Milwaukee M12 Stubby, M18 Mid Torque, and M18 High Torque Size Comparison

While I was trying to figure out which of the three Milwaukee FUEL impacts I was going to get, there was much angst and wandering around. I didn't really see a thread like this while I was researching, and since I wound up with all three (story on that below), I thought it would be useful to have some pix here comparing size for others who are thinking about the Milwaukee impacts...

[update] I've swapped out the links to the pix, which I think should work, but here's a link to the IMGUR gallery for folks who still can't see them:https://imgur.com/gallery/D4OFjlp


I feel stupid typing it since the "which is which" isn't a mystery, but from left to right, M18 FUEL High Torque 1/2" (2767-20) M18 FUEL Mid Torque 1/2" (2861-20) and the M12 FUEL Stubby 1/2" (2555-20)




Flipped order (obv)


M12 Stubby (left) and M18 Mid - pretty similar size... until you add a battery on the Mid...

(no idea why I chose to do the yin-yang thing - might go back and redo the pix)


While the M18 isn't all that much deeper in the body, the battery obviously adds a fair amount of dimension (and, of course, weight)

M18 High vs. M18 Mid

There's more size and weight difference here than I expected.

M18 Mid (top) vs. M18 High


The story of how I wound up with all three goes like this: (skip to impressions if you don't care)
I retired my Craftsman C3 kit (1/4" and 1/2"), and decided to go Milwaukee since reviews were outstanding and the deals during the holiday were great. I got the M12 Surge 1/2", but decided to get two 1/2" Impacts to replace the C3. I went back and forth on the various Milwaukee offerings, especially between the M18 Mid and the High.

I got the Stubby because I expected it to do most light-to-medium work, and it has. I love it. I got the High because (A) I thought it would do everything the stubby wouldn't, (B) because I've got a crusty old BMW that's going to get suspension and a bunch of other work that is going to need some grump, and (C) it was the better deal I could find on Cyber Monday. After I got the High and a couple batteries, the size and the weight gave me pause. It's pretty damn big. I shrugged and decided it wasn't something I was going to worry about and would just buy the Mid if I got into a spot where the Stubby couldn't deal and the M18 High wouldn't fit.

A week or so ago I was wandering through the Home Depot site and the Mid-Torque was on the site for $165.55. I used the Chat function to verify it wasn't a mistake/open-box/etc. and was told it was a new item. That's as low as I've ever seen it, so I ordered it. Now I have them all in-hand.

Physical Impressions:
The M12 Stubby is a gem. It's crazy-good for it's size, and I love how versatile and light it is. I was surprised how relatively light and small the M18 Mid-torque is compared to the High Torque and even the Stubby. I'm going to reach for the Stubby first, but the Mid isn't an onerous size or weight - I'd guess it's close or maybe even a little smaller/lighter than the C3 1/2" it replaces.

The High Torque is a beast. It's a little over 2lb heavier than the Mid Torque (5.9 vs. 3.8lb), but it's all up high and it feel like a lot more. You get a boatload more power for that weight, but the only reason I'll feel good about picking it up is the certainty that there isn't more I can bring to bear.

The mid is a fantastic tweener. I don't think I'll see a better deal on the Mid, and it's clearly going to be the quick choice when the M12 isn't enough, so it's staying. I got the High for as low a price as I've seen (~$195), so I'm thinking I'm going to keep that too. If I need it to deal with the crusty BMW I'm going to regret sending it back, and it will always be worth reasonably close to what I paid for it. It's a little crazy, but I figure I'm among friends here...

FWIW, I've changed my mind on which two of the three I'd recommend: I think most people would do really well and be happier with the Stubby and the Mid.

The pictures would not display ??

I also bought the stubby and mid for a crusty E30 project. Best money I’ve spent on tools since I first bought flex head ratchets. I can’t imagine working without these two now. I just did a front brake replacement on my wife’s car and saved so much time with these tools. I recommend the stubby to anyone who is thinking about getting an impact, it’s a seriously impressive tool.

Great choice of impacts! I too used the C3 1/2 forever. I gave most of my C3 tools away when I switched to the V20 platform. The C3 impact was nicer (more compact) than the V20 I have now. I agree it's similar in size to the mid-torque. My V20 is actually high-torque sized and heavier with no more power than my C3 had. That said, I think I'll be switching over to M12/M18 from V20 and the tipping point for me has been Milwaukee's impacts. I want several of their saws as well but their gateway tool drug for me was the stubby/mid-torque/high-torque's.

