Milwaukee held their 2015 New Product Symposium last week, where they showed off a lot of new tools that will be hitting the market in the second half of 2015 and in early 2016. I was able to attend this year, and boy was it a busy and productive day and a half.
There is so much to cover that I had to break things down into separate posts. Without further ado, let’s start off by getting into the nitty-gritty about Milwaukee’s 2nd-gen M18 Fuel brushless drill and hammer drill.
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For a taste of some of the other posts that are in the works, check out our brief 15-image teaser post of the event. And to follow the continued coverage, check out our Milwaukee New Product Symposium 2015 section.
2nd-Gen M18 Fuel Intro
Milwaukee recently revealed their new second generation M18 Fuel brushless drills and impact tools. Their Gen1 Fuel drill/driver has been at the top of our best cordless drills recommendation post for a couple of years now, and their Gen1 impact driver is at the top of our best impact drivers post as well.
Then Gen1 tools are choc-full of premium features and are quite powerful. To be honest, I didn’t think they were getting long in the tooth, not at all. But Milwaukee wanted to keep driving forward with new innovations, and I must say – they didn’t disappoint; the new 2nd-gen models look and feel absolutely incredible.
Also, all of the new kits will ship with 5.0Ah XC Li-ion battery packs. There will also of course be bare tool options.
2nd-Gen M18 Fuel Drill and Hammer Drill
The new Milwaukee 2704 2nd-gen M18 Fuel hammer drill doesn’t look all that different from the 2604 model. If you’ve been using the 2604 or 2603 non-hammer drill for a while, you might notice some differences, such as where the vent placement.
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But let me assure you, the 2nd-gen tool is very different.
Although Milwaukee showed off the 2nd-gen hammer drill at the event, all of the changes apply to the non-hammer drill/driver as well.
Brushless Motor
As with the original M18 Fuel drills, the new drill and hammer drill are built with a Milwaukee PowerState brushless motor that’s designed to deliver high power and long runtime.
Although brushless might seem like an overused marketing term, there is often a huge difference in performance between tools engineered with brushed motors and those with brushless motors. Brushless motors are generally much more efficient, which means more power and longer runtime.
Brushless motors also require less maintenance, as there are no carbon brushes that wear out and need to be replaced.
Read More: Power Tool Tech: Brushless Motors 101
Power & Torque
To start off, the new M18 Fuel drills can deliver up to 1,200 in-lbs of torque. That’s right, these are now the most powerful 18V-class pistol-grip cordless drills on the market, even eclipsing Makita’s XPH07 hammer drill and XFD07 drill models.
Both the drill and hammer drill are also said to be the most compact in their class.
Speed
Surprisingly, or maybe perhaps not, Milwaukee increased the top speed of their 2nd-gen Fuel drills. Both have a 2-speed gearbox that offers 0-550 RPM in the low speed range, and 0-2,000 RPM in the high speed range. They say faster drilling under heavy load increases productivity.
Side Handle & Ergonomics
1,200 in-lbs of max torque means it needs a huge auxiliary handle, right? Wrong. Milwaukee had a couple of spray-painted competing models for comparison, and the aux handle on the new M18 Fuel hammer drill was noticeably – and comfortably – shorter.
Milwaukee’s product manager hinted that the “competing model” might have a longer auxiliary handle than really needed, but declined to share their speculations as to why. I found it to be respectable that they obscured the branding and colors of competing models by painting them grey.
I did the math for Makita’s XPH07 and XFD07 drills when they first came out, in attempt to explain why the side handles were so big. Surely like very long handles are to satisfy UL requirements, right? Milwaukee’s product manager explained that it’s not the maximum torque delivery that factors into how long a side handle needs to be to meet UL guidelines, but the maximum reactive force that a user might experience.
See Also: Why Powerful Drills MUST Have Auxiliary Side Handles
And so, as it was explained to me, the side handles on the new Milwaukee 2703 and 2704 drills are only as long as they’re supposed to be.
