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Whether you’re a professional construction worker or a homeowner eager to get your hands dirty with DIY work, an impact driver is definitely a power tool that can save your wrists. Although there are times that a good, ordinary drill can do the job, impact drivers tend to have more torque up their sleeves, which can be useful for a ton of tough projects. Because of this, you’ll want to invest in a trusted impact driver brand, like Milwaukee. This brand is known to be one of the best impact driver manufacturers out there, and we previously ranked it higher than some of its competitors like DeWalt and Makita.
Apart from Milwaukee’s smallest impact driver, the M12 subcompact model, the brand also offers variants with stronger motors that use more advanced technology, such as its M12 and M18 impact drivers. Two of the highest-rated and most comparable tool options are the M12 FUEL ¼-inch Hex Impact Driver, selling on Amazon for about $140 and Home Depot for $149, and the M18 FUEL ¼-inch HEX Impact Driver, selling for $109 on Amazon or $179 on Home Depot. Both models are covered under Milwaukee’s 5-year warranty, but let’s take a look at which one might be better for you.
While both of these drivers are cordless options that work with the brand’s patented Powerstate Brushless technology, the main difference between these two models is that the M12 and M18 use different battery systems. Because of this, you’ll generally get the most value if you are already invested in one system and purchase the corresponding impact driver. If you’re investing in a new system, however, it’s worth considering that the M18 does tend to be more powerful and has a longer run time compared to the M12, although it’s more expensive.
Between both impact driver options, the M18 FUEL model turns faster than the M12 at 3,600 RPM, has a higher maximum torque at 2,000 in-lbs, and more maximum impacts per minute (IPM) at 4,400. As for the M12 FUEL, it has a maximum RPM of 3,300, 1,500 in-lbs of torque, and up to 4,000 IPM. However, in exchange for the extra power, the M18 is a little bit heavier at 2.2 lbs (without a battery), which is around ½ pound heavier than the M12 FUEL driver. Despite this, the M12 FUEL is actually slightly larger in terms of size, measuring 5 inches tall.
On the Milwaukee website, the M12 FUEL ¼-inch Hex Impact Driver has generated an impressive average rating of 4.9 stars from over 500 mostly satisfied customers, with 97% of reviewers recommending it. Similarly, this M12 variant also holds a 4.8-star rating from more than 1,200 Amazon users and over 1,100 people from Home Depot. In general, reviewers across platforms consistently praised its power and durability, but there were a few issues cited regarding its spring and self-tapping mode. Others noted that it was not able to hold the bits properly.
While it does have a slightly lower rating, the M18 model also has a lot of fans. On Amazon, more than 1,900 users have given the M18 FUEL ¼-inch Hex Impact Driver an average rating of 4.7 stars. Similarly, the model netted itself the same rating from more than 1,000 customers on Home Depot. Lastly, it has a 4.6-star average rating from over 100 customers on the official Milwaukee website. While buyers were generally pretty satisfied, one user did share that it has a tendency to get too hot after extended use.
To help you make a decision on what model may be better suited for your needs, we highlighted differences in these products’ specs, including RPM, weight, IPM, and torque. Afterward, we referenced the average rating of these tools across multiple online retailers, like Amazon, Home Depot, and the official Milwaukee website. We also mentioned some common feedback from actual users, including where they thought the power tool fell short of expectations. Finally, we also broke down the prices of the two options to give readers a clear idea of what they would get with each product.