10 Milwaukee Power Tools That Need More Maintenance Than You May Have Realized

If you're relatively new to the world of power tools — or buying a type of tool you haven't previously owned — it can be easy to overlook proper tool maintenance procedures. Trusted brands like Milwaukee have spent years developing and refining their power tools so that, in most cases, only minimal maintenance of each tool is required. However, no tool is entirely maintenance free, and some are always going to require a little more servicing than others to keep them running reliably over the long run.

Milwaukee offers a huge and varied range of tools, and its entire range of products has been electric-only for a while now. That helps cut down on maintenance compared to gas-powered tools, as well as making each tool cheaper to run. The brand's tools are consistently among the best-rated on the market, and are known for being among the toughest to boot, but that doesn't mean that they're indestructible.

We've rounded up a selection of ten Milwaukee tools that need more maintenance than most to help inexperienced buyers ensure they're getting the most out of their new purchases.

Few yard work tools are as essential as a good mower, and Milwaukee's M18 FUEL 21 Inch Self-Propelled Dual Battery Mower ticks all the right boxes. It boasts superior torque to a 200cc gas mower yet unlike gas, there's no need to worry about the hassle of topping fuel and oil levels or checking spark plugs. Instead, the Milwaukee mower runs on two M18 batteries. Those batteries can propel it to speeds of up to four mph.

It's built to be highly capable from the factory, but despite being lower maintenance than a gas mower, it will still need some maintenance to keep it running strong. The owner's manual suggests periodically inspecting the cutting blade to check for damage or wear, and sharpening it if necessary. Once it's sharpened, owners then need to check that the blade is balanced correctly when they refit it. If it isn't, it could result in added strain on the motor. If the blade doesn't balance evenly on the center hole slot when refitting it, owners will need to carefully shave the heavier side until both are evenly weighted.

While many users still prefer gas-powered chainsaws, Milwaukee no longer sells gas-powered tools. However, its M18 FUEL 16 Inch Chainsaw is no less powerful than gas, with the ability to cut through up to 150 logs on a full charge and Redlink Plus battery management technology to keep its power consistent across periods of extended use. It's designed with professional users in mind, but will be just as appealing to home users already knee-deep in Milwaukee's M18 battery ecosystem.

Like any chainsaw, the M18 Fuel Chainsaw requires regular maintenance to keep it in good condition. Milwaukee recommends that users regularly check the saw for signs of binding or broken parts, and have the saw serviced by a professional if necessary. The chain and bar should also be cleaned regularly – "every few hours of use" according to the brand — and the saw chain should also be sharpened as appropriate. The guide bar should be flipped upside down periodically to help ensure it wears evenly and therefore lasts longer, and any feathering or burring of the guide bar rails should be corrected with a file as soon as the owner spots it. Regular cleaning to keep the saw free of debris is also important, the same as any power tool.

A more powerful alternative to common household string trimmers, the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 17 Inch Dual Battery String Trimmer offers professional-grade cutting power without sacrificing runtime. It boasts a peak output of 2.4 horsepower and 2.5 Nm of torque, making it more powerful than many gas-powered trimmers. Milwaukee's M18 FUEL Dual Battery range requires two batteries to run, with all batteries in its M18 High Output lineup being compatible with the tool.

To ensure its power isn't diminished over time, proper maintenance is key. Alongside the usual maintenance checks like periodic visual inspection and regular cleaning, Milwaukee recommends that users lubricate the trimmer's gearcase once every 50 hours of use. This is a simple process and can be completed in less than a minute, but might prove all the difference when it comes to extending the tool's longevity as much as possible. Owners should also sharpen the tool's line cutter as soon as it shows signs of dulling to keep it functioning as intended.

Alongside its larger range of chainsaws, Milwaukee also offers the compact M18 FUEL Hatchet 8 Inch Pruning Saw. It's lighter and more readily portable than a chainsaw, and can deal with smaller branches, planks, and logs. The brand says that its power is equivalent to that of a 25cc gas saw. Like many of the other tools here, it runs off Milwaukee's M18 interchangeable battery system, which means that users who already have a suitable M18 battery only have to purchase the standalone tool.

The pruning saw's list of maintenance requirements is similar to that of Milwaukee's chainsaw line, with regular checking and sharpening of the saw blade being important to keep the tool running efficiently. The guide bar should also be regularly inspected for damage and flipped periodically to keep its wear as even as possible. Sharpening the chain is also a necessary maintenance step, although if the chain is damaged or weakened in any way, it's not safe to use and will have to be replaced.