I always thought of Milwaukee as a plumbing/electricians brand who also produced high quality saws. I never looked at them as a mechanic's & metal working brand too. Craftsman I did but not Milwaukee. Their impacts have replaced most air tools we run. Milwaukee's have been very impressive.

your pictures don't work. The stubby and the mid torque will be the choice for most auto mechanics and DIY guys. the big boy is still needed in heavy equipment and repair/maintenance fields. the compact M18 is a let down, but was the only impact available other than the monster for the first 2 years they were out.

I actually dislike the stubby and I think I'm the only person to do so. I own all the three you mention and also have the old M18 compact as pictured in angry beavers picture. The stubby hasn't done anything I've wanted it to do regularly. Wont do mercedes lug bolts regularly. Wont do any of the smaller/medium sized suspension bolts regularly. Anything it will do, I use either my m12 ratchet or impact driver for. Things like brake caliper bolts, ratchet. Small and medium sized fastners under the hood? Impact driver. I'm sure theres a whole boatload of fasteners it will do on the average car, I just must not be finding them, or they seem to be over torqued and exposed to far to much road salt and grime. Mines 3/8 drive so my impacts have less mass than a nice hefty 1/2" socket, but still. I use my mid torque for like everything tho, one of the best purchases one could make, imo.

Sorry about the pix - I can see them, but that's probably because the browser has cached them on my laptop. I'm guessing the pic issue is that both IMGUR and Imageshack provide https links, so I guess should add them in a gallery? Any other suggestions?

Yarpo said:

I actually dislike the stubby and I think I'm the only person to do so. I own all the three you mention and also have the old M18 compact as pictured in angry beavers picture. The stubby hasn't done anything I've wanted it to do regularly. Wont do mercedes lug bolts regularly. Wont do any of the smaller/medium sized suspension bolts regularly. Anything it will do, I use either my m12 ratchet or impact driver for. Things like brake caliper bolts, ratchet. Small and medium sized fastners under the hood? Impact driver. I'm sure theres a whole boatload of fasteners it will do on the average car, I just must not be finding them, or they seem to be over torqued and exposed to far to much road salt and grime. Mines 3/8 drive so my impacts have less mass than a nice hefty 1/2" socket, but still. I use my mid torque for like everything tho, one of the best purchases one could make, imo.

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I have to guess that what you're describing is the as much the salt/crust of where you live. For me, the stubby has been fine. My BMW's and wife's Honda all use around 90 ft/lb of wheel-torque, and the stubby is entirely up to the task there. Guessing brakes will be fine too. Haven't had the chance to try any suspension stuff yet, but guessing that will give it a bit more of a challenge. Agree the mid-torque is fantastic, and easily the choice if you're picking just one.

I updated the pic-links - hope that worked.

Yarpo said:

I actually dislike the stubby and I think I'm the only person to do so. I own all the three you mention and also have the old M18 compact as pictured in angry beavers picture. The stubby hasn't done anything I've wanted it to do regularly. Wont do mercedes lug bolts regularly. Wont do any of the smaller/medium sized suspension bolts regularly. Anything it will do, I use either my m12 ratchet or impact driver for. Things like brake caliper bolts, ratchet. Small and medium sized fastners under the hood? Impact driver. I'm sure theres a whole boatload of fasteners it will do on the average car, I just must not be finding them, or they seem to be over torqued and exposed to far to much road salt and grime. Mines 3/8 drive so my impacts have less mass than a nice hefty 1/2" socket, but still. I use my mid torque for like everything tho, one of the best purchases one could make, imo.

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FWIW - I've also heard (but can't verify) that the 3/8" anvil is less grumpy than the 1/2" (despite the identical specs otherwise) - something to do with the additional mass and its ability to transmit the power. Since I knew my impact sockets were mainly 1/2" (and decided to get a full Sunex set), I went 1/2" on all of the impacts. Also, it apparently benefits power-wise from the larger 4.0 and 6.0 batteries.

I had a DOA-replacement XC 4.0 battery come back to me from MLW today and I tested it on lugs using the stubby .

Works now.

Classic GJ...get them all! . Enjoy them, good tools! I only have the two smaller ones. Haven’t found an excuse to get the big boy.

RKA said:

Works now.

Classic GJ...get them all! . Enjoy them, good tools! I only have the two smaller ones. Haven’t found an excuse to get the big boy.

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LoL - if I'd gotten the deal on the Mid in the first place, I probably would have stopped there. But in the end getting the Black Friday deal on both makes me feel like I'll be pissed at myself if I ever need to go get the High Torque. I briefly scanned around today, and I think I might have recycled the box too. Oops.

