Milwaukee’s new M12 FUEL drills and impact drivers – check out our introductory post here – left me with a great first impression when I checked them out last June. The tools’ ergonomics and balance have been updated, and the new brushless motors were said to offer unprecedented improvements in power and runtime.
Newly released specs, detailed below, indeed show that the new drills and drivers outclass competing models by a substantial degree.
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As we previously reported, Milwaukee is soon upgrading their M12 and M18 lithium ion battery packs. All new M12 FUEL -22 kits come with new higher capacity 2.0Ah batteries, with the two drills including 2.0Ah and 4.0Ah XC battery packs. The -20 model numbers refer to bare tools that can be used with any M12 batteries.
Summary: What You Need to Know
Milwaukee designed these tools to be game-changers, and they are. Not only are these the first 12-volt brushless drills and drivers to hit the mainstream market, none of Milwaukee’s competitors have yet to publicly announce 2.0Ah or 4.0Ah 12-volt battery packs of their own.
- M12 FUEL brushless drills are first compact models to have 1/2″ chucks
- Brushless motors + 33% higher capacity battery packs = incredible runtime
- Brushless motors = incredible power and torque ratings
- Impact drivers and wrenches have low/high torque settings
M12 FUEL Screwdriver (2402-20 and 2402-22)
- Maximum torque: 325 in-lbs
- Speed: 0-1,700 RPM
- 1/4″ quick-change chuck
- Length: 6.6″
- Weight: 2.3 lbs with 2.0Ah battery
- Kit includes 2x 2.0Ah battery packs
M12 FUEL 1/2″ Drill/Driver (2403-20 and 2403-22)
- Maximum torque: 350 in-lbs
- Speed: 0-1,700 RPM
- 1/2″ metal ratcheting chuck (no, that’s not a typo!)
- Length: 7.6″
- Weight: 2.9 lbs with 2.0Ah battery
- Kit includes 1x 2.0Ah battery, 1x 4.0Ah XC battery
M12 FUEL 1/2″ Hammer Drill/Driver (2404-20, 2404-22)
- Maximum torque: 350 in-lbs
- Speed: 0-1,700 RPM
- 1/2″ metal ratcheting chuck
- Length: 7.6″
- Weight: 2.9 lbs with 2.0Ah battery
- Kit includes 1x 2.0Ah battery, 1x 4.0Ah XC battery
M12 FUEL 1/4″ Hex Impact Driver (2453-20, 2453-22)
- 2-mode Drive Control (high precision/top performance )
- Maximum torque: 1,200 in-lbs
- Speed: 0-2,650 RPM
- Impact speed: 0-3,550 IPM
- 1/4″ hex chuck with one-handed bit insertion
- Length: 6″
- Weight: 2.2 lbs with 2.0Ah battery
- Kit includes 2x 2.0Ah battery packs
M12 FUEL 1/4″ Impact Wrench (2452-20, 2452-22)
- 2-mode Drive Control
- Maximum torque: 500 in-lbs
- Speed: 0-2,650 RPM
- Impact speed: 0-4,000 IPM
- 1/4″ square drive
- Length: 5-3/4″
- Weight: 2.1 lbs with 2.0Ah battery
- Kit includes 2x 2.0Ah battery packs
M12 FUEL 3/8″ Impact Wrench (2454-20, 2454-22)
- 2-mode Drive Control
- Maximum torque: 1400 in-lbs
- Speed: 0-2,650 RPM
- Impact speed: 0-3,500 IPM
- 3/8″ square drive
- Length: 6-1/4″
- Weight: 2.4 lbs with 2.0Ah battery
- Kit includes 2x 2.0Ah battery packs
The M12 FUEL line is launching in early 2013.
Javier says
Take my money already!!!
Dan Richards says
When can they take my money?
Robert says
With all the new battery and motor technology, there are fewer and fewer reasons to consider higher voltage systems. I’ll bet that this marks the beginning of the end of many 18v tools. I think that we’ll be using 20v for most HEAVY DUTY applications, and 12v for just about everything else.
Robert
Monte says
Metabo offers 4.0 AH batteries for their 10.8 Volt tools since a while.
Allen says
Is that headline a Seinfeld reference ?
metalmeltr says
@robert
I was thinking this weekend that we are living through the end of the 18v tools. 12 is definitely the new 18 volt when it come to cordless power tools.
Zack says
Tool Select gave it 5 stars after a pre release test.
Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaQb_jzqFEo&feature=share&list=UUjZfNtM4Ur8-z3uvA934r-A
I can’t wait to hear about the drill driver. These are both on my shopping list as soon as they become available.
Ben says
Bosch hasn’t officially announced the 12v 2.0Ah,
but check this out! (Broken link to old Bosch Core page)
Stuart says
Thanks for the tip! I knew their 4.0Ah batteries were on the way but hadn’t seen confirmation of the 2.0Ah packs until now.
dcl says
Those are some impressive stats on the hammer drill. I bought the Makita kit 18v brushless kit, and this appears to actually be higher rpm with almost as much torque. Not really a Milwaukee fan, but I’ll have to give these a try at least. If those stats are true Makita really seems to be dropping the ball on their brushless stuff compared to Milwaukee.
