5 Tools Milwaukee Makes That Craftsman Doesn’t

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Milwaukee is one of those tool brands that professionals are just as likely to buy as casual DIYers, if not more so. The company has a reputation for its powerful, premium-grade products (which often come with premium-grade prices). Another reason it’s a go-to brand for so many users is that there are tools that are hard to come by anywhere else. Milwaukee’s been around for over a century and has been an innovative force in the tool market — for example, the first-ever reciprocating Sawzall comes from the brand.

Craftsman has also existed since the 1920s, selling some of the industry’s earliest electric drills and vanadium steel wrenches. It became a household name as homeowners expanded into the suburbs after World War II, thanks in part to its affordable yet high-quality lawnmowers. Despite this, Craftsman isn’t often thought of as the same level as Milwaukee and is more of a budget-brand favored by casual users.

There are also some products that you won’t find at all from the brand that you can get from Milwaukee, including concrete equipment, woodworking tools, and workshop gear. This doesn’t necessarily reflect poorly on the latter, as there are always some differences between the catalogs of major tool companies. There are also Milwaukee tools not made by DeWalt, for instance, and you can also find tools offered by some brands that aren’t manufactured by Milwaukee. The following list, however, focuses on five tools Milwaukee makes that Craftsman doesn’t.

It’s no surprise that many of the best Milwaukee power tools for woodworking are saws. Many of these, such as reciprocating saws and circular saws, are also offered by Craftsman, but Milwaukee makes at least one type that Craftsman doesn’t — a plunge track saw. While Craftsman does manufacture jig sawswhich can be used freehand to make curved and other irregular cuts into the middle of a piece, it’s not ideal for making long, straight cuts — especially if you need to make a lot of them. The Milwaukee M18 Fuel 6-½-inch Plunge Track Saw (model 2831-20), on the other hand, is a cordless tool that can do precisely that while leaving the ends of a piece untouched.

Powered by a brushless motor, the saw can spin at 5,600 rpm for smooth cuts and a variable speed dial allows you to slow or speed the blade depending on the task. Its cam system can also be adjusted, allowing you to dial in track to rail fitment for perfectly straight cuts, while a riving knife reduces kickback by keeping material from pinching on the blade. The plunge track saw has bevel stops at 0, 22.5, and 45 degrees. Adjustments can be made simply and quickly with a slide depth stop and a knob that allows you to precisely tailor the correct depth.

The saw uses a quick-locking system to easily swap blades, with onboard storage for the necessary Allen wrench. It also has a port for attaching 1-⅞-inch vacuum hoses and dust bags that can allow you to suck up over 90% of debris as you work to keep it away from the tool and material and make it easier to clean your workshop once you’ve finished.

Some hardware companies sell power tools that take the manual labor out of mixing your own concrete, mortar, or drywall mud, but Craftsman is not one of them. That puts the brand at a disadvantage — a mud mixer is not only sold by Milwaukee, but is also one of the tools Ryobi makes that Craftsman doesn’t. The Milwaukee M18 Fuel Mud Mixer with 180-degree Handle (model 2810-20) utilizes a brushless motor and Milwaukee’s premium RedLithium batteries, allowing it to mix up to 15 5-gallon buckets on a single charge when using a 5 Ah unit. That means it should be more than enough for any smaller project where a full-sized drum mixer isn’t needed.

It can be used for a variety of different heavy materials, as the tool has both a variable speed dial and variable speed trigger to precisely control the mixing power, which can reach up to 550 rpm. The dial includes 8 different speed settings and the trigger has a lock function to keep motion consistent. With the 180-degree adjustable handle, you can customize the way you grip and control the tool, choosing between 16 different adjustable settings.

The Milwaukee M18 Fuel Mud Mixer with 180-degree Handle uses a ½-inch keyed chuck to securely connect paddles and other stir attachments. On-board storage for the chuck key is built into the tool, as is an LED worklight. Since it’s cordless and weighs around six pounds, you can take it pretty much anywhere you need to mix materials like drywall mud or cement.

