Over a thousand people bought a Milwaukee M18 cordless oscillating multi-tool from Amazon last month, or at least that’s what it says on their product page.
At the surface, it looks like Amazon has a great tool deal, where you get it for $94, or 11% off the “typical price” of $106.
Home Depot has a better deal. At the orange home improvement and DIY big box store, you can get the Milwaukee M18 cordless oscillating multi-tool plus a compact battery and a charger for just $99.
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$94 from a random reseller on Amazon vs $99 for a complete kit from an authorized dealer. Tough choice. Both have free shipping.
Next question: is this a good tool? If you’re shopping within the Milwaukee M18 cordless power tool platform, you’re not going to get their better brushless version for anywhere close to this price.
If you want a more powerful motor or a larger battery for longer runtime, expect to spend more. This is an older tool that should be fine for lighter tasks.
If you’re shopping around, Dewalt has a brushless oscillating multi-tool kit that’s also at the $99 price point right now.
One thing to keep in mind is that both of these kits are regularly sold at $99. In my experience, they’re either in-stock holiday deals at $99, or they’re out of season and out of stock at whatever price.
Amazon says the Dewalt “typical price” is $125. It’s not, $99 is the typical promo price.
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Home Depot doesn’t advertise higher pricing for the Milwaukee kit, but they do say it has an over $287 value if you purchase everything separately. You can safety ignore that too.
They’re great value kits at $99 each, each offering basic entry into the respective brands’ popular cordless power tool systems.
What isn’t a great value? Buying the tool-only for $94 from an unauthorized Amazon reseller.
Scott K
I’ve found that more and more products on Amazon are being sold by third parties- even consumables I’ve bought from Amazon in the past. Checking the seller has now become and annoying but essential step for anything I buy on Amazon. I wonder if this trend will cause an increase in the number of products that are exclusive to certain stores being sold on Amazon. Further, would Amazon be receptive to companies asking for products or sellers to be banned.
eddiesky
Yes, this. Check the seller. What is interesting is, I was ordering a bathroom accessory from build dot com. It listed in stock, so I placed order. After being invoiced, I get email with two split orders because I had total of three items. It was then I noticed, one item would not ship till…wait for it.. .September! It took a few days to get someone at build dot com, and their customer service is really great, and took care to cancel that item.
That day, I looked up same p/n on Amazon, it was same price and even without prime, got it in two days.
Then I’ve found some tools on Amazon that were 15-20% more than say at Home Depot or Lowes.
Have to watch for vendors that set up Amazon stores that mimick the real stores. E.G. Glee gum…I found it on Amazon, and turns out, some gum I got was bad (chew for 2 minutes and it breaks up). A call to Glee and I find out, they do not sell on Amazon and the rep informed me they had several legal letters sent to Amazon to remove the mis-represented store. Also, asking for the batch #, the rep discovered they had old gum that some ingredient failed QC and discarded. Likely a palette was sold to some 3rd party/store/vendor on the cheap and resold online. So I buy gum direct from Glee now which isn’t much different in price than Amazon was. Whack a mole indeed.
neandrewthal
The DeWalt is significantly better than the Milwaukee, but the Milwaukee fuel is another step up above the DeWalt in cut speed and quality. The DeWalt trigger is nice and the blade chance is nice too. For ultimate performance, the Fuel is the way to go though.
Dave
Second this – I have the old brushed M18 and it works fine, but the other day I needed to trim a bunch of shims from installing kitchen cabinets and grabbed a coworker’s DeWalt because it was laying around and mine was on the truck. Wow, I really like the trigger more than an on/off switch and the slow start functionality – if I wasn’t insistent on sticking to 3 battery lines and 2 chargers this would be the tool to tempt me to branch out…or just commit to stealing my buddy’s OMT when I’m in need going forward.
Scott K
I have an on/off style OMT, and I agree that the trigger on the DeWalt is really nice. I’m not sure which version I used, but it was definitely a step up ergonomically.
eddiesky
I have the Dewalt model prior to speed control. The trigger sometimes is a problem when changing out a blade…make sure to remove the battery as its very easy when putting effort on the blade release to hit the the trigger. I mean, how else do you hold it? Yes, you can lock the trigger but big hands win out that fight.
Not had anything the multitool could cut as long a the blade/tool was sharp.
Alexk
If I had a mix of Milwaukee and DeWalt batteries, I’d get that DeWalt. I sometimes use a co-worker’s and the blade change is fantastic. Love my m12 fuel OMT but every so often want the power of 18 volt. Don’t know how much of a power difference between the m18 brushless and non brushless, but it was a huge difference between the anemic m12 non brushed vs the fuel.
