Earlier in the week, we relayed Greg’s question about whether he should replace his lost Dewalt 20V Max cordless power tools with Milwaukee M12 ones. Well, it seems that there was a typo in his original email.
Greg wasn’t asking if he should replace his stolen Dewalt 20V Max cordless tools with Milwaukee M12 tools, which was a very interesting question, and one that some other users have asked. He wanted to ask whether he should switch from Dewalt to Milwaukee’s M18 lineup.
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Hey I’m sorry; I just reread my question and I basically meant M18 or Dewalt. I’ve read a lot about the [Milwaukee] Fuel tools.
Oh boy. This is a much tougher question, and one I don’t really want to touch with a 10-foot pole. It was somewhat touched upon when talking about upgrade paths from Dewalt’s 18V lineup, and earlier this year we asked Dewalt users if they were happy with the brand’s 20V Max tool offerings. We received a lot of responses, from both happy and disappointed users.
When comparing Dewalt and Milwaukee’s 18V-class offerings, Milwaukee definitely has the edge when it comes to brushless tools, given their broader selection of offerings.
Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel family of premium tools includes drills, an impact driver, impact wrenches, a band saw, a reciprocating saw, circular saws, a rotary hammer, an angle grinder, and I’m sure there’s another tool or two that I’m forgetting about.
Dewalt’s brushless tool lineup consists of drills, impact drivers, a framing nailer, a screwgun, an oscillating tool, impact wrenches, rotary hammers, and select upcoming outdoor power tools.
Right now, Dewalt doesn’t really come close to offering Milwaukee’s breadth of brushless tools. Most notably, brushless saws are lacking from Dewalt’s lineup. But what about 6 months from now? 1 year? I’m betting that this will change. Dewalt is likely working on expanding their brushless cordless tool lineup. And even if they’re not, there are still some nice innovations already found in Dewalt’s 20V Max cordless platform.
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Dewalt’s cordless miter saw will soon be available. Milwaukee’s got one too, and it looks to have a more innovative design, but it hasn’t been announced for the USA market yet. That, and the European model is equipped with a 8.5″ blade and not an easier-to-find 7-1/4″ blade size.
Milwaukee M18 Fuel models received top standing in our best cordless drills, best impact drivers, and best cordless circular saws recommendation roundups. There’s a reason for this – the red team’s premium brushless tools are darned good tools. But I should also point out that Dewalt 20V Max tools earned editor’s choice standing in two out of three of those categories. Why? Because sometimes I don’t need the best tool, I want the best tool for me.
Milwaukee has rapid charger technology. Dewalt tools and batteries are discounted twice a year, such as for Father’s Day. Dewalt has a compact recip saw. Milwaukee has a brushless Sawzall. It’s hard to find even matchups for both brands, and don’t even get me started trying to compare their brushless drills and impact drivers.
Dewalt 20V Max vs. Milwaukee M18?
Milwaukee M18 vs. Dewalt 20V Max?
What it really comes down to is this – which brand’s offerings best satisfy your current cordless power tool needs? Draw a line between important factors and those where you could accept some compromise.
I’m really glad that I’m not the one facing this decision. If you had to make a choice, which way would you go? Yellow or red?
jeff_williams
The first three weeks of June may muddy the waters a little bit more too. Both have media events that are sure to be filled with tool announcements.
Stuart
True, but newly announced tools won’t ship until the Fall or even early 2016.
I was hesitant to bring up the media events, as there are ALWAYS new tools coming out.
Kevin
I was faced with this last year. I was doing a furnace install for a friend and I wasn’t happy with the way my Dewalt 20V drill was handling. Yes it was the $99 special with the compact batteries but it just didn’t seem to have anything behind it. Did some reading of reviews, and bought my first Milwaukee. The M18 Fuel Hammerdrill.
I’ll never go back.