The price is back to $199 on the Mid on HD (like everywhere else)

I have the Stubby and the High Torque, wish I'd seen the deal on the Mid. I'll get one eventually, if for not other reason than to keep one in each rig for lugs, or to not have to swap sockets while I work. The High Torque is a bit bigger and more power than I ever really need, since stuff doesn't really rust that much here in Idaho and I don't do too much of the heavy stuff. Only thing I've used it for that the stubby couldn't do is crank bolts, and I'd wager the Mid could probably do crank bolts if I had one.

Thanks for the pictures and the updates M635 Guy, very nice comparison photo's.

Thanks for the update! Only owned the BIG M18 but will be on the lookout for the MID pricing which will relegate the BIG M18 for extreme nut busting.

The 6AH battery in the stubby is the only way to go. With the 2ah it was pretty much gutless and had very little run time. I used a 3ah XC and it was better power wise. After the 6ah upgrade it can constantly remove more than what it is rated for.

Interesting info about the 6ah battery. I wonder if it has a higher discharge rate?

I went with the big boy since the mid hits too fast to work with torque sticks. That thing is huge lugging around a car.

Yarpo said:

I actually dislike the stubby and I think I'm the only person to do so. I own all the three you mention and also have the old M18 compact as pictured in angry beavers picture. The stubby hasn't done anything I've wanted it to do regularly. Wont do mercedes lug bolts regularly. Wont do any of the smaller/medium sized suspension bolts regularly. Anything it will do, I use either my m12 ratchet or impact driver for. Things like brake caliper bolts, ratchet. Small and medium sized fastners under the hood? Impact driver. I'm sure theres a whole boatload of fasteners it will do on the average car, I just must not be finding them, or they seem to be over torqued and exposed to far to much road salt and grime. Mines 3/8 drive so my impacts have less mass than a nice hefty 1/2" socket, but still. I use my mid torque for like everything tho, one of the best purchases one could make, imo.

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I sympathize with this. My 3/8 stubby hasn't been seeing a lot of action lately. I wish I went with the 1/2" instead. If I do use a 3/8" impact, I've been going to my SO CT761.

sweet victory said:

I sympathize with this. My 3/8 stubby hasn't been seeing a lot of action lately. I wish I went with the 1/2" instead. If I do use a 3/8" impact, I've been going to my SO CT761.

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What battery are you running in it? Are you using impact sockets?

Great comparo M635_Guy. Thanks

Good write-up, M635_guy. And good info from other posters. I've been on the fence about which stubby to get, 3/8 or 1/2. Now I know!

toolmutt said:

Good write-up, M635_guy. And good info from other posters. I've been on the fence about which stubby to get, 3/8 or 1/2. Now I know!

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Just to give you an in-hand visual reference:

M18 High Torque:

(I'm gripping it pretty tightly - lol)

M18 Mid Torque:


M12 Stubby (1/2"):


I'm 6'1" and have average-sized hands (I guess - I can palm a basketball...barely)

I don't see the stubby and mid being even close in size comparison. It's almost half the size imo

Do you have a size comparison between the M12 Stubby and a M18 Fuel impact by chance? Thanks for the write up its great!

InjectorService said:

Do you have a size comparison between the M12 Stubby and a M18 Fuel impact by chance? Thanks for the write up its great!

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Which M18 Impact? Happy to put in-hand pix of the Stubby and either the Mid or High

In the meantime, here's the family pic from the first post


...and the yin-yang pic with the Stubby and Mid with batteries

ChrisLS8 said:

I don't see the stubby and mid being even close in size comparison. It's almost half the size imo

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I guess I'd say the Stubby and the Mid don't announce their weight in terms of handling - they're both small enough and light enough that it's only the torque of the mid that makes you think about the tool. The Stubby is so light that it's almost invisible - I just laugh that such a small tool is breaking lugs, etc. The High has a lot of weight at the top, and it feels heavy even without the battery. When you use it, it also announces weight and (especially) power. The battery provides some counter-balance though, and it's easy enough to control, though it commands your attention.

M635_Guy said:

Which M18 Impact? Happy to put in-hand pix of the Stubby and either the Mid or High

In the meantime, here's the family pic from the first post

...and the yin-yang pic with the Stubby and Mid with batteries

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Sorry, I meant to say between the stubby and the 1/4" Hex Fuel Impact Driver.

Thanks!

Maybe not helpful for really eye balling size but here is almost every M12 & M18 impact available. From my big lug impact test last spring.

InjectorService said:

Sorry, I meant to say between the stubby and the 1/4" Hex Fuel Impact Driver.

Thanks!

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1/2" 2861 Mid Torque wrench, 3/8" 2554 Stubby wrench, M18 2853 impact driver, M12 2454 3/8" wrench, M12 2453 impact driver

Thanks guys that's exactly what I wanted! It looks like the stubby is a touch shorter but not all that much smaller than the hex. Although when you factor the adapter you would be quite a bit shorter.

