5 Milwaukee Tools That Are No-Brainers For The Money (According To Reviews)

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Among tool manufacturers, Milwaukee's iconic red and black tools are some of the most beloved. These days, Milwaukee has produced a ton of hand and power tool options that you can choose from. In recent years, it has slowly gained renown for its powerful electric power tools, which include demolition hammers, lawn mowers, and string trimmers. Not to mention, it manufactures plenty of capable saw options, like compound miter saws, table saws, and pole saws. Apart from this, Milwaukee also has something for everyone's budget with several cheap power tools that are up for grabs, like the Sub-Compact 50 RPM Ratchet, M18 FUEL Small Angle Grinder, and Cut-Off Tool.

However, the price itself is sometimes only one factor. In some cases, the value a tool generates can definitely convince you to invest in options that may fall somewhere in the middle. To start with, it's best to reflect on what tasks you frequently need to use tools for and consider if you're already into an existing battery systems. Afterward, you can prioritize what tools make the biggest difference. 

Either way, you'll be relieved to know that there are multiple offers from Milwaukee across categories that reviewers consider a good bang for your buck. In general, we've rounded up a few popular and highly-rated tools that may be perfect for both homeowners and professionals. To know more about what factors we considered, you can scroll to the end. But, if you want to start your tool shopping right now, keep reading.

A great Milwaukee budget find, the Fastback is an all metal body utility blade with wire cutting functions, a gut hook, and blade holder. Capable of one-handed opening, it also has a metal extension to keep you safe on the job and neat blade changing features, which you can easily do without any tools by just pushing the black button on the case. To help keep it secured while you're at work, it has both a lanyard hole and wire belt clip. Weighing just 1/4-pound, it measures about the length of a standard dinner fork (7.25 inches).

While it doesn't have a lot of reviews on the Milwaukee website, wherein only 46 people have given it an average of four stars, more than 3/4 of reviewers think it's worth recommending, it definitely has more supporters elsewhere. On Amazon, Milwaukee's Fastback and Press and Flip Utility Knife boasts an impressive 4.8-star rating from 2,400+ reviews, with more than 86% of people saying it's a five-star worthy purchase. Although, there has been some negative feedback on how it doesn't use standard box cutter replacement blades and blade placement, which they said isn't optimal for quick cuts. That said, it's not necessarily the cheapest option out there. So, if you're budget conscious, you can get utility knives from other big brands for less than half the price, like Kobalt Compact Lockback 3/4-inch Folding Utility Knife, Stanley Classic 99 Utility Knife, and Olfa L-5 18-millimeter Heavy Duty Utility Knife.

Among our picks of best under $100 Milwaukee tools, the Milwaukee 7-in-1 High-Leverage Combination Pliers is perfect whether you're working with insulated or non-insulated wires. Apart from being a wire stripper, it's also packed with features like a wide jaw, loop maker, and crimper. While it can be used as a bolt cutter (#6 and #8 bolts), Milwaukee notes that its 1/2-inch reamer can be used through a 1-inch conduit. On its longest side, it's about 9 inches, or about a 1/2-inch more than the standard U.S. letter paper size, and also weighs 0.75 pounds.

On the Milwaukee website, reviews of the 7-in-1 High-Leverage Combination Pliers isn't that stellar, wherein it only netted 3.7 stars from 25 people. In particular, some buyers called out how they're disappointed with soft steel, which led to everything from dullness, dents, and even the plier not opening properly. Although two professional electricians of more than 15 years did give it a solid five stars, sharing that they were satisfied with its overall performance. 

On Amazon, it received a much higher average rating of 4.7 stars from more than 430 users, with 96% of reviewers giving it at least four stars. However, some people did raise concerns with how it doesn't fit well in tool pouches and not closing all the way. On the other hand, with a significantly larger number of reviewers, it also garnered a 4.7-star rating from 2,500+ people on Home Depot, wherein it's priced at $29.97.

For people who have already bought into the M12 battery system from Milwaukee, there's a whole world of highly-rated tools that you can access, like the M12 1/4-inch Cordless Hex Screwdriver. With its variable speed trigger, it can generate 175 in-lbs of torque, which is enough for most household needs like assembling furniture. In its operator's manual [PDF], Milwaukee includes a full table to help you decide the best clutch setting depending on your needs, factoring in things like the screw size and the type of wood you plan to use it on. With this, you can optimize and avoid issues like over tightening. And of course, it's quite a portable tool that not only weighs 2 pounds, but just a little longer than the iPhone 15 Pro Max at 6.5 inches on its longest side.

