# Milwaukee M18 vs Fuel



## HAL9000 (Feb 28, 2016)

I own a fuel drill and impact which I love, looking to replace the rest of my old stuff, torn between buying fuel or just the regular M18 stuff, anyone notice a huge difference, fella I work with claims Fuel is just a money grab


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

The guy you work with doesn't know what he's talking about.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

99cents said:


> The guy you work with doesn't know what he's talking about.


Listen to this man^^

Always get the Fuel model when available.


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## Grogan14 (Jul 16, 2009)

No comparison. Your coworker sounds bitter. Probably a DeWalt guy.


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

Fuel flat out rules. No comparison. Nuff said.


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## WIsparky71 (Mar 7, 2015)

My company has always provided Dewalt 18v. In my experience, is always a trigger, Chuck, or battery connection that goes bad. Would a brushless tool prevent this? Idk. That being said, I'm a sucker for the best, so that's FUEL for me. All of my personal tools are FUEL. Usually if you wait they have a deal too good to pass up. They just got me on the buy 2 bare tools get 2 5.0 batteries and a bag for free.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

WIsparky71 said:


> My company has always provided Dewalt 18v. In my experience, is always a trigger, Chuck, or battery connection that goes bad. Would a brushless tool prevent this? Idk. That being said, I'm a sucker for the best, so that's FUEL for me. All of my personal tools are FUEL. Usually if you wait they have a deal too good to pass up. They just got me on the buy 2 bare tools get 2 5.0 batteries and a bag for free.


No, I have had problems with Fuel chucks.


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## WIsparky71 (Mar 7, 2015)

99cents said:


> No, I have had problems with Fuel chucks.


I haven't beat mine enough to have a problem yet, plus my m18 hole hawg does my heavy drilling. I honestly have no complaints about the companies' Dewalt 18v other than weight.


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## cbledsoe89 (Nov 16, 2015)

99cents said:


> No, I have had problems with Fuel chucks.


I have had to send mine off to have it repaired as well, others I know have the same problem


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## KennyW (Aug 31, 2013)

cbledsoe89 said:


> I have had to send mine off to have it repaired as well, others I know have the same problem


I guess, but the impacts are just _so good_ and have _so many_ bit attachments I tend to reach for a regular drill less and less...


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

cbledsoe89 said:


> I have had to send mine off to have it repaired as well, others I know have the same problem


Complaining about the chuck when talking different motor systems is like blaming the tires for disliking a car manufacturer. Just my two cents no insult intended.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

I have a boatload of DeWalt for personal / hobby use and they hold up well in that area. Any place I have seen them used by employees of a business they had a ple of broken ones somewhere not far away. Milwaukee has always been great (batteries a weak point in the past) they last well. I haven't tried the Fuel line yet but have heard all positive things.


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## JMotley (Nov 5, 2015)

I was excited to upgrade to the Fuel kit but have been somewhat disappointed. The impact is fantastic. No problems at all. My only suggestion with the impact is make sure you don't use cheap bits. The torque on the impact will eat sub par bits. My hammer drill is the disappointment. I went through 6 or 7 boxes at the store and all had off centered chucks from the factory. So I went with the least bad one. The other issue I have is with the new feature that is intended to cut power when it feels like the torque is too high and may cause an injury. Well my drill just cuts out half way through most drilling jobs. 
Has any one else had these issues?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

JMotley said:


> I was excited to upgrade to the Fuel kit but have been somewhat disappointed. The impact is fantastic. No problems at all. My only suggestion with the impact is make sure you don't use cheap bits. The torque on the impact will eat sub par bits. My hammer drill is the disappointment. I went through 6 or 7 boxes at the store and all had off centered chucks from the factory. So I went with the least bad one. The other issue I have is with the new feature that is intended to cut power when it feels like the torque is too high and may cause an injury. Well my drill just cuts out half way through most drilling jobs.
> Has any one else had these issues?


I would send the drill in for repair, normally when a tool is gone over by the factory repair people the item comes back better than one that just rolled off the line.


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## cbledsoe89 (Nov 16, 2015)

Mech Diver said:


> Complaining about the chuck when talking different motor systems is like blaming the tires for disliking a car manufacturer. Just my two cents no insult intended.


I was just giving the only known problem I have had, the extra torque has snapped the screw that holds the Chuck on


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

cbledsoe89 said:


> I was just giving the only known problem I have had, the extra torque has snapped the screw that holds the Chuck on



I had that same thing happen years ago with an electric hammer drill. Seems the common complaint is the chucks so if enough get sent back they may switch them all out as a recall.