InjectorService said:

Thanks guys that's exactly what I wanted! It looks like the stubby is a touch shorter but not all that much smaller than the hex. Although when you factor the adapter you would be quite a bit shorter.

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Do you mean the M12 1/4" impact driver? I can get a pic of that, but will likely be tomorrow...

M635_Guy said:

Do you mean the M12 1/4" impact driver? I can get a pic of that, but will likely be tomorrow...

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He’s comparing the M18 Fuel 1/4” hex impact driver (2853) and the M12 stubbies.

M635_Guy said:

What battery are you running in it? Are you using impact sockets?

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6.0 with impact sockets. Don't get me wrong, it will get lug nuts off after like 3 seconds of impacting. With the 1/2", it hits like once and the nuts come off.

sweet victory said:

6.0 with impact sockets. Don't get me wrong, it will get lug nuts off after like 3 seconds of impacting. With the 1/2", it hits like once and the nuts come off.

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I don't have that experience at all with the my 1/2" Stubby. It's less than a second for my lugs torqued to 88 ft/lb. Wheels torqued higher that were routinely exposed to more adverse weather than we get in NC might be something else, but that does seem to support the idea that the 1/2" anvil more efficiently uses the power of the motor.

classic70 said:

The 6AH battery in the stubby is the only way to go. With the 2ah it was pretty much gutless and had very little run time. I used a 3ah XC and it was better power wise. After the 6ah upgrade it can constantly remove more than what it is rated for.

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Absolutely......... size and grade of the packs makes all the difference !!

jonshonda said:

Interesting info about the 6ah battery. I wonder if it has a higher discharge rate?

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YES..............

I've wanted the m12 3/8 stubby since I realized it existed. But I'm waiting for my old snap-on 3/8 ct4410 to **** out first, I hate the big ni-cad batts that have crappy run time

I think it goes with anything, larger the drive size, better the torque transfer to the socket = more torque applied to fastener, and the 1/2 drive anvil has a bit more weight to it. Some manufacturers will rate 1/2 drive versions at higher torque over the 3/8

I mostly use my snappy on 10mm and up, unless I need more power/something smaller/more speed (shock mount nuts), then I go to my CP 3/8 stubby air. Use my old makita 12v max impact driver on mostly 10mm and smaller

In my opinion, as an auto tech, nothing beats an air powered 1/2 impact for shop use. They're smaller, lighter, faster, more powerful, and no battery that runs out of juice

6.0 is the way to go on the stubby. Got the first gen high torque first, then ended up getting a stubby. Need to pick up the mid torque as I've run into places where the stubby cannot handle it and don't want to bring out the big one.

setfocus said:

I've wanted the m12 3/8 stubby since I realized it existed. But I'm waiting for my old snap-on 3/8 ct4410 to **** out first, I hate the big ni-cad batts that have crappy run time

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I'd sell it while it has some value

I have all 3 in the title, but my stubby is 3/8. I figured I was buying it for its smallness, so I went for the one that used smaller sockets too. Plus I have the original 3/8 fuel impact.

First I had the 3/8 fuel impact, which is good for smaller bolts, like valve covers and such. Then I bought the high torque. Then, when that proved too big for fitting in some places, I bought the mid torque. Then the stubby came out. In my experience, I would only buy the big boy and the 3/8 stubby, I almost never touch the other 2 now.

setfocus said:

In my opinion, as an auto tech, nothing beats an air powered 1/2 impact for shop use. They're smaller, lighter, faster, more powerful, and no battery that runs out of juice

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This is probably a thread all its own (and may already exist). I have to say (as a complete DIY-guy with zero experience in a real shop) that your statement puzzles me a bit. It would seem like no compressor, no air-lines and the movement flexibility of battery-powered would make a set like what I've got a complete replacement for air-powered with the exceptions of (A) places where the size of the air-tool fits and the battery-powered stuff doesn't (A1) places where the small air-powered too can deliver more power than a small battery-powered tool and bigger tools won't fit and (B) tools that simply don't exist in battery form (specialty and the really big-boy stuff)

In other words, not replace air but reduce the necessity for it by a huge amount.

From the pro-wrench reviews I've seen on the FUEL line-up, the batteries have all-day+ performance and, of course you can have a lot of batteries backed up by Milwaukee's (new) fast multi-battery charger.

To be clear, I'm definitely not counter-pointing you - you're a pro and I'm a doofus DIY guy - but boy does the freedom from air make me a ton happier in my garage.