is Milwaukee a superior brand?

[piersm2]

 I went to home depot this morning to pick up the new ridgid hammer drill and order the nine amp hour batteries. Turns out I need to order it online to get the free tool deal.  I started thinking more about the browns and is Milwaukee a superior brand?  Honestly the only time I will use this drill is for icefishing.

 Also, I am going to be putting it on an Eskimo bit  so I would like to keep it all red.  Having the ability to buy multiple different tools and use the same battery is also a plus.

I know the LSA is a huge selling point but don’t know if that is a deal maker to go that route.  I know this has been beat to death but would really appreciate insight on brands, not just the hammer drills.

[Ice Scratcher]

To start, Ridgid is the new top dog for torque as far as standard drills go.

I've professionally used both brands and prefer the erognomics of the Ridgid tools myself.

They are both made by the same parent company. Both have countless compatible tool that use the same batteries.

To sacrifice power, and the LSA, over color seems on  juvenile side IMO..

Just because you haven't already used a drill as a drill, doesn't mean you will never want to.. The uses for a cordless drill are almost infinite really. Throw a wire brush on it and clean your grill as an example.

<°)))>{

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I went to home depot this morning to pick up the new ridgid hammer drill and order the nine amp hour batteries. Turns out I need to order it online to get the free tool deal.  I started thinking more about the browns and is Milwaukee a superior brand?  Honestly the only time I will use this drill is for icefishing.

 Also, I am going to be putting it on an Eskimo bit  so I would like to keep it all red.  Having the ability to buy multiple different tools and use the same battery is also a plus.

I know the LSA is a huge selling point but don’t know if that is a deal maker to go that route.  I know this has been beat to death but would really appreciate insight on brands, not just the hammer drills.

Can’t say I’ve ever had any issues with my Milwaukee that wasn’t taken care of. I believe it is a simple choice. Just get the brand you have chargers & batteries for. I also know makita has a 1,050 in/lb drill. If you don’t have any of those brands then buy the one you will get other tools in.

[3300]

consider what you said being you want more tools on one battery, then think over head/operating costs. batteries and parts only last for so long. i know how each company treats it's customers and there is a huge difference.
i have a friend who throws a red nylon bag over his ridgid drill, not for looks, but to keep it from the environments better.
buy a lazer and your good to go for color matching with either brand.

look for the "who needs fuel when we have octane" thread to delve into the ridgid tool option closer.
https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=360326.0
also, that 9amp battery equals more than two 4amps and that is what most of us had/have. the tool will be free. two 4amp batteries retail for 200$ and no lsa on them because they are not sold in a kit.
if you want two 4amp and two 2amp and charger in a kit to get the lsa i can get you a link. they qualify for lsa, but no free 1300 inch pound drill with it. also, the 1300 inch pound drill costs the same as their 700"#+ drills bare tool, so the choice is simple for bare tools should you look into that angle.

i have had all of my ridgid tools inspected and serviced for free and they replaced parts not worn out yet and upgraded batteries that didn't need batteries just to make sure the tools stay in the field and not in a repair shop. milwaukee has had poor customer service reported here where a switch on their at the time top drill went bad and they said it will cost more to fix it then it costs while under their 5 year warranty. that's a huge difference is customer support and attitude. i stand behind companies who stand behind their products. red is a great color for milwaukee.
you could take all of your tools in to have inspected and it won't cost you any thing and if they change parts or upgrade them it still won't cost you any thing ever.

also, if ridgid stops supporting any battery or tool they give the most current version for free and with the lsa. this happened with my 24v ridgid tools.

when you ask if milwaukee is superior?, i'd say no, it is not. they each offer some tool choices not offered to other brands in which it may force you into a brand not of choice. that has happened to myself. i like the tools while they are working, but hate the 3/5 year warranty and a company who refuses to stand behind them. your mileage may vary, but i don't like variations when it comes to this.

if you don't care how much you'll spend or warranties or customer service, then look at tools you'll want to use after your 1st brand purchase. after that time you'll want to conserve cash flow and stick with brand of choice. a kit maybe is a smart choice to conserve cash. look at kits and the different tools offered in each one to find a kit that's for you. add up the individual costs per item to see how much you'll save is also a key factor unless money isn't an issue. some specials offer free tools, so watch for those to save even more cash. black fridays and xmas are best times to watch for those deals.