I own commercial/mix-use properties and a couple bars. I was taught “Why pay some one to do it, when you can buy the tools and learn yourself.” I’ve made myself pretty good at a lot of trades. And my projects are constant and quite varied. I’m also a gadget nerd that likes to have quality gear.
But with in a week of the hammer drill, I got the impact driver… two weeks later the sawzall.
The final I’ll never switch back, the Fuel 7 1/4 circular saw. I cannot say enough about that thing.
Over the years I’ve had Dewalt (NiCad 18 and 24v) then switched to Ridgid when they first came out, then Dewalt 20v. Stayed away from saws because they would tear through batteries. Maybe the 20v XC batteries compare to M18, but I’m not going to waste my time figuring it out, I could not be happier with the performance of M18, especially the Fuel line.
Greg
No offense Kevin but you really can’t make a honest judgement from a $99 dewalt special buy 20v and a M18 Fuel. You’re just not comparing the same things.
Kevin
Your right there is no comparison.
All I’m saying is for my money, I’m sticking with Milwaukee. Since November I’ve picked up the hammer drill, impact driver, sawzall, 7 1/4 circular saw, 5″ angle grinder (all fuel models,) the 6 battery charger, led work light (also worth every penny of the $99 price tag,) jigsaw, blower and vacuum. My only complaints: The jigsaw needs a LED and the vacuum only lasts about 15 minutes.
BigMikeZ
I own the best of both worlds. I live my brushless hammerdrill from Dewalt and I have a lot of there other offerings almost 80% of there line but I did recently jump into the m18 and fuel line there 2763 is a Beast!! I also own some other mechanical tools from there m12 line which in my opinion is the best 12 b line to own.
Pablo
DeWalt is moving some mfg back to the US, while most everything Milwaukee is now made in China.
This might hurt them in the end though, because they’re incurring extra labor costs which means they won’t be able to drive as much into R&D and the marketing machine that Milwaukee has figured out so well.
Stuart
Dewalt is moving *assembly* to the USA. Some of their products are now “built” here. There’s a big difference between made in the USA and built in the USA. I wouldn’t say that Dewalt is moving manufacturing back to the USA. Still, assembly here is good thing.
Nathan
valid points and I tried to allude to that.
but specifically – who and where is Milwaukee’s corporate overlords? Who and where are Dewalt’s? so when profit is made from sale of the device – final bottom line profit – where does that money go?
Stuart
Both are publicly traded companies – Stanley Black & Decker, Techtronic Industries Co.
I know what you’re alluding to here, that SBD is an American company and Milwaukee Tools, despite being based in the USA, is owned by a Chinese company. That’s a messy discussion to get into, one that’s bound to be ripe with assumptions.
Andy
I believe that Techtronic, the parent of Milwaukee was founded by a German business man. While the stock is traded on the Hong Kong board, a huge portion of the company is held by European parties.
Stuart
Are you thinking of TTS Tooltechnic Systems, which is Festool’s parent company?
guu
See here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurahe/2013/05/22/new-hong-kong-billionaire-horst-pudwill-emerges-as-u-s-housing-recovery-boosts-power-equipment-exports/
Mark Robertson
Andy is correct. It was an American founded company in Milwaukee Wisconsin that eventually sold to a German family that is based in Hong Kong.
Nathan
I was in this camp before christmas – as I was replacing my 15 year old Milwaukee 14.4 volt drill – that has served me well, still works and needs 2 batteries. so I thought I might as well move to a updated system since as soon as I buy the 2 batteries something will go wrong.
