When comparing Festool PDC18 Set 564597 vs Milwaukee M18 FUEL, the Slant community recommends Milwaukee M18 FUEL for most people. In the question“What are the best high-end cordless drills?” Milwaukee M18 FUEL is ranked 2nd while Festool PDC18 Set 564597 is ranked 3rd. The most important reason people chose Milwaukee M18 FUEL is:
Its massive 1200 inch-pound torque makes this cordless drill suitable for heavy duty use, like large diameter concrete and metal drilling. In fact, with this tool, you can drive massive 3/8" screws into wooden boards. This power is achieved by the drill’s state-of-the-art brushless DC motor, which is by far more efficient and powerful than the regular DC motors used by competitors.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Fast drilling action, perfect for woodworking
With the maximum speed of 3800 RPM, this is one the fastest cordless drills available on the market. This remarkable result is achieved by the aid of the state-of-art four-speed gearbox. Such speed is perfect for woodworking, where slow drills tend to break low diameter drill bits.
Pro Batteries last long
This cordless drill comes with two massive 5.2 Ah batteries. In terms of capacity, these are the largest drill batteries available on the market, at the moment.
Pro The attachments are useful
Apart from the standard keyless chuck, this toolset also includes a centrotec chuck and a right angle chuck. The centrotec chuck is perfect for those who need to change drill bits frequently. It’s also shorter than the regular keyless chuck, therefore suitable for tight spaces. The right angle chuck is an excellent solution for drilling holes in places which are normally hard or impossible to reach because of the length of the drill.
Pro Decent manufacturer’s warranty
Festool provides three years of limited warranty to both the tool and the batteries, so if either fails within three years, the manufacturer will provide a replacement. Even though the warranty is only a limited one, the majority of possible failures are covered by Festool.
Pro Smart batteries
The batteries of Festool PDC18 has an ingenious power management system. The system can detect battery-related problems and warn you via LED lights.
Pro Great for heavy-duty professional use
Its massive 1200 inch-pound torque makes this cordless drill suitable for heavy duty use, like large diameter concrete and metal drilling. In fact, with this tool, you can drive massive 3/8" screws into wooden boards. This power is achieved by the drill’s state-of-the-art brushless DC motor, which is by far more efficient and powerful than the regular DC motors used by competitors.
Pro Chuck is never loose
The chuck of the Milwaukee M18 is designed in such a way that it tightens itself during operation. This self-tightening design eliminates the problem of loose chucks found in many cordless drills. This means you will not have to worry about a loose drill bit rotating at 2000 RPMs near your body.
Pro Easy to control
It comes with a removable side handle, which is especially helpful in the situations when you need an extra degree of control over the drill.
Pro Decent battery life
The Milwaukee M18 comes with a very lasting 5 Ah battery. For comparison, the largest cordless drill battery available at the moment has a capacity of 5.2 Ah. The 5 Ah battery will give you about 10 - 15 minutes of constant and intense working time. In fact, a test done by skillbuilder.com have shown that a single charge is just enough to drill 106 one-inch holes in wood.
Pro Trackable and blockable remotely
It can be remotely tracked and blocked using Milwaukee's ONE-KEY companion app. This is a free application and, to start using it, you just need to register your tool.
Pro The battery level can be tracked
Each battery of the Milwaukee M18 comes with a built-in charge indicator which will inform you on its current charge level.
Cons
Con Expensive
With a hefty price of $630.00, this is one of the most costly cordless drills on the market. You will have to carefully consider if the product’s advantages sufficiently offset its high price.
Con Bulky and cumbersome to use
This is not the kind of tool you'd like to use for simple operations, like assembling IKEA furniture. Due to its large length (7.6") and heavy weight (4.9 lbs), this cordless drill is not the handiest tool to use, especially if working in cramped spaces.