Milwaukee M18 Fuel Cordless Wet and Dry Vacuum

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Cordless Wet and Dry Vacuum Brings Unprecedented Versatility

When Milwaukee invited us to take a sneak peek at the "jobsite cleanup" solution, we were curious to see what they had in store behind the scenes. Our wildest guesses were wildly wrong, and the truth is far better with the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Cordless Wet Dry Vacuum.

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Cordless Wet and Dry Vacuum Configuration and Design

power supply

On the way are three pre-configured Milwaukee cordless vacuums with two power heads. One runs on a single M18 battery and comes in a 6 gallon tank.

The other powerhead runs at 36V using two M18 batteries connected in series, which has the advantage that they are 100% compatible with the M18 series. That powerhead fits on 9 gallon and 12 gallon cans.

The vacuum cleaner is designed around the M18 high output batteries, so be sure to use these for the best performance. You can of course use other M18 backpacks if you want, but the suction power will be reduced.

If you want to stick with AC power, a separate wired power supply is also coming soon.

modular design

A unique feature of the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Wet and Dry Vacuum System is its interchangeability. Each head fits each canister, you can use any hose size you like, and the carts are all cross-compatible. It's really a big deal. These are the sections you can configure:

• Single or Dual Cell Head Units
• 6, 9 or 12 gallon cans
• 4-Caster Standard or Premium Cart with Telescoping Handle and Large Fixed Rear Wheels

Here are some advantages of modular design:

• Separate wet application tanks from dry application tanks without purchasing a completely separate vacuum cleaner
• Use only the tank size needed for the job at hand
• Get rid of the weight of the wheels when you don't need the vacuum to roll back and forth

Increased durability

The two main pain points of many shop vacs come from hose and wheel failure. Milwaukee is targeting both.

Anti-static hose is more flexible and more resistant to kinks than most hoses. Even if it gets kinked, it returns to its original shape much better than the others.

It's also more durable. In a torture test where the Milwaukee hose and two other standard hoses were twisted over and over again, the standard hose broke early and the Milwaukee never broke. We were sure it would end up with a hose that was unusable by the end of the test, but it did show us the durability of the material and construction.

The wheels have also been greatly upgraded. The standard cart has four 360° locking casters that are larger and sturdier than typical shop vac wheels. They also have rubber treads that help them deal with vibrations better. Premium carts have two front casters and two larger rear wheels.

In another durability test, the first wheel of a rival vacuum broke after a little more than eight miles of bumpy driving. After more than 50 miles, Milwaukee was still going strong.

Hose and Fittings Management

For hose storage, there is a C-clip on the side and a bungee cord on the back. You can wrap the hose in either direction, but you'll need to wrap it around the rubber band twice to secure it. The flat-to-flat interface requires tension from the second coil to seat properly, a length of hose alone is not enough.

Accessories are mainly stored on the trolley. While some vacuums have storage points on each wheel, the Milwaukee has all the room for them in the back of the cart. Both 1 7/8" and 2 1/2" attachments fit both cart types.

Filter Replacement/Cleaning

Some filters let you pop them off for removal and cause a cloud of dust to escape into the area you just cleaned. The Milwaukee releases with a slight twist for better dust control and easy one-handed operation.

Additional Features for the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Cordless Wet and Dry Vacuum

• 1 7/8" hose and accessories included with 6 and 9 gallon units
• 2 1/2" hose and fittings included with 12 gallon unit
• Side drain plug (can be used on cart or under cart)
• Flat top allows you to stack other items on top of the vacuum
• Hose and accessories are color coded: 1 7/8" is gray, 2 1/2" is red
• Dry, wet and HEPA filters will be available

Answers to some of our questions

• These vacuums are not compatible with Packout (but others will be)
• They're not hybrid wired/wireless and they don't charge your battery
• They do not conform to Table 1, but Milwaukee is documenting target data for specific concrete applications

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Cordless Job Site Vacuum Performance

suck

If you're trying to compare these vacuums to corded vacuums, power output isn't a very good indicator. In one test with a 9-gallon vacuum, the corded competitor had 1100 watts to the Milwaukee's 450 watts… with more suction (74 CFM vs. 101 CFM). Still, context helps, you can expect performance in excess of 3.5 peak HP vacs for single battery units and 4.25 peak HP for dual battery units.