I admit milwaukee has more M18 tools in their line – and more that I am interested in – however for most of the tasks Dewalt had me covered too. mostly here I was looking for a drill and/or impact driver to start with. The ubiquitous cordless tools.
but as I look – lights, jig saws, impact wrenches start to be things that intrigue me. but I have corded other things – on purpose. like my sawzall – recip saw – I got corded because I didn’t want it to weak out on me mid way into some job. There are things I’d never consider in cordless – like a dremel or a grinder or D/A polisher – because of the constant draw demand.
so it turns out as I looked harder: Dewalt now has stuff that says Made in America with US and Foreign components. Milwaukee does not. That sways me some. Dewalt is Stanley Black & Decker – Milwaukee is some chinese industrial company owned. Yes there are a few corded milwaukee tools that are made in america – my Sawzall from 2013 is one of those, but I suspect it’s also the last.
power performance capability – they tend to be close in many regards. I know that brushless motors aren’t automatically better than a brushed motor. it doesn’t automatically mean more torque, more power, less draw . . . . . . . the brushless controler matching demand need is a major deal. Just like Dual Overhead Cam, variable valve timing in a engine doesn’t always mean the most powerful, least fuel, faster car.
So I ended up leaning Dewalt – if for no other reason than political. I like some of their offerings – like that cordless Nailer. that intrigues the hell out of me, and I think I’m going to get one soon. Rapid charging – not something I really feel us good or needed – I prefer to have more batteries – especially since that’s why I’m getting rid of my previous cordless tool. Rapid charging Li-chemistry batteries – also not something I’m overly fond of.
They both have plusses and minuses – in an ideal world you would have a generic battery style (like AA, C, D) and your pick of any tool brand and device there. Or be willing to have 3-4 difference chargers and 8+ batteries laying around.
if there is One thing I really wish both companies would do – make their counterpart – brand family batteries compatible. IE there are some porter cable devices I wouldn’t mind owning – that are also a 20V thing – it’s the cheaper version of the dewalt I know this – but I’d like to consider them as I might not need the dewalt version. For Milwaukee – same thing – cross compatibility with Ridgid batteries.
To the OP’s question – he still had some of the Dewalt 20V stuff remaining – and specifically the chargers – money wise he’d be smart to stick with the Dewalt flavor. Course he could sell stuff off – which I might take a few items off his hands – but that’s more time and effort.
Roseyn9ner
Milwaukee and ridgid batteries are not compatible…….
mike aka Fazzman
I think id go for team Red if i had to buy into a new setup at this time,they just have so much to choose from.
Ive owned many Dewalt in the past and still have some Dewalt corded stuff that is just really awesome,I like to try new stuff 😉
mark
You are forgetting makita their batterys have caught up . they have the most tools in cordless and the new hammerdrill is better than milwaukee
KenZ
I have Makita and this may sound nitpicky but not having a fuel gauge on the battery is lame in this day and age. Were I to have to start all over: Milwaukee.
tim
Red.
My experience with dewalt is their generic cordless tools are antiquated technology at best. Though their brushless stuff is a step forward their brushed tools seem to be new batteried versions of the same stuff they’ve been making for 20 years.
Though that means they’re time tested.
SawdustTX
I was two gens behind using old DeWalt stuff and needed to upgrade all my cordless tools. Did a bunch of research and chose Milwaukee, both M18 and M12 – Fuel versions as much as possible. I’ve now got 16 or so M18 and M12 tools and love them. Performance is amazing and reliable.
Have had only one issue – gearbox locked up on my M12 Hackzall a little over a year after I bought it. And I admit I have run the living daylights out of it and used it for things I should have used a full-up corded Sawzall). Great customer service experience – quick and painless replacement by Milwaukee at no cost.
Got into M18/M12 for the power tools, have now added lights, two vacs, and the little blower (the thing is so controllable you can literally “sweep” an interior room without creating a cloud of airborne dust – maybe my favorite cordless tool now).
For political, profit, and patent rights reasons, I’d rather buy DeWalt, but from a pure use perspective – these tools rock and the selection keeps growing. Got my eye on that six slot M18/M12 charger next….
