It’s great that everything behind y’all is Lowe’s and yet Milwaukee won’t let Lowe’s carry their tools.

I have the brushed M18 Hackzall and am very pleased with the performance. I think it depends on how much a person uses the tool. For a pro, using the tool 3-4 times a week, Fuel is the way to go. For a homeowner who already has M12 batteries and may use the tool only once per month, going with the brushed version makes a lot of sense. Who cares if it takes 33% longer when all you are doing is cutting a couple of items per month. Save the $60 for another tool!

I cut EMT and other sorts of metals all day as a commercial electrician, never had any issues with the brushed version always gets the job done and really that’s all I can ask out a a tool as long as it does the job then it’s good in my book

Milwaukee does a great job marketing. Especially for the younger guys, they are always at the tech schools showing off their tools and ensuring that these classes are packed with Milwaukee.

I had the non-fuel and then the fuel. The biggest difference I found was the fuel battery life feels almost double.

I bought the m12 fuel hackzall about 6 months ago as the saw, charger and a 4 amp hour battery were on sale for $87. I couldn’t pass up that kind of deal and I didn’t own a hackzall before that. I have mostly used it for pruning work around the house and to fix a hole in a pipe so tree roots won’t get into the pipe. So far I love my tool.

"They took the brushes out so it has less friction" *Electrical engineers die a little inside*

Stroke length men, stroke length. Longer stroke length cuts faster. The brushed model has a 1/2" stroke length. The Fuel has a 5/8" stroke length. That 1/8" makes a big difference in most applications. At 3000 spm, the surface feet/min of the blade goes from 125 to 156.25. That means more teeth engaging the work with each stroke. Just like with a hand hack saw, longer strokes cut faster. The Fuel motor has more torque as well. But the compact size of the brushed model can be important. I have the Fuel version, but will get the brushed one when a good sale comes along.

It’s Fuel all the way. The reason the “Fuel” Hackzall doesn’t vibrate nearly as much as the non-Fuel and other “one handed” recip saws, is due to the dual helical gears built into it. Mil2aukee completely re-engineering the Fuel Hackzall from the ground up. It has better balance, much lower vibration, pivoting foot, RedLink Communication between tool electronics and battery, dual helical gears to dampen and offset vibration, brushless purposely designed motor. The reason why you would want to have this tool, even in a larger form factor than the original Hackzall, is due to the one handed operation. You can’t use a Sawzall one handed, e.g. no control too long and heavy. The Hackzall was designed to be used one handed, over the head and too reach into places you wouldn’t be able to sustain a cut with a Sawzall in.

It is curious how almost every brushless upgrade makes the tool smaller, but the m18 Hacksall got much bigger.

I'm a homeowner and I chose the M12 with brushes because it is a bit smaller- it's no beast but it's well beyond adequate and extremely convenient.

I had the regular one for 3 years it lasted still works gave it away when I got the m12 fuel I fell in love over again brushless to me is the way to go now

I have both the 12v and 18v brushed Hackzalls and my thinking was that I was primarily going to use it for pruning and landscaping work where it will get wet, covered in mud, etc and I would rather replace a lower-cost brushed over a fuel tool. Even when buying both, it was less than a chainsaw and a lot less maintenance.

YT channel AVE did a breakdown of the Fuel hacksall and it has a much more robust gearbox than the basic.

@toolsinaction speaking from a service plumber, I'm never working in wide open sites, always old already established housing. The fuel hackzall is leaps and bounds superior in every aspect, including longevity, my fuel has lasted longer than 3 of the brushed version

Anyway to do a comparison on the Milwaukee m18 fuel hackzall vs the m18 sawzall (base model, not the fuel or superfuel)? I used a hackzall (not the fuel version) and it sliced through metal much faster than my corded deep cut bandsaw by Milwaukee (though the blade could have been changed maybe). It was very surprising for me, as I was planning on getting a sawzall but this hackzall really has me confused now. Basically wondering which fuel hackzall (m18) ranks compared to the m18 regular sawzall?

As a plumber working on new construction and service residential and commercial the regular m12 with 6.0A battery works great. Plus, I also use an m18 18v regular sawzall. No problems anywhere.

