Milwaukee Tool has come out with a new wireless dust control adapter and remote kit, model 0950-20, which gives remote activation capabilities to any corded vacuum or dust extractor.
The dust control adapter kit comes with two pieces – a wall plug that connects between your vacuum and AC power, and a remote.
Milwaukee says that the remote pairs to the adapter in 3 seconds or less, with LEDs indicating pairing success and operation.
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The adapter is said to be compatible with any corded vacuum or dust extractor.
You can pair multiple remotes to the same adapter, which Milwaukee says makes the setup suited for shared working environments.
The plug-in adapter can be used with standard outlets and receptacles.
And Milwaukee also shows it be used with standard 3-prong extension cords as well.
The plug-in adapter looks large in some of the product photos, but Milwaukee says that it only takes up a single spot in standard outlets, leaving the other one accessible for other devices.
The set comes with the wireless dust control adapter, remote, a velcro strap, and a belt clip.
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The remote has a range of up to 100 feet. It features a battery door, on/off button for vacuum activation, pairing button, and pairing status LED indicator.
The included strap allows you to wear the remote on your wrist, or attach to the end of your vacuum hose, which is how I would use it.
The included belt clip gives you additional placement options.
Update: The Milwaukee vacuum remote is UL-listed for USA and Canada, and is rated for 120V devices up to 12A.
Price: $119 for the set (0950-20), $49 for each additional remote (0951-20)
ETA: July-August 2022
At the time of this posting, use coupon code TOOLGUYD to save $10 on $79+ orders at Acme Tools. This is a one-time-use code, and Acme’s standard brand exclusions apply.
Discussion
There are a couple of other universal-type corded vacuum activation remotes currently on the market, and it’s good to have more options.
This Milwaukee definitely looks to be compact and portable, making it suited for workshop or jobsite use. Its range – up to 100ft – looks to be another advantage over competing remote activation products.
In addition to being more compact than other options, the Milwaukee also allows for multiple remotes to activate the same AC adapter.
I should point out that, while designed with dust extractor and shop vacuums in mind, remotes like this can also work with air cleaners and other such equipment.
I wish the Milwaukee set was a little less expensive, but there doesn’t seem to be anything else to complain about.
Competing Options
- PSI Woodworking Long Ranger III Remote Switch – $89 at Amazon
- iVAC Pro Remote Control – $100 at Amazon
- Festool CT Dust Extractor Vac Remote Module – $82 at Amazon
- Jet Remote Control for Dust Collectors – $130 at Amazon
Smart outlets, such as Kasa’s 15A model ($10 at Amazon, $15 for 2), can also work for a lot of remote corded activation needs. If you have WiFi in your workshop or workspace, a Smart Home device (e.g. Amazon Alexa/Echo) plus a smart outlet can cost appreciably less than remote adapters designed specially for shop vacuums and dust extractors.
However, smartphone activation can be slow and cumbersome, and voice activation doesn’t work very well over the noise of power tools, a dust extractor vacuum, or both.
James C
I’ve been using a $15 remote outlet on my vac for years. It’s an etekcity from Amazon. There are lots of brands that make these – just search for “wireless outlet.”
MoogleMan3
Came to post this. The ones I currently use are “HBN” branded. They do the job just fine.
Farid
I use a similar one to this from HD. They are very ubiquitous around the holidays. Very easy and does not take up all outlets.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/BLACK-DECKER-Outdoor-Wireless-Outlet-with-Remote-2-Grounded-Outlets-Remote-Light-Switches-BDXPA0010/317603250
To help with noise, I keep teh vacuum as far away form me while working, and use a 20ft hose. remote is a must. It makes a lot of difference in amount of noise I am exposed to for long periods.
Stuart
Are any of those cheap remote controlled outlets on Amazon UL-listed? It might not matter for DIYers or independent users, but it could be a problem for certain users in commercial or industrial environments.
Big Richard
These are, and they work decent enough:
https://www.menards.com/main/p-1444425969250-c-12683.htm
This is an option for corded shop tools:
https://www.menards.com/main/p-1564554532826-c-6483.htm
Franck B.
I’d like the Milwaukee for dust extraction use, since we sometimes use 50 feet of hose between the extractor and tool. I’m one of those people that needs UL-listed stuff, and cUL won’t cut it if there’s an accident (I presume they’re being precise stating it is cUL and not cULus, or UL+CSA).