Mark
I was in Lowes today in Upstate NY buying a replacement level(stolen from job site) and the guy in the tool section told me by the end of this year, Milwaukee is switching from Home Depot to Lowes. Any truth to this? Who will replace them at HD?
adam
I think we might have heard something about this before some part-timer would know. Maybe he does, but I haven’t ever found anyone really knowledgeable on anything specific at Lowe’s, and wouldn’t bet they know anything about such a big tool change. Milwaukee is also part of the Ridgid / Ryobi conglomerate, which are I would say exclusive to Home Depot. It would be hard to imagine them splitting up where they send to retail.
john
Bit of a harsh response mate isn’t it. Whos to say the “guy in the tool section” might not have been the big boss doing a bit of undercover stuff.
I am in the UK and asked a chap for directions to the vacuum cleaners in an electrical store. Two weeks later it turned out he was the CEO of the whole chain and had been headhunted to the US as Head of Global Retail at Apple on a $56m “golden hello”!
You genuinely never know who is who!
Darcy
I been to Lowes 5000 times
Have to they ran all the good hardware store out of business
Lowes is a place for little old ladies to decorate their house
Not a place for contractors
Unfortunately there are more old ladies then contractors hence the reason all the hardware stores closed
I have never I mean never talked to anyone at Lowes that had an IQ over 60
You spend 15 minutes waiting for someone then they have no idea what you are talking about them they can’t find it and call someone else
Half the time I have to look their product up on my phone and show them the skew number and then they still can’t find it
I have to run 20 miles across town to a hardware store a quarter their size with twice the varied product
Hiram W Tirado
Very true. I stay away. Everything is overpriced.
Lynyrd
Ryobi yes, but Rigid Brand is not part of Tech Tronics. They have some of their tools made by TechTronics but no more than is made by others.
Roseyn9ner
Everything battery powered with a RIDGID name is owned and produced by Techtronic Industries. They built the tool from top to bottom and pay Emerson to lease the name.
Stuart
That is not quite correct.
Some specialty tools are made by Emerson or a different OEM other than TTI.
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ridgid-interchangeable-head-electrical-tool/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Jason
May 24, 2015
If that is the case I would expect to see stuff clearanced at HD pretty soon. I don’t see it happening though. What might happen is Milwaukee might no longer be exclusive to Home Depot which would be cool. It would be a situation similar to Dewalt then.
Loren
Since when is Milwaukee exclusive to Home Depot???
Milwaukee all the way. Power, Design, Interchangeability, Research – They aren’t taking a back seat to Black & Dewalt in any category where I’m at. I buy my tools based on performance, reviews and track record and if it’s a cordless tool – the battery platform is a major factor.
Makita also beats Dewalt and neck and neck with Milwaukee for my money. They just need to release the good stuff to the American market.
Ryan
Red, no doubt. Seems obvious at this point. For the last few years DeWalt has just always seemed one step behind in tech, product offerings, and timeliness on product release.
Chris Fyfe
I’m a team red fan , they have a huge lineup , and better innovation/performance . Fuel is tuff to beat .
Chris
Jason
I just used my M18 Fuel circular saw to cut down some super wet 2×12 material and it didn’t even break a sweat.
Nate 818
It would be a flawless victory for Milwaukee if they had a cordless framing nailer.
Blythe M
Amen, my guess is it’s a patent issue
jeremy
They have one now.
john
Dewalt all the way for me. Hugely better value for money certainly over here in the UK. Good range of kit and much more widely available.
Quality of them is good and the 5ah batteries are monsters for keeping you working!
rx9
Given their ahead of the curve Uk releases, Dewalt is a better choice for the Englisman. It’s ironic that the UK gets the best stuff from an American brand name first, though.
Joe
Milwaukee no doubt. I’d recommend Makita as well if it weren’t for lacking a fuel gauge. Stuck in the past. Dewalt just isn’t on their power tool game since sinking so much into hand tools.
JT
I still think milwaukee is the way to go. More versatility with their line up, 5 year warranty, plenty of deals.
Since you are making money from your tools, I would recommend the Fuel brushless. Buy it from an authorized seller, put it on a credit card that offers an additional year of warranty, then you are covered for up ~ 6 years!
