Ridgid Nuke Vs Milwaukee M12: How Does Home Depot's New Subcompact Tool Line Compare?

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Later this summer, Home Depot will launch the Ridgid Nuke Subcompact series: a new 18V platform made up of lighter, more compact Ridgid power tools. It's the brand's most direct challenge yet to established compact systems like Milwaukee Tool's M12 platform. The new lineup is set to arrive in stores in July 2026. But before then, what can we tell about how these two competitors will compare?

Most obviously, the Ridgid Nuke line is going to launch with far fewer tools than what the Milwaukee M12 line currently has. The launch lineup will include seven tools across eight configurations, including an 18V drill/driver combo, hammer drill, multiple impact drivers, a high-speed blower and a 4 1/2-inch circular saw. Meanwhile, the M12 line currently has over 90 different tools to its name. That's just the way things are going to be for a while, at least: Milwaukee has had years to build out its M12 ecosystem, whereas Ridgid Nuke is just getting started.

Another thing is the question of Home Depot exclusivity. While Milwaukee is predominantly sold at Home Depot, it's not 100% exclusive — you can still get the brand's tools elsewhere. However, Ridgid is a Home Depot exclusive. The only place you'll find it otherwise is the second-hand market. And while Milwaukee is outright owned by Techtronic Industries (TTI), Ridgid is merely manufactured and marketed by the company.

Those major differences all deal with availability and inventory. What about actual performance? First and foremost, the Ridgid Nuke line relies on an 18V battery while the Milwaukee M12 line uses a 12V battery. In theory, that puts more torque and more raw power in the hands of Ridgid Nuke users. However, we'll have to wait until we can get hands-on with the tools to see how that actually translates to runtime on the job.

Ridgid Nuke tools will reportedly come at different price points than Milwaukee M12 tools, as well. Early reports suggest individual tools like a cordless drill combo kit could go for $139, while Milwaukee has M12 cordless drill kits at Home Depot starting at $189. On paper, that's more voltage for less money. Come July, we'll know more about how that translates in practice.

Once the Ridgid Nuke line hits shelves, the battle between it and Milwaukee M12 will probably come down to user priorities. Milwaukee currently has the bigger platform with the more mature accessory ecosystem. Until it can catch up to them, Ridgid will have to hope that compact 18V performance and competitive pricing will be enough to sway buyers.