i dont use either
but the quality of Everything has dropped in recent yrs

 

I was wondering if the same had happened to Milwaukee.

 

I have used dewalt tools since I started my apprenticeship and have been in the trade for 12 years now. I am now considering making the switch to Milwaukee the reasons being:

1. That I find the quality has dropped over the years in dewalt.
2. Milwaukee cable stapler staples the wire tighter according to youtube videos
3. I get the sense the milwaukee hole hawg is better than the dewalt right angle drill. I don't own either but am wanting to purchase one hence wondering if this is the time where I make the switch.

I would love to hear what you guys are using and if you guys think making the switch is worth it? I know there is an older thread but its like 10 years old and lots has changed in 10 years.

I started off with Makita 9.6V ni-cad. I loved that drill. Eventually Ni-MH came along and then Li-Ion. I had a Makita drill-driver combo that I loved. I was doing a job almost 20 years ago and I burned out the driver (I was abusing it). Since I was going to be buying a new set I decided that now was the time to get serious and make sure of what brand I wanted to focus on.
I chose Milwaukee because I felt there was quality there, and they had the widest range of tools. Since I get into all kinds of weird stuff, the availability of plumbing tools is also of value to me, and Milwaukee just covered the trades best.
I still believe that Milwaukee has the widest range of stuff. In someways (primarily technology) the tools are better today than they were 20 years ago, but in other ways they have dropped in quality, but I feel they are still good.
I just bought the brand new insider M12 ratchet, and it just makes my toes curl to think about using it. It's glorious. Milwaukee comes up with some great stuff. If you're going to focus on one brand I think Milwaukee should be that brand.

 

Working for others I've used whatever cordless tools they gave me to use. For myself, I've purchased DeWalt, Bosch, Ryobi, Makita, Dremel, and Milwaukee over the years. Only ones I've sold off were DeWalt, as they are the only ones that broke on me. I don't abuse power tools, never have. I use Ryobi around the homestead for repair type stuff. I use Milwaukee for everything else with great success. You can't go wrong with Milwaukee.

 

I don’t like the feel of the hard plastic of Dewalt. I’ve had Milwaukee for years, to me they just seem better made.

 

I think Milwaukee's 12V impact and 12v bandsaw have it over the rest. For the 18v / 20V tools, I have M18 stuff now and it's been so-so, the hammer drill-driver has been especially disappointing, lousy chuck, generally sucks.

When the time comes I'll be switching to DeWalt. I borrow DeWalt from one of my customer's maintenance shop quite a bit and I like their stuff. I'll keep using the Milwaukee M12 for the bandsaw and impact. I haven't found the M12 worth bothering with for anything else. For example the M12 SDDS was a total waste of money, I'd rather just use the 18V SDS and hold a heavier drill for five seconds than a lighter drill for 30.

 

I think Milwaukee's 12V impact and 12v bandsaw have it over the rest. For the 18v / 20V tools, I have M18 stuff now and it's been so-so, the hammer drill-driver has been especially disappointing, lousy chuck, generally sucks.

When the time comes I'll be switching to DeWalt. I borrow DeWalt from one of my customer's maintenance shop quite a bit and I like their stuff. I'll keep using the Milwaukee M12 for the bandsaw and impact. I haven't found the M12 worth bothering with for anything else. For example the M12 SDDS was a total waste of money, I'd rather just use the 18V SDS and hold a heavier drill for five seconds than a lighter drill for 30.

It's interesting that you weren't impressed with the M12 SDS drill. I had heard good things from people who liked it for putting in 'blues and screws' and other light duties. I'm not sure how big a bit would be rational in it, but did you have trouble with a 1/4" bit?

LOVE my M12 Surge impact. LOVE my M12 Hackzall. LOVE my M12 installation drill. LOVE my M12 Insider ratchet, despite only having had it for two days.
In the M18 world I LOVE LOVE LOVE my 3/4" high-torque gun, which I would be heart-broken to lose, but most people don't need 1300 foot-pounds (or whatever it is) of torque, so I can see how that one might not have made it into your world. I like my M18 fan (it's hot in the plant) and I like the M18 vacuum coupled with the M12 Air-Tip for cleaning chiller filters. I honestly don't use a lot of my M18 stuff now that I have switched to M12 where feasible. My M18 angle grinder, though... I would not want to be without that.

