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Committed to Milwaukee red? Here's the highest-ranked Milwaukee in each of our top-10 lists, from M18 FUEL power tools to PACKOUT storage.
Milwaukee owners tend to stay Milwaukee: one M18 battery runs a huge range of tools, and PACKOUT boxes only lock to other PACKOUT boxes. So this page answers one question: which Milwaukee is the best buy in each category? Every pick is the top-scoring Milwaukee product in one of our ranked lists, scored on the same data as everything else on the site: Amazon star rating, number of reviews, and the features that matter for the job.
61 Milwaukee tools made our top-10 lists, across 34 of 170 categories. Milwaukee scores highest of any brand in 5 of them and is our Best Overall pick in 4. Below is the best Milwaukee in each category, with an honest note wherever another brand ranked higher.
Milwaukee's M18 FUEL hammer drill, the best seller on the page last month, with 1,400 in-lb of torque, an all-metal carbide-tooth chuck and a mechanical clutch. Bare tool for M18 owners.
Top score from any brand: the DCK KDJZ05-13 (96/100), 16 points ahead.
The tool electricians and plumbers use to bore big holes through studs and joists: Milwaukee's brushless M18 FUEL HOLE HAWG with a 1/2-inch chuck.
Top score from any brand: the RYOBI PSBRA02B (89/100), 7 points ahead.
Also in our top 10: 2808-20 (#5), C18RAD-0 (#7), 2415-20 (#8)
The compact pick for Milwaukee M12 owners. A brushless 12V driver that still makes 1,500 in-lbs, with four drive modes including a dedicated self-tapping screw mode. Bare tool.
The highest score of any brand in our cordless impact drivers list.
Also in our top 10: 2953-20 (#9)
Milwaukee's M4 screwdriver kit with two batteries, rated 4.7 stars and selling 1,000+ a month. The Amazon listing gives almost no specs, so check Milwaukee's site for torque and clutch details before buying.
Top score from any brand: the SKIL SD5619-02 (97/100), 20 points ahead.
The pick for anyone already on Milwaukee M18. Solid and well-balanced for a bare tool; not the fastest, but it taps into one of the best battery platforms out there.
Top score from any brand: the WORKPRO Mini 20V (88/100), 4 points ahead.
The compact pro pick. M12 FUEL is a brushless, surprisingly powerful 12V tool that fits into tight spots — ideal if you're already on Milwaukee M12. Bare tool.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCS356C1 (98/100), 7 points ahead.
Also in our top 10: 2626-20 (#9)
The pro's SAWZALL — Milwaukee invented the reciprocating saw, and the M18 FUEL is a brushless demolition monster with a huge 1-1/4" stroke. The pick if you're on the M18 platform.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCS367B (91/100), 1 point ahead.
Also in our top 10: 2719-20 (#7)
A 6 lb one-handed band saw on M12 that cuts up to 2-1/2 inches, with electronic speed control and a work light.
This is also our Best Overall cordless portable band saws pick, from any brand.
The M18 FUEL pick — a brushless grinder with an Electronic Clutch for kickback protection and a no-lock paddle switch, backed by 2,556 reviews at 4.8 stars. The pick if you're already on Milwaukee M18 batteries.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCG413B (89/100), 0 points ahead.
Also in our top 10: 2888-20 (#4)
An 18V FUEL die grinder with a brake that stops the bit fast, a paddle switch and five speeds, for heavy grinding.
This is also our Best Overall cordless die grinders pick, from any brand.
Also in our top 10: 3485-22 (#3), 2486-20 (#4), 3485-20 (#5), 2486-22 (#7), 2939-20 (#8)
The pick for anyone already on Milwaukee's M18 platform. A powerful motor and a 7,000–12,000 OPM variable-speed dial let it remove more material per battery charge, with up to 35 minutes of runtime on a 3.0Ah pack.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCW210P1 (97/100), 15 points ahead.
Milwaukee's M18 compact router, tied for the best rating among the established routers here and tied for second on sales. The Amazon listing is nearly empty: it gives 1.25 HP and nothing about speed control, so check Milwaukee's site for features.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCW600B (93/100), 15 points ahead.
The M12 ratchet as a kit with a battery, 30-minute charger and case, for getting onto the M12 platform.
Top score from any brand: the ALLOY POWER JLBS-12V-DM03 (90/100), 8 points ahead.
Also in our top 10: 2457-20 (#10)
Milwaukee's brushless M18 fan that locks into PACKOUT storage, rated 4.8 stars. The listing gives almost no specs.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCE512B (93/100), 16 points ahead.
Milwaukee's M18 FUEL screw gun with an Auto Start mode that keeps the motor off until the screw touches the board, which Milwaukee says triples runtime.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCK265D2 (95/100), 2 points ahead.
A 4.8-inch-long 3/8-inch wrench built for engine bays and under-dash work. Its auto shut-off mode stops at 20 ft-lbs, which keeps you from stripping small fasteners.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCF900P1 (97/100), 7 points ahead.
Also in our top 10: 2967-20 (#6)
Milwaukee's M18 FUEL 1" hammer with AUTOSTOP, which senses a bind-up and cuts power before the tool can wrench your arm. Buy it if you're on M18 batteries and drill concrete for a living.
Top score from any brand: the Bosch GBH18V-22N (89/100), 6 points ahead.