We have brushed, Brushless and Fuel tools from Milwaukee all bought since 2017 and all kick ass. The difference in their performance is negligible because we actually work and don't sit there having races all day driving in fasteners. People can fall for all the marketing wank they want, but the added expense for a Fuel logo is silly when all 3 18 volt lines of tools are so close in performance. There are a lot of good brushless tools in their line that aren't Fuel so look into them. Personally my favorite impact is the brushed version because all the brushless ones we own have this weird lag

Your scenario is something that i have wondered about for a few years now. In almost every platform except the hackzalll, the fuel version always seems to be more compact. In my opinion the M12 fuel is so close to the M18 hackzall in size you may as well jump up to the M18. I really prefer the original M12 hackzall. I have several of them and they have never failed to cut anything I have put them to task on. I know that the fuel offers some benefits over the original in terms of power and longevity, but they need to downsize it to the original size.

Non fuel was much slower, but i did prefer the size alot better, since i could easy have it in my veto pro pack backpack without taking up to much space.

1) it's only a LITTLE bit bigger. Add the faster cutting speed and you'd JOB is done FASTER. it's not even something heavy enough to make you tired... 2) brushless.. less likely to go on you. Therefore, the extra $60 saves you money from buying again. 3)longer battery life. Outcome: really not all the bigger and with that small increase in size, more power, faster cuts, more reliable, more battery. And yes, I owned the base version before returning for a fuel. Also, it may be the same rpm, but it has a longer stroke. So essentially, it has a faster rpm if you do the math of it cutting with a smaller stroke. And with a longer stroke, you use more teeth on your blade so the blade lasts longer since you have the extra teeth helping out the others and actually using more of your blade instead of wasting it.

The extra brushless power is not primarily because of no brush friction. The motor is controlled digitally using an ESC, programming in the ESC allows the motor to be utilized much more effectively, this is where the extra power comes from.

I’m working on yachts. Fiberglass, plywood. Compact is definitely why I bought the cheaper one. Plenty powerful.

I just bought the non Fuel hacksaw on December 31st. I have all non Fuel 18 volt tools from Milwaukee. Have had most of them for over 7 years now. All work great 6 days a week, I got this little one just so we don't have to get the Sawall out as often for a cut or two. The price is easier to justify. Batteries and chargers are the only thing I seem to need now. The chargers aren't as good as the tools themselves.

The fuel hackzall has a bigger stroke. I have both and the fuel is so much better. Cuts better and has more power.

The non-fuel version is also available in kits with other tools that you might want or be able to trade with your homies, so there are potential savings there. If you're looking to buy this for more specialized areas, going with the smaller one might fall under the same logic why you'd go with the brushless m12 impact over an m18 1/2 impact for example. Milwaukee has many selling points, variety being one of em.

Burnt or wore out about 4 of the M12's, but never the big electrical sawzall. Probably will move to the M18 fuel one next. Need a compact relatively small battery op. saw that will stand up to the punishment of my work output. The good thing about Milwaukee tools is their 5 warranty coverage

That brushed one is looking like a Dewalt over there with its speed.

Thing is with power tools its not always about speed and who can cut or drill faster. I think its about how well it works for each individuals application. Price definitely will play a roll too as some Fuel model tools can double the cost of its brushed counterpart.

being a plumber we tend to get more water on our tools, its hard for me to justify buying brushed tools they just don’t seem to handle liquids well

FUEL stands for Find Ultimate Energy Level One big advantage is that you dont lose power when the battery is low, it stays full strength till it dies

I have a lot of m18 fuel tools, however recently I have bought a lot of m12 just because lighter weight. They can’t stand up to m18, however at a third of weight they more than hold their own. I even bought my son a lot of m12, because they can do almost everything. I refuse to use corded anymore, I own so many of same tools, corded/cordless. I even gave up gas chainsaws for m18, just gave away the gas ones. Granted some things corded is the way to go. Use what works for you, however the ease of cordless is the future.

Excellent comparison review. Thanks.

Depending on the sale you can get the fuel saw for so cheap it makes the brushed a non viable option. Heck, I got the fuel m12 with a 4ah, charger, and case for the same price as the brushed m12 bare tool. I wanted m12 and not m18 because I wanted a smaller tool. And yeah the fuel is slightly bigger but let's be real, it's not THAT much bigger.