While the length of the side handle isn’t a big factor when comparing drills, I had my first opportunity to check out the Makita XPH07 hammer drill in person, and I didn’t like it. Gripping the drill’s main grip with one hand and the side handle with the other forced my elbows and arms to spread too far apart. It felt awkward and forced to say the least. I much more prefered the feel of the new Milwaukee 2704 M18 Fuel model.
To be fair, a longer assessment would be needed before I could say for sure, but given my very short time with both tools, I’d go for the Milwaukee.
It’s pretty darned comfortable to use without the side handle, too. But keep in mind that, like other high-powered drills, it’s safer and more controlled to use in high torque applications, or when there’s risk of binding or kick-back.
Maybe I was looking for there to be a difference, but I thought I could feel a slight difference – and improvement – in the comfort of both grips.
Gen 1 vs. Gen 2 M18 Fuel Drill Comparison
As mentioned, the differences between Gen1 (left) and Gen2 (right) drills isn’t very obvious at the surface. The direction selection switch is different, the speed selection switch is changed a little, the housing looks a little different, the clutch selection dial is shaped differently, and so forth.
Gen1 models are the 2603 drill/driver and 2604 hammer drill.
The first thing you’ll notice is that the 2nd-gen 2704 hammer drill is shorter, lengthwise. Although a 2703 drill/driver wasn’t available, you should see the same improvement in size.
The grip is also a little different, and the new drill is also shorter, height-wise.
Inside is where you’ll see more differences. First, the electronics from near the battery section has been moved to the handle, where the switch, control, and safety electronics are now all bundled together. The whole shebang is potted with epoxy, and there’s a heatsink on top to help cool things down.
Air is drawn into the tool from the bottom vents, over the heatsink fins, and out the back near the motor.
There are much subtler differences that you can only notice when the tool is taken apart like this. For one, the drive components are larger. To handle the higher torque, the chuck spindle connection is now 9/16″ wide, from 1/2″. To clarify, this is the connection between gearbox and chuck; the chuck is still a 1/2″ metal single-sleeve ratcheting type.
And look at how the black overmolded grip attaches to the red plastic housing. I noticed double anchor points on the 2nd-gen drill, and regret not asking about that aspect. I don’t recall seeing any issues about grips peeling off, but these grips look even more securely attached. Scroll back up to the heatsink photo for a better look.
There also looks to be more plastic at the area where the handle meets the battery connection section. Maybe this makes that area more rigid and stronger. It certainly shouldn’t hurt.
Pricing and Availability
While the pricing hasn’t yet been announced, I asked and was told that the 2703 and 2704 drills and kits should be priced comparably to the previous generation 2603 and 2604 offerings. I don’t know if that takes into account the larger battery packs or not.
ETA: August 2015
Summary
Overall, the new 2nd-gen Milwaukee M18 Fuel brushless hammer drill and drill/driver look to have a good chance of reigning as the best cordless drills on the market. I only used the hammer drill to drill a couple of 3/4″ (or was that a 1″ auger bit?) in 2x materials, but it was an effortless and comfortable experience.
If you couldn’t already tell, I am VERY excited about these developments.
Specs
2703 Drill/Driver
- 1,200 in-lbs max torque
- 0-550/0-2,000 RPM low/high speed gearbox
- 7.5″ long
- 4.9 lbs weight
- 1/2″ metal single sleeve ratcheting chuck
- Comes with side handle, belt clip, bit holder
2704 Hammer Drill
- 1,200 in-lbs max torque
- 0-550/0-2,000 RPM low/high speed gearbox
- 32,000 BPM
- 7.75″ long
- 1/2″ metal single sleeve ratcheting chuck
- Comes with side handle, belt clip, bit holder
What Do You Think?
I tend to get over-enthusiastic about new product releases, but I can usually filter out any BS.
