5 Cheaper Milwaukee Substitutes If You're Shopping For Power Tools

Milwaukee has a strong reputation for manufacturing and selling powerful, high-quality power tools for a wide variety of applications, including woodworking, auto repair, landscaping, and much more. It wouldn't be hard, for example, to find several Milwaukee power tools that are great for metal work. Not every product is the same, and you'll want to do your research and check reviews before committing to a specific product, but in general, Milwaukee's tools are well-made and reliable.

However, they can also get pretty expensive. In fact, Milwaukee is one of the pricier brands in the market when it comes to power tools. Fortunately, there are several other brands that are not only more affordable but also offer tools similar to Milwaukee's that are well-constructed and just as useful. By going with these less expensive companies, you can build a solid collection of tools without breaking the bank. Typically, house brands — those that are owned and sold exclusively by certain retailers — are generally more affordable, and some of these manufacturers' tools are just as good as any premium brand's. Other brands are completely independent but still make quality products without attaching heavy price tags, including companies that have been around for many decades.

To help you decide which is right for you, here are five cheaper Milwaukee substitutes for power tools and recommended products from each brand based on positive reviews from reputable publications and customers who've used them. More information on how these tools were evaluated can be found at the end of this list.

DeWalt was founded 100 years ago, and has been a part of Stanley Black & Decker for years, and is a popular choice among both commercial contractors and DIYers at home. Since the 1990s, the brand has focused more on high-quality power tools, which it thoroughly tests in-house before putting them on the shelves of hardware stores and other retailers. According to DeWalt's own website, "We drop them. Cover them in dust. We let them run nonstop for weeks. We freeze them. We switch them on and off millions of times. And we still expect them to run and perform every day."

DeWalt manufactures many kinds of power tools, including drills, grinders, sanders, saws, ratchets, nailers, and more, with many of these available in cordless options. If there is a Milwaukee power tool you're interested in, there's a decent chance you can find a substitute made by DeWalt. Even more likely is that the DeWalt version will be more affordable. For example, the DeWalt Cordless 20V Max Oscillating Multi-Tool is available from Lowe's for $169. Milwaukee's M18 Multi-Tool is in the same class but costs $60 more at Home Depot.

Not only does DeWalt's multi-tool use a slightly more powerful battery, but the product is one of multiple Lowe's tools you might need for your next remodel because of its quality construction and versatility. Pro Tool Reviews gave it a 9.2 out of 10 score after testing it, praising its comfortable grip and calling it an "excellent value." Frustratingly, some of its accessories require a universal adapter, but fortunately, that's included with the tool, so DeWalt's multi-tool is still an affordable option — especially when compared to Milwaukee's.

Originally a house brand for Sears, you might still associate the Craftsman brand with lawn and garden equipment such as mowers and leaf blowers, but the company also has a solid line of power tools.​ If you're in need of a hammer drill, drill/driver, impact driver, rotary hammer, or grinder, as well as many different kinds of saws, including a reciprocating saw, miter saw, tile saw, circular saw, and more — Craftsman is a reliable brand you can go with. This is especially the case if you're on a budget, as it's also one of the more affordable power tool brands on the market.

Named by SlashGear as one of Lowe's tools that no DIY enthusiast should be without, the Craftsman ​​2.5-inch 16-Gauge Cordless Finish Nailer would be a great addition to your tool kit if you're doing any woodworking around the home. It's also $140 cheaper than the similar-in-class M18 16-Gauge Angled Finish Nailer made by Milwaukee, as it's available for $149 (retail $189) from Lowe's, where it has a 4.4 out of five overall user rating. Its positive reviews are in part due to the tool's convenient, lightweight design, easy-to-use depth setting, and a powerful motor capable of driving up to 375 nails per charge. Of course, the tool isn't ideal for situations where you're working with thin material and require brad nails, but fortunately, Craftsman manufactures cordless brad nailers as well.

House brands tend to be more affordable in general, and Kobalt — which is a house brand for Lowe's — is no exception. However, that doesn't mean its products are inferior in quality. You may have a few Kobalt hand tools lying around the house, but Kobalt also makes solid power tools as well. For example, the Kobalt 5-inch 24-volt Paddle Switch Brushless Cordless Angle Grinder is a solid option for any cutting, sanding, polishing, sharpening, or grinding needs around the house. Its powerful, brushless motor can generate 8,500 rpm, which is enough for even particularly tough grinding and cutting applications, and its tool-free guard makes it quick and easy to switch from cutting to grinding.