Im pretty sure the fuel version has a longer stroke, maybe that's why its bigger, maybe, usually brushless more compact

My whole collection is Milwaukee. Even my heated jacket. Besides my UEI clamp meter and fieldpiece gauges

For that a little bit more weight and size the FUEL is a beast.

I JUST bought a brushed m12 hacksaw for 50 bucks. I'm not a professional, just a homeowner, and I think it will be fine for me, but 50 bucks seemed hard to pass up, especially since I'm already in the 12 volt market

great demo - thanks for actually doing side-by-side cut test

I have the M18 fuel recip and I love it!! With my physical issues though I am considering maybe also the 12v fuel. I would love to see a video of the 2 of them showing the difference in speed, power, size and weight. Love your videos guys! Thanks!

In particular to this tool... Save money and get the Fuel on a deal.

I’m with Dan I really like the brushes but then again I haven’t had the privilege of using the fuel... TIA#1!!!!

I feel like if ur in a trade better to go xr and fuel. Just my experience. But diy or lighter work like trim not needed bit roughing houses. U need power and reliability.

I'm looking for something for cutting limbs among other things. Lightweight and easily controlled and high quality cut would be the things I'm looking for. Still not settled on Milwaukee or DeWalt. Have an older Milwaukee lithium-ion system in a newer DeWalt one. Whatever I get it's an upgrade from the harbor freight model that I have.

I had the old one and when the fuel came up I upgraded it. I think the non fuel tool do not have enough power and it vibrantes too much.

1:36 "I've been hanging out with you" **can hardly see his eyes**

Interesting you guys should happen to compare those two. I have the fuel at home and bought the brushed hackzall as part of a kit for one of my work trucks. I like the fuel, and specifically went brushed for the work truck because they are smaller and offered a good price for the kit. We use them for cutting mostly sheet metal and plastic panels to access the event data recorders in crashed cars and trucks. The size is great, but the brushed model struggles (stalls) trying to cut through hardened door latches. The remainder of the kit - drill, impact, ratchet and even the LED light are all plenty powerful and nice and compact. I think I'll throw a 4ah battery in the kit because I'm pretty sure the kit came with 2 x 1.5ah batteries. I might get a little more power with more cells to draw from.

Sick Blackhawks jacket 🤘🏻 oh..and tool stuff lol

I have the standard m18 brushed 4.5" angle grinder, and I bought the m18 fuel 4.5" angle grinder, and actually didn't like the fuel....1) it didn't feel like it had the power of the brushed, 2) it took longer to get up to speed, and 3) the ergonomics of the fuel sucked for one handed use.... neither one has a lock-on for the paddle switch, but the paddle on the fuel was too small and in the wrong spot to use one handed....bosch makes the best cordless 4.5" angle grinder out imho....

This review is like if Cheech and Chong were construction workers.

Always enjoy the banter between you two, like old friends. Are Costco and Coca-Cola paying you guys for displaying their beverages?

I have the M12 fuel and it really slaps. The M18 fuel which my friend has is even more powerful. But slap an XC 6.0 high output battery into the M18 fuel Hackzall, it will really blow the dewalt atomic out of the water.

Home Depot 5 tool kit with hackzall Black Friday sale $199 so no brainer for non-fuel for homeowner use

I have both the small one I use it for under the lavatories

i would be curious to see ho long the m12 charge lasts compared to the m18 3amp or 5amp battery

Thanks guys I almost went for the mini and are better off with the fuel

can you tell me to purchase the red long sleeve shirt?thx from sf

My 12v Fuel broke. Also had the 12v Fuel hammer drill break on me. Normal wear and tear. Nothing extreme.

the fuel got my vote. is more powerful n brushless motor. fuel is faster. thanks for the video. have good night guys. stay safe.

I own a 2625 hacksawll i always taught it wad brushless until Now.

I have the non-fuel one and almost never use it.

Unfortunately the non fuel didn't even survive 30 days in my automotive settings and work place.

I just bought the m12 hackzall and I didn't even know there was a better Fuel version. FFS.

I like m18 but I would get brushless the other one looks like baby

Thanks for the comparison. I have the M18 and I preferred the "Gen l" version, also due to size. Mind you I do also own an M18 Sawzall. I think I'm gonna go for that M12 now as I see more of a need for smaller sized powered tools for the small amounts of various quick cuts.

