is better evidence, and the maker's product page is the final check.
DeWalt: where it is and how it is usually read
Where to find it. On most DeWalt tools the model number is printed on the rating label, usually on the back or bottom of the tool body or near the battery mount. On a listing, look for a photo of the label or ask the seller for one.
How it is usually read. A DeWalt number starts with letters for the line and tool type, then digits, then an ending. On many 20V MAX tools, a B ending marks the bare tool, and kits end in a letter for the battery type plus a digit for how many batteries are in the box:
DCD791B usually the bare tool, no battery or charger DCD791D2 usually a kit with two batteries DCD791P1 usually a kit with one battery
Which battery each letter stands for varies, so check the kit contents on DeWalt's product page for that exact number.
What goes wrong on eBay. Sellers often drop the ending. A title that says only "DCD791" may be the bare tool, a kit, or a close relative with a different number. Look for the charger and batteries in the photos and check the label. If neither settles it, the match is uncertain, and so is the profit.
Milwaukee: where it is and how it is usually read
Where to find it. On Milwaukee tools, the catalog number is on the label on the tool body.
How it is usually read. Most Milwaukee tool numbers are four digits, a dash, and a two-digit ending, sometimes followed by letters. Retailers and sellers commonly read a -20 ending as the bare tool and -21 or -22 as kits, with the last digit matching the number of batteries:
2904-20 usually the bare tool 2904-22 usually a kit with two batteries
Treat that as a rule of thumb and confirm the kit contents on Milwaukee's product page for the exact number. Sellers also write the number without the dash, such as "290420". Search both ways.
FUEL versus non-FUEL. FUEL is Milwaukee's name for its brushless line, and the non-FUEL tools often have similar names with different numbers and prices. Do not rely on the word "FUEL" in a title. Rely on the catalog number, and look it up on Milwaukee's site to see which line it belongs to.
Newer generations. Milwaukee sometimes changes one digit when a tool is updated. Retailers list the 2904-20 hammer drill as the replacement for the 2804-20, for example. The names are nearly the same, and on Amazon they are different items. Many eBay titles say only "M18 Fuel hammer drill" with no number. Without the number, there is no safe match.
Bare tool and kit endings at a glance
| Brand | Bare tool | Kit | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeWalt | B ending, on many 20V MAX tools | A letter plus a digit, such as D2 or P1 | Sellers drop the ending |
| Milwaukee | -20 ending, as commonly read | -21 or -22 | Sellers drop the dash |
| Makita | Z ending, on many cordless tools | Same stem, different ending | Kit contents differ between listings |
Other brands, such as Ryobi and Bosch, follow their own patterns, so look the model up before you assume.
- Read the ending, then check what is in the photos.
- If the seller wrote only the stem, treat the form as unknown.
- Count batteries and chargers in the photos against the kit you expect.
Match the listing to your ASIN
- Does the model number on the label equal the number on your Amazon item? Compare the full number, ending included.
- Does the UPC match, if the listing shows one? A UPC is useful evidence. Some marketplace sellers enter wrong UPCs, so do not treat it as proof by itself.
- Does the form match? Bare tool, one battery, two batteries, or combo.
If all three agree, run the fee math. If one is missing, decide whether the profit is worth the risk of a wrong match.
MarginPing is built around this step. It matches eBay listings to your products by model number and UPC, reads kit versus bare tool and lot size, and shows a match confidence score, so a weak match is visible before you tap. It starts with power tools and tool kits and is in final testing. For the bigger picture, read how to check whether an eBay listing clears your profit line on Amazon, or see power tools.
Questions
Where is the model number on a power tool?
Usually on a rating label on the tool body, often on the back, the underside, or near the battery mount. If a listing does not show it, ask the seller for a photo.
What does the ending on a DeWalt model number mean?
It usually tells you the form. On many 20V MAX tools a B ending is the bare tool, and a letter plus a digit, such as D2, marks a kit with that many batteries. Confirm on DeWalt's page for the exact model.
What does -20 mean on a Milwaukee tool?
It is commonly read as the bare tool, with -21 and -22 as kits with one or two batteries. Treat that as a rule of thumb and check the kit contents on Milwaukee's page for the exact number.
How do I tell Milwaukee FUEL from non-FUEL?
Use the catalog number, not the title. Look up the number on Milwaukee's own site and see which line it belongs to.
Is a seller's UPC reliable?
Not by itself. Some marketplace sellers enter incorrect UPCs, so combine it with the model number and the photos.