Metabo added a new cordless grease gun to their 18V cordless power tool system, which is part of the Cordless Alliance System (CAS).
Metabo’s first cordless grease gun, FP 18 LTX, features precision pressure control, a 10,000 PSI max discharge pressure, 10-setting discharge volume thumbwheel for 1 to 25 shots of grease, and integrated bleeding valve.
It features dual modes – one for high pressure applications, and the other for high flow rate.
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It can apply grease in 3 ways, with standard grease cartridges, grease pump, or direct bulk filling via suctioning from a drum.
The grease gun ships with a shoulder strap. Metabo adds that the shoulder strap attachment points can also be used with a tether for working at heights.
There is also an optional magnet accessory with M8 threaded stud (626980000) that allows for hands-free mounting to steel equipment and surfaces.
There’s an LED on the housing and another removable LED that connects to the hose end, for better viewing during lubrication tasks.
Key Features & Specifications
- Compatible with Metabo & CAS 18V batteries
- 14oz (400g) grease holder
- 10,000/6,000 PSI (690/414 bar) max discharge pressure
- ~10.2/3.53 oz/min (290/100 g/min) discharge speed
- 47-1/4″ (1200mm) hose length
- Weighs 9.70 lbs (4.4 kg) with battery, 8.82lbs (4 kg) without
Price: $294 for tool-only (600789850)
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Here’s Metabo’s promo video:
Brendan
This is definitely interesting and a welcome addition to the field of grease guns. Stewart do you happen to know if Metabo Hpt/Hikoki will release their version of this grease gun? Obviously there’s a lot of product development/sharing between the different companies after they combined.
Stuart
As far as I have seen, there has not been any product development or sharing between Metabo and Metabo HPT. I have not heard anything about an HPT version yet.
Brendan
I haven’t seen anything officially announced from either about sharing products. However, when you take a look at some of their impact guns, their lights, nailers, etc they all share similar lineage, looks, and stats. I’d bet R&D is shared between both companies since all they really need to change is the color of plastic (can use same molds) and obviously different batteries.
MM
I’ve noticed an unusual similarity with both brands compact reciprocating saws. They both have a blade clamp which will accept normal recip blades as well as T-shank jigsaw blades. Metabo and Metabo HPT are not the only brands which have this feature, but it is very rare. If you look at the two blade holders side by side they look nearly identical, whereas the only other model I found which has that feature, Worx, uses a very different design for its blade clamp. I think this is more reasonably explained by some kind of technology sharing rather than coincidence.
Andrew
Makita have the same option on one of their reciprocating saws.
DW
Yee I’ve noticed this with their reciprocating saws and nailers.
The upcoming Hikoki 36V Plunge Cut track saw appears to be an EXACT clone of the Metabo (the rubber overmold is still using the Metabo pattern for example).
DW
Hikoki C3606DPA and Metabo KT 18 LTX 66 BL appear to be the cloned saws
Jared
Quite a price tag on that, but it does look very nice! I like the light on the end of the hose especially.
James
I too enjoy better viewing during lubrication tasks.
Saulac
I don’t deal with nipples (the grease type) much any more to justify a cordless. But I still want one. What is the pressure required here? Would cordless caulking guns have enough power, if I make a special cartridge?
Jared
I doubt a caulking gun would be up to the challenge, but I don’t know the minimum pressures to answer your question. Seems like you’re pushing a relatively thick, viscous substance through a very small orifice compared to a caulking gun.
I have a tractor and various other farm machinery to grease relatively often and I too would like to go cordless – but, if you’re looking for a cheap alternative you might consider a pneumatic tool. I have a pneumatic grease gun I use now and it was only ~$40.
You have to have a compressor, of course, and deal with a hose. My pneumatic gun delivers a “shot” of grease with each trigger pull instead of a continuous stream like the cordless guns do. Nevertheless, it’s a far better experience than squeezing the trigger over-and-over on a manual grease gun when you have that much to do.
