# Milwaukee FUEL



## Kastoria (May 5, 2008)

Anyone have the new milwaukee fuel drill/impact? Any thoughts? Looks like this is the set Im going to go with. Have plenty of brutal work to put it through the next 6 months, so it will have its chance to perform right out of the box. But the $400 price tag is a bit steep if I hear start hearing a negative response lol. So anybody have experience with it, and how do the batteries look like they will hold out? Thanks

Im considering the m18 combo as well, but thats only because the Fuel combo is sold out most places I have been looking, even my regular online sites


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## darthdude (Dec 30, 2012)

I've had the impact and hammer drill for a week and a half. Lumber yard and a great discount deal if you traded in your old stuff. I ended up with the impact, hammer drill, two chargers and 4 batteries for $400:clap:. I havn't used them a ton, but power is awesome from both tools and battery life seems great too. I spent half a day installing trex decking, that used 1/2 a full battery according to the charge indicator. I hung about 500 sq ft of Sheetrock last week, only used 3/4 of one battery, those are both on the impact. I used the hammer drill and a mixing paddle for my cover coats on the rock, it hardly bogged down at all, way better then my old Makita. My preference is a corded drill for mixing mud, but maybe now I won't worry about carrying one unless I have a ton of mud to spread. So far I am a fan!


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## Windwash (Dec 23, 2007)

I don't know anything about the Milwaukee "fuel" impact but I think you'll like the Makita if that is the route you choose and they are quite a bit less than $400.00.


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## PPRI (Oct 9, 2010)

They're my every day work horses. We have several of the impacts. One hammerdrill. I actually traded a brushless makita in on one of them.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

Makita has proven itself over and over. It batteries have not changed in years (over 6 IIRC). That means they got something right and they just keep on improving on that system.

Another I would recommend is Bosch. Although I have more Makita impacts and drills the Bosch set is my favorite. Very smooth and powerful.

In the end the truth is.......it's all a gamble really. Go with what ever you want. If the Milwuakee feels good..... get it. Even brands that I like or have liked I have gotten duds before.


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## darthdude (Dec 30, 2012)

CrpntrFrk said:


> Makita has proven itself over and over. It batteries have not changed in years (over 6 IIRC). That means they got something right and they just keep on improving on that system.
> 
> Another I would recommend is Bosch. Although I have more Makita impacts and drills the Bosch set is my favorite. Very smooth and powerful.
> 
> In the end the truth is.......it's all a gamble really. Go with what ever you want. If the Milwuakee feels good..... get it. Even brands that I like or have liked I have gotten duds before.


Lot of truth here, I loved my old Makitas, but after 4 years the batteries were very, very shot. With new batteries costing almost as new combo kits I decided to try an "upgrade". Hope it all pays out, the FUEL tools are not cheap, but seem very well designed and built.


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## Kastoria (May 5, 2008)

Ive always been a Hitachi user, at least for the last 7-8 years. Tools are getting pretty beat up now and even though they have their own brushless set, the batteries are not the same style so I get screwed (I will never understand having the exact same battery technology and changing the way it mounts into the drill, just to screw you!). The amazing thing is my original hitachi batteries still charge and get used daily, but I'll get over it. You guys are right there are so many companies and so many different drills now of days that even the best of the best may only last you a week if you get a dud. Thanks for all the info guys, makes a difference. Im gonna give them a shot, like I said there is plenty of work for them immediately so they are either gonna last or blow up lol...thanks.


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## D.S.I. (Jul 23, 2011)

I've had the m18 kit for 2+ years, a couple of issues, but their warranty has worked so far. Since I bought it they dropped there battery warranty to 2 years instead of 3. The brushless impact is nice, the power selector is in a poor place, I accidentally change the torque setting more than I adjust it for my use, but plenty of power. A benefit to Milwaukee is there new batteries coming out, with 4 amp hour on the xc battery and 2 amp hour on the smaller ones. 33% increase, by my math, kinda nice to do that on the same tool platform. M12 has worked well for me, the same battery advancements are coming for those as well. I had Makita, changed for battery, and I'm happy with my choice. The overload protection on the Milwaukees has saved me batteries, as I burnt out about 5 big Makita batteries without it.