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## JMotley (Nov 5, 2015)

I'd send it in if I could stand to be without it for an indefinite amount of time. I don't have a back up kit.


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## OldMasterTech (Mar 12, 2014)

Go with Fuel, you won't regret it. Fuel obsolesces corded tools for all but the heaviest, most demanding jobs.

A comment on the guys pointing out failure of chuck screws - this is caused by continued use of the tool with the chuck screw loose - check it for blue loctite and tighten to the torque recommended for the particular tool. And remember the chuck screw is left hand thread.


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## nbb (Jul 12, 2014)

The M12 Fuel impact became my go-to power driver almost instantly. It has the power to drive in 3 inch long screws, and the finesse to put tapcons in. The M18 fuel would snap them very quick, but I still pull that out when using bigger paddle bits. I own both Fuel and regular in M12 and M18 impact, as well as rotary hammer. I sold my non-Fuel roto-hammer shortly after I got the Fuel, and gave my M12 impact to my dad after I got the Fuel one. My regular M18 impact only has an advantage of being shorter from bit to back of the case compared to the M12 Fuel, but it still sits dormant. The M12 Fuel certainly seems to have as much power as the M18 plain.

For me, the three Fuel products I use exceed my expectations, Chinese-made and all.

No problems with the M18 batteries, I even have an ancient one that does not have the "red lithium" markings. I wish the M12 batteries were built more durable, my M12XC battery suffered a huge fall, and is now having trouble keeping connection on the data pins, especially with the hackzall. I have yet to see an 12v battery system that does not hook up the same way a Milwaukee's, so this is not a huge demerit.

All in all, Fuel tools have treated me very well. I have even surprised quite a few old timers who thought cordless tools were a joke. The rotary hammer in particular surprises people. It goes through batteries pretty quick, but I am very happy they decided to make it powerful to sacrifice battery life.


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## KennyW (Aug 31, 2013)

Agreed. My M12 fuel impact is my single most favorite tool. 

I think it's really true that M12 fuel replaces the 18v cordless tools of yesterday, and m18 fuel replaces the corded tools of yesterday.


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## nbb (Jul 12, 2014)

KennyW said:


> Agreed. My M12 fuel impact is my single most favorite tool.
> 
> I think it's really true that M12 fuel replaces the 18v cordless tools of yesterday, and m18 fuel replaces the corded tools of yesterday.


I forgot the best part, I only paid $99 for my fuel impact. I am old and try to minimize the weight on my belt.


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## TheLivingBubba (Jul 23, 2015)

I have the M12 Fuel impact, and M18 fuel impact and drill. The M12 fuel impact is great for driving screws and doing make up. I keep the M12 on the belt and the M18 in my back pack. When driving sammy's for MC racks the M18 fuel impact is great. When drilling joists or top plates the M18 fuel drill will do 90% of what I need without busting out a super hawg. 

I have an M18 drill and M18 impact as backups but haven't touched them since I got the fuel.

The fuel sawzall is much better than the regular. I have a M18 grinder and haven't tried the fuel grinder yet.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

The M12 Fuel impact really is awesome. Since I do mostly service work, I carry it with me at all times. I use it with a Daredevil spade bit to drill holes.


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## Forge Boyz (Nov 7, 2014)

The other issue I have is with the new feature that is intended to cut power when it feels like the torque is too high and may cause an injury. Well my drill just cuts out half way through most drilling jobs. 
Has any one else had these issues?[/QUOTE]

That's protection for the lithium cells and it's not just a Milwaukee thing. We have 2 Bosch brute drills, and the one has it and the other doesn't. As annoying as it can be it's not as bad the older one that can jam your hand up against something and keep it there. When it does that it twists the handle and locks the trigger on. It's actually a little dangerous.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

I just picked up two Milwaukee Fuel Drill/Impact combos at HD on clearance for $135 each, plus an additional free high capacity battery with each kit. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

Jrzy said:


> The M12 Fuel impact really is awesome. Since I do mostly service work, I carry it with me at all times. I use it with a Daredevil spade bit to drill holes.


Likewise, I keep my Fuel impact on my tool bag with me. I started using a Makita 10.2 volt impact back in 2009 but once the Fuel impact came out, I sidelined it. Nothing even comes close to the Fuel line. 

I've decided to build up an M12 arsenal now after having just the impact for several years. I have those two kits and I just bought an M12 stick light on ebay. The Fuel hackzall is next. :thumbsup:


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