Honestly, we’re using tools at non-cleanroom sites and I would spend the extra for the Milwaukee as it seems more suited to industrial uses.
Those other low-cost items are probably suitable for DIY use, but I’d rather not corners when i might have to answer to OSHA.
John
Was so excited at seeing these, but hard pass. I have 5 Fein vacs all with $15 Amazon outdoor outlet remotes that work perfectly. Can’t see spending close to $600 to outfit all my vacs the same with these Milwaukee units.
Awesome product, very needed, very useful, hard pass at the cost.
John E
Picked up a couple of wireless Christmas lights remotes with keychain fob after the holidays on clearance for $3 each years ago. 80 ft range without line of sight. Still going strong.
Nathan
Yeah I liked the idea at first until I saw the cost and I say I expected it to be too expensive. but it’s a great idea – others make versions of this.
durability – hard to say I suspect this is made better.
Rog
Milwaukee: “It doesn’t take up other outlets!”
Narrator: The product photo determined that was a lie.
Chris
First thing I noticed too. On a jobsite, this thing will get unplugged all day because no-one is going to let you take up a whole quad or maybe 3/4 for one device.
Stuart
Looking at the other images I included, it seems that it doesn’t block the bottom receptacle when placed in the top of a duplex outlet.
MM
If you’re referring to the drawing (as opposed to photograph) which shows the unit plugged into the top socket of the duplex outlet with the bottom outlet being free, I think that image is misleading. It looks to me like they drew the red Milwaukee unit higher up on the outlet than it really would fit. The photograph of it being plugged into the quad box and blocking all four outlets is much more telling.
Stuart
They explicitly say that it takes up one outlet and leaves the other free.
From the images and rendering, my understanding is that the male plug is offset. Because of this, if you plug it into a bottom outlet, it’ll take up a lot more space. In the bottom of a quad, it blocks everything. In a top outlet, it *shouldn’t* block the bottom outlets, as per Milwaukee’s explicit claims.
Jared
Bah! Beat me to it by 13 seconds.
MM
You and Jared are most likely correct. The perspective in the quad box photo made it seemed like it plugs straight in but after looking at it a while longer it could very well be shifted upward.
Jared
I think the prongs might be near the bottom of the unit so the bulk of the unit sits higher. E.g. when plugged into the top outlet, the bottom remains open for use. If you look at where it’s sitting compared to the bottom right outlet, you’ll see what I mean.
Why they then chose to provide a product image with it plugged into the bottom outlet and blocking three others… is beyond me.
Jared
Expensive, but good-looking product.
I wonder what other uses I could find for remote-switching. 🤔
Stephen
Is Bosch the only manufacturer that does Bluetooth linked tools? I.e., turn on the sander, rotary hammer, etc and the vacuum automatically turns on.
Rog
I think Makita also does
Stuart
Yea, albeit with a pricey add-on module.
As far as I am aware, Dewalt is the only brand that has a cordless dust vac that comes with independent remote activation.
MoogleMan3
Festool does this as well, but the bluetooth is built into the batteries and not the tools.
Big Richard
DeWalt has it as well. Not many tools in the NA market have it, mainly roto hammers, but their Euro spec tools like miter saws have it built in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jufA0jFflU
Mark
I use one I got from Amazon as well. It has three buttons for three separate outlets. One for the dust collector, one for miscellaneous, and one for my table saw.
I have found that using one for the table saw works great for cutting sheet goods by myself. I can set up outfeed support, make sure the remote is set to off, flip on both switches for the saw, (I have one in addition to the standard saw on/off), get the sheet of plywood all set up and then use the button to start the saw. Once I get it through, I can use the switch on the saw to turn it off. This seemed like a much safer idea than having to turn the saw on and then maneuver the sheet to cut it while the blade is spinning.
Joseph Krahn
Would’ve been cool if it turned the vacuum on automatically when a vibration is detected.
I have the iVac tool sensors in my wood shop and they turn on my dust collector automatically when electrical current is detected in the power cord wire.
fred
$10 off at Acme using promo code TCC10
MM
Looks useful, it’s probably more durable than many of the other remote outlet products on the market. The remote is well thought out as well, it looks very easy to use even if you’re wearing gloves and it also seems like it’s sealed so sawdust and whatnot won’t get inside.