Demp says
Please hurry with these…….
The power alone is worth upgrading from my current set-ups. Even though my current models are great.
1- 3/8″ Hammer Drill
1- 1/4″ Impact
2- 1/4″ Drills
1- Multi-Tool
1- Jigsaw
1- Radio
1- Hackzall
5 XC Batteries
2 regular batteries(Sold off 7 because the XC are much better).
Now I’ll have to replace the drills with these set ups.
Do you guys suggest I just sell off my current batteries for the newer kits with batteries or should I just buy the Bare Tools and keep my current Batteries?
Stuart says
Good question, and I can see why you’re on the fence. The drill/driver kits that offer compact and XC batteries might be great bang for the buck. You have a couple of more months before you need to make a decision.
Robert Paulson says
Sorry, these won’t be replacing tools on a job site as the run time, even with 2.0ah batteries, are limited. The 4.0ah tools on 18V will be a much better solution, except that the Milwaukee 4.0ah batteries seem to want a 90 minute charge, and 2.0 ah batteries will take 45 minutes to charge.
Also, what organization is keeping tabs on these power tool companies and what “Specs” they are putting on the tools. It seems a little odd that they always out do one another so quickly, I call shenanigans.
Stuart says
Supposedly PTI, the Power Tool Institute, keeps member companies in check with standardized testing procedures.
JimS says
PTI gives the tool companies a standard, but the tool companies don’t release the PTI findings. I wonder why?
joe says
merry x-mas to me :)…just wondering about the prices though. but i will buy it no matter what since this company is trying to innovate. thanks.
Stuart says
Prices haven’t been announced yet.
Robert says
Metalmeltr,
I think you’re right. It wasn’t long ago in the scheme of things, that someone said that a digital chip would never replace the film in our old film cameras. Of course, we all know the rest of that story.
Someone here mentioned the run times of the 12v vs the 18v systems. It’s like everything else. Anyone who believes that the run times will not be longer in very short order, is kidding themselves. I’ll guarantee that very shortly, the battery technology with 12v will take us BEYOND anything we can do with current 18v systems. We’re already getting there with the tool performance. Battery technology is growing in leaps and bounds every day. It’s right around the corner.
Robert
Javier says
Stuart, why does the 1/4 impact wrench have only 500 in/lbs torque while the other 2 impact tools have 1200 and 1400 in/lbs torque? At first I thought it might have been a typo, but I saw another site post the same specs.
Stuart says
My feeling is that perhaps it’s done to limit potential damage to fasteners and 1/4″ impact sockets.
When you look at 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ hand ratchets, the larger the drive size the larger the tool. Shorter handles reflect the lower torque 1/4″ sockets are designed for.
It seems reasonable that Milwaukee doesn’t want users to try to use 1/4″ impact wrenches on fasteners a 3/8″ or 1/2″ impact wrench would be much better suited for.
Or it could be a typo on Milwaukee’s end.
Steve Davis says
I am really looking forward to the releases of these products as I have always had Milwaukee Power Tools and have really enjoyed using them. I have never had a problem with any Milwaukee power product that I have brought and will certainly be purchasing these.
Tyler says
Does anybody know if milwaukee is going to come out with a right angle impact for the m12 lineup? This would awesome!!!
Stuart says
I haven’t heard anything about an M12 RA impact driver yet. Sorry.
Tyler says
brain fart!!
M12 right angle and straight die grinders
M12 led trouble light (like 30 led or something)
M12 stapler (like the arrow T-50 staple guns)
M12 pin nailer
M12 small personal fan
M12 inflator
M12 small vacuum (like a beefed up dustbuster)(or make it so it can accept 2 batteries at once)
M12 needle scaler (this one might be impossible) cool thought though
SawdustTX says
Great wish list! Mine would be almost identical:
M12 stapler (like the arrow T-50 staple guns)
M12 pin nailer
M12 small personal fan
M12 inflator
M12 small vacuum
tyler says
I would love to see a m12 soldering gun.
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jeffrey says
milwaukee needs to come out with a battery hydraulic crimp tool for electricians.
Tyler says
I never thought of that. Good idea. That crimper paired with a 4 ah battery would last for a month!
Tyler says
Stuart, you need to make a post asking what new tools people would like to have. Then hopefully some tool manufactures would see some new ideas. just a thought
Drew says
M12 heat gun! Please.
dri says
My personal opinion is that the M12 FUEL 1/2″ Drill/Driver weights too much and is a little bulky. 2.9lbs = ~1300g
Bosch PS32 ( GSR 10,8 V-EC ) weighs 1.96lbs= 890g with 2,0 li-ion battery = 1.96lbs.
a big difference in small compact drills,
I recommend to try both at work ( or hand before buying)