James+C
I went years thinking OMTs were overrated because all I had was the brushed m12. I finally tried a Ryobi 18V and realized the m12 was just way underpowered.
I have the m12 Fuel now and love it. IIRC from looking up comparisons a while back, the m12 Fuel should give the m18 brushed a run for its money.
M12 fuel used to go on sale for $120 or so. Who knows nowadays.
CA
Stewart did you ever use the Milwaukee oscillating tool? Curious to your experience with it.
Stuart
A while ago. It was pretty decent. Today? There are still reasons to buy it.
If you’re looking at the tool-only version on Amazon, spend a little more for the kit from Home Depot or another authorized dealer.
If you’re shopping at the $99 price point, there’s a reason I mentioned the Dewalt deal.
This seemed like an opportunity to educate and bust retail hype.
S
For serious users, I feel the Milwaukee fuel versions are best. I really don’t like the DeWalt because it has a very touchy variable speed trigger on a tool that vibrates. I used to make fun of a coworker that had one because every use sounded like he was tuning a guitar.
Milwaukee speed selector is a variable adjuster knob, with an slightly sticky on/off switch on the top. I do like the DeWalt palm switch, but prefer Milwaukee’s speed adjustment to maintain a consistent cut speed.
That said, I bought into the non-fuel Milwaukee m12 and m18 years before the fuel version was available. The m12 was quickly abandoned at home for a lack of power. The m18, I’ve been through 6 motors, and maintained 2 of them so I could switch them out when the motor went bad. I was using them primarily to cut outlets into brand new $10-50k kitchen islands. Lots of weird hardwoods, and zero second chances, which OMT’s are great for.
So the good news is that the brushed m18 version is nice because the motor is cheap and replaceable for anyone that knows how to open it up and solder. But the bad news is that if it’s getting used at least an hour or two a week, every week, it won’t make it a year before needing service.
The fuel version, the brushless motor assembly costs more to replace than a new tool.
To the core point of this article–always take a look at home depot before Amazon for power tools. First, they’re an authorized reseller, so full warranty applies(my Milwaukee experience makes this moot, considering warranty takes 3-6 month turnaround, which doesn’t work at all for a contractor and near-daily tool use).
Second, home depot is always running tool and battery specials. Many times the oscillating tool is available for ‘free’ with the purchase of other tools or a battery starter kit that is a better value than outright tool purchase.
Ciccio
Lowes has an old model from Bosch at $79
Another good deal
Chuck Cole
I may be mistaken, but I was told by a Milwaukee sales rep that there are no authorized Milwaukee retailers on Amazon. An Amazon sales receipt will automatically result in warranty claims being denied.
Stuart
I’ve heard of warranty issues too, but haven’t seen official policy.
It seems to me that most of the time, Milwaukee tools on Amazon were either stolen, purchased for resale from Home Depot or other authorized dealers during sales events, depleting inventory that would otherwise be available to actual customers, or counterfeit.
I’ve asked Milwaukee before about sold and shipped from Amazon listings, and their answer tends to be “we don’t know where they’re sourcing it from, but it’s not from us.”
Dave
While some are certainly stolen or counterfeit, it seems a bit harsh that you list stolen as the first in your list. The overwhelming majority will have been purchased legitimately for resale.
“Sold by Amazon” Milwaukee inventory comes from FBA seller inventory (Fulfilled by Amazon aka sold by seller, shipped by Amazon) that Amazon lost and reimbursed the seller for. When Amazon finds it at a later date, it is legally theirs and they resell it.
Stuart
It wasn’t an ordered list.
2 years ago I noticed Amazon selling Milwaukee Packout screwdriver bit sets for less than Home Depot and other authorized dealers. https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/amazon-underselling-home-depot-milwaukee-packout-bit-set/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
The amount of inventory they sold seemed to surpass what could have simply been lost in transit from a FBA seller.
Here’s a filtered list – https://www.amazon.com/s?rh=n%3A228013%2Cp_6%3AATVPDKIKX0DER%2Cp_89%3AMilwaukee&tag=toolguyd-20
They have a Milwaukee screwdriver set that they sold more than 1000 of in the past month. All of the 3rd party sellers have it for much higher pricing. Where’s Amazon getting >1000 screwdriver sets from? That’s got to be more than a pallet’s worth, and they’re matching Home Depot’s price.
