How much torque does a Milwaukee M12 Impact have?

The Milwaukee M12 Fuel impact driver saw big improvements from its first generation to its second, gaining power while becoming more compact. We’ve had a chance to get our hands on the third generation to see what’s coming up next.

Editor’s Note: The 3rd generation M12 Fuel Impact Driver is on its way. To see our original review of the 2nd generation, scroll down to the bottom and click “Next Page”

Check out our top impact driver recommendations for 2022!

Milwaukee M12 Fuel Impact Driver Performance

Let’s start with speed. The Milwaukee 3453 third-generation picks up nearly 10% more speed, moving from 3300 RPM on the 2553 to 3600 RPM on the latest model. Despite that, the impact rate remains the same at 4000 IPM.

The torque also gets a nice boost, jumping up 200 in-lbs to reach 1500 in-lbs in mode 3. That combination of speed and power has the ability to take on some of the compact 18V/20V Max impact drivers.

Controlling the performance is exactly the same as the previous generation with the 4-mode drive control. Press the button in the center to cycle between modes 1, 2, 3, and self-tapping screw.

Milwaukee M12 Fuel Impact Driver Design

Size and Weight

The size and weight don’t change a ton for the latest model. It’s 5.0 inches long, dropping about 0.1 inch from the last version. The weight comes down a little bit as well, dropping a couple of ounces down to 1.6 pounds bare. A 2.0Ah battery puts the total weight right at 2.0 pounds.

LED Light

The Milwaukee 3453 gets a big upgrade to its LED, shifting from a single light above the trigger to three LED surrouning the collet. It’s a significant different and does a great job of eliminating shadows compared to other light placements.

One-Hand Bit Insertion

One-hand bit insertion is a nice feature that the Milwaukee M12 Fuel impact driver has. Instead of holding the collet out to install bit, just slide it right in and you’re good to go!

Additional Highlights

• Available protective boot
• All-metal belt clip
• Compatible with all Milwaukee M12 batteries

Milwaukee M12 Fuel Impact Driver Price

Look for this model to hit Milwaukee retailers as both a bare tool and kit starting in August 2022. The bare tool price is $139. The kit is $169 and includes a pair of 2.0Ah batteries along with a charger and soft case.

Keep your eyes open for a combo kit that includes the Gen 3 impact driver and Gen 3 hammer drill (model 3497-22)

New Milwaukee M12 Fuel Stubby Impact Wrench models are making waves in both the PTR office and in the industry. It’s more than just the fact that these impact wrenches are coming out on the M12 battery platform.

10-Second Summary

• 250 ft.-lbs. of breakaway torque (excluding 1/4″ drive)
• Industry’s most powerful 12V impact wrenches
• 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ drives available
• 4-Mode Drive Control on all models
• $149 – $159 (bare tools), $219 – $249 (2-battery kits)

Milwaukee is claiming that these are the most powerful 12V impact wrenches available. Not only that, but they’re also the industry’s first cordless stubby impact wrenches. So what qualifies them as the most powerful?

The 3/8″ and 1/2″ models boast 250 foot-pounds of nut-busting torque. The 1/4″ model drops down to 100 foot-pounds to protect the smaller drive size.

4-Mode Drive Control isn’t terribly complex to understand, but it’s very helpful. You have 3 standard modes that increase speed and torque as you move up. The 4th mode shuts the tool down before you overtighten a fastener and risk shearing off the head.

Ditching the hose in favor of a battery is part of the appeal. The other side of that coin is the stubby design. At 4.8″ to 5.1″, you’ll be able to get your Milwaukee M12 Fuel Stubby Impact Wrench in those tighter areas easily – which is the whole reason to get a stubby in the first place.

Using the Milwaukee M12 Fuel Stubby Impact Wrench

Stubby impact wrenches live most of their lives in the automotive world, but I’m going to let Tim Johnson over at Shop Tool Reviews apply his expertise there. What I want to know is whether the M12 Fuel Stubby has a place on construction job sites.

We got our hands on the 2555 – the 1/2″ friction ring model. But this part of the review is just as applicable for the 3/8″ version as well since it has the same amount of power.