I need a cordless heat gun for heat-shrink stuff. I know they make an M18 one, but it would be nice if they made a pen-style M12 one for these small tasks.

 

I own:
2 - Super Hole Hawg, M18
4 - Hole Hawg, M18
2 - Sawzall M18
3 - Hackzall M18
1 - Circular saw M18
1 - 1 3/4" Rotary hammer M18
2 - 1" Rotary hammer M18
1 - Heat gun M18
3 - Screwdriver M12
2 - Jig saw M12
3 - Impact wrench M18
1 - Chain Saw M18
1 - Weed eater M18
1 - Hedge trimmer M18
1 - Hammer Drill / driver M18
1- Tire inflator M18
1- 4" Grinder M18
3 - Multi tool M18
1 - Caulking gun M12
1 - Sander M12
4- Lights M18
1 - Fan M18
2 - Radio M18
4 - Multiple Chargers
I'm not sure how many batteries

 

The weed eater is seriously good. I have that, too. The leaf blower is good, but not as good.
Something that even someone with as many Milwaukee tools as you have might not have seen is the M4 screwdriver. I love mine for panel assembly. I won't get it out for small panel work (I will just use a manual screwdriver), but when I'm building a panel I won't be without it. The torque sensing is SO good...
The M18 multi-tool is good, but I also have a corded Fein unit, and there is no comparison. The Fein is a BEAST.
I have the M18 die grinder, and a Milwaukee corded die grinder, and the corded one wins that one, too, but when you need to make a modification up in a scissor lift which one will you grab? M18 all day!

 

I'm going to be expanding my M18 collection to include M12 tools soon since I added the cable stapler. My original Milwaukee hammer drill looks like it went through two world wars and it still functions:

I'm unsure I'll ever buy another brand again, as long as their quality stays the same.

 

I like Milwaukee's tool repair service called E-Service. LOOK HERE
Fill out the form online > print the shipping label > Ship it Fed Ex > 7-10 work day tool repair > they ship it back.
All under the five year warranty with free shipping. I've used it a few times. In one instance they sent me a brand new tool. Never paid a dime

 

Thats really good to know, pain in the neck when the warranty process sucks.

 

With those of you that have used both the dewalt flexvolt right angle and the milwaukee hole hawg. Which was superior and why?

 

Working quite a bit with both over the years, I'd say Milwaukee holds a slight edge. Both are pretty good though.

I can't say anything about the newer stuff, my newest one is around 10 years old.

I will say that my 1956 Dewalt 9" radial arm saw can't be beat. I haven't adjusted it in years and it'll still cut within a few thousandths.......

 

I used to love Milwaukee but the drills kept breaking . Then triggers on saw started to fail . They make lots of tools and m-12 surge is a beast . Now all of my drills and saws are Mikita . I like Milwaukees lighting and a few other things but Mikita it is for now . Dewalt just don't cut it for me but the multi tool has a trigger you can feather and that's nice and my 12 inch compound miter saw has been awesome .

The Milwaukee 18 volt compressor is very handy as well and the 18 volt nailers are alright . Another thing with Milwaukee drills is the garbage chuck . Everyone we own has an after market chuck and when they break that chuck goes to the next drill .

 

The quality of most stuff has improved while the cost has dropped. The hi end has went up but if you told me in 92 when I got a 9.6 that cost 150 then that in 20 yrs would have a 50$ drill that worked better I would have said bs. How much did a Klein cost 20 yrs ago and now I use a HF screwdriver cost 1.50 and like it better. Can buy a world class excellent wrench for 2 or 3$ and it took 8 or 10 in 1980 to get the same thing. Even a Sears super and sale sets cost more back in the day. We now use some 1.50 wrenches, a 3/8 we beat with a 20oz nail hammer on a stuck bleeder and still works great enough to keep it in the road set.
The generic has improved so much they actually slap brand labels and extra warranties on it, raise the price and sell it at a different store. Electric grinders,, dam, we bought 100$ ones in the 90's and now use a 30$ BD we like as good or better and it outlast those and the Yellow 2 to 1.

 

I bought leading edge when it was the only choice, at the time nothing would compete with the 28V but they wore out too. Same for the Klein. Now we got tools that were discount and still in ruff service decades later.

