First look at M18 FUEL Brushless Cordless String Trimmer

This post (First look at M18 FUEL Brushless Cordless String Trimmer) is sponsored by The Home Depot

OK, today we are going to take a look at the Cordless string trimmer from Milwaukee. Now your neighbors don’t have to listen to that annoying, insistent buzz of the gas-powered trimmers any more.  I have owned a few gas powered trimmers in my life and like with all of them, maintenance is important. My busy life sometimes leads to me forgetting to do some things and almost all the time that leads to a frustrating time when trying to get my gas trimmer started. Trying to get it, not only started but running properly was hugely frustrating for me and that’s why this battery powered trimmer was right up my alley.   No more messing with fuel and mixtures and for sure no more spending ten minutes trying to get the trimmer started. Just pull the trigger and away I go.

Like most people in my neighborhood, I have a fenced back yard, and a fenced back yard means a lot of trimming. Mowing is my getaway from every day crazy that is my life, it is something I enjoy. But I have to be honest and tell you trimming, not so much. The thought of fighting with the gas-powered trimmer, trying to get it to cooperate was never fun.

With this cordless trimmer, I gotta say its a far more stress-free experience and thanks to the Quik Lock system it’s more than just a trimmer.  More on that to come through. It’s fast too. It cuts up to a 16-inch path and it’s 6200 rpm motor prevents it from not bogging down in even the thickest of grass.

This is one easy to use trimmer.  The motor is placed at the back of the trimmer to give you the best combination of power, balance, and maneuverability.  Added to the fact that it’s cordless, it has a variable speed trigger (that will reach full throttle in one second) and it will run for an hour on a single charge, makes this one really useful tool.

If you are the proud owner of any of the other 175+ Milwaukee M18 tools then the batteries are interchangeable.

This unit did come with the battery and rapid charger which for me was an added value and gave me no excuse to not invest in other Milwaukee M18 tools.

Now back to that Quik Lock system.  This string trimmer is actually two separate parts.  The M18 FUEL Power Head which has the motor, battery and variable speed trigger and the QUICK-LOK String Trimmer attachment.

The absolute coolest and most useful feature is that using the QUIK-LOK system you can remove the string trimmer and replace it with other QUIK-LOK compatible attachments.  So now, not only is this the easiest and most convenient string trimmer I have ever owned, it can be so much more.

There is a pole saw attachment with a 10-inch blade,  a hedge trimmer with a 270-degree rotating head, an edge trimmer with adjustable guide wheel and even a 3-foot extension that allows you to get the tool into more places

Ever need to cut off some tree limbs, just out of reach?  Me too. But I took care of it with the QUIK-LOK pole saw attachment.  I just replaced the string trimmer component with the 10-inch pole saw and I was able to reach the out of reach limbs.  It has a branch hook which gave me the extra leverage I needed to cut through some of the heavier limbs. The automatic oiler gave me peace of mind that the 10-inch ⅜ chain was going to stay properly lubricated and the transparent oil reservoir allowed me to see when it was getting low.

I found that its padded grip gave me that little extra comfort and grip and the included scrench is there when you need to replace or adjust the chain.

Some limbs may even be out of the reach of the QUIK-LOK pole saw attachment and Milwaukee has you covered there too. The QUIC-LOK Extension is absolutely perfect for those just out of reach applications. The added 3ft that the extension gave me the extra length I needed to cut those high up limbs.  It works with all the other QUIK-LOK components and it is way more useful than I first gave it credit for. I was concerned that that extra length would cause it to be unwieldy and awkward to handle but I found myself pleasantly wrong.  It only adds one and a half pounds to the overall weight and thanks to the way the power head is designed, even with the extension it is comfortable and easy to use.

Curb appeal.  That all important first impression.  Like most people I take pride in the way, my home looks to the passerby. It’s their first impression of me and I want it to be a good one.  Thankfully Milwaukee has me covered when it comes to my driveways, walkways and flower beds with the QUIK-LOK Edger attachment. It is awesome for making sure the edges of my driveway are nicely maintained.  First impressions when I saw it was, this thing is compact and not all that heavy either. Being small, it didn’t compromise on the safety one bit. The skid plate protects the gearbox from concrete strikes and the mud flaps prevent dirt and mud from kick backing and hitting me. The adjustable wheel allowed me to place the 8-inch blade to the depth and the angle that suited my needs and the blade indication allowed gave me cut line visibility. And thanks to the QUIK-LOK power head it has the power it needs to perform the job.

A good haircut is important, so why should your hedges be neglected.  Milwaukee has your back with the QUIK-LOK Hedge trimmer. And this isn’t any hedge trimmer. This unit allows you to rotate the head 270 degrees with 13 operating positions and the always handy storage position.  Control and safety are important when operating a tool like this and the hedge trimmers come equipped with a tip guard to prevent damage to the blades and comfort grip and strap to make operations as comfortable as possible.

So, do I like this unit? In a word Yes. I love the power and the flexibility that the M18 power head offers. One great thing about this is I can grab a battery from my drill and throw it in my trimmer and I am off to cleaning the yard. The Milwaukee M18 Fuel delivers the power you will need. How does the Milwaukee Cordless trimmer compare to gas? I have tried both pro and homeowner grade. In my opinions, the homeowner grade does not have the same performance it’s not a true comparison the M18 outperform it with no issue. On the other hand, this trimmer can compete with many professional lines. 

I like that it replaced four tools in my garage and that I no longer have to mess with mixing fuel or maintenance.  The range of attachments really does mean it can perform most of the tasks a homeowner would need them for.

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