We saw a LOT of new Milwaukee tools, accessories, and equipment at last week’s Pipeline 2022 media event.
With so much to share about all of Milwaukee Tool’s new product announcements, I thought it would be a good idea to first give you a quick rundown of the most exciting new tools from the event.
Check out the video above for an overview with some hands-on demo footage mixed in.
Table of Contents
Following are shortcuts to the sections below, or simply scroll down to see them in order.
- M18 Fuel Hammer Drill (4th Gen)
- M18 Fuel Impact Driver (4th Gen)
- M12 Fuel Hammer Drill (3rd Gen)
- M12 Fuel Impact Driver (3rd Gen)
- M18 Carry-on Power Station
- M18 Fuel Track Saw
- M12 High Output Batteries
- M18 Fuel Belt Sander
- M12 Fuel Orbital Detail Sander
- Questions?
Please note that prices and ETAs are subject to change.
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hammer Drill (2904)
Milwaukee announced their new 4th generation M18 Fuel hammer drill (2904-22). A drill/driver will also be available (2903-22).
Notable Features
- Industry’s most powerful hammer drill
- Most compact – shortest in its class
- AutoStop control mode (anti-kickback)
Milwaukee says their AutoStop feature, which uses machine learning to self-adjust to different variables, is the best reacting anti-kickback control on the market.
Milwaukee greatly improved the endurance and thermal properties of the 4th generation M18 Fuel hammer drill, and are highly confident users will be satisfied with its performance in demanding tasks.
Lastly, it also has a mechanical adjustable torque clutch – not electronic – which should provide for more consistent results.
Interestingly, Milwaukee’s drilling and driving product manager also told me that users can expect consistent adjustable torque clutch performance when using multiple copies of the same drill.
Key Specs
- 1/2″ all-metal chuck
- 1,400 in-lbs max torque
- 0-500/0-2,100 RPM
- 33,000 BPM (hammer drill)
- 6.9″ length
- Weighs 3.3 lbs without battery
Price: $299 for the kit, $399 for the combo kit (3697-22)
ETA: August 2022
M18 Fuel Impact Driver – (2953)
The new Milwaukee M18 Fuel impact driver (2953-22), also a 4th generation model, boasts numerous improvements over its predecessor.
It’s a little smaller and faster, and now has a tri-LED worklight.
Milwaukee also designed the new impact with an “ultimate control” trigger switch. Basically, they know that many users like to use their impacts to drive a broad range of fastener sizes, and so they optimized it accordingly.
Users can now expect more low-speed control when they feather the trigger switch.
Notable Features
- Most powerful impact driver
- Fastest driving speeds
- Greater thermal capabilities
- More compact design
- Ultimate trigger control
- 4-mode drive control
- 3-LED worklight
Key Specs
- 1/4″ hex chuck
- 2,000 in-lbs max torque
- 3,900 RPM max
- 4,400 IPM max
- 4.47″ length
- Weighs 2.2 lbs without battery
Price: $299 for the kit
ETA: August 2022
M12 Fuel Hammer Drill (3404)
We also got a good look at the new M12 Fuel hammer drill (3404-22), their 3rd generation M12 Fuel model. A drill/driver (3403-22) will also be available.
There are quite a few improvements here too.
Unsurprisingly, the new Milwaukee M12 Fuel hammer drill and drill/driver are more compact and more powerful than their predecessors.
The new hammer drill appeared to be completely redesigned, from the chuck to the built-in battery fuel gauge.
I commented to the product manager about how I gave up on the previous M12 Fuel model, as it wasn’t quite optimized for driving smaller fasteners with consistent and repeatable driving depths. I was told that we should expect to see improved performance here too.
At the least, the M12 drills also benefit from having been engineered with mechanical and not electronic clutches.
Electronic clutches could still be the future, but mechanical clutches provide more consistent results right now.