The reason the Milwaukee requires less watts for better suction is the optimization of the brushless motor combined with the fan and shroud design for greater efficiency. The vacuum also happens to run much quieter than the corded vacuums we typically use.

Here's how much suction you can expect from each vacuum cleaner. Note that the 9 gallon and 12 gallon models have the same head unit. The higher figure of 12 gallons is due to its larger hose diameter.

power priority

Every cordless vacuum has two settings—one that prioritizes performance for better suction, and one that prioritizes run time. Here's a breakdown of continuous run time with the 12.0Ah high-output battery:

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Cordless Jobsite Vacuum Cleaner Prices

The 6-gallon vacuum arrives at Milwaukee retailers in mid-March, followed by 9- and 12-gallon models in May 2022. Here are their prices:

Bottom line…for now

In short, we were impressed. The wet and dry vacuum performance of the Milwaukee is excellent, the construction is clearly more durable than other designs, and we really like the modular aspect. If you're tired of using your vacuum as a consumable to replace after every job, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Cordless Wet and Dry Vacuum is a great upgrade.

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Cordless Wet and Dry Vacuum Products and Models

• 0910-20 6 gallon kit (no batteries or charger): $249.00
• 0920-20 9 gallon kit (no batteries or charger): 299.00
• 0920-22HD 9 Gallon Kit: $699.00
• 0930-22HD 12 Gallon Kit: $799.00
• 0931-20 6.5 Peak HP Head (Wired): $199.00
• 0911-20 Single Battery Motor Head: $189.00
• 9021-20 Dual Battery Motor Head: $199.00
• 0922-20 6 gallon can: $79.00
• 0912-20 9 gallon can: $89.00
• 0932-20 12 gallon can: $99.00
• 0933-20 Premium Cart: $149.00
• 0923-20 Standard Cart: $79.00
• 49-90-1977 HEPA filter: $30.00
• 49-90-1978 HEPA filter: $25.00
• 49-90-1990 Foam Wet Filter: $20.00
• 49-90-1991 Hose and Accessory Adapter Kit: $11.00
• 49-90-1992 Hose to Drain Adapter Kit: $10.00
• 49-90-1979 6 Gallon Wool Dust Bags (5-Pack): $30.00
• 49-90-1989 9 Gallon Wool Dust Bags (5-Pack): $35.00
• 49-90-1999 12 Gallon Wool Dust Bags (5-Pack): $40.00
• 1 7/8" Fitting
  • Dust Adapter Kit 49-90-1980: $19.00
  • Round Brush Tool 49-90-1981: $12.00
  • Floor Brush Tool 49-90-1982: $14.00
  • Arc Nozzle 49-90-1983: $11.00
  • 16 feet. Hose 49-90-1984: $65.00
  • Wet Floor Nozzle 49-90-1985: $14.00
  • 32” to 102” Expandable Hose 49-90-1986: $40.00
  • Extended Wand 49-90-1987: $11.00
  • Crevice Tool 49-90-1988: $10.00
  • Floor Utility Nozzle 49-90-2011 – $10.00
• 2 1/2" Fittings
  • Dust Adapter Kit 49-90-2000: $21.00
  • Round Brush Tool 49-90-2001: $13.00
  • Floor Brush Tool 49-90-2002: $15.00
  • Arc Nozzle 49-90-2003: $12.00
  • 16 ft hose 49-90-2004: $80.00
  • Wet Floor Nozzle 49-90-2005: $15.00
  • 9 foot hose 49-90-2006: $65.00
  • Extended Wand 49-90-2007: $12.00
  • Crevice Tool 49-90-2008: $11.00
  • Floor Utility Nozzle 49-90-2009: $11.00

Learn more about Milwaukee vacuums here.