I posted about the new Bosch FlexiClick modular multi-head drill/driver the other day, which I guess you could consider as their second generation tool. Bosch released a brushed motor 12V Max FlexiClick drill/driver prior to this new brushless model.
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In 2019, Milwaukee launched their M12 Fuel brushless multi-head drill/driver, aimed at installation work and any drilling and driving you might need to do in tight or difficult spaces.
In a comment to the other post, a reader commented:
Remarkably similar in design to the Milwaukee Installation Driver 2505-20.
Although some new and novel cordless power tool designs are patented, brands draw inspiration from competitors’ innovations fairly regularly, and that works to users’ benefit – it’s how tools get better and better.
Another reader correctly pointed out that Bosch’s brushed motor FlexiClick drill/driver designs predate Milwaukee’s M12 Fuel installation drill/driver. That is correct.
Here’s a timeline, with the dates corresponding to our posts here on ToolGuyd:
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Jan 2015: Bosch Announces 18V FlexiClick Modular Cordless Drill/Driver System
Feb 2017: Bosch 12V FlexiClick 5-in-1 Drill/Driver
Aug 2017: Bosch 12V Max FlexiClick Drill/Driver Coming Soon + Preorder Bonus
June 2019: New Milwaukee M12 Fuel Cordless Installation Drill/Driver
Mar 2020: Bosch’s Brushless 12V Max FlexiClick Drill/Driver Kit Now Available
There are a couple of other developments, such as Bosch’s European announcement of the 12V and 18V brushless FlexiClick models. To my knowledge, Bosch USA never officially announced the brushless 12V Max and 18V tools here in the USA, they just quietly appeared on Bosch’s and retailers’ websites.
Here are two more posts that readers might have forgotten about:
Jul 2014: New Milwaukee Tools Sneak Peek, 2H 2014 Edition!
Oct 2014: Ridgid Wishlist: AEG 12V Drill with Interchangeable Chuck System
Mar 2018: Milwaukee M12 Fuel Multi-Head Cordless Drill
Oh, that’s right – Milwaukee came out with a cordless multi-head drill/driver a couple of years before Bosch’s FlexiClick drill/driver, even before Bosch’s first FlexiClick product was exclusively launched in Europe.
So, although Milwaukee’s M12 Fuel cordless installation drill came after Bosch’s FlexiClick product, Milwaukee entered the multi-head drill/driver market first.
Let’s also not forget that the Festool CXS came first! I posted about it as an upcoming tool back in 2011.
Going back further, I’m not quite sure what other cordless power tools or systems might have predated Festool or Milwaukee’s launches. I remember using a Black & Decker 12V Firestorm drill with a chuck that removed to reveal a 1/4″ hex screwdriver bit chuck, and there are still some modern cordless drills that have a version this feature.
But right angle and offset screwdriving attachments? It looks to me that Festool did it first, and to argue differently would require going back at least 10 years, but that also pushes us closer to pre-Li-ion larger, heavier, and bulkier cordless power tool territory.
There’s an offset attachment for the Bosch and Skil iXO 3.6V/4V Max cordless screwdriver, but that’s in a different class of tools than what we’re talking about here.
It’s possible that Ridgid’s JobMax cordless power tools kick-started the idea of interchangeable tool heads, but it’s hard to say since the interface design is drastically different and the tool didn’t have a drill-like pistol grip geometry. Ridgid’s JobMax tools were first announced back in 2010.
So to answer the headline question, Milwaukee’s 5-in-1 cordless drill came first, then Bosch FlexiClick, and then Milwaukee’s Installation drill/driver, with Festool’s CXS launching years earlier than either brand’s designs.
Buy Now: FlexiClick Kit via Amazon
Buy Now: Milwaukee Kit via Tool Nut
Buy Now: Milwaukee Bare Tool via Tool Nut
Read Also:
Bosch’s Brushless 12V Max FlexiClick Drill/Driver Kit Now Available
Kizzle
Never understood why Milwaukee’s original interchangeable head driver never released here. Patents maybe?
Stuart
Projected user interest levels? Europe and USA tool markets tend to follow different trends at times. Look how long it took for modular tool boxes to become popular here.
Corey Moore
But…world’s first… disruptive… innovation…? Lol couldn’t resist, but for real I hope Milwaukee keeps tearing it up like they are in R&D. New stuff, refined stuff, repurposed stuff, it’s all good news for everyone.
Peter
Not sure if it countsbut the Festool CDD 12 FX Drill is quite a bit older than the CXS.
Adam
Might want to mention the new Bosch SDS attachment. I believe only available for the 18v.
If you really wanted a brushless Flexi-click, before now, you could swap the motors with a Bosch Brushless 12v tool.
Scar
I did that swap when the the PS32-02 got down to $75 during holiday season ’18. I needed the batteries and the Flexi-click with the brushless motor now is short enough to fit in the top rack of my tool box.
Driven thousands of fasteners with it, has a great mechanical clutch.
Tommy
I wish Milwaukee would cone out with a 18volt version with impact and sds function. Or at least a 12 volt one with and impact and screw driver function. I really like my installation driver and use it a fair amount. But it would be my first choice and I would use it even more if it had an impact function. But then again not sure how a keyless chuck would work on a true impact hex driver.
Jim Felt
Conversely “we” seem to have a fair number of NA Milwaukee tools that aren’t in Europe. At least that I can find online there.
Just sayin’…
Tom D
The interchangeable head tools look nice, but man I rarely if ever change the heads.