The Milwaukee M12 1 Gallon Handheld Sprayer is a simple but effective tool that's suitable for a wide variety of jobs. It features an adjustable spray pressure that tops out at 80 psi, although in its lowest setting it generates 20 psi. Like any power tool, it will need to be regularly cleaned to keep it running well, but the sprayer's owner manual lists a more comprehensive draining and cleaning procedure than some buyers might expect.

Cleaning the tank is a seven step process, and should be done every time a new liquid is used in the tank. The tank should also be fully drained after every use, to prevent contamination or damage to the tool components from prolonged chemical exposure. The sprayer will also need to be stored correctly and not be exposed to freezing temperatures, as this could cause permanent damage to the tool.

There is a huge assortment of powerful electric hedge trimmers on the market, with the most capable Milwaukee model being the M18 FUEL 24 Inch Hedge Trimmer. With a suitably powerful M18 battery, it can run for two hours on a single full charge, and thanks to its light weight of 8.6 pounds, it should be comfortable for longer periods of use, too. The usual recommended maintenance tips apply to the tool — clean it regularly, check for any signs of faults or damage, and take it to a Milwaukee repair center if necessary.

There's also one additional step that buyers who haven't previously owned a hedge trimmer might end up overlooking, and that's sharpening the cutting blades. The procedure is slightly different to other cutting tools, with the trimmer requiring users to first stop the tool in a position so that the blades are offset and can be accessed with a file. The blade will then need to be secured in a way that it can't slip during the sharpening process, and then users will need to carefully use the file to sharpen the teeth while being careful not to change their cutting angle.

Unlike many of the other tools here, the Milwaukee MX FUEL 20 Inch Plate Compactor is a specialist piece of equipment that most homeowners won't need to consider purchasing. Anyone who does purchase one will need to be familiar with the tool's maintenance requirements to ensure it remains in good working order, especially if they don't already have experience of owning and maintaining a similar tool.

Keeping the tool clean and free of internal contamination is one of the most important steps, as it will invariably get dirty while it's in use. Users in particularly dusty areas will need to clean the compactor more frequently than average. It's also recommended to check the belt once a year for wear or damage and replace it if necessary. The tool can also be used with Milwaukee's One-Key tracking system for added peace of mind, but the system requires a separate battery which will need to be changed periodically to keep it transmitting.

Home landscapers that need something more powerful than a string trimmer might look towards a brush cutter like the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Brush Cutter. Its four teeth can spin at up to 6,200 rpm and cut through tougher foliage without sacrificing speed. For those times when its maximum cutting power isn't needed, the tool also comes with a string trimmer head. The two can be quickly swapped between and used on either high or low speed settings for even greater cutting control.

Keeping the brush cutter in top condition is a fairly straightforward endeavor, with only a few extra recommended maintenance steps on top of the standard power tool procedures. Milwaukee states that the gear case of the brush cutter should be lubricated after every 50 hours of use with the brand's Type Y grease. The brush cutting blade also needs to be regularly checked for wear, and can be reversed to extend its life if necessary. However, unlike other Milwaukee bladed tools, the blade should not be sharpened. Instead, if it reaches a point where it is significantly dulled, it should be replaced.

While not every Milwaukee tool is designed to allow its blades to be safely sharpened, the blades of the M12 Brushless Pruning Shears can and should be sharpened to preserve their cutting power. The owner's manual states that owners should sharpen the blades using a fine tooth file if needed. During the sharpening process, it's important to keep the blade and file level and remove burrs as soon as they occur.

In all other aspects, the pruning shears will only require standard power tool maintenance. The tool requires a Milwaukee M12 battery to run, and with a CP2.0 battery, it's claimed to be able to cut through 1,000 branches in a single charge. It can deal with branches up to 1.25 inches in diameter, although repeated cutting of branches near its maximum diameter might end up shortening battery life. In the very unlikely event that any owner has more than 1,000 branches to cut in one go, the tool's interchangeable batteries can be swapped in a matter of seconds. That means runtime is essentially only limited to how many batteries an owner has to hand.

Milwaukee's Quik-Lok system offers buyers the ability to switch between a range of common tools using only one power head and battery pack. More than a dozen attachments are available for the system as of this writing, with one of those attachments being the M18 FUEL QUIK-LOK Cultivator Attachment. It features tough steel tines for consistent tilling, plus a guard to ensure that all that churned up soil doesn't get kicked back to the operator.

Its maintenance requirements are in line with all other tools of this type, with regular cleaning, visual inspection, and periodic servicing being the best way to keep it in good condition. One additional step cultivating tools require is the inspection of their blades before every use to check for both damage and dulling. If either is noticeable, then the blades will need to be replaced. A second step is also advised as preventative maintenance — after each use, Milwaukee recommends that the owner of the tool applies a layer of oil to its shaft and cutting blades to stop it corroding over time.