It seems minor, but I am also pleased that the adjustable clutch dial is longer than before, which should make adjustments more comfortable. Some brands’ subcompact drills have very small clutch dials that mess with my muscle memory, but the new M12 Fuel hammer drill’s clutch dial left me with a good first impression.
Notable Features
- Most powerful subcompact hammer drill
- Outperforms 18V subcompact drills
- Fastest speeds under load
- Industry-leading compact size
Key Specs
- 1/2″ chuck
- 400 in-lbs max torque
- 0-450/0-1550 RPM
- 0-6,750/0-22,500 BPM (hammer drill)
- 6.0″ length
- 2.1 lbs
Price: $179 for the kit, $229 for the combo kit (3497-22)
ETA: August 2022
M12 Fuel Impact Driver (3453)
The new M12 Fuel impact driver (3453-22) also made its debut.
There are some nice incremental upgrades compared to its predecessor, and users will have to judge for themselves whether the upgrade is worth it,
To start off, the new M12 Fuel impact driver is more compact than its predecessor. And, it also has a tri-LED worklight.
Milwaukee says their new M12 Fuel impact driver has the fastest application speeds in the subcompact market, and is the most compact in its class.
They improved its thermal capacity, which means a longer back-to-back performance in demanding applications.
Notable Features
- Fastest application speeds in subcompact market
- Outperforms 18V subcompact impacts
- Increased thermal capacity
- Most compact in its class
- 4-mode drive control
- 3 LED worklight
Key Specs
- 1/4″ hex bit chuck
- 1,500 in-lbs max torque
- 3,600 RPM max speed
- 5.0″ length
- Weighs 1.6 lbs without battery
Price: $169 for the kit
ETA: August 2022
M18 Carry-on Power Station (2845-20)
I already posted a more detailed first-look at the M18 Carry-on power supply, and so I’ll just touch upon the main bullet points here.
Key Features & Specs
- 1800W max continuous power, 3600W peak/startup
- Works with any M18 battery
- 2 outlets (120V, 15A max combined)
- USB-A charging port (2.1A/10.5W max)
- USB-C PD charging port (3A/60W max)
- Pure Sine Wave AC output
- Weighs 28 lbs
- Simultaneous 4-port 3A charging
- D-rings for shoulder strap (not included)
- Adjustable lockbar to prevent unauthorized battery removal (padlock not included)
Price: $699 (tool-only)
ETA: August 2022
M18 Fuel Track Saw (2831)
Finally – a Milwaukee M18 Fuel track saw (2831-21)!
It features a 6-1/2″ blade size, built-in riving knife, and is compatible with Festool and Makita guide rails. It can cut from 1/4″ plywood up to 2″ thick hardwood such as oak.
The demo station was set up with thick 8/4 hardwood, and the Milwaukee M18 Fuel track saw cut through it with ease. This is the thickness of hardwood that my purchased Makita XGT plunge-cutting track saw fails to cut in a single pass, but the M18 Fuel saw was able to do it again and again and again.
Milwaukee also says it will deliver more cuts per charge than other saws, and is also more durable.
Here’s a look at the guide rail profile.
Milwaukee will have guide rails in 31″, 55″, and 108″ lengths, and also clamps, connectors, a carrying bag that fits all but the longest rail, and replacement anti-splinter strips.
There will be 5 blade styles:
- 24T general purpose
- 40T finish
- 48T fine finish
- 4T fiber cement
- 52T laminate
I mentioned to the Milwaukee product manager how the anti-splinter strip sometimes peel away from other brands’ guide rails. They said they observed the same in field testing and strengthened their adhesive to help prevent this from happening.
The new cordless track saw looks to deliver everything that Milwaukee tool users have been asking for.
