Can You Use Milwaukee Batteries On Bauer Tools?

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There are loads of tool brands to choose from these days. Unless you're diligent about sticking with a single one, chances are you've wound up a hodgepodge of a tool collection. You may even have some vintage and potentially valuable power tools in your arsenal as well. There's obviously nothing wrong with piecing together a toolbox comprised of different brands, but there are some drawbacks you should consider before doing so. Not only will the aesthetics of your collection be off, but certain elements won't be compatible.

For example, say you have some Milwaukee power tools and Milwaukee batteries specifically intended to power them. Should you attempt to power Bauer tools with these Milwaukee batteries, you'll be out of luck. Though they may look similar with their black, red, and white color palettes, Milwaukee and Bauer batteries have slightly different connection setups. Therefore, if you tried to attach a Milwaukee battery to a Bauer tool, it wouldn't make a clean, sturdy connection and be able to effectively power the tool. It's inconvenient, but brand tool-battery compatibility is a way for companies to try forcing customers to stick with their line.

It should be said that connection incompatibility is just one reason why Bauer tools can't take Milwaukee batteries. There's also the fact that Milwaukee batteries tend to stay in the 12 and 18-volt denominations, while Bauer prioritizes 20 volts for its batteries. Fortunately, there is technology out there that can bypass these limitations should you want to make the battery-tool connection work. There are adapters available online — like the X-Adapter Bauer tool to Milwaukee battery adapter unit — that simply attach to the top of the battery, creating a new connection that is capable of attaching properly to your Bauer tool.

For the most part, it appears that the adapter solution works well. At the time of this writing, the aforementioned Amazon listing has a 4.7 out of 5-star rating, with 82% of the 356 customer reviews being five-star. On paper, this may seem like the perfect workaround. It's specifically designed for Bauer tools, even those under-the-radar ones that are more useful than you might think, and Milwaukee batteries. Not to mention, it's cheaper than buying new tools and batteries. Still, it's not ideal and could put you in a tough position.

By using a battery adapter for your Milwaukee battery and Bauer tools, you're running some risks. First and foremost is the build quality of the adapter itself. It's not official from either brand, so it's not guaranteed to meet Milwaukee or Bauer build quality standards. This could lead to annoyances like not fitting snugly on certain tools to not working on specific tools at all. Worse yet, these adapters could become an active danger, with one  Amazon user reporting their tool began to smoke and caught fire. 

Smoke and fire are reason enough not to use a Milwaukee-to-Bauer battery adapter, but the next worst thing to deal with could be Milwaukee and Bauer. Since these adapters are unofficial, any damage sustained could cause warranty trouble. Milwaukee explains that its battery warranty won't be honored due to misuse, abuse, accidents, and other forms of damage, and Harbor Freight — the exclusive home of Bauer tools — states that its 90-day tool warranty can be voided on similar grounds. Destruction via third-party equipment could prevent you from getting a refund or replacement on your tool and/or battery.

There are battery adapters of all kinds on the market. Whether it's a Ryobi battery adapter or something that can make a Milwaukee battery and Bauer tool come together, it's important to know the risks associated. If you're not careful, they could cost you more than getting the right batteries for your tools in the end.