It took me quite a while to find out what Milwaukee’s slogan “NBHD” stood for. On-line searches turned up a band by that name and an indication that it stood for “neighborhood”. I finally ran across the answer on Milwaukee’s own pages: “Nothing But Heavy Duty”. As a user of their tools, I think it’s an appropriate slogan. Although the new line of compact, brushless 18v tools may be smaller, lighter and offer a little bit less oomph than the M18™ Fuel™ tools, the “heavy duty” tag still applies.
Some comparisons are in order. The compact hammer drill/driver weighs 3.9 lb with the 2.0 battery, the big brother Fuel™ weighs 5.1 lb. with the 4.0 battery. The compact is not as tall, at about 9⅛” compared to the Fuel’s™ 10″. The compact’s length at the shaft is 7⅜”, approximately ⅝” shorter than the Fuel™. The compact has less torque by 225 in/lb. and 50 rpm less in each of its two rpm ranges.
Significant parts of the size and weight differences are a result of the different batteries. The Red Lithium 4.0 XC weighs 1 lb. 9 oz. while the compact 2.0 weighs 15 oz., according to my kitchen scale. The Red Lithium 2.0 battery gives a drill a profile approximately ¾” lower than the 4.0 XC.
The difference in the specifications should not be misinterpreted. These tools are built for professionals and anyone else wanting convenience and performance at a price considerably lower than the M18™ Fuel™ line. Home Dept shows an on-line price $70 lower for the Compact Brushless Hammer Drill/Driver than for the M18™ Fuel™ version.
If you don’t need the hammer drill function, just the driver/ drill capability, you can get an even shorter length in the M18™ ½” Compact Brushless Drill/Driver at 6⅞” and a lower cost.
Price point is not the only reason to choose these compacts. There are many circumstances where there just isn’t enough room to fit a larger drill with the necessary bit into a small cabinet box or stud pocket.
Pocket-screw joinery can be a challenge as it usually involves driving screws from the inside or bottom of work pieces, just ask anyone who has built a stairway without access from underneath! I’ve stripped any number of fasteners trying to drive them with the bit at an awkward angle because I couldn’t position the drill in line with the screw. These compacts fit where many others won’t go.
I don’t notice tool weight during most work and I’ve been more than pleased with my M18™ Fuel™ Hammer Drill Driver for all kinds of jobs, but a recent production job involving 200 pieces that required boring pilot holes and switching tools to drive the screws gave me the opportunity to change to the new compacts mid-stream. The work flow (if you could call it that) involved picking up the drill, boring two holes, putting the drill down and picking up the driver and driving the 2½” screws, putting the driver down and, well, you can imagine the rest. The 20% reduction in weight was much appreciated.
The introduction of cordless impact drivers has been a great benefit to me. I first used one while framing a house and was immediately taken by how it protected my wrists from the torque of a conventional drill. There’s nothing better for driving heavy fasteners like Timberlocks or long screws. I’ve seen it written that we should be judicious in the use of impact drivers to cut down on jobsite noise polution, but I can easily protect my hearing. I’m going to save wear and tear on my wrists and elbows, thank you very much, which is why one or the other of these Milwaukee impacts will always be part of my kit.
The M18™ Compact Impact Driver is much the same size as the Fuel™ version. Its shorter stature in the photo is entirely attributable to the Red Lithium 2.0 battery. Impact drivers are already pretty compact, so losing ¾” in height makes a tool that fits in tighter spaces.
The power of the M18™ Compacts made easy work of boring screw pockets in the dense Red Bayau hardwood I used for building a small bench for Marine Home Center’s Garden/Tool department. They also performed equally well turning good sized Forstner-style bits and driving Timberlock fasteners.
If these items have anywhere near the durability of the rest of my Milwaukee tools, they will serve for a long time.
Some of Milwaukee’s Brushless line-up, M18™ Fuel™ and M18™ Compact
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