Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Pub Talk). This thread is read-only.
is the m12 strong enough or just get m18 looking at milwaukee 4 piece tool kit drill,hackzall,rotary tool & hex driver but its m12
If you ever want cordless saws look at the M18 tools
The M12 Fuel tools are quite nice. I suppose strong enough depends heavily on the question “strong enough for what?” The rotary tool is stronger than any cordless Dremel I’ve used and I’ve built decks and driven 5″ lag screws with my M12, so there’s plenty of power for that sort of task. What do you plan to use that tools for? Don’t get me wrong, I love my M18s, but they’re a lot larger and heavier than their M12 counterparts.
For homeowner, m12 is strong enough. Though I have no experience with the m12 Impacts, the drills, saws and lights are great. At some point you’ll probably want m18, drilling through concrete…or a full sized sawzall for the stroke length. It’s honestly hard for me to pick one because the m18s are big but there is a limit for the m12s as rare as it is to hit that limit(as just a homeowner).
I couldn’t go back to not having my m12 Hackzalls and rotary tool.
I would go with the M18 simply because u have more options and more power in the saw department.
Disclaimer: I have no experience with either
If your a homeowner or a DIY type that is serious about taking care of your home, I would go with the 18v lineup. That will cover both small and big jobs. If your looking for a pro tool line up then you could go either way depending on what you are doing. Also, welcome to the forum.
there is a little more to it than just picking between M12 and M18, there are a few different options in both flavors. M12 brushed or M12 Fuel line and the same with M18 having even one more option brushed/brushless/fuel
depending on your budget and what you plan on doing with these tools.
battery packs are generally smaller for M12 compared to M18 however these options also come with a cost. If you are just a home owner both line ups will do just fine. some tools are limited to just m12 or m18 and along with that same goes with brushed and brushless. I have both of most common tools and am happy with both depending on it’s abilities or my needs…..
btw welcome to the forum……
You know what else we forgot to mention? M18 will be expanding on their outdoor power equipment lineup.
thank you guys im slowly trying to build my tool supply im just a homeowner i want to finish basement, build storage shelves in attic and garage and try to fix what breaks along the way you all have been a great help between you guys and youtube im getting through
M12 is just a gateway drug for m18, it’ll happen whether you want it or not
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M18 is powerful enough to do most task the m18 will give you more power and run time
I would say m18 I have used m12 impact and drill . they didn’t surprise me that much . m18 has more options and the battery to power a town 9 ah .
bmack, the m12 hackzall is good?
am i correct in thinking the m12 is not as good as the m12fuel?
brian522 wrote:
bmack, the m12 hackzall is good?
am i correct in thinking the m12 is not as good as the m12fuel?
You can really push the fuel where the brushed will stall out, however it’s a size trade off, I have both, I keep the brushed away from wood but it’s great for pvc and copper tubing
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thanks jimbo
I have both M12 and M18 and really can’t refer one… I have to refer both, but if anything Go for Fuel it is really powerful!! The m12 line is for light and substantial work, were a quick grab of some m12 battery’s and tools and your set and ready for some light duty work.
But the M18 line can do pretty much everything you can throw at it. So if it were between the two lines I would go for M18 line and again Fuel is the way to go! 🙂
Milwaukee_man_stan wrote:
I have both M12 and M18 and really can’t refer one… I have to refer both, but if anything Go for Fuel it is really powerful!! The m12 line is for light and substantial work, were a quick grab of some m12 battery’s and tools and your set and ready for some light duty work.
But the M18 line can do pretty much everything you can throw at it. So if it were between the two lines I would go for M18 line and again Fuel is the way to go! [emoji4]
Gotta be the fuel
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I have a little of both. I prefer the M12 when I can because they are ergonomically superior to me. But the M12 is lacking in power if you need to drive big screws like long deck screws. I have had to pull out the 18 volt stuff to finish the job on more than one occasion.
So depends what you do with it.
brian522 wrote:
13 hours ago, brian522 said:bmack, the m12 hackzall is good?
am i correct in thinking the m12 is not as good as the m12fuel?
Jimbo is dead on. I have the m12 and m12 Fuel and a m18 non-Fuel, they all have their uses. The m12 non-fuel you can be pretty damn precise and it’s TINY. The m12 Fuel is powerful as hell, it can do everything my m18 Sawzall can do BUT the m18 is faster.
The good thing about all of this is that you have time. My m12/m18 collection didn’t just happen one day, I don’t really use them for work(other than the m12 Fuel drill). I bought m18 drill and impact driver, it came with a dual charger so I could use the same charger for m12 or m18…so I eventually dove into the m12 lineup for size and cost. Buy a new tool every few-six months and eventually you’ll have plenty to do most of what you need to do. You’ll probably always be wanting something new but that makes it all the more satisfying when you finally get it.
you guys all have been great thank you for all the advice
brian522 wrote:
3 hours ago, brian522 said:you guys all have been great thank you for all the advice
Feel free to show off what you get and what projects you tackle. There are several professional craftsmen/contractors and extremely talented members here but some of us are in other industries and do the home gamer thing.
brian522 wrote:
9 hours ago, brian522 said:you guys all have been great thank you for all the advice
Get m18 with slim battery packs the size difference is unnoticeable with the drill and impact, get a couple XC packs for high draw tools like saws. You’ll be glad you started off with the more powerful battery line.
I’m a masonry contractor and I would go with the 18v fuel line. The impact I use is the m12 Fuel, and its the only 12v I use for my job (I have another 12v drill for around the house). The 12v fuel impact is great, lightweight, and powerful enough for anything that I’ve asked it to do. However, looking back at all the individual tools I bought, I shake my head and wonder why I didn’t just buy the 6 piece 18v fuel set. The speed at which the 18v tools are expanding is amazing, and once you have 4 or 5 batteries you can get the bare tools, which will save a little money. If you haven’t bought anything yet check out cpo milwaukee. If I buy tools online, that where I go. There’s usually quite a few “buy this and get this free” deals there, and you can grow your tool chest nicely. Hope this helps.