I really like the M12 Fuel Stubby Impact Wrench as a replacement for your 18V 3/8″ impact wrench. It’s going to give you more power than your impact driver for socket applications while keeping the weight and profile much smaller than a standard 18V impact wrench.

Where it fits best in my book is on fasteners like timber screws and lag screws – jobs that might push your impact driver harder than you should but don’t really need all the force a mid-torque impact wrench delivers. Of course, there are all sorts of other nuts and bolts you come across throughout the day as well. Similar to how a 12V drill can handle 80% of your drilling and driving needs, this stubby impact wrench tackles a surprising number of socket jobs on your plate. It also has a lot of potential for MRO crews.

Pricing

The 2555 we’re testing runs $159 as a bare tool and $249 as a kit. That’s the same as the 2554 (3/8″) and 2555P (1/2″ pin detent). Something like the M18 Fuel Compact Impact Wrench (2754) will have a similar amount of power with a larger footprint and higher weight. That particular model is the same price as a bare tool, but $10 more for a 2.0 Ah battery kit and $329 with 5.0 Ah batteries.

The value proposition really boils down to whether the weight and size savings are a big deal to you and if you don’t mind having M12 batteries in addition to your M18 packs. If you already have some M12 tools, this is a nice addition to your system. If you’re not, it will bring a new battery platform into play, but there are an awful lot of great products on the M12 line worth getting into it for.

The Bottom Line

The Milwaukee M12 Fuel Stubby Impact Wrench packs a lot of power into a relatively small package. It’s going to do its best work in the automotive environment, but there are a lot of tasks it’s well-suited for MRO crews and on the construction site as well.

Milwaukee M12 Fuel Stubby Impact Wrench Lineup

M12 FUEL 1/4″ Stubby Impact Wrench w/ Friction Ring Kit (2552-22) – $269

• 100 ft-lbs Breakaway Torque
• RPM: 1,300; 1,900; 3,200; 1,500 – 3,200
• IPM: 1,300; 2,000; 4,300
• 4-Mode Drive Control
• Dimensions (LxHxW): 5.1 x 6.75 x 2.25 in.
• Weight (w/ XC4.0 battery): 2.0 lbs

Includes: M12 FUEL Stubby 1/4″ Impact Wrench, (1) M12 REDLITHIUM XC 4.0 Battery Pack, (1) M12 REDLITHIUM 2.0 Battery Pack, Multi-Voltage Charger and case.

Also available as a Bare Tool (2552-20) – $179.00

Buy Now at Acme Tools

M12 FUEL 3/8” Stubby Impact Wrench w/ Friction Ring Kit (2554-22) – $269

• 250 ft-lbs Breakaway Torque
• RPM: 1,200; 1,800; 2,700; 1,500 – 2,700
• IPM: 1,100; 2,100; 3,200
• 4-Mode Drive Control
• Dimensions (LxHxW): 4.8 x 7 x 2.4 in.
• Weight (w/ XC4.0 battery): 2.92 lbs

Includes: M12 FUEL Stubby 3/8″ Impact Wrench, (1) M12 REDLITHIUM XC 4.0 Battery Pack, (1) M12 REDLITHIUM 2.0 Battery Pack, Multi-Voltage Charger and case.

Also available as a Bare Tool (2554-20) – $179.00

Buy Now at Acme Tools

M12 FUEL 1/2” Stubby Impact Wrench w/ Friction Ring Kit (2555-22) – $269

• 250 ft-lbs Breakaway Torque
• RPM: 1,200; 1,800; 2,700; 1,500 – 2,700
• IPM: 1,100; 2,100; 3,200
• 4-Mode Drive Control
• Dimensions (LxHxW): 4.9 x 7 x 2.4 in.
• Weight (w/ XC4.0 battery): 2.93 lbs

Includes: M12 FUEL Stubby 1/2″ Pin Detent Impact Wrench, (1) M12 REDLITHIUM XC 4.0 Battery Pack, (1) M12 REDLITHIUM 2.0 Battery Pack, Multi-Voltage Charger and case.

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