Btw, you might end up getting both M12 and M18 (like me).
Steven Marshall
I reckon it depends on the users occupation/use for the tools. I had this dilemma a few months back when I was looking into buying an 18v line up. Being a carpenter/joiner I found Makita’s line up suited me best with the availability of the planer, biscuit joiner, sander, fairly high end jigsaw as well as high performing impact drivers and combi drills (dtd148 is excellent). From what I’ve seen Milwaukee and Dewalt are used more by plumbers and electricians, that’s just personal experience though. Although the makita batteries lack a fuel gauge, most of the tools now have it on the body so it’s not an issue in my opinion.
Jj
Makita batteries have a fuel gauge now
Agustin
Milwaukee – enough said. ….
john
I really dont get the whole “Dewalt” is way behind everyone else thing over here in the UK. Over here they are ahead it seems. USB charger, good range of lights, 5ah batteries, gasless nailer etc etc. Costwise they are value
I rarely see any Milwaukee at all out on site or in workshops. Makita haven’t really been pulling up trees and Bosch build quality has dropped a bit.
Joe
Different area. You guys even have different models of tools than we do. You definitely have more Bosch stuff than we do, as well. USA rarely sees new Dewalt tools, they’ve been sinking money into hand tools and battery powered lawn equipment.
john
That explains a lot then, thanks. Dewalt over here is really shaking off its “cowboy builder” and “not cheap but still nasty” image amongst pros.
I for one wouldn’t really have any of their kit in my van or workshop a few years back but recently since the XR platform launched its gone up greatly in quality.
I wonder why in this global market there is such a disparity between launches etc. You would have thought the offerings both side of the Atlantic would be broadly similar.
This side Milwaukee is a bit player really for pro work. Whats the couple of killer tools that make it stand out over there.
Michael Quinlan
I was faced with the very scenario 2-12 years ago. (except that my batteries had simply aged beyond usefulness and my drill was on its last legs). At that time there was one things that drove me from DeWalt to Milwaukee: DeWalt didn’t offer all the tools I wanted in their 20V Max line, and if I stuck with DeWalt I would have to buy more NiCD batteries for the tools I couldn’t replace with Lithium Ion versions. The only disappointment I’ve had is with Milwaukee’s M18 right angle drill – its single speed doesn’t offer nearly enough tourque, and stalls using a 3/4″ Bosch Daredevil spade bit.
Jason
I don’t think any of the companies right angle drills except the new M18 hole hawg is going to excel at that. I think are meant for small fasteners and not much else.
Grah
My Dewalt 18v ni-cad right angle drill has never failed. Even drilling 1″ spade bit holes. I’ve had my Dewalt set for 12 years and they have never failed me. I am in my 4th pair of batteries in that 12 years. Each set lasts about 4 years. I have used the crap out of these tools and don’t know if I will switch to red or not. The recent BF hone depot deal of 9 tools for $499 was an incredible deal, but I accidentally passed it up. It is now $699 and I really think I’ll buy a set before it ends next week
rx9
It’s really a question of what your trade and/or hobby is. Plumbers, mechanics and electricians are best served by Milwaukee. Framers, roofers, and carpenters seem to do best with Dewalt. I am a dedicated hobbyist mechanic, so m18 is my system and also the choice of my electrician buddy. My girlfriend’s uncle is into building furniture and he has a couple 20v max tools.
Anthony
Steel fabricator here, I prefer Milwaukee.
Pete
I had makita, made the switch to milwaukee and love it. all i need a milwaukee inflator/deflator! Come on milwaukee! I had to buy the ryobi version! Not a big issue as we have a bunch of ryobi batteries at the shop.
Hugh
I would go the M18 Fuel the deference in power doesn’t compare. The M18 Fuel Sawzall is just like a corded sawzall until the battery runs out. All the M18 Fuel products are like that. They are exactly what everyone has been waiting for a real tool with real power without a cord.