Ct451
You can get grease in caulking cartridges but for dispensing it and not squeezing it through a nipple. The cartridge wont survive but even if you had one that could, the guns are not meant to generate more force than a regular cartridge can handle. Put an unopened cartridge in it and see what happens.
TonyT
Looking at HD, cordless caulk guns start around $79 (Ryobi $79, Ridgid $129, Makita $154, M12 $189), while cordless grease guns start at $149 (Ridgid $149 on sale, Ryobi $169, M12 $189).
If you want a deal and are OK with Ryobi or Ridgid, you can monitor DirectToolsOutlet for a deal. DTO’s pricing varies all the time, e.g. right now it’s not great, best is $130 for “factory blemished” Ridgid grease gun.
Jerry
I have the Ryobi. Doesn’t put out near as much maximum pressure but is real good for applications that take a lot of volume. Has been trouble free and zero complaints for the price paid.
fred
From my experience ordering items from Metabo (not Metabo HPT items) they are experiencing serious lead times for delivery. I was waiting 2 months on some sanding belts ordered in March – and only got a partial shipment recently. Some 10Ah batteries and battery charger ordered almost 3 months ago are still on backorder.
Ted
Wow!
MKY
Stuart –
The grease gun ***ships with ships*** with…
Stuart
Thank you! *fixed*
Steve
That is a hefty price tag for a Metabo, but it will do more than my M18 gun that I got in December, if I read the article correctly?
All it will need is a lock n lube fitting if you get the mentioned accessories.
Stuart
They both achieve 10,000 PSI max pressure.
It offers a few more features, such as the hose-end LED and optional magnetic mounting accessory. But as far as I can tell, they should be evenly matched.
If you have the M18, I’m not sure why you might want the Metabo instead.
AlexK
Tape an olight i3 on the hose end if you like that feature. Shouldn’t be difficult to attach a magnetic mount on most grease guns if needed.
Stuart
I know a lot of people like the idea of cordless grease guns. This one seems competitive, but I can’t see how it might be superior to other models.
I posted about it because readers expressed an interest in cordless grease guns, and I was curious. I thought differentiating factors might have become apparent as I worked through the post, but they didn’t.
Like you said, the standout features don’t seem to be very special.
It can be hard to tell with some of the tools that live at the periphery of my personal needs and experience bubble, which gave me more reason to proceed with the news/first look post.
MM
The lights don’t seem like anything special, and like AlexK wrote you can easily DIY that if you need it. But the 2-stage pump feature where it operates at a high-flow lower pressure mode first and then switches to the high-pressure mode as needed is a fairly rare feature. I think the Milwaukee is the only other model which has that. I know the Ryobi, Dewalt, and Ingersoll are all just single-stage. And that’s a good feature too: if you are doing enough greasing that an electric gun makes financial sense you probably will appreciate the extra speed.
Nathan
I eye the DeWalt one. Biggest thing I see new is the siphon from drum option. Don’t think I’ve seen one offer that.
eddie sky
Its like ~$280 for an M18 Milwaukee version that includes carry case, battery, charger. Dewalt is even more.
But looking at the Metabo and Milwaukee… they look almost identical!
That price of $294 for tool only… too high. Would be better if that was the kit w/battery and charger. Pass.
Franco
I have had the M12 version for about 12 years, works great. I added the lock-n-lube attachment, which helps quite a bit in areas where you have trouble getting to the zirt nipple.
The M12 I have is 8000 psi, versus the 10,000 the M18 and this Metabo have. I could be wrong but either manual grease guns or pneumatic ones, top out around 5000 psi for the best ones.
I do not see an instance where the high flow has any value. I use mine on my tractor and my older Chevy Express 3500 van. In either case, the joint I am greasing only accepts a small amount of grease. A situation where the standard flow would leave you hanging because it takes so long to grease, I can’t imaging what that would be.