After years of putting off buying cordless tools because I always believed the corded tools and air powered tools were better I have seen the light and decided to dive into cordless.I am NOT a pro.

I decided to go with Milwaukee brand. I bought a M18 chainsaw with 12amp battery and a M18 hedge trimmer with a 9amp battery. I would like to buy a drill driver and impact driver now.

I see the Milwaukee bundles offered with up to seven different tools and batteries, I'm tempted to purchase one of these bundles.

After watching a couple YouTube reviews some posters reported that the bundled items were not the same, or as good as the same tool when bought separately.

Has anyone bought one of these bundles and what did you find as to the quality of the packaged items.
Are the tools (Milwaukee) the same tool when bought from a big box store as elsewhere?
If not, where did you buy?

All my battery stuff is Milwaukee.
I got started with a bundle kit, 3/8" and 1/2" impact, LED light with a grease gun.
Same quality as individual items.

I just get the tool only now and order it from the cheapest place, usually Amazon.
Latest buy was a 1/2" drill.
I have 12 and 18V stuff and use it all day every day.

The stuff they have these days is pretty cool.

I typically buy at Home Depot. Only other choice locally is trade supply stores and they are definitely more expensive.

I have found two or three levels of tools from Milwaukee with their 18v batteries. The standard has brushes in the motors. These are very good tools and what I have used for years. I bought one “brushless” model drill/driver and it is as good as the brush models, maybe better but I can’t tell a difference. Then their top of the line are the FUEL models. These are reported to be head and shoulders above and beyond ALL other battery drills/drivers, etc. Fine Woodworking did a review on them a few years back. They were impressed.

The big “package” deals don’t ever seem to have the mix that I want. I have never gone for that much of a package. I do have the drill, the screw driver and the flashlight - all 18v of course. I would never buy a drill with a chuck that wont take a 1/2” bit. Too limiting. If I were to do it again the drill and driver would be FUEL models. It will take me years more to kill what I have, so I have no plans for up grading.

Batteries are pricy. I try to find small packages with spare batteries and go that route. HD does have sales on Milwaukee occasionally. Near Christmas is one time to watch. Good deals that way.

I believe Milwaukee is what all the others try to be. If you like a quality tool that will stand up to some abuse and last for years, this is a really good choice.

I have the 18v flashlight, sawzall, screw gun, impact gun, circular saw, grinder kit. It's wonderful.

Granted... I didn't pay for it, work did.

We also buy the tools individually and I sure don't see any difference. However... they do sell certain similar tools as th kits have, so maybe that's where the notion comes from.

When I got it I looked at the grinder and thought "When will I ever use that?" Come to find I use it more than any other tool in the kit.

That said, Milwaukee is expensive. I probably wouldn't buy them myself.

I got a bundle around Christmas that was a great deal from Home Depot. Have been great, so not sure I notice if I don’t have the best Milwaukee products..

I’ve been growing my Milwaukee 18V FUEL inventory for a couple of years now and have no regrets at all. I only buy FUEL (for the brushless motors). Doesn’t matter where you buy it. HD has the best prices, especially when the bundles and kits go on sale around every holiday.

I really wish they’d figure out a mower for their OPE line. The line trimmer is stunningly good for an electric trimmer.

Coincidentally, I started with the impact driver/hammer drill combo.

Buy with confidence.

-Rob

Agree with Milwaukee HD Christmas deals was fantastic. Also, check out the closeout Milwaukee endcap in the hands tool section. This is some time hidden and not in all HD stores. I scored a Fuel Sawzall for 60% off that way.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris42:
I have found two or three levels of tools from Milwaukee with their 18v batteries.

I think this is the answer... The tools in the bundles are identical to the same model number tools purchased as bare tools, but the tools in the bundles aren't always the top-end model.

Some of the tool lines are even bigger than 2-3 variants, like drills. Between 3/8" vs. 1/2" chuck, brushless or not, hammer or not, one-key or not, max torque, etc, there are a BUNCH of 18V Milwaukee drills.

I jumped on one of HD package deals about a year ago, and have not regreted one bit. Have been adding as I needed tools or accesories. My bundle had the impact driver, drill, circular saw, small sawzall, right angle drill, light, and small leaf blower. Have added string trimmer, quick attach hedge trimmer and pole saw attachment. Just added orbital sander as well. All with M18 powered. As you can see, I am 100% all in.

Everything is top quality and happy with my purchase. Next on my list is the multi tool, and chainsaw. Buy with confidence, you will not regret it.

Get a M18 Fuel drill/driver combo kit, and go for the deal where they throw in a spare battery or some other tool.