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## Gary H (Dec 10, 2008)

Whats nice about Makita is:

1. the same battery platform for the last 5-6 years.
2. Makita is always adding new tools to the 18 volt line up.

What this tells me is that they will stay committed to the current platform for awhile yet. Unlike others that are changing the battery style every copuple of years forcing the customer to either:

1. Buy new batteries for a old drill that still works or
2. Buy yet another complete set of drills and batteries 

After awhile you have 3 drills with all different battery platforms. Pain in the A$$. With Makita all batteries fit all the 50 plus tools in thier line up.


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## D.S.I. (Jul 23, 2011)

It's all about the dual voltage charger, even though it's sequential charging.


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## tccoggs (Dec 17, 2008)

Gary H said:


> Whats nice about Makita is:
> 
> 1. the same battery platform for the last 5-6 years.
> 2. Makita is always adding new tools to the 18 volt line up.
> ...


5-6 years on the battery platform means a change is comming. Now they will change back to pod style batteries again so we can rebuy all the same tools we got rid of 5 years ago.

Getting tired of this game.


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## Kastoria (May 5, 2008)

tccoggs said:


> 5-6 years on the battery platform means a change is comming. Now they will change back to pod style batteries again so we can rebuy all the same tools we got rid of 5 years ago.
> 
> Getting tired of this game.


Thats all it is, just a game lol - got a good 7+ years with hitachi, never a problem. Would still buy them but the battery change basically makes the new drills useless, mite as well go with a diff brand is all they caused me to do...think we should all go back to hammer and nails, never changed!


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## Bone Saw (Feb 13, 2006)

turned around a hodge podge collection of drills and impacts (3 different batteries/chargers) for new stuff a few months ago, went for the hammer drill and impact xc batts, and just picked up m12 fuel hammer drill and impact.

zero regrets, best set yet ONE charger for both the 18's and 
the 12's:thumbup:


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## Rustbucket (May 22, 2009)

Battery technology is continually evolving, and the scientist are constantly studying the effects of both the charge and discharge cycles. I believe Milwaukee changes their interface because the old V18 chargers and tools would damage the new M18 batteries. This may have also been partly due to the V18 being backwards compatible with the old Ni-Cad's.


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## Unger.const (Jun 3, 2012)

I've got the m18 fuel impact driver and it rocks. Battery life is awesome and if you leave it on the number 2 setting it makes it last even longer. Sure little on the spend side but if you can hold out for a promo or super sale it helps the wallet.


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

Wasn't Makita a leader in cordless tools:blink:
When did Milwaukee start doing the cordless thing:blink:


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## Berkeley_B (Feb 9, 2018)

The perfect planer - Dewalt - it's ready for construction. 
https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/publicbucket123/DEWALT+DW735+13-Inch%2C+Two+Speed+Thickness+Planer.2.png


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## B.Johnson (Sep 17, 2016)

Berkeley_B said:


> The perfect planer - Dewalt - it's ready for construction.
> https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/publicbucket123/DEWALT+DW735+13-Inch%2C+Two+Speed+Thickness+Planer.2.png


I don't think that you are allowed to put links to your company like that.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

Yeah. And why dredge up a 5 year old thread about Milwaukee to post stupid idiotic nonsense about a Dewalt tool. The internet is dumb.


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## Unger.const (Jun 3, 2012)

Dirtywhiteboy said:


> Wasn't Makita a leader in cordless tools:blink:
> When did Milwaukee start doing the cordless thing:blink:


And 5yrs later .........have you changed your mind any?


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## SearchforSignal (Aug 30, 2016)

Fuel is top of the line along with Makita and Dewalt. All have good warranties. I chose Milwaukee fuel because of the quick turnaround on warranty repairs and they have /had highest tq rating for their tools when I bought them..









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