A reader sent in a tip about this Milwaukee M18 Top-Off compact AC inverter and 5Ah battery bundle. (Thank you Jim Felt!)
The Milwaukee Top-Off is basically a supercharged USB charging adapter AND it has a 120V AC port for powering lighter duty electronics (175W max output).
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The Top-Off fits all Milwaukee M18 batteries, it has separate on/off buttons for USB and AC ports, and it also has a USB C PD port (45W max output) in addition to the typical USB A (2.4A).
You can learn more about the Milwaukee M18 Top-Off here.
As a bare tool/accessory, the Top-Off typically sells for $99 by itself.
Over at Home Depot, they took the Top-Off and bundled it with an XC 5.0Ah battery, with a $149 bundle price.
During the holiday seasons, you can usually get a 2-pack of 3.0Ah batteries for $99 or $100. By extension, promo pricing puts the M18 3.0Ah batteries at ~$50 each.
With this bundle, you get a 5.0Ah battery with the Top-Off. If you consider the Top-Off’s $99 bare tool price, $50 extra for a 5.0Ah battery is a pretty good deal.
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If you want the Top-Off and have been eager for a 5.0Ah battery but didn’t want to spend the regular retail price ($139 for 1, $199 for 2), $149 seems to be a very good price for this bundle.
Bundle Price: $149
Buy Now via Home Depot
Compare: Top-Off via Tool Nut
Thank you Jim for the heads-up!
Nate B
They were SO CLOSE to the 60W USB-C output that would make this truly useful for laptops and stuff, and stopped just short? Whyyyy?!
Dean
Agreed! I need 65W for my Lenovo notebook. If I could charge that in the field off this it would be a winner! Back to the drawing board Milwaukee.
Stuart
If your laptop charger draws less than 175W, can’t you bring your Lenovo charger with you and make use of the AC adapter?
Jacob
You suffer from double conversion loss that way, converting from DC to AC and back to DC. Obviously better than not having any juice at all but it’s less efficient.
Dean
Exactly. Yes it would work, but less efficiently. Much easier to carry a short usb cable than a power brick and cords.
Doresoom
My laptop needs 130W from its USB C power supply. Is the 60W rating supposed to be standard?
MoogleMan3
Hard pass for me. No more 18650 M18 batts for me.
Will
I have 21700 packs but I still prefer to use the 5.0 the most because of the physical size & runtime. I don’t mind the wider width of the 21700s but I don’t like the longer length of the 21700 packs. I hate that they stick out farther forward, can get real annoying for certain tools.
MoogleMan3
I haven’t found it to be an issue yet; it does stick out past the snout of the gen 3 impact, but once a driver bit is installed, it’s moot. the 3.0 high outputs are my go-tos with 6.0s for my more demanding tools like the circular saw.
Big Richard
On something like this, I think I would actually prefer the 5Ah 18650 pack. You don’t need that extra juice from 21700 cells, and I’d rather not rob one my HO tools of its battery. As Will said, I think the 5Ah is ideal for size-to-runtime on this application.
Bob
The USB C interface would be cleaner/easier than plugging in the laptop “brick” into the 120v outlet but it *should* work just fine. I say “should” because I was told only charge laptops from “clean” power sources. Either a wall outlet or a pure sine wave inverter. I’m guessing this inverter is square wave?
Now the laptop brick is a switched power supply not a constant voltage transformer. I would asume the brick has some built in filtering to clean up some of the harmonics from the square wave so as not to affect the sensative electronics of the laptop?
Also heard not to charge lithium batteries from a square wave inverter either. Not sure if its a fairy tale or legit. Have charged my laptop a few times off an old square wave Coleman inverter running off the cars 12v system. Didn’t fry the laptop yet.
Either way I wish DeWalt had a small portable inverter with 120v A/C available.
Mac
Dewalt has one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-1800-Watt-Portable-Power-Station-and-20-Volt-60-Volt-MAX-Lithium-Ion-Battery-Charger-DCB1800B/207164383
Square wave isn’t great but isn’t as deadly as the internet would have you believe. Most electronics will run hotter than normal while using them. A lot of laptops have trouble with heat management to begin with, so it could be a concern under heavy load
Bob
I did know about that inverter. Pretty sweet unit especially if you have the big 12ah batteries. And function as a charger if pluged in. I was temped a few times with those pretty sweet sales they had a while back but too physicaly large for my needs tho.
I meant a small form factor inverter like this Top Off deal. DeWalt has a DC only one that they use on their heated gear. Two USB plugs and 12v too but only at 1amp. Pretty compact. No USB-c tho.
Mac
Ah. You and I have alternate desires. I’d buy the dewalt in a heartbeat if it took my milwaukee batteries, while the topoff doesn’t do enough for me. looks like we both want the companies to emulate each other
Mac
They need a middle ground between this and the mx fuel power supply. Other brands have multibattery power stations. Really disappointed milwaukee stuck theirs on a new battery line. 175w is enough to power a battery charger for infinite power, but not enough to power most corded tools. Too limited of usage for me. Laptop seems like the best use case. Stuck with noisy generators for awhile longer
Clay
Just bought it, but really just for emergency use during a power outage.
Would like for DeWalt to have one that is 1) not so big and 2) not $500. Maybe, but you know how slow DeWalt is. Their $40 USB only charger is probably worth having but something bigger would be nice.
Perk
Just ordered one. Great for an emergency power supply.
Do wish it could power my laptop though.
NorCal
Have one for several months.
It can power any laptop just bring your brick.
Your already carrying a laptop, bag and other accessories with you.
If you wanted portability you would bring a tablet. Just saying