Milwaukee introduced all new cordless 18V outdoor power equipment late in 2016 with a new string trimmer, leaf blower, and hedge trimmer and they released all three in early 2017. Milwaukee’s first outdoor power equipment was created. It went straight to the cordless 18V M18 range. All three new power equipment also came bundled with their yet new M18 HD 9.0 ah batteries that were the highest known capacity at the time. I’ve been able to use all three Milwaukee outdoor power tools over the past year. This review will be the first of a three-part series in which I review all three power tools. Next, I’ll review the M18 fuel string trimmer (read the review here), and then the M18 fuel blower review (read it here).
Ethics Disclosure:
Specifications and Features:
Let’s first look at the Milwaukee 18 Fuel String Trimmers specifications and features list before we move on to the hands-on review.
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- 18V
- Brushless Motor
- Kit bundled with M18 REDLITHIUM HIGH DEMAND 9.0 battery
- Cutting swath: 14 In. 16 In.
- Line diameter: .080 In. / .095 In.
- 2 Electronic speed settings
- RPM: 0 4,600 / 0 5,800
- Trigger: variable speed
- Feed system: bump feeding
- weight: 56 kg
- Length 187 cm
- Pricing: Baretool; Kit with HD 9.0 Battery and Rapid Charger
- model #: 2725-21HD Kit ; 2725-20 baretool
Looking at the M18 Fuel String Trimmers features, it clearly stands out of the 18V crowd with unheard of specs for 18V. Looking at the competitors brushless offerings in the 18V/20V category, Makitas 18V brushless models top out at just under 30 cm for a cutting swath, it uses 0.080 line, and is a dual line trimmer with 3 speeds (XRU11Z). Looking at Dewalts 20V brushless string trimmer (check out my full review here), its better specd than Makitas with a larger 33 cm cutting swath and also uses 0.080 line, is a dual line trimmer and has 2 speeds. Comparing the Milwaukee M18 Fuel string trimmer, its 14-41 cm cutting swath and ability to use larger beefier 0.095 line puts it in a different class or category than either Makitas or Dewalts 18V/20V offerings. Both the Dewalt and Makita models sell for as kits with a 4ah battery (Makita) and 5ah battery Dewalt which put them at a lower price point than Milwaukees string trimmer in a kit form. If you are looking for the lower priced 18V/20V string trimmer, it may appear that the Dewalt and Makita models offer a better value at first glance since they give you everything you need to get started for a full less than Milwaukees offering as a kit but you have to remember that not only does Milwaukee offer a much better specd tool, it offers a much larger 9.0ah battery. Milwaukee includes a larger gas tank and an upgraded rapid charger that cuts down on charging time. Compared to the Dewalt charger included with their string trimmer, this is a big upgrade however comparing the Milwaukee rapid charger to Makitas stock fast charger is about equal in terms of charging speed since Makita has had fast chargers since day one.
Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel String Trimmer is not directly comparable to other 18V/20V trimmers in price and features. So what do they compare it to? The answer is simple, it compares directly to a higher voltage string trimmer. It is easy to assume it would compare to a 36V/40V unit, but it has a huge cutting swath of up to 41cm. This makes it more comparable to 56V-60V string trimming machines which have dual line 0.095 trimmers. Some examples are the Ego 56V string trimmer with a dual line 0.095 38 cm cutting swathwhich I will be comparing directly to Milwaukees model since I also have the Ego string trimmer that I reviewed previously(check out my review here). Another comparable unit is Echos 58V string trimmer with 0.095 dual line and a 14-41 cm cutting swath. However when you look at pricing, the Ego kit is with a 2.5ah 56V battery and the Echo is with a 4ah 58V battery. Looking at price alone you would think that the Milwaukee is overpriced. Although the Milwaukee is more expensive due to its large 9ah battery, a larger 9ah 18V battery can have a lower capacity than batteries of greater voltage. How so, you ask? The answer is WH or watt hours. This universal method allows you to compare different sizes of batteries across voltages. Simply multiply amp h by battery voltage to get watt hours. For example the Echo 4ah battery is 232 watt hours in capacity (4ah x 58V = 232 wh). Egos 2.5ah 56v lithium battery is 140 wh. Compare this to Milwaukee’s 9ah battery, 162 wh (918=162). Milwaukee’s 162wh battery comes with their string trimmer. However, it is not as large as Egos 2.5ah batteries and much smaller than Echos 4ah batteries in terms of capacity. Also charge speeds for each brands respect charger is much different when compared to Milwaukees charge speed for their included 9ah battery. Although Milwaukee’s rapid charger charges their batteries much faster than the stock charger, it still takes 1 hour and 38 minutes for each charge. Compare that to Egos 50 minute charge time for their battery with the stock charger thats included with the string trimmer or Echos battery which charges in 1 hour and is considerably larger in watt hours than Milwaukees battery yet charges much faster. You may wonder why you should stress about charging times, when Milwaukee’s charge time is much quicker than brands such as Black and Decker or Worx, which charge their batteries in between 3-6 hours. That’s because I don’t care about the details in my reviews. That plus wouldnt you want to know what the competition is offering with their specs and features? My next point goes back to the price point. With Milwaukees M18 string trimmer you get better specs and features than 18V/20V models and features and specs comparable to 56V-60V models however Milwaukee is charging a premium for their string trimmer at as a baretool and as a kit when you compare it directly to similarly specd and equipped 56-58V models that are priced between -239 in complete kit form. Milwaukee’s higher price should be considered when looking at the bigger picture.