 

I love my Milwaukee tools and will not buy another brand. Their warranty is second to none. They also have the most options when choosing or finding a tool to buy. I had their V18 line ten years ago and it was garbage. I then moved to their M18 line and it is awesome. Batteries last a long time. However I would recommend buying the 5.0AH or larger batteries, as the small 2.0AH drain fast. The more AH of battery you buy, the faster your tool will run. I found this out running my rotary hammer with a 5.0 and then a 12.0 battery. It actually made a difference. Great tools, you cant go wrong.

 

As an aside, I was using my M12 surge to pull out some screws from a forming drum last week (7000 screws, actually... took me half a day) and I was using the little batteries because every ounce counts when you are holding up your driver for hours at a time. Anyway, I put on a battery and it ran out really fast. I looked at it and it was an original M12 battery that pre-dates the "RedLithium" stuff. There was no rating on the 'face' of it, but if you looked it in the fine print it was 14 watt-hours. I assumed it was 2 amp-hours like the RedLithium ones, but no. 14 instead of 24. Does not last long when running non-stop. The RedLithium ones charge faster than they drain.

 

Buy whatever is on sale or clearance. Stick with two or maybe three name brands so you don't need an assortment of batteries. The high priced stuff gets stolen, or broken just like the lesser priced ones. I have both Rigid and Makita bought on clearance at The big orange store. Nothing like buying high priced stuff only to have the sale priced stuff hold up better.

 

I get what you are saying, and I see how that can be the right answer for many or maybe even most people. I, for one, enjoy having certain specialty tools, and if having a particular tool makes a job less crappy to do because I'm happy that I have 'the right tool for the job' then it was money well spent.

 

What is comes down to for me is:
1. The tools are practically free. As in the 6 Ah batteries run around $100+. During "big sales" you can often buy a battery and a tool for about the price of the battery. That's from either one. Since my entire investment is in batteries, the last thing I need to own is batteries from multiple companies. It's like keeping AA and AAA around.
2. Look at the tool lineup. Everyone has a drill, drill/driver, saw, fancy lights, impact guns, and "Sawzall". Look beyond those and you'll see a trend. Hands down Dewalt has a ton of specialty tools for carpenters. Milwaukee supports their plumbers and electricians. So if you ever intend on buying some of those high end tools, the last thing you want to do is buy a specialized battery to go with it. It's like the Gator ECCX crimper we have...wonderful tool but we have to maintain Makita stick batteries for it and it's the only tool that uses them.

 

Well put.

 

The weed eater sucks. This is after I gave it such a glowing review. Then the shaft broke. It is almost like a cheap plastic but it is actually the thinnest wall aluminum I have ever come across in my life. Amazingly crappy .
I took it back . The Dewalt weed whacker has an actual steel shaft. Even Ryobi's weed whacker is built with a better shaft frame. Milwaukee should be very ashamed of themselves . It's just rubbish.

 

This is a Chevy vs. Ford discussion. Of course, there are those of us who like to drive a Porsche. 😊

 

Two most used cordless tools I own:

Followed by:

Used less since I got the install tool:

I have a bunch of the M18 stuff but rarely use more than the angle grinder and vacuum.

 

I use an M12 impact all the time and, for its size, it’s amazing. Sometimes I have to match the fastener with the driver. For example, an 18V driver has a better chance with a crummy, dull, low quality Tek screw while the M12 struggles. As long as it’s a good, sharp Tek screw, the M12 is great (fastener quality is such a crap shoot nowadays).

 

All of my cordless stuff is Dewalt 20 v. The two I use the most are the impacts,
DCF787B, DCF892B,



I bought a 2 speed RT angle Hole Hawg some 30 years ago and the ship augers (1 1/8") to go with it .
Bits have changed not the drill. You need 12 gauge cord for the drill to become a destroyer of wood.
I know of 2 arms the drill has broken, both of the idiots using it locked the trigger. Both became temporary employees. I also have a Milwaukee 120v sawzall and deep band saw both are at least 20 years old and work just fine.
Also started with the 9.6v Makita and loved them. Stupidly I jumped ship for a B&D 12v drill for installing earth quake clips on lay in fixtures. The B&D was lighter and did drill a bit better, Makita batteries lasted longer. Oh well.
I look at the products available and then pick a model number then research that against the competition.