Many major tool brands offer cordless vacuums to help keep your work area clean and dust-free, but Milwaukee is one of the few to currently offer a backpack model. Just as it’s one of the tools Milwaukee makes that Ryobi doesn’t, it’s also not made by Craftsman. The advantage of a backpack vacuum is that you don’t have to push or hold the motor and battery and instead keep the weight on your back. This allows for even heavier, more powerful motors and makes it easier for you to work and maneuver the vacuum hose around as you clean.

The Milwaukee M18 Fuel 3-in-1 Backpack Vacuum (model 0885-20) offers two other ways to use the cleaner in addition to wearing it on your back. You can carry it by hand if that’s what you prefer or if you’re in a confined space. If you want to keep it stationary, you can hang the machine from the handle, making it easy to remove sawdust as you cut wood, for example. The backpack harness has a quick-release built in, so you can quickly switch between the three modes.

Milwaukee’s backpack vacuum has two power settings. When powered by a Milwaukee M18 RedLithium Forge XC 8 Ah batteryit can last 25 minutes on high or over 40 minutes on low before needing a recharge. Despite being cordless, it offers powerful suction and runs at a modest 76 decibels. It’s bagless, with an included HEPA filter and a 1-gallon collection canister that can empty debris with the click of a button. The vacuum also features on-board storage for its hose, telescoping extension wand, floor tool, and crevice tool.

Not many major tool brands offer a motorized digital torque wrench, so it’s unsurprising that Craftsman doesn’t currently have one in its catalog. Like with typical digital torque wrenches, the Milwaukee M12 Fuel ½-inch Digital Torque Wrench (model 2466-20) allows you to program your target torque so that you’ll know when to stop tightening a fastener. Unlike most digital torque wrenches, Milwaukee’s is motorized, which means you don’t need to manually rotate the tool to do the tightening — the power tool will get you to your torque with the push of a button, similar to an electric ratchet.

You’ll likely need to manually finish the last quarter-turn to ensure you’ve hit precisely the torque you want, but Milwaukee’s M12 Fuel ½-inch Digital Torque Wrench is accurate within 2% when used clockwise and 3% when counterclockwise. If you’re wondering why anyone would use a traditional torque wrench when something like this is available, a good reason would be cost — Milwaukee’s tool costs $800, whereas Craftsman’s ½-inch digital torque wrench will run you $230.

Those that are tightening fasteners all day or have arthritis may find the premium price of Milwaukee’s tool worth it, though. Users can adjust run-down torque to prevent overtightening. The wrench can provide measurements in four scales — ft-lb, in-lb, kg-cm, and Nm — and comes pre-programmed in six different languages, including English and Spanish. It also has four different ways to notify you when torque is close, met, or exceeded, including audio, vibration, LED, and LCD. Compatible with Milwaukee’s One-Key technology, the tool can also output customizable reports of torque data.

Craftsman may not be the best brand for professionals or DIYers who focus on concrete work. Not only does the brand lack a mud mixer, but it also doesn’t manufacture a walk-behind power trowel for leveling large slabs of cement. Milwaukee, on the other hand, does. One of the several Milwaukee tools that are useful for concrete finishing is the MX Fuel 36-inch Walk-Behind Trowel (MXF336-3HD).

The cordless trowel can last up to 25 minutes per charge. Since it runs on powerful Milwaukee MX Fuel batteries, you won’t need to worry about accidentally dragging a cord into the cement as you smooth it or deal with the noxious fumes and finicky motors of a gas-powered machine. This also makes it quieter to operate. The tool is sold as a kit that includes three MX Fuel RedLithium Forge HD12.0 Ah batteries and a super charger that can recharge a high-capacity battery in 65 minutes.

The Milwaukee MX Fuel 36-inch Walk-Behind Trowel runs at 5 horsepower and delivers a blade speed of up to 130 rpm. Covering a 3-foot-wide span at once, the trowel features an ergonomic throttle design and a dial that allows you to precisely adjust the blade pitch. It also comes with a lift hook that makes it easier to maneuver and a handlebar with adjustable height for more comfortable use. The MX Fuel 36-inch Walk-Behind Trowel also utilizes Milwaukee’s One-Key technology that allows you to easily track the tool, among other things. This is especially important because the machine doesn’t run cheap and you’ll want to keep close tabs on it at all times.