Common Problems With Milwaukee M18 Inflators (According To Owners)

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The Milwaukee M18 Inflator has a lot of fans, and that's even with the steep price tag. On Milwaukee's website, the Inflator has a 4.7-star average rating from over 680 customers, while over 4,300 people have scored it at 4.8 stars on Amazon. In general, its performance is pretty consistent and has received 4.8 stars from 115 Walmart too. 

However, no product is perfect, and even this one has a few negative reviews that might make you think twice before dropping almost $200 on it if you buy it on Acme Tools or $149 on Walmart. Apart from people complaining that they thought it was slow, it had a tendency to break after less than a year of use, and was quite loud. In terms of functionality, users have cautioned that it has problems with automatic inflation and has notably overinflated their tires from a few to a significant amount (up to 20 PSI). 

As for its quality control, a few people noted missing accessory parts out of the box and after it was returned from official repair centers. Some customers also mention seeing error codes, which have no corresponding documentation online for their meaning. On some retail platforms, such as Walmart and Amazon, a chunk of the 1-star negative reviews were actually related to the shipping experience, such as receiving returned items and not shipping with a battery, so it's important to take them with a grain of salt.

If you don't own the M18 battery system yet, you might want to consider Milwaukee's M12 Compact Inflator instead. Running on the same TrueFill Technology and high-efficiency motor system, it shares many features with the M18 Inflator without the added bulk. Not only is it rated to hit just under 30 PSI less than its M18 counterpart, but it also does the job at half the weight and length. While it has a few reported issues with overheating, it is $70 cheaper, so it may be worth the gamble if you just want something to bring on the go and if you already own a kit from the relatively less powerful M12 battery system.

On the other hand, if you're looking for a solid budget option from another manufacturer, look no further than Ryobi, especially if you already have the Ryobi ONE+ battery on hand. Running on a similar 18V battery system, Ryobi offers several models that can rival the M18 Inflators. Previously, we mentioned that the differences in performance between the M18 Milwaukee Inflator tool and the Ryobi High Pressure Digital Inflator kit, which includes its own version of its 18V battery system, can be marginal when you consider that it's less than a quarter of the price at only $39.97. But if you want something a little more powerful, there's also the 18V Dual Function Inflator/Deflator, which is better suited for summer adventures at the beach.

To help you make a more informed decision on whether the Milwaukee M18 Tire Inflator is right for you, we've reviewed feedback from customers across different online retail platforms, like the official Milwaukee website, Amazon, and Walmart. Apart from sharing the general average rating, which can reveal the product's consistency, we also mentioned particular issues that were noted by individual customers, as well as those highlighted by several people. Lastly, we mentioned how the product fares in terms of price, features, and performance compared to other tire inflator options in the market, which include the Milwaukee portfolio, as well as those from more budget-oriented competitors like Ryobi.