 

All of my cordless stuff is Dewalt 20 v. The two I use the most are the impacts,
DCF787B, DCF892B,



I bought a 2 speed RT angle Hole Hawg some 30 years ago and the ship augers (1 1/8") to go with it .
Bits have changed not the drill. You need 12 gauge cord for the drill to become a destroyer of wood.
I know of 2 arms the drill has broken, both of the idiots using it locked the trigger. Both became temporary employees. I also have a Milwaukee 120v sawzall and deep band saw both are at least 20 years old and work just fine.
Also started with the 9.6v Makita and loved them. Stupidly I jumped ship for a B&D 12v drill for installing earth quake clips on lay in fixtures. The B&D was lighter and did drill a bit better, Makita batteries lasted longer. Oh well.
I look at the products available and then pick a model number then research that against the competition.

With corded tools I'm sold on most Milwaukee tools (sawzalls, drills, RT angles, holehawg, metal saw, bandsaw, grinders, heatgun, etc. For the exceptions in that rule for performance I use Bosch SDS's, Skilsaw 77 wormdrive, a small Porter Cable circ saw, and a Porter Cable Tiger saw (cuts wood like a chainsaw).

 

The Milwaukee hole hawg (corded) is king of the hill. My M18 drill will turn any bit I have ever put in it and impressively but there’s nothing to hold on to. It can pin your hand or get away from you. The hole hawg has girth and mass. If you hit a nail or knot or something that weight gives you a moment to react, it also may be enough inertia to push the bit right right through whatever you hit. I’ve used one a lot in my first 20 years so climbing a ladder with one on my shoulder is 2nd nature to me. It’s just so convenient to not drag a cord around that I rarely get it out anymore but when I do, it fits like an old set of boots that broke in just right.

 

I had 2 - corded Hole Hawgs and 2 - corded Super Hawgs. I gave them away after I bought my second M18 Super Hole Hawg.

When my auger bits get stuck in a large beam from using the cordless hole hog, I have to break out my corded hole hog to reverse them out of the wood. Yes it has much more torque . It also can bust up your bones if you are not careful.

The battery hole hogs feel so much better drilling than corded drills. They are like Stratocaster's compared to Yamaha....

if mine get stuck, I use the M18 Super Hole Hawg in low gear.

 

I think Milwaukee has anti-kickback on their drills now, something Bosch has had for years. None of us use a side handle, but an 18V drill with a side handle and anti-kickback could probably work as a Hawg for most of us. Does a Hawg have any more torque than an M18 drill?

 

When my auger bits get stuck in a large beam from using the cordless hole hog, I have to break out my corded hole hog to reverse them out of the wood. Yes it has much more torque . It also can bust up your bones if you are not careful.

The battery hole hogs feel so much better drilling than corded drills. They are like Stratocaster's compared to Yamaha....

 

I own a boat load of Milwaukee tools and have never had to return a single one over the last 5 years.

Kurt

 

This M12 hammer drill was delivered today. Here it is pictured next to my M18 that I've used for ~8 years:

My brother uses DeWalt. The guy who first hired me in this trade used DeWalt. Really either brand will do the job. The only difference is one caters to certain trades over the other.

 

I’m going to bump this thread just to give my opinion. I have used both the Dewalt and the Milwaukee NM stapler. I received the Milwaukee as soon as it debuted. For the next few weeks I used it as much as humanly possible. Pretty much every customers house I went into I would go around their unfinished basement stapling everything that I could just to test it. Romex, BX, coax, bell wire, alarm wire, etc. I stapled into old 2X’s, plywood, particleboard, trim, and drywall.

Every staple was just about perfect. The staples were snug but not too tight. They definitely were not loose like the Dewalt, which I hated. Didn’t matter what I was stapling, all nice and snug without a single damaged wire. I was extremely impressed by it. I would recommend it to anyone.

Another thing to consider is that it doesn’t matter whether you use Milwaukee tools. If you buy the stapler kit it comes with a charger and battery, and that battery lasts long enough for an entire day. It’s not like a tool that you want to have many extra batteries so you need it to match your other tools.

The crappy thing is that since I changed my specialty I no longer need this stapler. Unless they make one that could do 6-2 romex.