Snap on, Milwaukee & Mac 3/8 cordless ratchet review

I thought some of you would like a comparison between these 3/8 cordless ratchets.

I've had the Milwaukee the longest and also have the 1/4 version. I've never been a fan of the power of the Milwaukee and when trying to break fasteners loose that are somewhat tight it seems like pulling on the battery is a weak spot of the Milwaukee.

A few months ago I ordered the Mac that takes Dewalt 12v Max batteries. I already had the batteries and charger so I bought the bare tool. I do not have a Mac dealer so I could not touch it first before buying.

The Mac does have more power than the Milwaukee. It's a nice built tool. It's the only one of the three that has a metal body. The grip and trigger are comfortable to use. The head is a little bigger than the Milwaukee but not a lot. As you can see it is the longest of the 3. That makes it nice for breaking fasteners loose but I feel like it's length is more of a negative than a positive. It just seems like it too long more times than not.

It's not as fast as the Milwaukee but does have a brake when you release the trigger where the Milwaukee does not. Gripping the battery end to break tight fasteners loose seems a lot stronger compared to the Milwaukee.

Last week I walked on the Snap On truck and he had the newer version 3/8 with the black head. It has more power than the first version that has the chrome head. I asked him if I could try it for a week and if it out performed my Milwaukee I'd buy it. He said go for it and that's what I did.

It's length is in between the Milwaukee and Mac. The head is the biggest of the bunch and can withstand 158 ft-lb of manual torque. It's the fastest of the 3. It's my understanding the head is the same as one of their air ratchets. The body is a little more bulky than the others. It has the most power of the 3 but the Mac is a close 2nd. Like the Mac gripping the battery end to break a fastener loose feels stronger than the Milwaukee. It also has a brake when releasing the trigger.

It did not take me long to decide I wanted the Snap On.

My conclusions are.....

Milwaukee Pros:

The most compact of the 3. Gets in areas the other can't
The least expensive
The best warranty
The batteries are lower cost and can be found easily

Milwaukee Cons:

The least powerful
No brake (Never realized how nice a brake is until I used the others that had one)
The battery seems less secure when using it as leverage

Mac Pros:

Nice build quality (Probably the best)
Length is nice for breaking fasteners loose
Has a brake
Uses DeWalt 12v Max batteries

Mac Cons:

The length
It's slow (I knew it was slower when I bought it but didn't realize how much I would dislike the speed)
It has no battery gauge
Cost compared to Milwaukee

Snap On pros:

The head is the strongest
Has the most power
Has a brake
The length is just about perfect

Snap On Cons:

It's the most expensive of the bunch
Batteries are the most expensive
The size of the head could be an issue in tight places
The power button. (It's not terrible but I prefer the longer paddle style like the Milwaukee or Mac has)

My conclusion:

I like the Snap On the best. It seems like the all around winner for me. The Milwaukee comes in handy in tight places. The Mac I'm actually thinking about selling. It's just too long and slow.

All of these also come in a 1/4 version. They are all the same bodies but with a 1/4 head. To me the Milwaukee is the winner in the 1/4 category. The Snap On and Mac are just too big for a 1/4 ratchet.






Comparing the Milwaukee head to the Snap On

Wow, that SO head is bigger. I find the Milwaukee kind of weak, is the SO that much better?

Buckgnarly said:

Wow, that SO head is bigger. I find the Milwaukee kind of weak, is the SO that much better?

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It's not night and day difference but it is more powerful.

About gave up on my MAC also. Its a nice tool but as you stated its length prohibits its use, its just not convenient to grab this 12-13" long rather slow/weak bulky tool (as they all are).

The MAC does have a sealed head and grease fittings and is also fairly affordable. Pretty sure its made by Kuani in Taiwan since its identical to their (Kuani) air ratchets.

The Snap-On is nice but in typical Snap-On fashion the kit prices are stupid. $400 vs $150-$175 for the Milwaukee and I believe the MAC comes in at around $300.

I think im about done with cordless ratchets and will continue to stick to impacting air until they catch up a bit more.

Can the Milwaukee Cordless ratchet accept the M18 Fuel batteries?

winlinmac said:

Can the Milwaukee Cordless ratchet accept the M18 Fuel batteries?

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No just 12v ones


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I got the Snap On ratchet after I tried the Milwaukee. The Milwaukee stopped working after about 6 months. The SO has more bite and the batteries last a long time. Only thing I don't like is on mine the batteries are quite the PITA to remove.


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I've used the snap on, the milwaukee and i personally own the ingersoll. The snap on i used at work and it's great. It's a nice size and i always reached for it. Not heavy, decent power, held up to shop liquids and sped up work. That was the first cordless i used. I then used my ingersoll 20v. It's a 3/8 and very long which makes breaking bolts loose as mentioned but when working on the ground from a kneeling position under the car it's nearly impossible and it's tough working with it in an engine bay. It would better suite someone working above their head on a lift than a driveway. I then bought the 12v IR with a 1/4 head and i use it all the time. It's slim and light while having a modest amount of power. Lastly, the milwaukee. It reminds me of the snap on in terms of size but overall i'm glad i went with the IR. I own a bunch of milwaukee tools but the ratchet won't be one of them.

I install and service overhead doors and hydraulic docks, so the Milwaukee's size was the selling point for me, constantly up and down ladders. I can slip in into the side pockets of my work pants. That Snap On is a temping purchase though.

My Milwaukee 1/4 is one of my most used tools, especially for interior work. I've tried the Snap on and it's nice, just too big.

I just pull on the ratchet like a regular ratchet to break loose the bolt then press trigger. Tell me if I am doing this wrong.

Snap-on is faster, has more torque and is built like a tank. Never flexed or creaked at me when I'm applying torque to the handle. The button trigger is an awesome design, as I personally think the paddle switches get in the way of pulling. The body of the ratchet is also contoured nicely to fit in my hand.

Milwaukee's rubber grip does not stand up to automotive fluids. Every one of my Milwaukee tools have swollen grips. The recessed direction switch on the head is hard to engage and reverse, very poorly designed. Although the head is smaller, the neck is also shorter. This significantly reduces the swing arc when you need to crank down on it to break things loose or tightening. Add to that you have a plastic body with lots of room to give and flex, this tool simply makes you work harder.

https://scontent-ord1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/10406706_10201835456041712_3001633728554590891_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoibCJ9&oh=f6570c0c123e0aabece92ad417e07716&oe=5857BC03

Formula said:

My Milwaukee 1/4 is one of my most used tools, especially for interior work. I've tried the Snap on and it's nice, just too big.

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In 1/4" you cannot beat Milwaukee's size. It 3/8" I prefer Snap On but on occasion I have to use the Milwaukee 3/8" in tight places

PoorOwner said:

I just pull on the ratchet like a regular ratchet to break loose the bolt then press trigger. Tell me if I am doing this wrong.

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This is how you are supposed to use air/cordless ratchets. It's when the fastener doesn't come out easy when you need the extra torque that the Snap On provides.

Not all fasteners come out with your finger after they are broke loose

Size difference is remarkable in the IR. I sometimes wished I had the Milwaukee before I head my 1/4, but now that I have it, I'm happy.