Milwaukee views their outdoor power equipment as a pro-equipment design for pros. Milwaukee’s has no training wheels features like Worxs edger guides wheels. Milwaukees also includes a smaller line guard that provides more cutting area and less protection.
The build quality is just as good as any of the other Milwaukee tools so you know its well built and offers similar build quality to brands like Makita and Dewalt power tools. The string trimmer can be stored in a garage by hanging it from a keyhole on the back of the battery holder.
Performance
Before I go into detail about the Milwaukee’s 18V string trimmer performance, I want to share with you my past experiences so that we can compare it to the Milwaukee. If you simply want to know if the Milwaukee can trim your grass and work effectively as an edger, then the answer is yes. But if you want to know how it compares to other models Ive tried then continue reading. Ive tried out the Worx 56V string trimmer when that model came out which has a single line 33 cm cutting swath and uses 0.080 line, it has good effective cutting strength. Then I tried out the Dewalt 20V string trimmer which I thought was very strong for a 20V/18V trimmer. The Worx did not offer the same features as the Dewalt, but it had dual speeds and dual line. However, the Worx was stronger as the Worx is a higher-voltage 56V tool. The Ego 56V brushless, second-generation model, was tested. It has a 38 cm cutting width, dual 0.095 lines, and is still the strongest I have tried. This is my favorite string trimmer and it has been my standard string trimmer since before I tried the Milwaukee. How does the Milwaukee stack up? It is hard to believe that this Milwaukee 18V string trimmer has such guts. Toe to toe, I would say that the Milwaukee is comparable in cutting power to the Ego 38cm string trimmer, if not better performance. This is even hard for me to believe because every time I use the Milwaukee, I attach an 18V battery. I would have thought the Milwaukee ran on 56 volts if I had known better!
Full speed can cut through thick grass and weeds. My grass is well maintained each week, so I don’t need to use maximum rabbit mode. I prefer turtle mode instead. The turtle mode is very powerful and produces a lot of huevos. I find that it works well for me so I only use it when I need to trim my grass. It still has plenty of power, even on the slowest mode. The turtle mode still has plenty of torque to power through weekly maintenance and even tall grass and doesnt bog down easily, it just cuts slower with tall grass than full speed rabbit mode. The turtle mode would be comparable to Dewalts 20V string cutter at full speed. While the Ego string trimmer also offers a variable speed trigger and a full range of cutting speed, I prefer the fact that you can select a speed limit on the Milwaukee. This feature was a favorite of the Dewalt 20V string cutter and I am glad it is now available on the Milwaukee.
The motor is located on the battery end of Milwaukee’s string trimmer is also something I like. This is a feature I didnt appreciate until I used it because the other cordless string trimmers Ive tried have the motor on the cutting head. The motor on the cutting heads meant my arms got tired much faster because they had to support and balance the weight of the string cutter motor. While this is not a problem during normal grass trimming, the string trimmer can feel heavier on the arms when you turn it sideways to edge the lawn. There is lots of area I have to edge in my front yard which means that my arms get very tired after all the edging when using my go to Ego string trimmer, but on the Milwaukee this hasnt been as much of a problem because of the motor placement, my arms dont get tired as quick. That right there is a huge feature for me as Im not the biggest or strongest dude and I dont do this everyday for a living. The Ego string trimmer is still my favorite, but it’s hard to return to it because the motor placement makes my arms tired every time I use it.
The Milwaukee M18 Fuel string trimming machine is not perfect. However, as with all tools there are always negatives. The bump feed head is my biggest complaint. It’s not very responsive and I have to bump it multiple times to get the line out. This is something Ive not had an issue with on other string trimmer models. My next gripe is a personal preference as the line moves counter clockwise. The line spun clockwise on my first string trimmer, and it was what I grew to love. Even though the Ego trimmer works counterclockwise, I have not mastered it. I still have the tendency to cut on the left side of the cutting swath which spits plenty of grass to my shoes and pants, or legs if Im wearing shorts when using the Milwaukee model, especially with its short guard. However this is a personal gripe as Ive mentioned above and is also present on the Ego model. This doesn’t have any real impact other than that lots of grass is shot back to me, as I am used to turning the trimmers clockwise.