[stinkyfingers]

I own several larger Rigid power tools and am completely satisfied with their performance and value. Never used a Rigid hand drill but they certainly have some loyal fans whose opinions I would trust. But I've been using Milwaukee corded tools for many years and they've always been my first choice when I could afford them. Picked up an M18 Fuel drill to power my ice augers three years ago and I'll have to say that drill is the best single tool I've bought in a dozen years. This year I've added their 7-1/4" saw and metal grinder w/cutoff wheel, all powered by those same batteries. Fat and happy. I'm glad to read that Rigid drills have upped their torque. Buy it. You won't regret it. I use my tools every day of the week but even if you're only powering an ice auger a few times a year you're still better off than with a single purpose gas, propane, or electric setup. Lighter, handier and cheaper.
 BTW, you don't need the hammer drill over the standard drill. You won't be using that feature anyway. No hammering done on the ice. You'll ruin your blades.

[Ice Scratcher]

Should have mentioned, either brand kicks a$$... Like Stinky mentioned, I've also tried to buy Milwaukee for my corded tools, they are all quality monsters..

It wasn't that long ago when Ridgid became a player in the cordless market. But they've been around long enough to gain trust in myself and many professionals.

<°)))>{

[Peccavi18]

I own and use alot of Milwaukee tools. I switched over from Dewalt, just wasnt loving their older stuff, their newer tools seem alot smaller, stronger, and better (same can be said about Milwaukee). I have used some Rigid tools they worked well, their router and belt sander are nice (Milwaukee make these happen). I did like the Rigid fit alittle better but they didnt have the battery life which with the new battery is now a non issue. I could use either and be happy. Personally the variety of tools Milwaukee has fits me better, I use planers, screwguns, chop saws and impacts all the time. Table saw weed whacker, and hedge trimmers are all soon to be ordered. Rigid doesnt carry them, but for basic hand tools the warranty is worth it.

[IceAddict87]

Go with what you are comfortable with. I was going to get a Milwaukee but Dewalt had too good of a deal to pass up. I used mine all last season in ice up to 36”. Did great!

[32footsteps]

Go with what you are comfortable with. I was going to get a Milwaukee but Dewalt had too good of a deal to pass up. I used mine all last season in ice up to 36”. Did great!

Ding! Ding! Ding! 

This thread has covered all of the bases of a drill brand thread so far.  Guys are talking up what they own and why they like them, 3300 jumps in with his standard long winded Rigid infomercial script, and the "Go with what you are comfortable with" comment brings it full circle. 

The drills of 2018 are not the same as the drills of 5 years ago or even 3 years ago. A non Milwaukee brand drill today very likely will be better than a Milwaukee of just a short time ago. Milwaukee makes good stuff. Rigid makes good stuff. DeWalt makes good stuff...etc. I went with the brushless Ryobi. Money was of no concern when I bought a drill. I had it narrowed down to Milwaukee or Rigid until I compared the entire tool line and what I would use. The others didn't have what Ryobi did/does and that's what made me comfortable.

So pair up the bit you are turning with the drill that comes from the company that makes you the most comfortable. It might be the variety of different tools using the same battery like it was for me. You might already own tools from one brand and have compatible batteries and that will make you comfortable. You might really like the lifetime service agreement. Whatever floats your boat, go with it. I know some who are turning their ice bits with the cheap Menards Masterforce brand and those drills have lasted for those guys.

[52isntbigenough]

I know MKE see us as a market for their drills, not sure if Rigid or Dewalt does.

[jopes]

Milwaukee released a new updated m18 drill this spring as well as 12ah batteries. 

I picked up both to try out this winter. 

[hnd]

i switched from dewalt to milwaukee 3 years ago for all my battery actuated power tools.  I've used pretty much all brands as well. 

Its one of the many superior brands but it is not THE superior brand.  Any of the big dogs that have put out Brushless tech are just as good. 

[kayl]

I thought you guys might find this interesting.  I recently had a chance to test out some sawzalls. We had the M18 Fuel Sawzall vs the Ridgid Octane Reciprocating Saw vs the M18 Fuel Super Sawzall. The M18 items were being tested by a local fire department and I recently picked up the Ridgid. They used the saws to cut apart some scrap cars. (The department used grinders, the jaws of life, etc as well. I just used the different saws for a couple of cuts.)  The Super Sawzall was the clear champion, as expected. There was no difference that I noticed between the M18 Fuel Sawzall and the Ridgid Octane. All I know is that the Milwaukee carbide tipped Torch blades are freaking crazy. My point is that as long as you're using a brushless drill and they have about the same torque rating there's likely not going to be a difference.

[IceAddict87]

Milwaukee has and will most likely always be a brand associated with superior quality. That being said the only Milwaukee tool I own is a corded circular saw. I have a dewalt clam plate kdrill combo now and love it. I think the Milwaukee drill is superior to the dewalt but the deal I got for the dewalt drill/impact and extra battery was better in the long run.