At the same time I don’t think that one brand makes the best of everthing. I don’t think product brand loyalty is the best policy. If Dewalt makes a better type of tool or makes a tool that Milwaukee doesn’t I would buy that tool. I think most people could wait a long time to have a certain brand make a “type” of tool in their color. I know the argument would be that lugging around different batteries and chargers is burdensome, but if a tool makes a better cut for better quality isn’t that the goal?
Jason
The problem is cost buying into so many battery platforms can get expensive plus if you lose a battery your not hit as hard as if you only had two batteries for that specific tool. I do get where your coming from especially when one brand only offers that tool like Dewalt with the Framing nailer. It would be so nice if Milwaukee would offer cordless nailers, but general contracting isn’t their market its more plumbing, electrical, and hvac related.
Justin
Lugging around different tools and batteries is not fun, I have Dewalt and Makita in my truck and every job I’m switching out drills and batteries half ways through drilling 2 3/4 holes my dewalt dies. My makitas are light which is nice but no power anymore. Yes all 18s. I do like my Dewalt 12s (rarely used at all) but I need 18s in impact and HD. I’m thinking of switching to the RED team even though Dewalt has been there for me for years. (My distributer carries Red :-)) I’ve heard in the last week 9/10 are on the red side and will never go back.
Chris Fyfe
Till I rediscovered Milwaukee , I was in charger hell ! Two Metabo chargers , Hilti chargers , plus batteries that were not easily available in some local areas . Now I’m down to two chargers , one Milwaukee and one Festool . In my Hood , batteries for all of the above are readily available over the counter .
My 6 station M12/M18 charger all my main gear running all the time . That’s everything from Rotary Hammers , to Vacum cleaners .
Chris
Pablo
You gave up on Metabo too soon, their lineup is getting really really good. Their compact brushless impact wrench blows the Milwaukee out of the water, their brushless drill is more powerful and a full pound lighter and has a 90 deg chuck, electronic clutch, etc. Brushless angle grinders were just announced as well, and given that their brushed version was better than anything else on the market (brushless or brushed), I can wait to see what their brushless version is like. And their batteries are best in class once again at 6.2Ah.
Hugh
6.2 amps is amazing but what are the watt hours? Normally when they do that .2 amp difference it really doesn’t seem to add a bunch to the run time other than they can say they run .2 amps higher. I know 6.2 is better than 5, but their battery is a kids toy compared to the hilti 6.0
Kent
I was recently on a job that had DeWalt 20v drills, and I thought they had the weakest chucks I’ve ever used.
I have had keyless chucks since they came out with them, and have many different brands of drills. I have never used a keyless chuck that like the Dewalt. Every bit would slip, every time. Drilling 1/4″ aluminum with a 1/4″ bit (not that big of a load) would cause the chuck to open slightly and then slip. It’s possible that one of the two drills had a problem, but both of them did exactly the same thing.
I wouldn’t buy DeWalt at this point.
Chris
None of my dewalt drills do that, and for chuck issues that’s mostly a Milwaukee problem… It’s well known on forums for the fuel and reg team red drills needing chuck replacements
mosh
You don’t tighten it correctly,
First you tighten than do counter rotation and you’ll hear a click and it won’t fall out.
Joe Schmoe
I have a bunch of cordless milwaukee and dewalt tools and love them all. I do not own any bosch, hitachi, rigid, porter cable or craftsman cordless tools but I’m sure I would love them too if I had them in my arsenal. I had a ryobi 3 speed hammer drill I used for 4 years hanging signs on concrete buildings. That thing was a work horse all that time until it died. Best $60 hammer drill I ever owned for the price. The new 2 speed that replaced the 3 speed took me 6 holes to realize it did not hold a candle to their 3 speed. Took it back for a refund and got the milwaukee. There is allot of great cordless brands out there. I’m not afraid to mix match myself. I see a sweet deal on another brand I’ll try it out.