Add me to the list of M18 fanatics. Started off with a bundle from HD after we moved back to Missouri. Did my research and just did not stop. I now have a shitload of M18 batteries and tools for everything I(not a pro) need. Ran into some good deals from Amazon also. I'm a real sucker for the M18 lights. Very cool to have when power goes out.

The M18 is the bee's knees. I just saw a drill driver and torque driver kit with 2x 5 amp hour batteries for $219 at my local store on Sunday. The batteries sell for $100/ each when on sale, so it is a great deal. I have the fuel drill driver with hammer drive. Had it for about 2 years now. Best deals start in October through Christmas and then again in may-july. I try to buy kits with multiple batteries when getting any tool. The batteries alone are hella expensive.

Don't try to buy the batteries online - I've been burned twice by fakes. Also, fwiw, my starter 2amp battery is still rocking 2 years in.

This kit is a smoking deal:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Mi...DR-nQyRoC57UQAvD_BwE

quote:

Originally posted by BurtonRW:
I’ve been growing my Milwaukee 18V FUEL inventory for a couple of years now and have no regrets at all. I only buy FUEL (for the brushless motors). Doesn’t matter where you buy it. HD has the best prices, especially when the bundles and kits go on sale around every holiday.

I really wish they’d figure out a mower for their OPE line. The line trimmer is stunningly good for an electric trimmer.

Coincidentally, I started with the impact driver/hammer drill combo.

Buy with confidence.

-Rob

I agree. Make sure what you are buying is FUEL. Great products.

I bought one of the 18v brushless bundles at Home
Depot this spring. Hammer drill, impact driver, small reciprocating saw, spare battery. I have lots of experience with battery-powered tools and have used them at work for years. But these were for home, and I consciously chose to go with the standard 18v brushless, not the FUEL. I didn't need the extra capacity, power, or weight, for home uses. I haven't used them extensively, but am very happy with them.

quote:

Originally posted by armored:
Are the tools (Milwaukee) the same tool when bought from a big box store as elsewhere?
If not, where did you buy?

Shortly after they Milwaukee first came out with the 18v with charger & 1/2" drill & impact driver, I walked into a Big Sale at a local home improvement store. They made a special price on the set with a large tool bag. Since my other drill had just gone gunny bag, I took 'em up on the bargain.

Not sure how many decades ago that was, but at times I've used one or the other or both on some home project. Maybe let 'em sit for 6 months or longer, before their next intense project.

Best money on electric tools I ever spent, next to the brilliant SawzAll now over 30 seasons of similar home projects. Original batteries still going strong. I discovered the incredibly wide array of various bits, sockets, speed bits, driver stuff, that all fits and reduces the time it takes hunting down other hand tools.

If they have a better version, I don't know how I'd recognize 'better'.

Had chance to work a day with a battery 'panel saw' someone called it....sort of a 1/2 size version of a skill saw. This was a battery unit, and made a ton of cuts in 3/4" plywood before changing battery. We had a stack of 2x8' plywood just over waist high; the project called for 2 cuts per panel, PLUS 50 2x4 cut twice, PLUS 50 2x6 cut twice, to certain lengths. Took 2 of us 3+ hours. Changing batteries very rapid, and the charger actually kept ahead of our changes. It did help to have 4 batteries to interchange, but the little saw didn't miss a beat either.

Not sure if there is any difference between bundles and individual tools. I bought my 1/4" impact and hammer drill as a bundle back in late 2014 or early 2015. I work in construction and they have held up, I'm not a trade so I don't use them that hard but I do work in construction.

Highly suggest the Fuel line. Brushless has been awesome for battery life. In addition to the impact and drill, I also have the sawzall, blower, 7.25" circular and a couple of M12 tools such as stapler and cutter.

Overkill for home use? Maybe but you could say that about a lot of things we buy.

quote:

Originally posted by BurtonRW:
I’ve been growing my Milwaukee 18V FUEL inventory for a couple of years now and have no regrets at all. I only buy FUEL (for the brushless motors). Doesn’t matter where you buy it. HD has the best prices, especially when the bundles and kits go on sale around every holiday.

I really wish they’d figure out a mower for their OPE line. The line trimmer is stunningly good for an electric trimmer.

Coincidentally, I started with the impact driver/hammer drill combo.

Buy with confidence.

-Rob

I agree go with the Tools that are “Fuel” longer run times, because they are brushless motors.

Here's an online option that has the Milwaukee line advertised all the time. They also seem to cater to the sale of the higher end brands of tools.

I purchased a Rolair brand compressor from them a few years back and their service was great. I have not compared their prices on Milwaukee, however.

https://www.toolnut.com

Are BRUSH-LESS and FUEL the same thing?