Another gripe I have with the Milwaukee string trimmer has to do with the trigger. Although it has a good range, there is a small deadzone at its start that prevents it from doing anything. To actually turn the motor, you must press beyond this deadzone. I prefer to use very little power so I press the trigger at its lowest point. However, when I use it one-fingered, the trigger often cuts in and then out as its not sensitive at the beginning point. Although it is a large trigger, two fingers can help you get a better grip. However, the constant cutting when one finger is used to activate it quickly becomes annoying.
The Milwaukee string trimmer was designed for professionals, so there won’t be any training wheels on it. This could be a potential negative if youre new to using string trimmers as the guard is rather short to provide a larger cutting area. If you aren’t careful, you may get more grass.
The Worx models don’t have a training wheel that allows you to guide the trimmer as it edges. Some string trimmers also have a guide wire that prevents the user from bumping too close to a wall, that feature is also not present on this string trimmer. The lack of these training features will force new users to learn how to use a string trimmer such as this one without the use of any aids.
As I mentioned at the beginning, the price is quite high when compared to other 18V/20V or higher voltage 56-58V models. The M18 Fuel string trimmer is more expensive than similar 18V/20V models. However, the Milwaukee seems to be more expensive when compared to similarly equipped 56-58v models. Especially when you consider the higher voltage models offer similar performance and similar sized or larger batteries (in watt hours) and charge them much faster too for less.
Long Term Update
As I said in the outset that Ive tested out all three of Milwaukees new M18 Fuel Outdoor Power Equipment for close to a year now so I am able to give you a long term review. My reviews are usually short term reviews. I only test them for a few weeks and then move on to another product. They don’t speak about their long-term durability. The Milwuakee M18 fuel string trimmer has been in use for nearly a year. It still runs strong, with the exception of minor scrapes on the business side. It works perfectly almost a full year later with no broken or loose parts.
Runtime
Although we have covered all aspects of the string trimmer, this review would not be complete without running time figures. This is especially true since it comes with a 9.0 Ah battery and a brushless motor. I tested runtime differently with this outdoor power tool. With all my other string trimmer reviews, I tested runtime while using the tool at its max performance, in other words full power while at 100% which would yield lower runtime figures since many tools have variable speed. This tool has variable speed, so I did not need it at full power or the rabbit mode for the majority of my usage. I therefore counted the runtime while I was using the tool at whatever speed and variable setting I used. It would give a more realistic runtime figure since most of my usage was in turtle mode (lowest speed) with variable speed usage. The problem with the runtime figure is that it would not be possible to compare it to other string trimmers. I might not use it exactly as I do you, but this is how I tested it. I will continue to test other string timmers. So with that out of the way, I got a total of 50 minutes and 55 seconds of use with this string trimmer. Thats pretty good in my opinion and was able to easily get both my front and backyard trimmed and edged, prepped and ready to mow it. My method of counting runtime does not include time between breaks. I basically use the stopwatch to track my use of the tool. I then stop it when I stop using it and restart it when I re-use the tool. I do this until I run out of battery and then add all the numbers up at the end.
Other Thoughts and Conclusion
If you buy this string trimmer as a kit, it comes bundled with their huge capacity 9.0ah battery however I also tried this trimmer out with a 5ah battery to see how it performed. To my surprise it performed roughly the same. It performed almost the same in both full speed and slow speed, which was a great thing. With the 5ah battery, I was able cut my back and front yards with no problem. This is a good thing, especially as they offer the string trimmer as a baretool for those who already own batteries and wish to save money.
Ive been using this string trimmer for most of the year of 2017 and it has now become my go to string timmer and has dethroned the regular use of the Ego 38 cm model Ive been using exclusively before the Milwaukee. For me the reason has been because of the strong performance that rivals higher voltage 56V models. The Ego, which is a 56V model, has a much lower power consumption. The turtle mode is very efficient and gives you the ability to save battery life while still utilizing your power. The two speeds along with the variable speed trigger makes it easier to conserve power so you dont blow through the battery quickly. The rear motor placement is also my preference. It makes the front end lighter and allows me to use my arms for edging.
This string trimmer was so close to being recommended. It has so many great features, including performance that is top-notch and motor placement that helps your arms. The large battery combined with the brushless motor makes it last a long time. The price is what stops me from recommending this trimmer over other models. It is higher than comparable 18V and 58V models. My decision was also influenced by the slower charging times than higher voltage models.
If you are already using the Milwaukee M18 system, this string trimmer is a good choice. If you’re just starting out and need a string trimmer, but don’t have any other power tools, I recommend looking at the 56V/58V string trimmers. These are usually less expensive if you’re in the market. If you do end up with the Milwaukee M18 Fuel String Trimmer I feel you will be very satisfied with its performance, runtime and feature set.
This concludes the review. Please make sure you read part two, which covers the Milwaukee M18 fuel blower review (click here to see the review), and then complete the set by reading part three, which reviews the Milwaukee M18 fuel trimmer review (click here to view the review).
DISCLOSURE:
