Milwaukee’s Pipeline new tool event is set to launch in just over a week, with Episode 1 focusing on Milwaukee M12, M18, MX Fuel Cordless Power Tools and Equipment.
So, let’s think and talk about what types of tools Milwaukee might be announcing for 2020 and maybe early 2021.
A Milwaukee M12 Pin Nailer?
Thanks to Nate (Doresoom), we know that Milwaukee has filed a patent for tech related to an M12 cordless pin nailer design. Patents are never guaranteed to correspond to real-life too launches, but they do increase the possibility.
Several brands have cordless pin nailers on the market, but with one catch – they’re pretty big for pin nailers. IF Milwaukee follows through with an M12 cordless pin nailer, it’ll likely be the smallest on the market and perhaps as close to pneumatic in size as possible.
Milwaukee M12 Cordless Nibbler?
Nate also discovered a patent for a new cordless nibbler design.
A cordless sheet metal nibbler is a little more specialized than I would have thought Milwaukee would be getting into these days, but it fits well within their philosophy about the M12 line providing easier and better alternatives to traditional hand tools.
Again, the existence of a patent does not mean such a tool is coming out soon or ever, but it increases the likelihood.
M18 Fuel Oscillating Multi-Tool?
Milwaukee has recently announced a new M12 Fuel cordless oscillating multi-tool. Is this the year we also finally get a new M18 Fuel multi-tool?
An M18 Fuel brushless oscillating multi-tool is inevitable. Milwaukee Tool isn’t going to release new oscillating multi-tool blades and accessories and not have a competitive brushless M18 product for long. It just wouldn’t make sense for them to leave this one out, and especially now that new power tool accessories are headed to stores.
New M18/M12 Super Charger?
I really like Milwaukee’s M18/M12 Rapid Charge station. But, it’s less practical than it used to be, as I recently learned when I tried to carry it with 3 High Output M18 batteries throwing its balance and handle comfort way off.
Maybe their 6-port SixPac charger will see an update?
Yes, there’s a new 2-port M18 RapidCharger, but my gut feeling tells me that their larger simultaneous and sequential chargers could stand to be updated, perhaps with a bump-up in speed or even Packout-compatible form factor.
M18 Cordless Power Station?
Milwaukee launched an MX Fuel power station last year, and while I find it very appealing on paper, a user like me is unlikely to buy into the MX Fuel cordless power equipment platform just for the power station. I love the idea of it, but that’s a tool that individual users like me would probably never buy.
But… what if they made something a little smaller, perhaps Packout-sized, and allowed it to be powered by up to (4) M18 cordless power tool batteries? Throw a couple of XC or HD batteries, even High Output ones, and it should handle a lot. No, the runtime wouldn’t be as great as with MX Fuel batteries (unless you used the largest and highest capacity M18 batteries), and some features might be sacrificed for cost or size considerations.
I know I’m not the only one who thinks an M18 portable battery-powered generator/power station would be fantastic. Right?
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Track Saw?!
Raise your hand if you wish Milwaukee would finally get into the cordless plunge-cutting track saw market.
For such a product, I’d hope for universal or cross-brand guide rail compatibility and a selection of replacement saw blade options. Guide rails are a complex product to ship, however, and near impossible to shelve at big box stores. Milwaukee could pull off a cordless track saw if they wanted to, and I’d think that maybe guide rail logistics would be one of the biggest reasons why they wouldn’t.
M18 Bluetooth Batteries
Wouldn’t it be swell if Milwaukee came out with One-Key batteries that had Bluetooth vacuum-activation tech? It’s almost definitely not going to happen, as there are many more reasons why they wouldn’t come out with such a product that in support of it, but one could hope.
Your Predictions
This was a challenging post, for one big reason – there aren’t that many product holes in Milwaukee’s M12 or M18 cordless power tool lineups.
A few years ago, Milwaukee said they were pushing heavily into the construction and remodeling industry, and they’ve really made some great strides. The biggest user needs and wants have been addressed, and so what’s left?
What do you think Milwaukee will be announcing next week?
What types of cordless power tools would you hope for Milwaukee to announce?
