5 Milwaukee Tools & Products Customers Warn To Steer Clear Of

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Milwaukee has a reputation for producing high-quality products, and for the most part, this praise is well-earned — there are plenty of Milwaukee tools every homeowner should have. Hidden amongst a sea of tools that are praised for their power, reliability, and quality, however, there will inevitably be some duds. If you don't want to waste your hard-earned cash on a lemon from this admittedly pricey brand, it's worth doing some research to determine what's really worth it. Whether you're shopping for a soldering iron, a infrared thermometer, or a vacuum, customers say certain models are better left on the shelf.

Generally speaking, Milwaukee is a safe bet to buy from. Milwaukee tools are so expensive because they're intended for use by professionals, so they're frequently built using high-quality materials that are meant to be put through the ringer. This keeps expectations high, and whether an issue is caused by poor design or sub-par functionality, it's a major disappointment. Regardless of the source of the problem, it's frustrating to shell out hundreds on an item that you think will be a lifelong investment only to find that its performance is lackluster.

Reading reviews and doing your research ahead of time can help you avoid this fate, but if you do find yourself in the unfortunate position of owning a tool that simply doesn't live up to its promises, you have options. Returns are, of course, the best way to get your money back, but if you're too late and you purchased a tool from a certified distributor, it's automatically under warranty. You may want to visit the brand's website for further information on specific products — you could get a free repair or replacement.

Cleanup is an incredibly important step in any building or home improvement product, and investing in a small, powerful vacuum to keep with your tools can make this process significantly easier. Unfortunately, Milwaukee's M12 Compact Vacuum doesn't exactly fit the bill, according to buyers. Customers generally give it a lukewarm rating — 4.1 stars at Home Depot, 3.4 stars on Milwaukee's site — but one complaint eclipses all the others. According to reviewers, the suction is lackluster at best, even on a full charge and with a clean filter. "Like other reviewers, I'm a huge Milwaukee fan. I could not BELIEVE how weak the suction was on this handheld vacuum. It would not even vacuum up a VERY small pebble off of my truck mat," one disappointed customer shared on Home Depot's site.

Of course, this isn't a universal opinion. A large percentage of customers enjoyed the vacuum and found it convenient to have on hand, but the number of disappointed buyers should raise some red flags. Add on the hefty price tag — the vacuum, tool only, retails for $75, but you'll have to buy an additional M12 battery and charger ($119) if you don't already have one on hand. Compare this to the cost of the more powerful Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Multi-Surface Handheld Vacuum Kit, which goes for about $65 with a battery and charger, and you'll start to see why some customers were so upset with the quality of the product they received.

If you feel like spending money unnecessarily, the Laser Temperature Gun Infrared 10:1 Thermometer is for you. This simple temperature detecting tool has earned a meager 3.3 star rating on Home Depot's website and a 1.6 star rating on Milwaukee's, so it's safe to say that it's not exactly a crowd favorite. While the tool looks useful and seems to have a clean, sleek interface, customers repeatedly point out issues with its functionality, short lifespan, and accuracy. "I wish the one I have was only off 10 degrees. According to this garbage, the couch I'm sitting on now is 145 degrees and my foot is 400. Worked for about 1 month or so. Seems pretty typical for this model," one reviewer shared on Milwaukee's website.

The incorrect readings are made even more frustrating by the fact that there's no way to calibrate this temperature gun yourself, which is essential for workers who rely on temperature guns for safety and monitoring purposes. Add on the fact that several reviewers reported that the laser stopped working after just a few months, and you're left with a product that disappoints on several fronts. The near $90 price tag places this temperature gun at around double or even triple the price of other similar products, so if you don't feel like investing in an expensive paperweight, it's worth shopping around.

While it's certainly not the worst of the worst, Milwaukee's M18 Compact Heat Gun has earned some mixed reviews that make it a bit of a notorious product. Battery-operated heat guns usually aren't great in general — producing large amounts of directed heat takes quite a bit of power, so batteries are known to drain within minutes. Milwaukee seems to have attempted to get around this by creating a heat gun that isn't very hot. Some customers like this, noting that it works well for smaller jobs like thawing or drying patches, while others found themselves incredibly let down by the heat output. "Milwaukee makes great blowers, and decent heating products. Somehow they weren't able to combine them into this. The household hair dryer pushes out more heat and in a better pattern than this gun does." one reviewer shared on Milwaukee's site.

Even among those who are satisfied with the amount of heat, some are disappointed by this product's lack of features. The trigger needs to be held consistently for the gun to work, which can get annoying when you're dealing with a device that isn't all that high-powered, and there's no switch to adjust the temperature. Yet again, the frustration is heightened due the device's high price tag. It retails for $159 for just the tool, and you'll have to purchase an additional 18V battery and charger ($219) if you're not already bought into the system. For comparison, Dewalt's cordless heat gun will run you $158 with a battery and charger, and Harbor Freight heat guns max out at about $55.

A good soldering iron is a tool that will come in handy for plenty of different jobs, and while many customers were happy with this M12 Soldering Iron's performance at first, the satisfaction didn't last long. The main complaint from customers when it comes to this product is its lifespan — a large percentage of unsatisfied reviewers stated that the thermal fuse on the device blew out after just a few uses, rendering it completely non-functional. "Poorly engineered, guaranteed to fail. Mine broke just like all the other reviews. Just buy another one right? I did like it for the short time it worked." one buyer on Milwaukee's website shared.

It has still managed to earn a 4-star average on Home Depot's site with quite a few reviewers reporting that they were satisfied with its convenience, but it didn't fare as well on Milwaukee's, with an average rating of just 2.4 stars. While this blown fuse issue can be remedied at home with a somewhat complex DIY repair, many customers are frustrated by a seemingly premium product failing so soon after purchase. With a price tag of $119 for just the bare tool, it follows the trend of Milwaukee's high pricing on products. Similar battery-operated irons from other brands can be purchased for around half the price, but if you really want to save some cash, there are quite a few corded options that will only run you between $20 and $30.

Lighting is often an afterthought in tool kits, and unfortunately, it appears that Milwaukee also forgot to consider the importance of illumination with its Rover Magnetic Flood Light. The overarching issue that customers report is the light's refusal to stay on — even with fresh batteries, it has a tendency to click off within a few seconds. When it's actually working, customers note that it provides great illumination and is incredibly easy to transport, but this has little bearing on the experience if the light doesn't actually do what it needs to do. "Junk. Won't stay on for more than a few seconds. I tried new batteries and it does the same thing. Checked battery voltages and they're good. Now I see that many others have the same issue. Don't buy!" one frustrated customer shared on Milwaukee's site. This light has managed to maintain a 3.9 star average on Home Depot's website, but it's dipped to a very poor 1.4 stars on the brand's.

While the lack of functionality is obviously frustrating, the $35 price tag makes this light one of the brand's more affordable products. Still, you're likely better off exploring other options, even within Milwaukee's lineup. The M12 Rover Service and Repair Floodlight with USB Charging, for example, is more expensive at $89, but there's no need to constantly test out new batteries. Customers love it, giving it a shining 4.8 star rating at Home Depot and a 4.3 star average on the brand's site.