For example, at the Milwaukee media event, one demonstration involved lifting a very heavy weight with the drill set to high speed mode. Ordinarily, you would use the drill in low speed mode for higher torque applications. The new Milwaukee drills triumphed over 2 competing models, but what does this really show? And not all competing models were included in the demonstration.
Given all of the information presented above, what’s your take on the new 2nd-gen brushless M18 Fuel drills?
Noah
waiting patiently for a side by side of the M18 FUEL impact drivers.
Stuart
Working on that now! The differences are a bit more dramatic.
Pablo
So whats really at play here?
Unless they developed some anti-rotation technology like Bosch did with their HDH181X (which I doubt they did, otherwise you’d hear nothing but this from them), then something doesn’t add up. I’m leaning towards massaged numbers due to a different testing procedure, but I’d love to be proved wrong.
I’ve handled the XPH and it does need that giant handle when it catches, no question, but it’s too hefty of a drill for everyday use IMHO.
Mattias Schill
With the Milwaukee overload protection that kicks in so fast you dont really need any other protection like the bosch.
And I have tested this drill and it blows Makita and Bosch or even Hilti for that matter, Clean out of the water.
(Sorry for the bad English …..from Sweden)
Jason
The Gen 2 Fuel drills look pretty awesome. I don’t see the point of the Milwaukee compact brushless anymore to be honest. I think that is more of a price point product than size and weight. The one thing that surprised me was the difference in the size of the auxiliary handle like you mentioned verses Makita.
Hugh
I’m sold with the 2,000 rpm in 2nd or high speed. I was looking at getting the hilti drill but I will wait now. I have really enjoyed all the fuel line of tools. The power these tools have I never would have imagined they could get that kind of production out of cordless tools.
dcl10
I have the first gen and it’s a great drill, but I will be the first to admit Milwaukee seems to fudge their torque numbers. Most of the tests online usually put them about 100 inch pounds less than what they claim, makita and bosch usually are much closer to their claimed numbers. So the 1200 number is very fishy to me in that it’s just barely more than the makita, and also a conveniently round number. My father in law has the makita and the long handle is genuinely nessesary. If you are using a hole saw or something and it bites, it’s difficult to control even with the handle. It’s a beast, but the overload protection is very aggressive on the makita and it will basically shut the tool down if the battery has less than 25% on it and you are working it to hard.
jimmie
“Milwaukee’s product manager explained that it’s not the maximum torque delivery that factors into how long a side handle needs to be to meet UL guidelines, but the maximum reactive force that a user might experience.”
Does this imply that these drills employ some sort of reactive torque compensation tech similar to Bosch?
I’d be pretty wary of using a drill that could break my wrist should the drill bit bind. I wonder how difficult it would be to design a drill that detects whether the auxiliary handle is attached and, if not, automatically dials down the maximum torque?
Drew M
Assuming the speed controller has current shunts or some other method for monitoring the current draw of the motor, limiting the output would not be hard to implement at all. I honestly wonder if Milwaukee put some code in their speed controller to detect a locked rotor and back off the throttle faster than you can let off the switch to soften the blow of a jammed bit.
Stuart
No, there’s no reactive torque sensor that’s akin to Bosch’s (https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/bosch-18v-drills-ddh181x-hdh181x/%3C/a%3E%29.%3C/p%3E
The drill seems to be perfectly controllable, but Milwaukee outright said that there’s no specific kickback mitigation in these model.
I tried to bind it up, but couldn’t. I really want to see what happens if/when it does bind and counter-rotate.
The handle is probably longer than with the previous models, but there were no side-by-side comparisons available.
Joe
Yeah, I’m sure that will be even more fun to use with a hole saw.
The most common setting that I use on my dcd995 is the 1200 rpm setting. Just enough power and doesn’t feel as dangerous as low speed, especially on a ladder.
