We discovered last year at the 2016 Milwaukee New Product Symposium that Milwaukee was planning on taking a jab at the landscaping industry with 3 key tools that will operate off their M18 platform. Demand for noise and emission reduction in landscaping companies has really pressed the need for a gas alternative. Many residential users also find it beneficial to be able to fire up a cordless trimmer or blower that they may use for 10 minutes once a month rather than mixing fuel and starting a gas one. While similar brands such as DeWalt and Makita have entered this market already, the introduction of Milwaukee’s 9.0 Ah High Demand Battery has really opened the door for them to compete very well as far as power and run time.
The Milwaukee M18 Cordless String Trimmer 2725-21HD ($299.95) has a rear-mounted POWERSTATE Brushless Motor to provide a good balance of power and maneuverability. The head has a bump feed line system with a metal reinforced bump knob to prevent wear. The head has a 16” swath and uses .080” or .095” line. It has a variable speed trigger with a HIGH setting that easily powers through thick brush and a LOW setting to maximize runtime while still providing enough power to easily trim grass. It reaches full throttle in less than 1 second and weighs just over 12 lbs. Accompanied with a 9.0 Ah High Demand Battery it can get up to an hour of runtime on a charge, making it the perfect cordless trimmer for either residential or commercial use. Bare String Trimmer 2725-20 ($199)
The Milwaukee M18 Cordless Hedge Trimmer 2726-21HD ($299.95) is one of the few brushless cordless hedge trimmers out there. It weights just under 11 lbs. and has a longer body design that puts more space between the front and rear handles to provide better balance and control. The POWERSTATE Brushless Motor gives it enough power to cut through ¾” branches, which we saw when it plowed through a line of wood dowels at the symposium. The trimmer has an all-metal gear case to provide for demanding use and minimal maintenance. The blades reach 3,400 strokes per minute and it can run for up to 2 hours on a 9.0 Ah High Demand Battery. Bare Hedge Trimmer 2726-20 ($169)
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL Cordless Blower 2728-21HD ($279.95) provides an impressive 450 CFM air volume output with only a 63 ANSI B175 noise rating. It has an impressive max air speed up 100 MPH and weighs less than 6 lbs. It also boasts the highest max CFM run time among its cordless competitors, which can be seen in the symposium demonstration. Its equipped with a variable speed trigger to control output and a cruise control feature to maintain output and reduce operator hand stress. Bare Blower 2728-20 ($149).
We are very excited to see how Milwaukee can match up against its cordless competitors in the landscaping market and even up against traditional gas tools. All three of these new tools are available for purchase at Ohio Power Tool! Stay posted for any updates and as always be sure to give the pros at Ohio Power Tool a call at 800-242-4424 with any of your Milwaukee Tool questions!