So far, reviews for the M12 ¼-inch Hex Screwdriver has generally been positive, clocking in 4.7 stars from 260 people on the Milwaukee website and from 2,800+ Amazon users, wherein it is priced just under $57. Not to mention, 93% of Milwaukee website reviewers think it's good enough for a recommendation, so the odds are in your favor. Among the positive feedback, some of the most common include its lightness and long battery life. One professional user mentioned that it functioned well as both a screwdriver and light drill, but be warned, some users shared that it's less effective than it's older model and had problems after rain exposure. 

If you're planning to cut through different types of surfaces regularly, you might appreciate the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Oscillating Multi-Tool more than other people. With its brushless motor, Milwaukee claims it can reach up to 20,000 OPM with its adjustable speed and 10-Setting Dial. Apart from hard wood, Milwaukee mentions that it's made to slice through everything from grout, vinyl, copper, and PVC. Being cordless, its portability is definitely a plus, especially if you tend to work outdoors. Without the M18 battery, the tool itself measures 12.17 inches on its longest size and weighs only a little over 2.5 pounds. Plus, it has an added LED light to help illuminate those dark corners and vibration dampening for more comfortable use.

On the official Milwaukee website, the M18 FUEL Oscillating Multi-Tool boasts an impressive 4.8 stars from 1,000+ users, plus more than 95% of reviewers have given it more than four stars. On Amazon, this multi-tool also scored similarly from 500+ reviewers, so the feedback is largely positive and consistent. Many people praise how it works well in a lot of typically odd jobs, such as in tight spaces and notching posts, as well as its low vibration. Although some people did raise issues with things like the locking screw, its battery placement, and ability to cut through metal. Even when it falls short, one professional HVAC and home repair technician commented that Milwaukee had a replacement shipped within two weeks, which adds some peace of mind.

Capable of 2,000 in-lbs torque, the Milwaukee M18 FUEL ¼-inch Hex Impact Driver can be used for a myriad of tasks for both personal and professional use, such as making furniture or all-around screw driving needs on decks, drywalls, or fences. Using its four-mode control, it can go up to a good 3,900 rpm. Out of the box, it ships with the unit itself and the belt clip, but you'll still need to invest in the M18 battery system separately. With the battery, Milwaukee notes that you can expect it to weigh around 3.8 pounds, which, for your reference, is lighter than the typical road traffic cones. For some usability add-ons, it has single-handed bit insertion and LED lighting too.

Priced at $102.99, this impact driver is one of the most expensive options in this list, but it's also pretty well-loved by buyers. To start with, it has an average rating of 4.7 stars from more than 570 reviewers on the Milwaukee website. In the same vein, Milwaukee's M18 FUEL 1/4-inch Impact Driver has also received the same rating of 4.7 stars from 1,800+ Amazon users. With more than 85% of users giving it five stars, several reviewers praised how it exceeded expectations, such as for its ergonomics and had a lot of power despite its size. In terms of practical applications, some satisfied people have mentioned using it for both commercial and residential work, such as landscaping projects and working with garage doors.

To be considered for this list, we included both Milwaukee hand tools and power tools. Since everyone may have varied budgets, we also chose tools that range from affordable buys (under $25) to those that fall under the more long-term investment category (over $100). However, we did make sure to only include tools that have garnered an average user rating of at least four stars, which means that most buyers tend to be reasonably satisfied with their purchase. 

In addition, we only considered items with at least a thousand ratings on at least one major online retail platform. To help you decide, we checked reviews across online retail platforms, like Home Depot, Amazon, and the Milwaukee website. With this, we have a large enough sample size that can give a more accurate view of a tool's pros and cons.

That said, as with any value-driven assessment, much of what will determine whether a tool is worth it or not depends on how much use you expect to get out of it. In some cases, spending a bit more may be worth it if it's going to be a daily companion for you on the job. Not to mention, instead of buying individual tools, you may also want to invest in sets instead. And of course, if you're the type to travel with your tools for work, the next step might be looking at Milwaukee Packout storage solutions to give your new tools a home.