Milwaukee has officially announced their new Milwaukee M18 Fuel backpack vacuum, which we previewed at their NPS18 media event, including more details and specs.
They are calling this a 3-in-1 vacuum because there are three ways to carry it: a removable harness, a handle, and an integrated hook. The vacuum can be worn like a backpack, but with a click of a button you can remove the harness and carry it around by the handle. Finally, the hook can be used to hang the vacuum on ladders, scaffolding, or any 2x lumber.
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Let’s look at the relevant specs:
- Brushless motor
- Cyclonic design
- 25 minutes on high, 40 minutes on low (with 9.0 Ah battery)
- 15.25 pounds
- 55 CFM
- 76″ water lift
- 159 air Watts
- 76 dB(A)
- 1 gallon capacity
- HEPA Filter
- 25″ – 40″ extension wand
- Onboard accessory storage
The “power” specifications stated above may lead to some confusion. Max CFM and max water lift specs are not measured at the same time. Milwaukee does give an air Watts spec though, which is defined as (CFM * inches of water)/8.5.
Doing the math, if you are at a pressure of 30″ of water lift, you’ll ideally get closer to 45 CFM, but in reality it’s probably lower.
Milwaukee says that the vacuum can run for up to 25 minutes on high and over 40 on low when paired with a 9.0 Ah battery. You can see above that the battery compartment can surely handle a 12.0 Ah battery and probably an even larger battery if Milwaukee decides to make one.
The vacuum can handle drywall dust, concrete dust, wood/metal shavings, and most other debris you’d expect a vacuum could. Speaking of concrete dust, Milwaukee partnered with Industrial Hygiene Sciences, LLC to test the vacuum for specific OSHA applications and durations (PDF link).
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Above is a closer look at the hook, which retracts into the vacuum when it’s not needed. There’s also a strap connected to it, presumably to prevent the vacuum from accidentally being knocked off. Also notice the on-board extension wand storage.
Speaking of storage, here’s a better shot of how the accessories store on the vacuum. The crevice tool and the dust extraction adapter have spaces on the lower backpack harness.
From pre-order pages, it looks like the M18 Fuel backpack vacuum is going to come with the vacuum, HEPA filter, flexible hose, telescoping extension wand, floor tool, crevice tool, and dust extraction adapter. You can either buy the bare tool (0885-20) for $299, or the kit (0885-21HD) with 9.0Ah battery and rapid charger for $449.
Milwaukee will also sell replacement HEPA Filters (49-90-1963) and a 9′ accessory hose (49-90-1964).
Available: Sept. 2018
Price: $299 for the bare tool, $449 for the kit
Buy Now (kit via Acme Tools)
Buy Now (bare tool via Acme Tools)
Buy Now (via Tool Nut)
First Thoughts
First off, let’s link to their official video, which, between the marketing and testimonials, shows several aspects of the vacuum’s operation. I’ll start the link at 15 seconds in to bypass some of the marketing.
At first you can see the floor tool and the crevice tool being used, and then they show how the wand extends. They also show how you can use the vacuum as a backpack, how the harness is removed, and several different scenarios where you could hang it up. Around 53 seconds they show the filter being replaced, the canister being emptied, and the canister replaced into the vacuum. You can stop watching after that.
My first impression of the vacuum at NPS was how quiet it was, but the 76dBA noise spec is not very interesting without a distance. I heard it with my own ears though and I suspect it’s in that range about a meter away. We’ll have to wait until we get our hands on one to put this to the test.
Stuart’s Note: It’s not just Ben, I was also extremely surprised about how quiet the vacuum was. It was not at all as noisy or shrill and most of the vacuums I’ve used before.
I’m really interested how well this vacuum will handle carpets. In their video they show somebody using the vacuum with a crevice tool over low pile carpet. One problem I’ve had with other cordless vacs is they don’t have enough suction to dislodge sawdust from carpets. This is a particular nuisance for me because I have to clean up the sawdust I track on my carpeted basement stairs after I’ve been in and out of my shop. I’ve only ever had any luck getting the stuck sawdust out with a corded vacuum.
The yeti
Its pretty cool. Might get put on a Christmas list.
I roll with Bosch. Little brother loves team red and black.
Chris
Can’t wait for Dewalt a brushless D and barrel handle jigsaws.
Chance
Very soon.
KokoTheTalkingApe
For getting sawdust out of carpet, my 30-year old Kirby rocks. It isn’t cordless but it does the job, which it seems cordless vacuums cannot. I got it for $25 at a flea market. It needed a few new parts, but the local Kirby repair store had everything. But it weighs about 40 pounds.
Jonathan
I would love to see an aftermarket cyclonic adapter for the Kirby’s. Early in our marriage we rented our in-law apt, to a college kid who sold Kirbys, ended up with a used one for $150.
They have great pickup from their industrial like motors.
Had a customer give me a G6 (that was in great shape (just had a broken beater bar belt). Told her, didn’t care just wanted it gone (all the accessories as well).
Wonder how hard it would be to fab/adapt a cyclonic vac setup in a Kirby – havnt found an aftermarket bag for Kirbys.
Framer joe
Where is it made?
fred
Why even ask when most everything TTI-cordless is made in China?
Anyway – the Acme page under “specifications” confirms that COO is “CHN”
I’m not sure where the Nilfisk backpack vacuums are made – but Atrix makes a cordless one in the USA
https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/atrix-international-vacbp36v
Chipper keith
Think they are made in England
Brian A
Some one mentioned that it’s supposedly only for hard surfaces and not carpet, don’t know where that came from.
It seems great, but pricey. I joked specs not that different from the M18 box vac, cheaper to use that with a strap or bungee lol.
