Milwaukee Products You Shouldn't Pass On Even If You're Not In The Market For Tools

If you're a fan of the Milwaukee brand of power tools, you might own quite a few of its premium products already. Because it's one of the best-ranked power tool brands, Milwaukee is popular with both DIY-ers and professionals. It offers excellent power in its battery-operated cordless tools and can handle heavy-duty work seamlessly. With its emphasis on innovation, you can count on Milwaukee to offer some of the latest features in its new power tools and other products. Morning Consult recently named Milwaukee as the fifth-fastest growing brand across all industry categories, only trailing brands like Crocs and Beats by Dre. Milwaukee's recent brand growth even has some people wondering whether it's challenging DeWalt as the top tool brand.

Even if you already own quite a few Milwaukee products, if you're a true fan of the brand, there's always room for more — and you don't have to be looking for a specific power tool. Whether you're looking for high-end Milwaukee tools that are worth buying or some products outside of what you'd directly use for DIY projects, Milwaukee has hundreds of options that are worth considering. When it comes down to it, some Milwaukee fans can't get enough quality products that have that familiar red color and lightning bolt logo. Even if you aren't looking to purchase any power tools, learn more about some of the Milwaukee products that you never knew you needed until now.

If you already have all the essential Milwaukee tools in your toolbox that run on batteries, consider adding a non-tool product that uses the same batteries. The Milwaukee M18 Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum ($130 at Amazon for the vacuum only) is a 2-gallon vacuum that you can use anywhere because it's battery-powered. If you already have Milwaukee tools that use the M18 battery, you can share the battery with the vacuum. More than 250 tools are compatible with the M18 battery, and if any of them make a mess, this vacuum can clean it up quickly.

This vacuum's design is similar in size to a toolbox, which makes it easy to carry. It has storage inside for the hose and accessories. Amazon reviewer Samara Pike said the unit's size is its best feature, making it convenient to use. "I hated moving the big bulky one around, so I bought this one and it's great. The suction is strong." YouTuber Diesel Life loves the convenience of being able to use the Milwaukee vacuum to clean out a truck cab no matter where they are traveling. "I am thoroughly impressed. I am never sweeping this thing [the cab] out again. ... It will be vacuumed from now on."

A true fan of the Milwaukee brand might even have the red t-shirt or sweatshirt with the lighting logo. But why stop there? You may want to buy the Milwaukee Work Pants ($50 at Home Depot) to give you durable work pants for any job you need to do. They have a flexible fabric mixture of cotton, polyester, and Lycra, so you can move freely while working at the job site. They're available in khaki, gray, or black, each of which can stand up to work stains with ease. If you're going to buy Milwaukee-branded work pants, you want everyone to know it, right? Well, each of these colors lets the red Milwaukee tag on the seat stand out clearly. Most importantly though, each pair of pants has six pockets for carrying your smaller tools and work items.

These work pants aren't universally loved, as only 48% of Home Depot customer reviewers would recommend them. Most reviewers who disliked the pants mentioned that the interior fabric on the pockets was not durable. However, some more recent reviews indicate Milwaukee addressed the problem with the pockets. "Milwaukee definitely listens to its customers," Home Depot reviewer Lonut says. "They fixed the issue with the pockets. It seems they reinforced them with stronger material." 

Why not expand your Milwaukee product options for use outside the house? The Milwaukee M18 21-inch Self-Propelled Mower ($1,175 at Amazon) simultaneously uses two M18 high output batteries to deliver extra cutting power. It offers a maximum torque higher than a 200cc gas-powered lawn mower engine. You can set the self-propelled feature to move the mower at speeds up to 4 MPH.

Among Home Depot customer reviewers, 82% would recommend the mower to other consumers. Home Depot reviewer Stangfan1966 says the lawn mower delivers the quality you'd expect from this brand. It "far exceeded expectations, even for Milwaukee. ... It's a job well done for them in my book." Amazon reviewer Paul Molter is impressed with the power the mower delivers. "This lawn mower goes through weeds [and] crabgrass like they are nothing; plenty of power for the thick stuff." It can reach full throttle in less than 1 second for maximum cutting efficiency, which is a key feature YouTuber The Lawngineer appreciates. "Within 0.7 seconds, you get basically full power; 3,300 RPM at the push of a button."

