Milwaukee M18 and M12 drills compared

In its favour

• 135 Nm and up to 800 W from the Fuel brushless motor, according to the listing.
• Two speed gearbox up to 2,000 rpm, with an LED on the foot.
• 1.45 kg body only weight is listed, compact for a drill this strong.

Good to know

• No battery or charger: you need M18 packs.
• High torque drills can twist hard if a bit jams, so use the side handle.

In its favour

• 226 Nm is the highest torque listed in this guide, for long screws and coach bolts.
• At 116 mm long, the listing describes it as the most compact in its class.
• Two 5.0 Ah batteries give long runtime between charges.

Good to know

• A charger is not listed in the contents, so check whether you need to buy one.
• So much torque can snap small screws; use the lowest setting for light work.

In its favour

• 135 Nm of torque is the highest figure in this guide, useful for self feed bits and large hole saws.
• Listing includes a 5 Ah M18 battery and a charger that also takes M12 packs.
• The listing mentions a 3 year UK and EU warranty.

Good to know

• Only one battery is listed, so you will wait for a recharge on long days unless you buy a second pack.
• The model code ends in -0, which normally means body only; confirm the battery and charger with the seller before ordering.

In its favour

• The listing states 2.5 J of impact energy and up to 26 mm in concrete.
• Four operating modes are listed, covering drilling, hammer drilling and chiselling.
• Brushless Fuel motor shares the large M18 battery range.

Good to know

• Body only with no case, battery or charger.
• The listing gives few details on vibration control or weight with a pack.

In its favour

• Four interchangeable heads, including offset and right angle style attachments, reach where other drills cannot.
• Two speeds and up to 1,600 rpm are listed, with overload protection.
• Two REDLITHIUM 2 Ah batteries and a charger come in the kit.

Good to know

• There is no hammer mode, so it is not for drilling brick or block.
• 34 Nm and a 10 mm chuck limit larger bits.

In its favour

• The listing gives two speeds, 0 to 450 and 0 to 1,800 rpm, plus 60 Nm of torque.
• A 13 mm chuck and an impact rate of up to 28,800 per minute for masonry are listed.
• The battery fits the wide M18 range, so you can add Milwaukee tools later.

Good to know

• The listing does not say how many batteries come in the box; check before ordering.
• Brushless motor is not mentioned, so expect less runtime per charge than Fuel drills.