Chris
My biggest issue with DeWalt (and Makita for that matter) is the model/naming scheme. A bunch of the drills look very similar, so much so that its hard to tell the difference between the “99.00 special” and the “$$$$$$ fully loaded” models.
Milwaukee made it pretty darn easy….brushed or FUEL, compact or not. Now they’ve added the midrange models (brushless, but not FUEL) but even still they are a lot easier to figure out than DeWalt and Makita.
That and that 50/100/150 off promo pushed me to Milwaukee to replace my aging Ridgid stuff.
Hang Fire
Milwaukee not being available at Lowe’s is a big issue for me. Otherwise I would probably be a FUEL owner right now.
Chris Fyfe
Metabo will always be a front runner , just that I insist on a readily available over the counter battery . In my hood it would prolly take 4 days to a week to get another battery .
Chris
Jim
I own and use Milwaukee M18. Reciprocating saw, Circulating saw, Drill, 3/8 Impact, 1/2 Impact, LED Flashlight, Grinder…
I would never buy Milwaukee or recommend to anybody, Batteries housing brakes right at the screws, open one up and look it a design flaw. Batteries wont operate 20deg weather no power tools no charging. Rubber grips peeling off tools feel and look terrible. Replacer the saw switch 5 times. Caller the rep. the rep. just said I cant help. I even asked for old bad battery housing that was returned. rep. I cant help. I then asked if I can return all my tools I am not satisfied, the rep said I cant help.
Milwaukee never again. Warning to all don’t buy Milwaukee.
Chris
I am more confused now than before I started reading all these replies…..sheesh!!
I’ve owned and used the dewalt 18v line for about 12 years. Very durable over those years as a professional carpenter. Now they are worn out, Ni-cad batteries won’t charge, are out dated and from what I gather so are brushed cordless tools.
I need to retool and Milwaukee’s innovation of batteries, power, brushless tools, and product selection sway me to the red team. However, their shear size and weight are not attractive at all. I know I know….I’ve owned the 18v Ni-cad…but comparing to what’s out there right now they seem bigger and heavier than other brands.
If dewalt had more brushless tools and better batteries I would easily buy into their brand again. My experience with dewalts durability is priceless. I just believe they are too far behind the times right now and that conflicts with me retooling.
Luis P.
Dewalt now has a adapter to go from 20 volt to 18 volt to power all the 18 volt cordless tools. Home Depot $129 for 2 – 20 volt 2.0ah batteries, charger, and adapter to 18 volt.
Jerry C.
All of the “go Red” responses above are not only highly subjective, but now obsolete. My old Milwaukee tools were only average … nothing spectacular. But DeWalt has now come out with new cordless drills and impact dr. that are lighter and more compact than Milwaukee. Their battery technology is equal to Milwaukee (but behind Makita). One of the tool comparison sites that ranked Milwaukee M18 Fuel the best, has recently lauded the new DeWalt tools. DeWalt value is better than that Chinese brand … uh … Milwaukee. BTW, I started carpentry in the 1960s. This is not the same Milwaukee brand it was then. However, old reputations die hard, especially with construction workers.
Regarding the Chinese issue, it is not just a quality issue. Since we have defense treaties with Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines, and since China is aggressively war-mongering in the South China Sea and farther north, do we really want to send our money to a country that may be waging war on us in the future?
Jonathan
You said that right…
Rhino1
I struggled with this very choice recently as well. The fact that buying Red would send my money to a red country swayed the deal–I bought DeWalt XR kit. The bonus is that they’re great tools.
