Milwaukee recently announced a new 4-bay M18 and M12 Super Charger, 48-59-1818, featuring simultaneous charging of up to 4 batteries.
This is the second M18-compatible charger with Cool-Cycle capabilities, allowing it to quickly cool down M18 FORGE 8Ah and 12Ah batteries for faster charging.
The charger has 4x M18 battery slots and 2x M12 battery slots.
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Two of the M18 slots are hybrid bays, allowing up to 4 M18 batteries to be charged simultaneously. Or, you can charge 2 M18 and 2 M12 batteries at the same time.
The new Milwaukee Super Charger features an adaptive charge distribution feature, allowing it to dynamically allocate power for maximum productivity. We’ll have more information about this feature, and if it works differently compared to the dual bay charger, at a later time.
The charger can recharge (4) M18 FORGE 12Ah batteries to 100% in 90 minutes.
It’s also Packout-compatible, meaning you can securely mount it to the tops of Packout tool boxes, organizers, and other compatible products such as the latest-generation M18 Fuel Nexus vacuums and Roll-on power stations.
ETA: June 2026
The new charger was announced at the 2026 World of Concrete trade show. See more WOC 2026 tool news:
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Pro Tool News from World of Concrete 2026
Adam
I’m guessing this will be $349, maybe $299, when it’s released, based on the $50 increase on the existing PackOut charger to $299, and existing 2-bay Supercharger at $249. Unless they decide to drop the price of the 2-bay.
Jason
When in doubt, bank on Milwaukee going with the higher price point
Stuart
I would guess $399.
The 4-port job box charger that can charge 2 batteries simultaneously is $349.
The newest 6-port Rapid Charger is $369, or $349 when bundled with a Packout plate. It can also charge 2 batteries simultaneously.
It seems to me that this is essentially 2x dual bay Cool Cycle Super Chargers in one, PLUS you get 2x M12 ports. There’s added complexity for all that.
$399 seems justifiable. $349 would be great, but I would be very surprised.
I think that a $399 price (at least?) would potentially allow for seasonal promo bundle pricing with a FORGE battery or two, similar to how there’s a $349 promo for the dual bay charger with batteries right now.
Brad
$399 for a stand alone charger?
Doesn’t matter how fast or how many batteries it can charge at a time, that’s a No Thank You from the real world.
Stuart
Could be less, could be more, we don’t know yet.
How much value do heavier users or teams have in batteries? A set of 4x 12Ah batteries is over $1000.
Milwaukee has a lot of multi-port chargers that offer options.
Compared to 2x dual port Super Chargers, this one is Packout-compatible, takes one receptacle, and also has M12 charging ports. There’s the benefit.
Cannot justify the price? Get the dual bay charger. Need more ports but don’t need simultaneous charging? There are other Packout-compatible M18 chargers.
This is for companies or pro users who see time and cost benefits in being able to quickly charge batteries.
You might even be able to save money on batteries since the FORGE can be put back to work quicker, with respect to charging speed and battery pack temperatures (which is where the Cool Cycle comes into play).
Also, keep in mind that Milwaukee knows how many $249 and $349 chargers they’ve been selling.
I think there’s been a shift where users are much more willing to spend money on chargers and other battery management gear that eases their workflow or provides other benefits.
Jorge Hernandez
If by the real world you mean weekend warriors I agree. But professionals will definitely want this.
neandrewthal
In terms of real world job cost, tools are cheap. A small crew might be $400-$800 per hour. If this ups their efficiency 1%, it’s paid for itself in a couple weeks.
fred
It will not work on this – but MaxTool is doing a 15% off sale on all in-stock Milwaukee items this weekend using code WKND15. It looks like there are no exclusions or $ limits to the discount.
https://www.maxtool.com/
Peter
Does it have usb ports?
JoeM
This is where I admit that Milwaukee makes better-designed Chargers than DeWALT does. I do wish DeWALT would do these vertical slide on chargers like Milwaukee makes. Though it is true it’s easy to rig the existing chargers onto wood planks, and just plug them into a mounted power strip for this same purpose, it doesn’t make me any less confident that Milwaukee has the better design for these chargers.
I say this without shame or regret. Though I can charge multiple sizes of DeWALT batteries on the same 1-4 chargers at once, including the stray 8V Max charger I own, this is still something I’d have to assemble myself, rather than DeWALT manufacturing a purpose-built edition, as seen above with the Milwaukee. In fact, Milwaukee has had several vertical-orientation multi-chargers in the past, and I find the designs to be more space-efficient and portable than the DeWALT flat multi-chargers. I am still a DeWALT user, and really can’t afford a multi-manufacturer setup to switch over. But in the mean time, I can greatly appreciate the work that goes into Milwaukee’s innovation here.
In fact, I may grab some wood from a hardware store, and assemble my various tool chargers into one charging station, inspired by this article. That is the level of appreciation I have for this! Thank You, Stuart!
Mitherial
Stuart: Thank you for this nice overview — I was planning on evenually buying the MW dual-supercharger, but now will definitely hold out for this one. (Probably overkill for my personal use, but I really like the design and layout).