Talk about a side by side comparison.

Old review, speed is one thing, but in a recip saw…torque is what you want.. the Fuel has that over the regular model.

The operative word here if you have not picked up on it is 'scenario".

Biggest waste of money I ever spent was on a Non-Fuel HackZall. I want to throw it in the Trash bin every time I attempt to use it.

It's slightly strange that these companies are fighting over tech and the R&D financed by other industries. They are fighting over plastic and some custom PCB boards controlling the motor, sensors and efficient battery usage. Anyone can make those boards via sensors and solder kits dirt cheap on Amazon. They tweak motors and the battery tech that are incrementally becoming borderline magic they are today. The thin pancake large diameter high torque motors was initially intended for none industrial robotics, CNC and 3D printers. There is a direct connection that when FDM 3D printer prices went from ridiculous to negligible coincides with tools like ultra thin electric impact wrenches and ratchet hitting the market for less than the cost of a kidney. Usually when there is demand the industry will bend backwards to capitalize on it. However the professionals using this tech had no idea they needed it. Most mechanics who used these tools would probably not want to go back to hand tools exclusively. I do love power tools and having said all that I'm benefiting from these tool makers not splitting the R&D costs on every unit made. If they did go all in they would have sped up the development time by years.

The brushed one seems slow. I wouldn’t waste money on it.

Main reason I go with fuel is longevity.

Well small man for a small tool 😂 jk. Does anyone know which ones smoother? Like the vibration wise? I know for the multi tool the fuel is smoother. Was wondering about the hacksaw

@4:39 is my favorite part

So Eric is the fuel version of tia, and Dan is the non-fuel version. 🤣🧐🤔

the old one its dumb, no power and the size difference is so little! under heavier load the Fuel would walk away from the brushed.

Video starts at 4:40 everyone

Milwaukee Fuel all the way. Milwaukee is the best. 25 years Electrical & Plumbing Services.

If it says Milwaukee and it is in my tool collection, if it is M18 it will ALWAYS SAY FUEL on it. If it is M12 difference isn’t so dramatic and preference isn’t so critical

Fuel all the way

It's like muff vs bald.

Cleveland Washington Edmonton Hopefully they don’t come after Chicago

Why wont your sponsor sell milwaukee ?? Lowes

That m12 hacksawzall sucks. Save up and get the fuel. Or even better get the m18.

There not that big of a difference in size. Fuel definitely.

Jesus the weird passive aggressive tension between these two is so cringe.

Coke?

Faster is NOT always better with SawZall!!! Cast Iron will crack at faster speeds......and Grade 12 bolts will MELT the strongest Diamond Blades you got, unless you go slow.......been there, done that!! I got a regular Brushed M18 Saw for Car stuff.........If you're doing professional Demo Work, then speed is better cutting threw Junk......

Don’t even need to watch, fuel is far superior in my experience

It’s not so much about the size difference for me. 12v tools are just 🗑️ across the market.

The fuel is better period

i feel like the other guy doesnt know what hes talking about

Nope, I'll use that extra $60 for a massage

You're not accounting for downward force, uneven human interaction etc . In a test such as this, you cannot use this demo as a fair comparison between fuel and non fuel. YOUR human inclusion must be removed in order to try and do fair comparisons when dealing with VS scenarios. Project Farm has mastered and addressed this issue.

Size? You mean $60 cheaper and a free $50 gift card. In addition, there was about 4 1/2 min of random filler spoken throughout this review.

The 12V Fuel is almost the size of a compact 18V so its rubbish because a 18V outperform the 12V

Brushed for this one. The smaller form factor is the reason to use m12. If you want power get the m18 one.

Not a hacksaw LOL

I work in industrial maintenance field. An non fuel. Doesn't last long at all. Non fuel cordless grinders i have burned up in less than 15 min job an not really leaning on them. The fuel version i have ran hard with flap disc. An had smoke coming out of it an it still runs. The impacts are no comparison. Fuel. Or nothing

Going off of just this video these guys rlly should brush up on their knowledge or stay away from informing the good people about tools. They didn’t know shit, everything they said practically was self explained “dA bRusHlEsS iS wHen thEy taKE thE bRuShEs oUt”