Adam
As a professional metal roofer I had my dewalt 20v xr brushless set stolen.I found a deal on milwaukee 18v fuel drill/impact driver and figured why not.they are comparable for run time.I run a #1 drill bit through a 3/8 steel flange until the thing stops. 10 hours a day every day.If it over heats you drop the battery slam a new one in and get back after it.It sounds abusive and it is.Lmao, BAD .they both do extremely well.I think alot of it comes down to tool and name loyalty
ben
I’ve been working in various construction fields for the past fifteen years with my drill typically being my tool used the most. I spent eight years in HVAC commercial install using all Makita powertools which I swore by until a few years Ago I started building pre engineered steel buildings and I still had my 18v makita with the two batteries and the charger,while the bossman had the dewalt 20v impacts and about twenty batteries. Once I realized how many screws over the course of a few minutes you drive into a steel building,my batteries were dying faster than they could charge(about twenty minutes) so I had no choice to pick up the dewalt twenty volt. That impact smoked in terms of how quickly it could run a tech screw insto steal with seamingly less battery use. I showed up the next day with a new dewalt impact and the huge extended life battery that was about 150 dollars for just the battery,but could on some days make it a whole shift without needing a charge . While heavy it added so much more power and then I swore on dewalt. A few months later We bought a couple of the Milwaukee 18v fuel impacts and it took me about two days to betray dewalt that i was so impressed with to saw Milwaukee is THE best Ive ever used. If ur trying to hang some shelves go buy a ryobi or something,but IMO Milwaukee is where you need to draw the line
Jeffrey Arbuckle
I do commercial plumbing and I am frequently working on large jobs with a lot of people from different trades. There are a large number of yellow tools but they are greatly outnumber by the black and red.
I switched from Dewalt to Milwaukee before they released the M18 line of tools and the fuel options so I can’t really comment on how much DeWalt has improved in the past 12 to 14 years but I can say my Milwaukee tools have survived through their warranties and continue to serve me well.
At least a couple guys at my company have made the switch after using my tools. That’s plenty of testimony to me.
My biggest complaint is about the Sawzall.
I do wish they would lose the plastic lever on the Sawzall chuck. I f you don’t oil it after you use it a like a submarine than the chuck rusts up and the plastic lever will bypass the chuck. Milwaukee always fixes it for me but I kinda feel there should be a better solution to the chuck.
Milwaukee’s motto is “disruptive innovation” though. I bet that issue will be resolved in the next iteration. I’m certainly looking forward to their next tool line. They never fail to impress me.
Happy Tool Shopping!
Abs
I know its an old post, but after 2 trips to Home Depot I feel compelled to tell my story. I’ve been a loyal DeWalt guy for a while, but I found myself yearning for a brushless set. I did some online research and after seeing the Milwaukee perform spectacularly on a few youtube torture tests, and after having a good experience with a corded Milwaukee hammer drill I bought recently, I figure I’d give Milwaukee’s a shot. I splurged and paid a nice heafty price of $379. Boy did I regret it! I purchased an M18 Fuel Combo with Hammer & Impact drill, and within 2 hours I completely hated it. First thing that annoyed me was light. The lens is poorly designed and it shoots an led beam right in your eye while drilling and you can’t turn it off. How is being glared supposed to help you see screws better? Strike 1. The drill was significantly heavier than my last, but I guess I could get over that knowing I had tons of power to spare and the drill seemed to have as much torque as a corded. But now the belt clip was annoying me, and I scratched myself a few times on the bit holder as the edges are not rounded. So I figured I would take them off. Big mistake. The threadlocker was so good I needed pliers to remove the screw after they stripped. Now my new drill has a few scratches and I’m further annoyed. Now remember all that power I thought I loved? Know I’m starting to hate it. The drill is powerful, but the low RPM characteristics are terrible. You can’t finesse anything. The power comes on hard and doesn’t give, stripping whatever screw that is not a grade 5. Strike 2. So I figured, maybe I’ll just use the clutch. Well the clutch is some sort of electric clutch that is not consistent and it does not go low enough. It’s lowest setting (2) is more like a dewalt 7 so you cannot use this drill for anything less than a 3/8 lag. Strike 3 your out! I sent the Milwaukee right back where it came from and ran back home to my first love DeWault. Happy to report my new brushless Dewault set performs flawlessly and I’ll never cheat on them again. If you swear by Milwaukee, you simply don’t know better.