Milwaukee Backpack Vacuum Review

Keeping a job site clean not only helps you move around but it’s also a safety issue and prevents trips and falls. Now I am not saying a vacuum stops all these hazards, but it can help. Milwaukee came out with a cordless backpack vacuum, which I thought was very cool to add to their M18 line of power tools. So let’s jump in and see the Milwaukee Backpack Vacuum Review.

Milwaukee Backpack Vacuum Review Overview

I have never used a backpack vacuum so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Is this going to be powerful? Since it’s battery powered, what about the runtime?

Considering I am using a vacuum all most every day for my house remodeling project, I thought this would be a perfect fit. I have been using the shop vacuums. While they work, you also know that they can be a pain in the rear on job sites where things get messy. I am always getting the power cord tangled on something or the wheels hit something on the floor and the vacuum falls over. It’s seriously a pain to vacuum.

So with this backpack, I am hoping I can get good runtime and that it’s powerful enough to clean the messes. Since it’s cordless, I know I have the freedom from the debris on the floor.

Milwaukee Backpack Vacuum Review Features

The Milwaukee 3 in 1 vacuum features a 1-gallon canister. You can wear it on your back or carry it around to clean up.

The vacuum is powered by any of their M18 batteries but I would suggest using a 9Ah or 12Ah battery with this tool.

The vacuum comes with the most common accessories which all can be stored onboard.  One thing to note about the attachments, they are all quality. Nothing feels cheap, and I love the quality of the hose and the easy function of the telescoping extension wand.

When working with the vacuum, it will stand upright. This is a nice feature as it makes it much easier to work with.

The vacuum features two speeds and best of all, you can easily access this button with the backpack on. So no more getting on the backpack, only having to take it off to turn it one.

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Removing, emptying and cleaning the filters or canister is extremely simple.

The vacuum features a top handle to carry it around.

One cool feature to this vacuum is the option to use it on your back or remove the padding and hand it on your ladder, cart or wherever you want. If you do use it as it backpack, there is plenty of padding for comfort.

Milwaukee Backpack Vacuum Review Performance

First let’s cover the most important aspect of the vacuum, the power. This vacuum has plenty of power to suck up the most demanding job sites. I use this vacuum at least three times a week to keep my house remodeling project clean. Each time this vacuum performs.  As long as it’s not too large to fit in the hose, it sucks it up. This vacuum makes cleaning up each night so easy.

In the past, I would clean up about once a week because it was a pain to drag a vacuum around. The power cord gets caught, the wheels drag and then the unit tips over. With this, I just put it on and have total freedom of movement.

I love the attachments and how easy they are to use, open and close. Great design.

One of the best features of this vacuum is the sound. I am not saying it’s whisper quiet but it’s a heck of a lot quieter than other vacuums we have tested. Also since it’s so close to your head, it’s very important it’s not blearing into your ears.

The shoulder straps have plenty of padding so even extended uses, it doesn’t dig into your shoulders.

On the bag of vacuum, the padding is also well placed. When the vacuum is full or I am bending over, the vacuum doesn’t hurt or dig into my back or my spine.

The vacuum sits up high enough where your hips are helping support the weight so it’s not just the shoulders that are taking the brunt of the weight.

Milwaukee Backpack Vacuum Review Value

The vacuum retails for about $450 at The Home Depot. While it’s on the pricey side, I think it’s worth the money. You get a powerful vacuum, with great runtime and the freedom of movement. I hate working with rolling vacuums, so this is such a relief to use. If you are using a vacuum once a month, then it would be hard to justify the cost. But for those of us who use it to keep floors clear and the site safer, it’s worth the money.

Milwaukee Backpack Vacuum Review Final Thoughts

I have to admit, I never thought a cordless vacuum could have so much power. While it’s a hit on the wallet, I love the features, the comfort, the power, the runtime and the freedom of not rolling around a vacuum. This is comfortable and powerful enough to get most jobs done and best of all your not fighting with the vacuum to perform the work.