Drew M
I keep looking at the Milwaukee Fuel products and I like a lot of what I see. I’ve been slightly disappointed by my 18v Bosch tools when comparing them to my 12v tools. I expected the 18v versions to be more powerful (in real life use) than they turned out to be. I can see myself switching to Milwaukee cordless tools in the future.
William
The trigger being further forward of the grip is great. In an hour long Home Depot Milwaukee vs Dewalt ergonomics OCD session I figured out that it was the Milwaukee trigger being too close to the rest of the grip which made the trigger slide and stick to my middle finger that was bothering me. The Dewalt won that round because of what Milwaukee just fixed.
mnoswad
i did the same thing back in the old days when i was choosing a cordless tool platform. I cared less about the minor differences on performance numbers and decided the tools that felt best in the hand due to ergonomics would win. I ended up with dewalt 18 volt.
trigger/handgrip ergonomics will again play an important role in my switchover to the new generation of cordless tools. But so will the expansiveness of the platform, and performance. Now that milwaukee has a cordless planer coming, i think the choice is getting easier.
Joe
These tool companies are making there drills way to powerful, I’m nervous when I’m using a 500 lbs drill with a big hole saw breaking my wrist with 1200 lbs I’ll be worried about breaking my arm that is why they have impact drivers and wrenches so you can get that power without the worry of breaking something
Chris Fyfe
The gen 1’s weren’t exactly wimpy . I was amazed by there performance . These creatures should be even better . Shorter and sleeker in the case of impacts is always good . I like the concept of different mode 4 for different models . Sounds like Team Red listens to input , and has some real engineering punch .
Was there any new M12 stuff released ? My default impact is the M12 Fuel , my default drill is M12 Fuel drill driver . I have pretty much given up on Combi hammers . I just go to either the M12 Fuel 5/8 rotary hammer , or the M18 11/8 ” Rotary hammer .
Chris
Chris Fyfe
BTW , for those who haven’t used them , the 5Ah cells are well worth it . If you buy the two packs , they aren’ t cost prohibitive . In Canada a two pack is about $200.00 . By way of comparison , the Home Depot wants about C$140.00 for a single 4.0 AH .
For me there is no perceptible difference in how the tools handle. .
Chris
Richard G.
I have 1st gen, and it is a great drill. Now, this 2nd gen has twice power, 1200 compare to 550… How much will I loose by selling my old on and buying this 2nd gen? 🙂 Thankfully I still didn’t buy my big impact yet, so i can wait three more months or so to get the. Ew model. I hoped this year they would make a good nailgun, but they didn’t, at least thank you for the planer Milwaukee, but please, make a good nailgun, and tell us that it is in planning for such a time, otherwise I’d have to mix in some yellow color, those guys are on the top with it. Now, This new drill is a good competitor to the Hilti , so I will not be too much wishing for a Hilti tools anymore. Great job Stuart! Thank you for letting us know about team red new tools.
victor serpa
I have the same situation…………..does anyone have any price quotes on the following ……..270422 {1200 inch pounds} ……………the new planer 3 and a quarter”…………hole hawg 2709-22…………..and 9 amp battery……………your response will be greatly appreciated………………THX…………..victor.
Stuart
Patience. The Fuel drill kiy should be about the same as the 2604-22 kit, and the other prices will be available as we get closer to the tools’ launch.
Stuart
Thanks, and you’re welcome! I take pride in knowing that I go into a level of detail won’t find anywhere else. I could pick the brains of Milwaukee product managers and engineers all day when given the chance!
Richard G.
I thought that 9 amp battery was just a teaser, and it is not real one… Was it a real working battery Stuart? Any talks about it whatsoever? If it is real, I’ll skip 5 amp ones 🙂
Stuart
6.0Ah and 9.0Ah batteries are very real. The post about them is set to go up on ToolGuyd at 9am ET today, so hang in there!
For future reference, the battery post, and posts about all of the new tools I learned about, will be listed here: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/tag/milwaukee-nps15/%3C/a%3E .