When carrying an armload of screwdrivers, hammers, nails and more isn't reasonable, and a toolbox gets clunky, wearing something like the Milwaukee Electrician's Tool Belt ($100 at Amazon) is the perfect solution. The belt gives you 29 pockets to keep all your gear organized. It uses tear-resistant 1860 denier nylon, riveted seams, and metal buckle and fastener hardware to stand up to rough treatment. The areas of fabric that rest near your body have padding and breathable designs to enhance your comfort throughout the workday. Carrying sharp items is not a problem with the reinforced, tough fabric in the tool belt.

YouTube reviewer John McGrath appreciates that you can use the belt equally well whether you're wearing it or setting it on a workbench. "It can stand up on its own, so it has hardened bottoms on both pouches. ... A nice feature so you can kind of use it as a tote bag if it gets too heavy." Amazon reviewer Reiley K appreciates the ability to adjust the pouches to fit your work needs. "I removed the bigger pouch and replaced it with my original small pouch. ... It's pretty easy to rearrange and reorganize." 

If you like gadgets that help you with DIY projects and that are fun to use, Milwaukee has you covered with a Non-Contact Voltage Detector and Laser Infrared Thermometer ($45 at Home Depot). It can detect the presence of AC voltage from 12 to 1,000 volts by holding it near a hot wire or an outlet. It offers both a visual and audible warning of the live voltage, so you don't miss the alert. Use the infrared laser thermometer to measure items like a hot engine without having to get close to it and risk a skin burn. This thermometer can measure temperatures as low as negative 22 and as high as 482 degrees Fahrenheit.

Accuracy is paramount with a device like this. Home Depot reviewer DIYElectrician was impressed with the voltage testing feature. "I ran into a situation where the drywallers buried our three-gang box. The stick was able to find the hot wires through the wall!" Reviewer HomeDepotCustomer agreed. "I found the device to be reliable and accurate, as one might expect from Milwaukee."

If it feels like you never have a tape measure that's quite long enough to match what you need, Milwaukee has the solution for you with its 300-foot Fiberglass Open Reel Tape ($31 at Home Depot). This tape has measurements printed on both sides, making it easy to use even if it becomes twisted over a long distance. With the fiberglass construction of the tape, it's easy to clean if it gets mud or dust on it at the job site. It also contains a built-in wiper guard to clean it as you roll it back up. Having 300 feet of coverage is perfect for accurately measuring long distances for a fence line on a DIY project. Youth sports coaches can use the long tape to lay out a soccer, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, football, baseball, or softball field. It works nicely for track and field measurements, too.

On Home Depot's website, 98% of customers would recommend purchasing this long tape measure. Reviewer HomeDepotCustomer appreciates that the tape has a fastening hole inside a steel section. This is "a feature that facilitates handy one-man use by using a screw, pin, or nail to reliably hold the tape in place." The tape's retraction and extension mechanism operates smoothly, according to reviewer 1OldMan. "The 3:1 gear ratio makes for a quick, smooth retraction. The gear system is steel, so it won't strip."

Whether you're on a job site or spending time having fun outside in the winter, Milwaukee's Toughshell Cordless Heated Jacket will help you combat the elements ($169 on Home Depot for the jacket only). You'll power the jacket with the same rechargeable M12 battery system that you might already own to operate cordless tools. As an improvement on past heated jackets from Milwaukee, this Toughshell model uses stretch polyester fabrics, making it easier to move in while you work. There are heat zones in the chest, back, and front pockets, and you can manage the intensity of the heat with a one-touch controller. You could receive up to 12 hours of heating at the lowest intensity setting.

Home Depot reviewer Anonymous says the system doesn't create uncomfortable levels of heat. "It's a great jacket [that] doesn't heat up like crazy, but it can keep you warm." The jacket has a battery-storage pass-through front-and-back pocket, so you can move the battery back and forth to keep it out of the way while you're working. Reviewer HomeDepotCustomer says the ability to easily pass the battery to the front pocket is "especially great when you drive in your car, so that the battery is not uncomfortable at the side of your back when sitting in your car."