Key Features & Specs
- 6-1/2″ blade size
- 2,500 – 5,600 RPM
- 20mm arbor size
- 2-1/4″ max cutting capacity
- -1 to 48° bevel capacity
- Weighs 9.8 lbs without battery
- Up to 90% dust collection
The saw will be available in a kit with XC 6Ah battery, charger, and fitted Packout tool box (2831-21), and as a bare tool (2831-20). Interestingly, the Packout XL at the Pipeline event had a long fold-down top handle.
Price: $399 tool-only, $549 for the kit
ETA: October 2022
M12 High Output Batteries
Milwaukee also announced two M12 High Output batteries – a compact CP 2.5Ah battery (48-11-2425), and extended capacity XC 5.0Ah battery (48-11-2450).
Milwaukee says that their new M12 High Output batteries deliver 25% more power and run much cooler in heavy use, “allowing users to push the capabilities of their tools and maximize productivity.”
Milwaukee’s upgraded and higher capacity M12 battery packs are engineered using a newer style of 18650 Lithium-ion battery that has lower internal resistance and is capable of delivering greater power.
Additionally, the new M12 High Output batteries feature a more protective housing that provides resistance against oils, solvents, greases, and other such chemicals commonly found in automotive maintenance and manufacturing environments.
See Also: New Milwaukee M18 Resistant Battery
Milwaukee says the new batteries provide a system-wide performance upgrade. It was hinted that some of their new M12 tools are designed to leverage the additional power capabilities of the High Output batteries.
In talking with one of the product managers, I also learned that the new M12 HO batteries maintain their rated power output for longer, whereas batteries built with older-style 18650 cells will see power drop-off earlier in their discharge cycle.
Price: $79 for CP, $119 for XC
ETA: August 2022
M18 Fuel Belt Sander (2832)
Milwaukee showed off their new M18 Fuel belt sander (2832-20), which features a 3″ x 18″ belt size.
Notable Features
- Power equivalent to 8A corded sander
- Best-in-class belt speed
- Tool-free adjustable pommel
- Tool-free belt change
- Lock-on button
- Variable speed dial
- Belt tracking knob
- Dual LED lights
- Dust port
- Multi-later dust bag
- Collects over 80% generated dust
- Includes universal vacuum adapter
Key Specs
- 3″ x 18″ belt size
- 700-1,350 SFM
- 10.6″ L x 6.3″ W x 7.5″ H
- Weighs 7.5 lbs without battery
Price: $279 (tool-only)
ETA: July 2022
M12 Fuel Orbital Detail Sander (2531)
Milwaukee Tool surprised us with their new M12 Fuel orbital detail sander (2531-20).
The new cordless detail sander felt light and was quieter than I would have expected.
Milwaukee says the sander is up to 2x faster than traditional hand sanding solutions. It is “optimized to perform applications on-site that are traditionally done by hand.
It can be used for details sanding, sanding corners or contours, and it said to provide a stain-grade finish.
Notable Features
- 4-mode speed select
- Lock-on button
- Variable speed
- LED work light
Key Specs
- 14,000 RPM max
- 4.6″ height
- 2.1″ width
- Weighs 1.35 lbs without battery
Milwaukee PowerGrid mesh sanding sheets will be available in 80, 120, 150, 180, 220, 320, and 400 grit sizes. There will be several assortments, as well as a replacement sponge interface pad. The sanding sheets can be cleaned by shaking, vacuum, blowing, or rinsing for repeated use and longer life.
The tool comes with a sponge pad, pad saver, and abrasives kit with (3) 80 grit, (3) 120-grit, and (3) 180-grit sanding sheets.
Price: $149 (tool-only)
ETA: August 2022
Questions?
I hope that you enjoyed this roundup of the hottest new tools announced at Milwaukee Pipeline 2022. Also check out my video if you have a chance.
In case you missed it, check out our initial Pipeline report here.
We’re working on in-depth coverage on all of the new tools and accessories we saw, tested, and questioned product managers about at the media event. We also hope to get our hands on some samples in coming months for independent testing and review.
In the meantime, do you have any questions?
Which of these tools are you most excited about?