Adabhael
Minor nitpick, but where is the bit holder? As a DIY, rather than pro user, I really appreciate keeping a simple 2-sided bit on the drill. IIRC, the first generation Fuel also did not have this feature, and, along with the ergonomics cited above, contributed to my decision to go with a different platform.
Stuart
It should be a separate attachment that screws into where the belt clip goes. Belt clip on one side of the tool, bit holder on the other.
Joe C
I actually just bought a 2704 and was disappointed as I had a old phillips/slotted double sided bit I didnt meassure but believe it to be your standard 1/4 bit and while it fit into the bit holder it was able to slide back and forth to where I would have been concerned with it sliding out.
Does the 2704 hammer drill need a proprietary bit or ?
Stuart
That’s unusual. Do you see the same when a 2″ bit or standard bit bolder is used?
FPQ
Am wondering if you got the chance to see if the drill has any wobble (run-out) ? I have checked some of the recent Milwaukee drills (eg 2604, 2702) and have been surprised at the amount of wobble (30 to 40″). And yes, I used a straight drill with a dial gauge. Anyone else with a similar experience ?
I get it that its not a precision drill but when you are paying over $200, I am thinking it should not have noticeable wobble.
Taylor
i was wondering the same thing sbout chuck wobble. I’ve seen a number of 2702’s with significant chuck wobble. Checked out a few 2704 Fuel Generation 2 and 2 had visible runout with a drill bit installed, 1 had no runout at all with a 1″ spade bit, and 1 had a sticky binding chuck.
Rob
Where will it end my drill is batter then yours. So what want more power get a cord drill they been arond for a long time…
Jerry
I purchased 2702 a week ago excellent tool but that 2704 looks mighty tempting.
Seeing Home depot has 90 day return policy I may swap it out for 2704 if stocked in time
Jordan
This is what I’ve been waiting for. The 1,200 in lbs is crazy. I will be buying this the day it comes out. Dewalt needs to step up their game with their drills. I am a huge Milwaukee fan and always will be. Great post TIA.
Dimakiir
How will something like this compare to for example the Milwaukee Hole Hawg?
I can’t find much specs on the Hole Hawg to compare, only description how much of a power house it is.
With this new milwaukee drill being so powerfull and light, I’m wondering whats the point of the Hole Hawg now, when thinking of the pure power aspect (not form factor, holes per charge, quick-change chuck etc)?
I’ve always wondered if one could get the “one” tool to do all the hole drilling needs (forstner, auger, metal etc) without boging down, and how big holes will it do before having to go to SDS or something larger..
Jerry
PLATT has 2704 available for 366.00 – https://www.platt.com/platt-electric-supply/Milwaukee/2704-22/product.aspx?zpid=166083
2704 is pretty pricey so no upgrade for me 2702 gets the job done +.
Stuart
I’m told they’ll cost the same as the previous models. Can’t trust Platt prices since the tools aren’t available yet, and industrial suppliers often have higher prices than retailers and smaller independent distributors.
Jerry
Right on just took look at Home Depot online finding sell price 299.00.
Called my local store they have none in stock or in receiving.
I’m returning my 2702 back to Home Depot , getting their online credit & wait 2704 availability.
Jeff
Ordered from Home depot 8-15 in stock then went back order an hour later.
Got email last night new toy is on the way will be receiving Monday.
Jeff
Item received & wow what a nice piece of hardware.
First thing I noticed is much tighter build then 2702.
When you shake tool everything is snug top end & battery attachment .
Pic – http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=64kocx&s=8#.VeTnNvlFX1Y
Mike
It appears the motor is the same as gen 1 so they probably removed capacitors and restrictors to up the power, and why do we need all this power I mean the 1st generation was powerful enough for 98% of the jobs thrown at it this seems like a pissing contest there upset makita has a drill more powerful and I’m sure Dewalt and Bosch are going to come out with even more powerful ones isn’t that why we have impact driver and wrenches so we don’t break are wrist or fatigue are selves is Milwaukee that insecure about their products I mean they just came out with their gen1 two years ago you shouldn’t need another drill for at least another five years
Stuart
The Gen1 M18 Fuel drill and hammer drill were announced nearly 4 years ago, and came out 3-1/2+ years ago. They’re not exactly long in the tooth, but Milwaukee developed a lot of new brushless motor tech since that initial release.