Lowe's customers are very satisfied with Kobalt's angle grinder and have given it an impressive average user rating of 4.7 out of five. The retailer sells it for $99 (retail $129), though, unfortunately, that doesn't include the cost of the 24V battery you'll need to power it. However, its Milwaukee counterpart — the M18 Cordless 5-inch Flathead Braking Grinder — is priced at $299 at Home Depot, which also doesn't include the cost of a necessary battery. When comparing just the tools, Milwaukee's grinder is nearly triple the price, and its batteries and chargers are typically more expensive than Kobalt's as well.

Black+Decker has been a household name for generations and is credited with manufacturing and selling the first practical cordless drill. Despite this, the brand is still relatively affordable — especially when compared to companies like Milwaukee and Snap-On. Black+Decker has continued to innovate its original design over the decades, so while its 20V MAX ⅜-inch Cordless Drill and Driver may resemble its ancestor from the mid-20th century, it's a much more powerful and longer-lasting tool. It's also lightweight, even with the battery, making it easier to handle and use for extended periods of time.

Another useful feature is its 11-position clutch that allows you to precisely control what you need for a given situation, whether it's drilling into wood, metal, plastic, or other materials, as well as using it as a power screwdriver. The drill also has variable-speed control, so you can apply exactly the right amount of torque without worrying about damaging whatever you're working on. Plus, its integrated bit holder and double-ended bits make swapping bits as easy as ever, so you don't need to interrupt your workflow.

The Black+Decker 20V MAX ⅜-inch Cordless Drill and Driver is available for $39.99 (retail $59.00) from Amazon, where it has a solid 4.6 average customer rating based on over 31,000 reviews. After testing the product, GearLab praised its value and lightweight design, though the publication noted that its driving ability was on the weaker side. Milwaukee's M12 ⅜-inch Cordless Drill/Driver may have a smaller battery, but it's a powerful, reliable tool. It's also over twice the price and costs $89 at Home Depot. If you don't need a super powerful drill/driver and are looking to save money, Black+Decker's cordless drill and driver would make a fine substitute.

Ryobi is a popular brand that sits somewhere between mid-range and premium on the spectrum of power tools. It is used and beloved by many DIYers as well as some professionals. It's not as affordable as many house bands like Kobalt and Bosch, but you can often find some of its products are at a lower price than their Milwaukee counterparts. If you're looking for a premium tool that feels like it can stand beside Milwaukee's — but with a lower price tag — then Ryobi might be the right choice for you.

Named by SlashGear as one of Home Depot's tools that you might want to keep in your car, the Ryobi 18V One+ ½-inch High Torque Impact Wrench is a powerhouse cordless tool that you can purchase for $179. Milwaukee's M18 ½-inch Impact Wrench, on the other hand, is priced at $100 more, despite having the same-sized battery and similar features. Ryobi's more affordable impact wrench has a lot to offer besides saving you money. The tool has a four-mode speed control and easy-to-use trigger mechanism, and its motor can generate an impressive 1,170 ft-lbs of breakaway torque and 700 ft-lbs of fastening torque.

Pro Tool Reviews thoroughly tested the product and gave it a positive review, finding it to have a "very manageable weight" and a "comfortable grip," as well as an "excellent power level." It's so powerful, in fact, that you'll want to be careful if you're using it to remove lug nuts to avoid damaging your tires. After all, the goal is to save money, not incur more costs.

In order to highlight certain brands that typically manufacture and sell more affordable power tools than Milwaukee, certain specific products were focused on — as well as recommended to purchase if they suit your needs. To make sure these recommended tools are actually reliable and worthy of your money, the positive reviews of customers who've bought and used them were considered, as well as reviews of reputable publications that performed hands-on testing of the products. 

These publications include Pro Tool Reviews and GearLab, which have solid reputations for testing and evaluating power tools. User reviews from retail websites such as Amazon, Lowe's, and Home Depot were only considered if hundreds (if not thousands or tens of thousands) of customers rated the product; since a larger base of ratings makes for a more accurate average score, weeding out any outlier reviews (either positive or negative) that may have been made in bad faith.