Doresoom
The CFM is pretty close to the 2 gallon box style vac, but the water lift is over twice as much as the 2 gallon. So the new 3-in-1 should be much better at dislodging stubborn/heavy debris.
JC
The box style can actually lift water being a wet/dry vac. Can this do the same? Otherwise another tick for the box style.
Michaelhammer
Cheap for back pack. They run over 400 bills all day long
fred
The Atrix – made in USA one that I linked to – sells for $988 at Acme.
I does come with a trurbo floor brush – but I don’t know how well it works on carpet. From the Atrix web site – the replacement battery pack seems to have a MSRP of nearly $600 (wow!)
Corey
1 gallon seems unimpressive and not requiring a backpack setup. Just me? I do dig the hook and versatility stuff.
Evadman
If it had a carpet beater on it, it would be great. A lot of what I end up cleaning up is on carpet, so if this won’t work on carpet, then it is probably a no-go for me. I would rather have something that I can swap batteries out on than the dyson V6 or V10.
Benjamen
I’m wondering if it’ll be powerful enough to run an attachment like a turbine tool. I have an old Dyson animal version and the only thing that’ll pull enough air to run that is a corded vacuum.
Adam
I was waiting for this vacuum for some office I clean, but without it handling carpet, I sadly have to pass for now. I’m most surprised they didn’t bundle it with a 12ah battery.
If by chance that old Dyson is a DC28, and you get in the mood to toss it, I could use a part that is un-ordable from Dyson (without buying 100 more parts attached to it). I told Dyson I’d buy a 3d printer before investing $140 for an “assembly” to get 1 plastic part.
Tim E.
The DC33 might share some parts with your DC28, as it was a relatively minor revision. Depending on what part you need it might be available for the DC33 but fit your DC28. I do the same with using DC58/59 castoff parts on a v6, but you have to check closely, some parts are a direct fit, some are close enough you can make them work, some just don’t fit. But if it saves the vacuum or a $150 repair visit…
satch
These kinds of vacs are really handy in service/maintenance areas. Cleaning debris out of electrical panels after drilling a new opening and fitting conduit and conductors or motor co trol cabinets. Same with replacing receptacles and other devises. You have to clean up the carpet or tile flooring before leaving the area.
We had some old DeWalts at work thwt were pretty handy but the nicad batteries had no real power annd ran down quickly . Luckily they were dual oowered and we simply plugged them in. In existing facilities there is typicwlly a receptacle available within 75 feet.
What we eventually moved to was a little one gallon sized vac that was mains powered. These came in under Grainger’s Westward brand and a couple of othere. They were all identical. Super handy and plenty of power to get chips, dust, and even drywall dust out of the short pile carpet squares used in our hallways. About $45 at most suppliers. This makes Team Red lok a little spendy at $299-449. Youch. That latter price is touching Festool craziness. Looks cool though.
Michaelhammer
The price is actually pretty good for a backpack vac. Price them and you will find they are quite expensive. 76 dB seems loud, I’m surprised you both say it’s quiet. CFM and static lift are a concern. I can’t wait for the day when you can get your hands on this vac. I currently use the CT36 for clean up, but it would be most convenient to have a cordless backpack vac. I have been eyeballing a backpack vac that professional cleaners use for years, but they are pushing $500., so I never pulled the trigger. I look forward to reading your review, I’ve been waiting years for a cordless Milwaukee vac worth buying.
Adam
Everyone I know loves the Milwaukee M18 boxy wet/dry vac. For what I will use it for, the extra $200 isn’t worth getting the backpack version if it doesn’t handle carpet. So I will probably end up with the box-style vac for a cordless option.
Tom
This is a nice addition. However with these powerhungry tools that milwaulkee keeps adding, I want to see an adapter/voltage transformer so that you can run off 120v outlet if need be. It would he great for the table saw, mitre saw, and now this vacuum.
Tim E.
The power hungry tools bit is why it doesn’t happen unfortunately. It’s why you see transformers for the low power stuff like speakers or fans though. The more power a transformer needs to supply (even more in the case of high power tools), the larger and heavier it is. Think of a laptop power supply, it’s supplying between 50 and 100 Watts usually depending on its size (the 90W adapters for gaming laptops are pretty large and heavy). Your high power tools likely pull more than 1000W on startup, and during use can still be pretty high. So a transformer for them could be near 10 times the size and weight of your laptop transformer. Not exactly portable, or something they could build on to the tool. Plus there’s the added cost, and nobody really makes consumer transformers at those specs to have an economy of scale on them. You also have power loss from using a transformer, so your available-to-the-tool wattage will be less than the outlet’s rating, even as the latest power tools surpass the power an outlet can provide normally. So any 18V adapters might only work on lower end tools and not the highest end most power hungry tools anyway, just because they can’t get that much power from an outlet.
John D
One can only hope that DeWalt’s delayed vacuum update is caused by their decision to take their time and create a game changer: a FlexVolt 120V mode backpack vacuum (that can can use the existing direct AC adapter) that will stand head to head in performance against a corded backpack vacuum. Please take my money! 🙂
fred
Is Dewalt back to making their own vacuums? For a while they had licensed out their brand name and the OEM for Dewalt brand vacuums was Alton who also made vacuums under the Stanley and Porter Cable brand names.
https://altonindustries.com/pages/wet-dry-vacs
Kay
How much are the replacement filters. … The handheld M18 Milwaukee vac cost $299, and a replacement filter is $150 give or take.
Benjamen
I’m not sure they have that info yet.
I’ll put it on the list to check on when I get a sample and am working on the review.
Tim
29 bucks for a hepa replacement
Jim Felt
Geez. Fortunately I’ve not needed one yet.