I don’t know what came first in Milwaukee’s drawing board – the OneKey drills and drivers, or the Fuel Gen2 ones. That answer to this could possibly explain why we’re seeing Gen2 after less than 4 years.
tcmault
Just order the 2704-22 and got a free M18 latern. Could really see the need to wait for a one-key hammer drill. Impact wrench yes, but drill, no. This will be my first Milwaukee too. Probably not the last.
Toolpig
I have been enjoying this drill for a couple of months now. I had the first gen as well. It’s a great all around drill. I feel it’s one of my favorites. I also run both compact brushless drills and the Makita XPH07. I think my true favorite is the compact brushless. It’s more the size and weight that feels right for most jobs. The fuel Gen2 is a little big and heavy for all round use. Interestingly , it has more torque than the xph 07 on high speed. (2,000 vs 2,100 rpm) but it has less than the Makita on low speed. 550 rpm. I have used both side by side extensively. I like both very much. But despite the higher claim on torque, it’s not higher than the Makita in real life. The big Makita will drive larger screws faster. It will drive 12″x half inch lag bolts all the way to the head. The fuel 2 will almost do it but it starts smoking and goes into protect mode. I think it should go into protect mode before it produces smoke. Still it’s a solid performer and a step n the right direction as far as size and power go????
pete
I need to pull the trigger very soon on one, and I can’t make up my mind. The Makita is $40 more, comes with the 4.0 instead of the 5.0ah the red gives you, and has a lower torque rating – but all the reviews I’m reading on it are similar to what you said above. I won’t be spending time hanging pictures…I’ll be pushing this thing pretty hard, and all the reviews I’m reading are pointing me toward the Makita despite the fact that I’m typically pretty loyal to Milwaukee.
Devin
Picked the 2nd gen up from HD. 400 bucks for the kit impact and hamme drill 2 batteries. The impact is an unbelievable machine running screws or automotive fasteners. My gripe is the unbelievable amount of runout on the hammer drill. drilling mode into steel with any bit from 1/4 to 1/2″ is brutal from the chucks run out causing vibration. Saddens me as this kit is incredible in every regard except thus.
tcmault
Can you explain what you mean by run out?
Stefan shearon
No matter what ”your” opinion is. I’m giving mine. I’m a commercial16yrs/ residential 12 yrs cabinet maker/ installer/ finisher. Whatever you call it. I’ve had majors/ then desalt, to Milwaukee and to Bosc. As far as ME Bosch has best jigsaw, hammer drill, impactor, best warranty, best over all tool. Every drill I’ve ever had. Ever. !!! Bosch is the only trigger that hasn’t gone out. And I use my tools more than most. Drills that is. Constantly. All frikin day. Bosch “RULES”!!!!!!!!!!
Gary
Now if the big red M could fix the battery clips on the 12 volt batteries, Just bought a new hacksall 12 volt tool and like it a lot for specific jobs but try to get the battery out, ugh.
tcmault
I don’t think the chuck spindle is 1/2″x20. I just purchased a Rohm 893352. It does not fit. Now I’m unsure what size to purchase as a replacement.
Niki
Milwaukee M18 FPD SECON GENERATION have The very low quality of the chuck has a huge deviation due to cheap Chinese production and lack of quality control. In addition, the chuck is not covered by the warranty. I’m sorry I did not buy Makita or Dewalt.
mitch
does anyone have a schematic for just the gear assembly itself? i have a few drills that ive taken apart, id like to try to put back together 2704-20 m18