The price is pretty high though, and as others have said it’s enormous! I can’t imagine any technical reason why it is that big, I assume it’s just a solid state relay inside there.
JoeM
I would have thought Milwaukee would do a better job on this, if I’m being honest.
The Quality of this product is probably spectacular, same with reliability. but the form and function are… a bit off? In fact… For a Milwaukee item… this looks badly designed. And I’m only referring to the plug device. The wrist/belt option for the switch is exactly what I’d expect from a high end Milwaukee product. But that power box… Does it seem to any Milwaukee users out there to be… I dunno… Outside their usual… more sleek(?) design ethic? Didn’t they have that battery power supply thing a lot closer to the battery’s dimensions, but supplemented the electronics onboard by making it taller, instead of wider? I would think they would do something similar with this device, making it narrower to not be able to block plugs on the side, simply by making it… extended out more?
That’s a lot of question marks, and I know I seem confused… I’m actually running on very little sleep, but I just can’t shake this weird feeling that this (Still Milwaukee Quality, make no mistake.) doesn’t seem completely like Milwaukee in design. There’s… Inconveniences that I wouldn’t normally expect from a Milwaukee tool… And no… I’m not bashing them due to being a DeWALT guy… I respect Milwaukee deeply these days… I just don’t know the tools anywhere near well enough to put the right… Milwaukee-Speak to what I’m seeing.
Anybody else getting this, or is this another headache post for Stuart? (I’m sorry Stuart.)
Stuart
Respectfully, try to keep your thoughts concise. I sometimes write on very little sleep as well, and trim things down numerous times. Sometimes sometimes that’s not enough and I’m still a bit too wordy, but most times it helps.
If you cannot say your piece without apologizing for it, that’s a sign you should trim things down.
Anyway, I’m thinking that it’s overbuilt for durability considerations. Drop a $10 smart outlet on the floor, drag it through some sawdust, and subject it to vibrations from a busy jobsite or old truck that needs a new suspension. Then do the same with this one. Which one is more likely to work?
Or it just be an overly chunky design for some other reason.
It does look larger than I would have expected.
Jason. W
did we all forget about the clapper?
Clap-on. Clap-off. boom
Stuart
Can you imagine what would happen when using more rhythmic tools such as a rotary hammer? Ha!
BH
FastCap has one for 36 bucks that has served me well for 10+ years: https://www.fastcap.com/product/remote-control-vacuum . Milwaukee could just slap their sticker on the outside of that one and make a killing.
MoogleMan3
Looks nifty. That solves the only peeve I have with all the various remote outlets you can get on amazon: no way to easily connect the remote to the vac hose.
Albert
I’ve been using a “Fosmon WavePoint” from Amazon for 3 years with my large Ridgid vac. Both have been excellent. It is currently $14. I believe I paid $11. It is ETL listed, not as good as UL, but better than nothing. And by nothing, I mean TUV or CE.
Julian Tracy
Christmas light remotes work great – just look at the specs, many are rated for
1 1/2HP motors, higher amperage. Been using a few for years for both my portable vacs (Festool/Hilti) and “real” dust collectors, Jet/Delta)
H Pax
Metabo has had an auto-start/stop control for a number years. 90 euro, so cheaper than this attempt
https://www.metabo.com/com/en/accessories/other-accessories/accessories-for-vacuum-cleaners/cordlesscontrol/start-stop-set-cordlesscontrol-type-f-630231000.html
Uses vibrations for a trigger, so is not platform bound. Unfortunately no 110/60hz version – Euro only.
Stuart
Thanks! I wonder how difficult it would be for Metabo to adapt that design for the USA/NA market.
MFC
There we go, that’s a useful innovation.
Joe L
Hmm. I wonder if there’s a relay/contactor inside this.
My experience has been hit or miss with some smart outlets and high amperage / in-rush devices.
Adam
Looks nice. If i used a vac without tool activation I would certainly consider this. I have the bluetooth buttons on my festool vacs and I use that little button way more than I expected. I think the festool strap button is a little nicer as it already integrates with the vacs bluetooth, it compliments nicely with their tool and bluetooth battery activation. Different price point of course.
I found when I used these the most is right after I use a tool on the work piece. For example make a cut with the dust collector running from tool activation the set the tool aside, pop the hose off and push the button to turn the vac back on and clean up any dust left of the work piece, do that all day long and after having it wouldn’t want to work without it.