Milwaukee announced their latest breakthrough at NPS18 a while back and we pitted the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Super Sawzall against other advanced cordless models currently available. It was the first cordless model to earn the Super Sawzall name and it was built around Milwaukee's new high output battery.
what does it offer
Let's take a deep dive and run it through some of our benchmark tests to see how it performs.
Like the video? Check out our first impressions using the saw!
main features
Powerstate Brushless Motors
With the "Fuel" designation, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Super Sawzall gets a brushless motor. It's not just a standard gas engine anymore, though. Milwaukee has entered into a more conscious big-frame and small-frame design thinking process. Power-hungry animals like this get a bigger motor to back up claims of being able to outperform 15-amp corded models, while tools like impact drivers stay compact.
Designed for high output
The motor is only part of the story – completing the power circuit is Milwaukee's new high output 12.0 Ah battery. The 21700 battery, combined with heat dissipation and efficient power delivery, puts out more watts than Milwaukee's standard M18 battery.
Operation Orbit
Orbital action is a big problem with reciprocating saws, and the lack of orbital action on Milwaukee's M18 Fuel Sawzall — even on one-button models — hurts its head-to-head cutting performance in wood. That's not the case with the cordless Super Sawzall, where Milwaukee's cut times are among the best in its class.
Other Standard Professional Features
- variable speed dial
- hook up
- led light
- adjustable shoes
- Tool-less Blade Holder
Additional Field Notes
The Milwaukee M18 Fuel Super Sawzall checks off just about every box you'd expect in a tool of this type. However, there are a few things that slightly detract from its otherwise excellent feature set.
It's all about the blade holder here. The M18 Fuel Sawzall clamp release uses a lever on the outside of the front shell. It works well regardless of shaft and shoe position. Milwaukee gets rid of that on the Super Sawzall and just gives you the standard shaft release. It's still tool-free, but I found that I had to smooth the trigger to make sure it was high enough for my fingers to get around.
I would also like to see Milwaukee move to self-clamping blade locks. It's a small thing that several other manufacturers have added and improved for convenience.
One-Click is not an available option. At least not yet. The ability to dial in the exact material and blade you're using so the system can optimize the settings is one of the most immediate performance impacts we've seen so far, so we hope it succeeds.
ergonomics
There's no way around it – it's a heavy saw. The Milwaukee M18 Fuel Super Sawzall weighs 8 lbs 13 oz bare and 12 lb 3 oz with the 12.0 Ah battery. It also has a large physical footprint, measuring 18.9 inches. While the front handle overmolding has more cushioning than most saws we've tested, its performance justifies the size.
Performance
The Milwaukee 2722 looks impressive on paper. The 3000 SPM stroke rate puts it close to the top, and the 1-1/4" stroke length matches the best out there. The new battery promises more power to reduce stagnation and increase track action, making it a clear pre-race favorite.
We'd like to know where this model stands among the other saws we've run through our standard battery test. For speed, we started with 2 x 10's of pressure-treated pine with five framing nails embedded in them. Milwaukee topped the wireless leaderboard with an astounding 6.67-second average, almost a full second ahead of Metabo HPT's MultiVolt and a wide gap from the rest of the group.
In a roof sandwich consisting of asphalt shingles, flashing, nails, 2 x 10 PT, and plywood, it slows down to an average of 12.20 seconds. However, the Super Sawzall closed the gap on its closest competitor by almost 4 seconds.
Turning to metal cutting, Milwaukee quickly machined #5 rebar. Its average of 5.89 seconds was again the best time in the field, although Hilti's 36V model was not far behind at 6.23 seconds.
The only test that Milwaukee didn't win was the 2″ EMT. While I don't think anyone will complain about the 4.35 second average, the other 3 models had faster cut times. The Metabo HPT had the fastest average at 3.58 seconds.
price and value
As a kit with a 12.0 Ah high-output battery, you're looking at $449. If you already own a Milwaukee High Output battery, you can pick it up bare for $249. With its current performance, that's a very competitive price, and it gets you one of the latest high-performance batteries.
Here's where some other advanced models live:
- DeWalt FlexVolt: $159 bare, $329 kit (2 x 2.0/6.0Ah)
- Hilti 36V: $299 bare, $667 kit (1 x 9.0Ah)
- Makita 18V X2: $175 bare, $299 kit (2 x 5.0Ah)
- Metabo HPT MultiVolt: $249 bare, $418 kit (1 x 4.0/8.0Ah starter pack):
the bottom line
If getting the best cutting speed is your top priority, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Super Sawzall is the current leader. It's priced competitively and has all the features you'd expect from a professional-grade reciprocating saw. The only question you have to answer is whether the size and weight exceed the demolition tasks you want to perform.
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Super Sawzall Specifications
- Model: Milwaukee 2722-21HD
- Power: Milwaukee M18 battery (12.0 Ah high output included in kit)
- Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
- Maximum stroke frequency: 3000 RPM
- Weight: 8.8 lbs bare, 12.3 lbs with 12.0 Ah battery
- Warranty: 5 years
- Price: $249 bare, $449 kit