Please post the occasional note (or perhaps better as an addendum to another post) when some of these items are actually shipping in quantity.
Stuart
I’ll do my best regarding launch and availability updates!
Big Richard
I just want to add that the fact that this is Supercharger and can do M12, may be hinting at M12 Forge batteries soon.
S
I don’t know that the M12 form factor would allow for forge capability.
Either the tabless cells are a slightly larger diameter that won’t work with m12’s 3-up 18650 pistol grip insert, or pouch cells in the lower region of say a 6.0 would be capacity limited due to using only half the available area.
Big Richard
Tabless cells are not tied to a specific cell diameter/length. Tabless is cell technology, not a size. The tabless cells used in the M18 8.0 and 12.0 Forge are 21700 sized cells, yes, but they make tabless 18650s.
The tabless 3000mAh cells that multiple manufacturers have released would give the possibility of a 3.0 and 6.0 Forge. And they would offer 20% more capacity and about 40% more power than the current 2.5 and 5.0 HO, respectively. But there are more advantages to tabless cells than just higher discharge, lower resistance for less voltage sag, notably faster charging (like with the Supercharger), cooler running, longer life, etc..
The same concepts that made M12 HO batteries worthwhile would apply to tabless Forge M12 batteries. To quote Milwaukee, they would be “allowing users to push the capabilities of their tools and maximize productivity.” and “new batteries provide a system-wide performance upgrade…. some of their new M12 tools are designed to leverage the additional power capabilities…batteries maintain their rated power output for longer, whereas batteries built with older-style 18650 cells will see power drop-off earlier in their discharge cycle.”
Not saying it is a guarantee, but it would be silly to not pursue them.
MM
A while ago Torque Test Channel made an experimental M12 battery using tabless 21700’s. They put one cell in the grip, and two in the “box” on the end. It wasn’t a very elegant solution but it did fit inside one of the boxy type housings like the 4, 5, and 6ah packs use, and it performed very well.
Or, like Big Richard mentioned, they could use tabless cells in another size. The advantage of 21700’s is that they are mass produced for other industries. It may be more expensive to source less common or even custom size tabless cells but there’s no reason it couldn’t be done.
Big Richard
That 1P 21700 configuration could work with something like the EVE 50PL, it would be a 5.0 so no increase in capacity over the current HO 5.0, but should handily beat it.
I think sticking with 18650s would be the way to go though, I still kinda wanna see a 3P M12 pack. Using the aforementioned tabless 3000mAh, a 9.0 Forge to rule them all.
Stuart
I doubt it.
Today I could have really used the 4-port charger. Tomorrow, maybe I just need 2x M18 ports but also want M12 capabilities without a separate charger.
Big Richard
I get that, but using a $399 charger to charge a CP2.0 M12 just feels like driving your sports car to the end of the driveway to check the mail. Especially since the M12 port blocks an M18 port. Couldn’t they have put a low output M12 port on the side or something?
It is perhaps wishful thinking on my part, but if I’m a Milwaukee engineer I’m 100% future proofing and planning for Forge M12.
Stuart
Where on the side? I think the “hybrid port” design makes sense and might simplify the electronics. If placed where M18 ports weren’t blocked, users would complain about not being able to charge everything separately.
With the older multi-port Rapid Charger, it was straightforward that you could charge M18 or M12 for each discrete charging circuit. This is like that but in a more compact package. If it doesn’t work out, maybe they’ll go back to the older style.
I think this approach is simpler. As I understand it, every port can be charging at the same time. With the hybrid ports, there’s no guessing because M12 or M18 insertion precludes the other from being used.
It’s a “there if you need it” feature that adds to the versatility.
This could have been a strictly M18 charger and someone chimed in “we could fit 2 M12 ports!”
It could make the difference between having to manage 1 charger instead of 2 or more.
Big Richard
It’s a 4 port Supercharger, adding a “there if you need it” feature shouldn’t demote it down to a 2 port Supercharger. It’s definitely better to have it than not, not arguing that. I just hope it is more than “there if you need it”, that’s all.
Again, perhaps wishful thinking but I know I am not alone in wanting M12 Forge. There are dozens of us. Dozens!
Stuart
If I were the product engineer or manager, I would have considered the following options:
a) Only 4x M18 ports
b) 2x M18, 2x hybrid M12/M18 ports
c) 4x M18, 2x (or 4x?) M12 ports
Hybrid M12/M18 ports were also built into the jobsite box charger. https://toolguyd.com/milwaukee-gangbox-battery-charger-49-59-1804/
Their standard charger is M12 and M18, but sequential.
I think that non-sequential charging in what’s supposed to be a 4-port simultaneous charger might have been confusing.
Or maybe it would have been too large to fit into a Packout-compatible package.
I think it’s reasonable to presume M18 chargers sell much better than M12.
Hybrid M12/M18 ports aren’t as good as having battery ports that don’t block each other. But the situation is much better than if this was just an M18 charger.
There could be other engineering or cost considerations we’re not aware of.
I’ll ask Milwaukee about it at the first opportunity.
Also, maybe we will see M12 FORGE batteries, but I continue to doubt it.