The Festool is nicer than the Milwaukee and the M12 surge is better than both, based on which tool I reach for these days.
Tommy
Not sure and the festool since I don’t know anyone who even has one but I have the surge 18 and 12 volt song with installation drive and have both regular fuel impacts and for the most part it’s either my 18 volt surge or my installation driver or in done cases I grab my dewalt 8 volt gyro screw driver when I’m just trimming out outlets at a job. They all have their place and all have pros and cons. That’s why I own them all. Plus I doubt it would be possible to find one that is the best over all of them.
Adabhael
I agree, the concept of interchangeability is often cooler than the reality. That said, I love my JobMax. I have the right-angle driver (which I also use with hex-shank drills) the oscillating tool, and the recip saw. None are as good as dedicated tools, but the whole kit fits in an L-BOXX-2 with an assortments of bits and blades and throwing that in my kit has bailed me out of more weird circumstances than I can remember.
Frank D
Big tip of the hat for expanding the comment
I was not aware of the EU M12 multi head driver. In my defense I was not reading Toolguyd yet back then 😉 and never saw it on the Milwaukee US site.
Now I can only wonder why MW never did a broader release and appears to have abandoned the design, replacing it with the installation driver???
And there’s an AEG ???
Hello Ridgid?!
#TheMoreYouKnow
Frank D
PS: ( if the spam filter allows )
https://www.bosch-presse.de/pressportal/de/de/bosch-flexiclick-jetzt-mit-12-volt-81344.html
Frank D
And this was the 2015 18v
https://www.bosch-presse.de/pressportal/de/de/bosch-flexiclick-bietet-profis-maximale-flexibilitaet-42878.html
Julian Tracy
Panasonic had an offset head 9.6v volt drill way way back. Festool had them at least 10 years before the cxs launch
Brian M
The Firestorm was the first that I remember.
BTW, I love the Installation Driver, I use it everyday. It’s a little loud and probably more powerful than I need…Honestly, if Bosch had beat Milwaukee to market with the brushless version with belt clip, I might have bought into the Bosch lineup. But at the time of Installation Driver, you would have had to buy the flexiclick driver and the Brushless drill then switch the guts for you to get it. Roughly for the same cost as the Installation driver but the ID kit came with a free (Promo) 6.0Ah. Also the Milwaukee appears to have stronger heads to match the more powerful motor.
For me, this was much needed. I’ve gone back in forth with buying the Bosch and adding ANOTHER platform or importing the (overly powerful) European Milwaukee Fuel…yeah, I could have got the brushed version but at nearly the same cost as the Fuel.
HectorP
Metabo “Quick” chuck was introduced sometime before 2012.
Paul Ojanen
There’s also this little guy:
https://www.blackanddecker.com/products/power-tools/portable-power-tools/screwdrivers/4v-max-lithium-rechargeable-screwdriver/bdcs30c
I’ve been using a B&D 4V Max screwdriver to supplement my V28 tools for many years. It handles (dis)assembly very well. Only recently did I learn the 4V Max has a bunch of accessories. The accessories match the above products except for the multi-cutter:
https://www.blackanddecker.com/products/power-tools/portable-power-tools/screwdrivers/4v-max-lithium-rechargeable-screwdriver/bdcs30c
I first saw the multi-cutter on a Makita tool in a YouTube video. That led me to the 4V Max accessories. I never knew the rubber cap came off the screwdriver for accessories.
I’v added the M12 series now, including the installation drill/driver. But the little 4V Max is still very handy.
Big Richard
Don’t forget Hilti’s new SFE 2-A12.
Stuart
I’ll have to look into that, thanks!
Nathan
better question of who came first.
With the Festool driver and that Milwaukee – why is that forward mass there? The drivers aren’t that torque strong so surely it’s not for rigidity – it doesn’t hold the battery and it might hold the electronics is about as much as I can think of.
is there a good reason for that to be there? balance maybe but still. I like the ideas of either of them the bosch version I think I like better but I can’t really think of why.
Stuart
Balance and a slimmer handle?
Nathan
milwaukee’s 12 system isn’t a slim handle so I would say that’s out.
Festools is a bottom slide battery so maybe.
but with respect to the milwaukee design I think it might be the only place the circut board could fit. Hard to say without taking it apart.
VindalooDiesel
Your guess nailed it. They’re on record saying that was the only place to put it and make it that compact.
Brian M
It’s been stated that it’s for the electronics so the rest of the drill could be smaller. I find it to work out great, I like the drywall gun style grip and it stands up with a compact battery really well.
David Funk
This is all well and good but I had a Stanley Black & Decker interchangeable head tool kit 20 years ago… It had the drill, jigsaw, Cicsaw, sander and a router. Yes a cordless router….
Stuart
Did it have a right angle drill head and and offset screwdriving head?
I’ve seen a predecessor to Black & Decker’s Matrix and Craftsman’s Bolt-On system, but all of that seems more related to Ridgid JobMax inspiration than multi-head drill/driver systems.
Big Richard
I believe he is referring to the B+D Matrix. No right angle or offset drill, just the 5 or so he mentioned.
Robert
They’re all clearly a response to expired Festo patents. What’s the diff?
Lasse_fi
The Kress had 12v cordless drill with “quick fix” system, removable chuck, right angle gear. I saw it in 2005.
Daryl
My Festool TDK 15.6 was released in 2004. The attachments and drill work fine but the old NiMh batteries don’t hold much of a charge anymore.