Best New Milwaukee Tools of 2024: Six Standouts Worth Your Money

Introduction

2024 was a strong year for Milwaukee. The company expanded its Forge battery system, rebuilt its circular saw lineup, and answered nearly a decade of requests for a coil roofing nailer, all while pushing deeper into outdoor power equipment. Many of the biggest innovations of the year trace back to the new higher-capacity Forge batteries, which were designed to pull maximum power from a more compact package.

After looking across the full 2024 pipeline, six releases stood out as the most impactful for working pros. Here is what makes each one worth a closer look, and who should consider buying.

Milwaukee M18 Forge XC 8.0 and HD 12.0 Batteries

The Forge story starts with the batteries themselves. The M18 Forge XC 8.0 provides the same power as the standard 12.0Ah high output pack, but with a 20% reduction in size and a 30% reduction in weight. The HD 12.0 claims 50% more power than its predecessor and, when paired with the M18 supercharger, delivers some of the fastest charging in the industry.

Both packs charge to 80% capacity in just 35 minutes, made possible by built-in cooling technology and Milwaukee’s Cool Cycle charging system. If you run Milwaukee’s most power-hungry tools, these packs are the foundation of the whole system.

Between the additional power and minimal downtime, the Forge lineup is the ideal match for the high-drain tools Milwaukee released alongside it.

Milwaukee M18 7-1/4 in. Sidewinder Circular Saw

Milwaukee built this new generation of circular saws from the ground up, with new internal electronics and brushless motor technology designed to extract the most power possible from Forge packs. The Sidewinder delivers 6,000 RPM and an expected 750 cuts per charge with a 12.0 Forge pack.

Despite the output, it weighs just 7.8 lb and feels genuinely light in hand. You get a 2-5/8 in. depth of cut, magnesium construction on both the guard and the shoe, an electric blade brake, an LED work light, and a rafter hook. It pairs naturally with Milwaukee’s new thick kerf blades, which are designed for the straightest cuts through a variety of materials, an interesting counterpoint to the market’s thin kerf trend. Both the saw and the blades were available at launch.

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Coil Roofing Nailer

This is the tool roofers have been asking for, going on a decade. The M18 Fuel Coil Roofing Nailer is designed for small roofing jobs and roof repair, and it has the power, flexibility, and accessories to also handle vinyl siding installation with the included siding tip.

The headline figure is speed: it fires up to six nails per second, which works out to up to 1,100 nails per charge with a CP 3.0 high output pack. The tool-free depth of drive adjustment makes changes quick, and Milwaukee recommends smaller packs to keep the tool as light as possible. It launched in October.

Milwaukee M12 Fuel Gen 2 Stubby Impact Wrench

The Stubby has one job: give mechanics the most power possible in the most compact package available. The Gen 2 delivers 550 ft-lbs of max torque, a number that until recently came only from high-torque impact wrenches, in a tool that weighs just 2.2 lb.

Mode switching is simpler this time around: put the impact in neutral and double press the trigger to cycle through the four-mode drive control. There is also an auto shut-off mode that applies no more than 15 ft-lbs in forward for hand-tight applications, and a bolt removal mode in reverse that slows RPM once a bolt is free to keep fasteners from flying. A sold-separately protective boot adds resistance to corrosive materials and oils. Both shipped in September.

Milwaukee M18 Fuel 20 in. Dual Battery Chainsaw

The headliner of Milwaukee’s outdoor power equipment push, this saw delivers performance similar to a 70cc gas saw, operating at up to 7,400 RPM. In Peak Power mode it produces up to 5.8 horsepower and 9.5 Nm of torque for demanding cuts without bogging down; standard mode reaches 4.4 horsepower and prioritizes runtime while keeping temperatures down.

The 20 in. bar handles felling medium to large trees and light forestry work. Milwaukee recommends a pair of 8.0 Forge packs for the best balance of power and weight, and expects around 60 cuts per charge through hardwoods up to 10 in. in diameter. It hit shelves in August.

Which Milwaukee Release Should You Buy First

If your work depends on high-drain tools, start with the Forge battery platform, since every tool above was designed around it. Mechanics should put the Gen 2 Stubby at the top of the list for its torque-to-weight ratio. Roofers and siding installers finally have a purpose-built cordless coil nailer. Framers and general carpenters get the most immediate value from the Sidewinder, especially paired with the thick kerf blades. And anyone transitioning from gas to battery outdoor equipment will find the dual battery chainsaw to be the most capable option in this year’s lineup.

Conclusion

2024’s Milwaukee pipeline centered on power density: smaller, lighter packs that deliver more output and charge faster, and tools built to exploit them. Whether you buy into the Forge platform now or later, the Sidewinder, the coil roofing nailer, the Gen 2 Stubby, and the dual battery chainsaw each solve a real, specific problem for the trades they target. Choose the one that matches your daily workload, and you will not be disappointed.