Milwaukee M18 1/2" Router Review with ALL Accessories 

We all need 1/2" router with XGT label :)

" Once you become addicted to this shit, that's what happens." I've had the 1/2" router with all the trimmings for about a month, and it is baddass on all fronts. Nice review mate.

Looks like they nailed it with the plunge base. the press to plunge lever is a much nicer way to work than conventional plunge and lock levers I’m used too. being a makita user I’m so used to using my 1/4inch and it’s been so long I don’t even care for a makita 1/2inch now. my workflows changed…doubt It’ll be 18v if they do bring one out, probably 40v. il get this Milwaukee one and a badaptor for my makita batts.

The Festool ratchet lever clamps are great at sliding in the groove under the track and stopping it from sliding around

Вот это фрезер 😮😮😮 M-18 крутая серия инструментов.

I've had the shaft lock button on the little M18 slip so many times that I stopped using the button and just use two wrenches. Two wrenches ALWAYS works.

👍👍👍Christmas wishes to yourself and your family. Thank you

Nice review. My US Router only came only with a 1/2 and 1/4 collect. I wish my Millwaukee Trim router cam with the handle. Hoping I can pick up a red track when I am in Indonesia in May😀

Seems like a nice tool. I've got the Hikoki 36V 1/2" one - and it is a brilliant router. Smooth, well made and powerful. Don't really see the need of other bases than a plunge one, we have the smaller palm routers for other stuff. So I think Hikoki has nailed down the concept of a bigger, more powerful 1/2" router.

Have to agree on the placement of the guide rail position, that looks very awkward to use on the Milwaukee, I've used Hitachi corded routers for many years.

Good review mate, over the pond neighbor here, going by where I got mine they've recalled the track attachment for not having those anti tip stay thingo's... I reckon some knobs probably used it on the saw side of the track on the edge of a board and tipped it. Your right about the weight single hand work is tiring on the arm, chamfered 360° around 20 decking board ends the other day arm was ready to fall off.

my tracksaw also doesn't have the anti tip feature here in the EU. apparently, in some markets makita has a patent that doesnt allow milwaukee to ship them everywhere.

Would you mind measuring the spacing of the guide rail bars where they connect to the router and the diameter. It looks similar to my Ridgid plunge router that doesn’t have an adapter for guide rails. Would definitely order that adapter if it fit

I have had the hikoki a little over a year well it’s actually of the mhpt branded flavor but it’s a phenomenal tool and imo, the 1/2” router one of the tools along with the deep cut bandsaw and theyve had the best gasless nailers for years imo and lightweight circ saws, their 7” cordless miter saw, the cordless compressor, & those are all great so imo those tools kept me from leaving the platform entirely (out of bitterness😂😢) for red as hikoki can be a bad choice for cats who want the newly released tools & here’s why, when it comes to hikoki/metabo hpt the brand structure is somewhat disjointed and you never know if a tool is even going to be released in your country forget about when…idek if mhpt employees know what’s coming down the pipe too much further out that the general public tbh but for instance the barrel grip jigsaw has never even been released in the states, and it looks to be a great tool with very very little information, videos, or reviews to be seen on it, that as well as the 230mm beast of a grinder I’d love to see those vids

20:42 voltage doesn't matt...oh, well, the batteries were diff...oh, the hikoki batt was smaller. Look over there, it's a squirrel!

I like my Makita tools but the M18 trim router has better fine adjustment. I'm jealous you guys get the red tracks.

Can you use this on granite if you buy the right diamond bits

Appatently angled base isn't that important and not available separately. I did confirm that you CAN use the track guide or standard guide with dust extraction at the same time, but a corded 1/2 full size is fine really especially when already tied to a vacuum hose. I wish it cut deeper and longer profiles!

The trim router also has an optional plunge base and doesn't need the adapter.

I’ll take my Hikoki any day, that thing smashed hardwood 14mm deep with mitre jointer and it was sooo good surprisingly powerful more than I even expected 😅 That being said if you already have the batteries, say fuck it and buy some Hikoki gear they are killing it with some of their stuff. 23g nailer not so much Milwaukee one that round. 😂 the rainbow tool collection is the one way to go.

MetaboHPT 1/2" is 36v, better in every way. The milwaukee is insanely overpriced.

Totally agree the orientation of the edge guide feels weird. I'm trying to get used to it but the hikoki / Makita orientation is way more ergonomic

Dang it, that sucks... I didn't know out of the USA they had red tracks!

Holy shit I got something BEFORE you did!!!! I had to wait for Milwaukee NZ to send it to the seller, it was that new to NZ. Got it for a steal though - $982 INCLUDING GST.

Festool tracksaw vs Hikoki, what’s your thoughts since you’re one of the few with the Hikoki tracksaw because they had a warehouse fire apparently and aren’t selling a kit version yet.

So which do you prefer? Hikoki or Milwaukee? .. I have the hikoki , haven’t used it yet though, but heard good things about it.. got sick of waiting for makita to show there hand .. apparently the Milwaukee is unsuitable for kitchen worktops in the uk , due to the collets being metric and only a depth of 38mm can be achieved.. not sure 🤔 how true this is …

Sure wish they would make a D-handle.

The smaller size stealth mounts square will fit

I’m impressed. Exactly what I’ve been saying Makita needs. Makita…where are you?

If im doing long runs of 25mm wide 12.5mm deep runs which of these router sizes would you suggest is suitable?

Bro... you fully meed some track clamps 🤣

Back In 2003 porter cable had a 1/2 fixed base router. On the ni cad system.

With a router on a rail have one hand on guide and one on router. Get much better cut as equal force is applied, less vibrations and all that shit👍

Milwaukee ain’t got no flat edge on the sole?

Porter cable made one years ago