They sold >1K of this flashlight in the past month: https://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-2105-Aluminum-100-Lumen-Light/dp/B077PL2Z5C/?tag=toolguyd-20 . That can’t all be “reimbursed lost inventory.”
Dave
Just because Amazon themselves presently have the “buybox” for that item right now, does not mean they had it all month to get all 1000+ sales themselves. The 1000+ simply means all sellers combined sold over 1000 units.
Buybox visibility is not necessarily the same across the country, either. Amazon might present one offer to a buyer in MA, but a different one to a buyer in TX, for example.
I don’t sell FBA, but from what I’ve heard, the amount of lost inventory is staggering. Amazon simply misplaces it in their vast warehouses and when they eventually find it, it is theirs to sell.
Another possible explanation is that Amazon UK is authorized, from what I can tell. If any part numbers are the same, they could be transferring to the US.
And last, Amazon could certainly do what all those other sellers are doing and buy from Home Depot to resell, but I don’t believe they are. They would dominate the resale market, if they decided to go that route.
Stuart
I don’t remember the exact numbers, but it wasn’t just 1 or 2 readers buying that Packout bit set after I posted about it.
In any case, the point is the same – it’s generally not in customers’ best interest to buy resold tools from Amazon.
Dave
I would say it depends. Depends on the item and depends on the seller.
S
My unverifiable suspicion is that Milwaukee doesn’t care. Not in a bad way, it’s just that a sale is a sale.
The core question of Milwaukee/Amazon sales is “who does this hurt?”
It doesn’t hurt Milwaukee, they’re still selling product and making money. It doesn’t hurt Amazon, they get to sell something in demand, and get their ‘marketplace’ fees out of it.
The main companies it’s hurting are Milwaukee certified resellers. And home depot being the largest publicly-facing reseller, hasn’t said a peep about it.
It really only becomes a problem for Milwaukee when resellers stop stocking product because of the unauthorized market.
Stuart
@S, it doesn’t really affect Milwaukee, but it can be a headache for end users.
I’ve talked to smaller retailers, and it’s a huge headache for them.
All of that is irrelevant. A lot of the time these are bad deals. They’re hyped up to be massive Amazon discounts but they’re not. It’s often no different than just buying the new-in-box tool on eBay.
But because it’s Amazon, a lot of people don’t realize they’re not buying from an unauthorized seller, or what that can mean.
TomD
They don’t directly deny the claim, you just get bumped to “ok we go by manufacturing date”.
Which can be quite annoying itself, mind you, because some of these will have been sitting on shelves for quite awhile (especially the ones that appear right after a good HD “shelf-built” bundle, like buy battery get tool free, but not in the same box).
Jim
I didn’t think anyone bought Milwaukee from Amazon.
Big Richard
They do, then they complain on the Milwaukee reddit that the battery they got was fake.
Stuart
They do, and Ryobi too.
Content mill mass media “commerce experts” keep encouraging it. “Wow, 50% off [a price tools never sell for]!!” So, we’re going to try to educate folks.
Big Richard
“Lowest I’ve seen it!”
Stuart
Not even – they make claims of “lowest price ever” and similar. It’s ridiculous.
The amount of useless noise in the tool review and deal space has become deafening.
Big Richard
Coincidentally it was what got me into the tool review world, got sick of all the noise and paid shills.
Doresoom
For OMTs, I’ve owned/own the brushed M18, the M18 FUEL, the DeWalt 20V XR, and the DeWalt 20V Atomic.
I would absolutely pick the DeWalt XR over the Milwaukee brushed M18. The variable speed trigger and 3-speed limiting switch of the DeWalt is so nice. For anything that requires precision, that’s my go-to OMT.
But if I’m just making some fast rough cuts, I grab the M18 FUEL OMT every time. It’s by far the most powerful and fastest cutting.
If you made me pick only one and get rid of the rest, I’m pretty sure I’d choose to keep the DeWalt 20V XR OMT.
Jason
I sell quite a bit on most e-commerce platforms including Amazon, and it’s truly mind boggling the things I come across.
M12 crossline laser with the brand “ IPOTAO” and so many Milwaukee listings as the brand “ignaramus” is maybe my favorite. Some use “fits Milwaukee” and scrub the Milwaukee logo off the picture of a saw or whatever it is all to avoid selling on official listings and sadly they still sell
Stuart
People let themselves make emotional purchasing decisions. I see this in occasional comments here and on social media. “Is this 80% off price legit? I think it’s a scam site, but I placed an order anyway.”