Also in our top 10: 2712-20 (#10)
Milwaukee's M18 FUEL brad nailer for people already on the M18 battery. Zero ramp-up time and sequential or contact firing.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCN680D1 (97/100), 11 points ahead.
Milwaukee's M18 FUEL 15-gauge with sequential and contact modes, a tool-free jam latch, an LED, tip storage on the magazine and a reversible belt hook.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCN660D1 (93/100), 5 points ahead.
Milwaukee's big radio-and-charger that locks into the PACKOUT storage system. The listing is short, but it plays Bluetooth and AM/FM, charges M18 batteries and lists a waterproof rating.
This is also our Best Overall jobsite radios pick, from any brand.
The Milwaukee 2646 as a kit with two compact M18 batteries. The listing itself is thin, with filler bullets, but it's the same 2-speed gun as the bare 2646-20.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCGG571M1 (98/100), 7 points ahead.
The smaller M12 version, lighter in the hand for overhead and trim work. Like the M18 listing, it's light on details but well reviewed, with a 5-year tool warranty.
Top score from any brand: the Uaoaii CZ100 (95/100), 18 points ahead.
Also in our top 10: 2641-20 (#9)
Milwaukee's long-running M18 wet/dry vac in a toolbox-style body. It has the highest rating on this list among vacs with 1,000+ reviews and a 5-year warranty.
Top score from any brand: the Seesii K-903 (96/100), 7 points ahead.
Also in our top 10: M18FPOVCL (#5)
Milwaukee's own M18 heat gun, sold here under its international part number (4933459771). It's the pick for M18 owners who want the battery maker's tool rather than a compatible one, but the listing is thin: no temperature, airflow or runtime figures.
Top score from any brand: the WORKPRO W125372AE (90/100), 15 points ahead.
A small brushless planer on Milwaukee's 12V battery. At 4.4 lb it's light enough to use one-handed on door edges and scribes. Reviewers praise its power for the size, its onboard tool holder and the spare blades.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCP580B (94/100), 8 points ahead.
Milwaukee's M18 FUEL track saw with variable speed, a riving knife and a cam to dial in track fit for straight cuts.
Top score from any brand: the Makita SP6000J1 (92/100), 15 points ahead.
Milwaukee's high-tension hacksaw with a reinforced frame, an easy high-leverage tension knob and storage for six spare blades.
Top score from any brand: the LENOX HT50 (88/100), 1 point ahead.
Also in our top 10: 48-22-0012 (#10)
Milwaukee's Fastback flips open with one hand and adds a gut hook for cutting string and a 10-gauge wire stripper, plus storage for spare blades and tool-free blade changes.
Top score from any brand: the VOTREK UK003 (97/100), 9 points ahead.
Also in our top 10: 4932471356 (#9)
The big contractor kit: 22 bi-metal hole saws from 3/4 to 4-3/4 in plus three arbors, with Milwaukee's Ice Hardened teeth. It covers almost every hole a plumber or electrician cuts.
Top score from any brand: the Bosch HSBIM9 (91/100), 4 points ahead.
Also in our top 10: 49-22-4025 (#6)
Milwaukee's 100-piece Shockwave set for Phillips, slotted and Torx screws plus nutsetters. The Amazon listing gives almost no detail beyond the piece count and weight, so check Milwaukee's own sheet for the bit mix before you buy.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DWA2FTS100 (97/100), 16 points ahead.
A caged, weather-resistant M12 inflator that tops off a car tire in under a minute and fills a light truck tire from 30 to 45 PSI in under 4 minutes.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DCC020IB (91/100), 6 points ahead.
A pro-grade 15 mm long-throw random orbital: an 8-speed dial plus variable trigger, electronic feedback that holds speed under load, and a lock-on switch for long sessions.
Top score from any brand: the SPTA LD601US-MIX (91/100), 1 point ahead.
Also in our top 10: 2738-20 (#9)
The modular favorite. Not a drawered steel cabinet but the platform most pros build on — impact-proof, weatherproof, and the base that every other PACKOUT box stacks onto.
This is also our Best Overall rolling tool chests & cabinets pick, from any brand.
Two full-width drawers in a PACKOUT unit that locks onto the rest of the Milwaukee system. The pick if you're already on PACKOUT and want drawers on the jobsite.
Top score from any brand: the DEWALT DWST17806 (95/100), 5 points ahead.
No Milwaukee product made these lists when we last checked. Here are the best picks from any brand:
No. M12 and M18 are separate platforms with different battery shapes. M12 tools are smaller and lighter; M18 tools have more power. Most people pick one as their main platform and add the other only for compact jobs.
M18 FUEL is Milwaukee's premium line, with brushless motors and more power and runtime than standard M18 tools. Both run on the same M18 batteries.
No. PACKOUT pieces lock to each other, not to DEWALT TSTAK or ToughSystem or other brands' modular boxes. If you're already invested in PACKOUT, stay with it; if you're starting fresh, compare it against the other systems on our tool box lists.
Our lists are built from Amazon's best-selling, most-reviewed products, and no Milwaukee drill made our cordless drill top 10 when we last checked. See our cordless drill list for the best from any brand.
Nearly all the Milwaukee power tools here are bare tools ("tool only"), which is how Milwaukee sells best on Amazon. They make sense if you already own M18 or M12 batteries and a charger. If you don't, add a starter battery kit, or pick a kit from our main lists instead.