5 Milwaukee Specialty Tools Users Say Are a Waste of Money

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Fans of the brand with bright red tools will be well aware that it includes everything from toolbox essentials that even novice DIYers can find very useful, but still useful tools that will only ever need a small group of experts. One of the main reasons its fans are so loyal is that Milwaukee’s products are generally consistent: capable, durable, and thoughtfully designed. However, like any tool brand, there are a few tools in its lineup that don’t live up to the high bar set by the rest of its offerings.

Whether they’re plagued by design flaws, prone to breaking, or simply not powerful enough to do the job they’re supposed to, these tools are all worth the effort. Picking out these underperforming tools from others isn’t always easy, but in these five cases, the reviewers at Home Depot have already done the hard work and tested them all. The resulting 4-star ratings will probably be enough to convince most consumers that these tools are not worth the money.

In tool-only form, the Milwaukee M18 18V compact heat gun retails for $159 at Home Depot. At first glance, it may seem like an attractive purchase, especially since it uses the M18’s replaceable battery system. A powerful cordless heat gun can be useful for a variety of tasks, but many users say that the Milwaukee M18 heat gun is not powerful enough to be worth the money.

At the time of writing, it has a less than stellar average rating of 3.8 out of five stars from more than 1,000 reviews on the Home Depot website. A recent reviewer who left a one-star review said “they love everything about Milwaukee, but I’m struggling to love this tool.” They add that the heat difficulty of melting other plug-in heat guns usually behaves well.

The length of time it takes to heat up is a consistent complaint among people who buy it to shrink the plastic and help the paint dry faster. “Better use your wife’s hair dryer,” wrote another. While there are many reasons to own a heat gun, this Milwaukee hot gun may be worth a miss.

Our roundup of the best multi-bit screwdrivers includes many options from a variety of top brands, but the Milwaukee 7-in-1 screwdriver didn’t make the cut. Users give it very mixed reviews, and when the screwdriver is paired with 200 feet of polyester fish tape, the bundle gets an average rating of just 3.9 out of five stars. More than 100 reviewers have left their thoughts on the bundle, which is available at Home Depot for a retail price of $230.18.

According to one exasperated reviewer, the screwdriver acts “like they didn’t even test the product,” its reamer ends being the wrong size and therefore ineffective. As a result, the tool obviously requires a lot of power to use. Many other reviewers report that the fish tape broke after a few uses, which is surprising especially when Milwaukee has a reputation for quality and durability.

One design flaw can often be all it takes to ruin the appeal of a tool. In the case of the Milwaukee 2-in-1 convertible truck, users say a design flaw affects the truck’s wheels. A string of reviewers report problems with wheels breaking or falling off after a short period of use, which helps drag down its average review rating to 3.6 out of five stars from over 200 reviews. That’s despite Milwaukee advertising that the truck can accommodate a maximum vertical load capacity of 150 pounds and a maximum horizontal load capacity of 300 pounds.

Reviews on this one are very mixed. Some say that they have used the truck for a long time without any problems, but others say that the tires failed with a load of 100 kilograms. Still, they complain about the quality of the wheels, which feel like they’re made of “cheap plastic.” It’s not like the truck is cheaper than its competition, as it’s currently listed at a retail price of $79.65. The Milwaukee offers an affordable hand truck with a 150-pound capacity, but it also gets very mixed feedback, with an average score of 3.9 out of five stars from more than 2,700 reviews.

The Milwaukee screw gun attachment retails for $99 and promises to speed up jobs while still being compact enough to fit into work spaces with limited room. Milwaukee says it is compatible with the M18 Fuel drywall screw gun and will fit all major types of screws up to two inches. The latter claim has been disputed by a number of reviewers, who say that some common screws don’t actually work with attachments.

Even consumers who were careful that their screws met the Milwaukee guidelines still reported problems. One reviewer reports “constant congestion [and] feed,” despite buying from a brand Milwaukee specifically lists as compatible with the attachment.

About 200 reviewers have left their thoughts about the attachment on the Home Depot website, giving it an average score of 3.5 out of five stars. That gives Attachments the undisputed honor of having the lowest average rating of any product featured here. As one reviewer summed it up, “I love Milwaukee, but this thing is garbage.”

Any device that promises to be able to perform 27 different tasks sets high expectations for itself. Many jobs don’t mean much if the tool doesn’t do those jobs well, and that’s where the Milwaukee 27-in-1 ratcheting multi-bit screwdriver falls into place. It costs $32.97, but its affordable price appeal is tempered by a low average review score of 3.7 out of five stars from nearly 1,000 reviews.

A recent Home Depot reviewer says that “the product really needs to be redesigned,” given how difficult it is to remove pieces from the tool without wood chips. Dozens of other reviewers reported the same issue, with one even saying, “this is my first Milwaukee tool purchase. [and] if I look at the bottom, it will be my last.”

Even some consumers who were initially won over by the tool ended up leaving a one-star review. One reviewer explains that they got a lot of use out of the screwdriver until the ball came off the tip of the tool. After that, it could not hold any of the inserted pieces securely. This reviewer’s experience was not temporary, and many others reported similar problems. One user even suggested the screwdriver “needs a recall.”

Reviewers at Home Depot don’t hesitate to express their disappointment when a tool doesn’t live up to their expectations, especially when it comes from a major brand like Milwaukee. Given the premium price Milwaukee tools and batteries command, users rightfully expect a premium product, but of course not all of the brand’s tools can deliver on that promise. We used those Home Depot review scores to narrow down a selection of underperforming Milwaukee appliances, with each selection averaging a score of less than four out of five stars from at least 100 reviews.