Ditch Gas for the Milwaukee M18 Fuel 8-inch Hatchet Pruning Saw
More and more brands are making the switch to adopting exclusively battery-powered tools. This is especially visible in the lawncare and OPE side of the business, where just a few years ago gas dominated the market. Now, states like California are actually banning gas outdoor power tools. The Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hatchet Pruning Saw is no exception. Part of the M18 Fuel line, it’s designed for the toughest applications. We got our hands on it at a recent media event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hatchet Pruning Saw: The Big Deal
The M18 Fuel Hatchet Pruning Saw has the power to cut through tough materials like hardwoods. Milwaukee uses electronics and brushless motor technology to maintain speed under load. This allows them to get, according to product managers, the equivalent of 25cc gas power.
Its compact design offers control and maneuverability, even in tight or awkward areas. In fact, without the battery, it weighs less than 5 lbs. For a battery-powered tool, the M18 Fuel hatchet pruning saw reaches full throttle very quickly—less than one second. You also don’t have to worry about the annoyances that come with a gas pruning saw, like fumes, oil level, and maintenance.
Performance
We got to do some serious testing with this 8-inch M18 FUEL pruning saw at the August 2022 Milwaukee Pipeline media event. Cutting through a ~6-inch log we made about a dozen cuts and still had 4 bars left on the XC8.0 battery.
In terms of power, the ability I had to leverage this pruning saw into the cut and make quick work of this log impressed me to no end. The tool feels comfortable in the hand, and you can really work it quickly and easily when making your cuts. The full house chain cuts at 5 m/s or about 16.5 fps which definitely gets the job done.
I found that I could not only cut quickly but accurately, cutting off thin 1/2-inch or thinner slices of wood as I went. The trigger ramps up the blade nearly instantaneously, and the bucking spikes let me bite right into the wood. The top guard also gives you a fair amount of confidence and protection as you cut, ensuring you can’t easily injure yourself with kickback.
There’s a lot to like about this M18 FUEL Hatchet. The onboard scrench scores big points for sure. Compared to the Milwaukee M12 Hatchet, this larger model cuts more confidently and with greater capacity. For arborists, this tool really fits nicely into an emerging market for battery-powered outdoor power tool solutions.
Additional Features
- Variable speed trigger
- Lanyard loop
- Easy-access chain tensioner
- Automatic oiler
- Metal bucking spikes
Price and Availability
The M18 Fuel Hatchet Pruning Saw is set to release in October 2022. It carries a retail price of $279 for the bare tool. We look forward to doing even more testing when we inevitably get this saw in for review.
Specifications
- Model: Milwaukee 3004
- Blade length: 8 in
- Price: $279
Gonna put their 16″ bar on it and pair it with the SKILSAW SPT1500 full house chain. Tried it with the M12, didn’t have quite enough sauce. Hopefully this M18 version does.