Customer Reviews for Milwaukee M12 FUEL 12V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 3/8 in. Ratchet (Tool-Only)

Great product & batteries last for a long time on a single charge for what i use them for (3/8 & 1/4 in Milwaukee M12 ratchets doing auto repair)

The 3/8 ratchet is heavy duty enough to tackle any job. Very pleased it its performance and power.

Milwaukee tools are quality reason why I purchased them. Haven’t used it yet, but I’m sure it won’t let me down! Also purchased a 2 pack 3.0ah batteries for the long run time. Am very pleased

Tool does exactly what's advertised. Great for tight spaces. I install Tvs perfect tool for the job. A tad bit costly at $160 but I'm very pleased with the overall value.

I had to use this tool to install a lower intake plenum and throttle body spacer on a 350Z and work flawlessly! I should have had one of these tools a long time ago.

Bought this impact to get into tight spaces doing automotive work. It has worked out well so far. Definitely has the power that is needed. It is a great addition to your mechanics tools or any of your other Milwaukee tools in your arsenal. Pics I put with this review has the rubber boot to protect the head.

This is a great tool to have around working on cars. Disassembly and installation of non critical parts is a breeze. Rated torque is plenty enough and pairs well with a good impact wrench.Battery life is better than expected. It’s front heavy and can be fatiguing in extended use but a very good tool over all.

I've had the ratchet a few weeks now. It is a very solid tool with good battery life. The M12 battery system is very versatile.

No, because I purchased the m12 fuel Milwaukee 3/8 ratchet online homedepot.com. This not the first time buying a tool online (homedepot.com) and received it dirty, opened boxed, used. So I returned the m12 fuel Milwaukee 3/8 rarchet. I know it's a tool, but paying for tool only with warranty costing $180. I expect a store to send me a brand new unopened box item. I have the m12 fuel 1/2 miwaukee ratchet bought online (homedepot.com) and received this tool only brand new and boxed with single taped not sneaky doubled taped. It's a keeper! Awesome tool, love Milwaukee tools, but if I don't receive online purchases brand new I will be at the refund line.

It’s the best so nice not to turn on air compressors just use the m12 gun. I wish I had it when I work at Dealerships this is a 10

It is powerful but kind of big. Hard to get in small spaces. Thought it would have a little more breakaway power with how big it is

Great tool. Very handy and convenient vs a pneumatic ratchet. I will say that this is heavier than I would have liked or expected. The non-brushless model is lighter and more compact. I still like the longevity of brushless tools so I guess it's a trade off I'm willing to take. I also wish it came with the rubber cover for the end, but they want you to spend another $22 + tax for it. It looks to be about $1 worth of rubber so not sure why it's not included.

Is one of the best tool I ever had!!!!

I've always used a different brand ( not going to mention the brand ) and it did what needed being done. I recent;y lent my neighbor my drill to drill a hole through concrete to pass security camera cables and the end story was that I was returned a broken drill. Apart from being furious I wanted to upgrade to a brand and see if that brand was what the hype claimed it to be and that brand was Milwaukee. I purchased the M12 FUEL 12-Volt Cordless Brushless 1/2 in. Hammer Drill Packout Kit the day after black friday along with the M12 12-Volt Lithium-Ion XC Extended Capacity Battery Pack 3.0Ah (2-Pack) and wanted to see how well this drill operated and the battery lasted. I become a little school girl when I get new tools and parts for my vehicle and was excited to use my new Milwaukee drill, needless to say I was pleasantly please and very happy with my purchase. ironically I too had a job that required me to drill through concrete and was too excited to use the drill, but it did a beautiful job, I slapped on the XC Extended battery and the bad boy went through the concrete like a hot knife through butter. From that first experience I'll be switching over to Milwaukee little by little as my budget allows me, lol. Next purchase is going to be the M12 FUEL 12-Volt Cordless Brushless 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver Packout Kit ( if the packout is still available ). I love the case by the way.

Bought these on sale 2 pack for an outdoor shoot day on McGyver season2. To use on my Milwauke heated jacket . Which was a big hit wit the !st unit shooting crew I was the armorer for the shoot out lovr m new jacket and these batteries were strong and lite .

Cordless, brushless 1/2-in ratchet with surprising power, feels sturdy enough to withstand professional use and abuse. I had one of Milwaukee's first generation brushed 1/4 in. cordless ratchet, which I used a lot for projects around the house, but this is a big step up. It's bigger, heavier, has a better light, and generates just about twice the torque (60-ft-lbs vs 30). If you need more torque than that, you can also use it as a manual ratchet, but speed is where it really shines -- if you've ever found yourself reaching behind or around something to try to torque off a good-size nut with only enough clearance to make a 1/8 turn with the ratchet handle, then you know how much of a time saver (and lifesaver) this thing can be. This is much more tool than you'd want for something like light furniture assembly, and you have to be careful with the torque not to get nuts cross-threaded when you start them, but for a lot of mechanical applications, it's hard to imagine how this could be much better. Highly recommended.

Highly recommend a little bulkier than the smaller M12 but longer-lasting

I do a lot of volunteer work for our church (25+ acres) and not having an air compressor close by makes it hard to use my air ratchet so I decided to purchase one to use there. This makes it so nice when service the mowers, tractors, and other equipment. It’s light weight and comfortable in your hand. On the mower when changing the blades (3) I just reach under and get the socket on the retaining bolt and pull the trigger, now I don’t have to take the deck off or try and get both hands under the desk to break the bolt loose. I change blades every 2 months, so I can sharpen the old ones. I do use it on my own vehicles and mowers now. It comes with 2 batteries and the charger in a nice carrying case for transporting and storing everything together.

This ratchet makes my old air powered ratchet redundant. Besides the obvious advantage of not having to deal with an airline, it surpasses the old one in all regards. This is my first M12 tool, but my Milwaukee M18 tools are all superbly engineered and have never let me down, so I have high expectations for this ratchet. Although slightly bulkier than my hand ratchet it is still compact enough to go in most cramped spaces. Its advantage is that it does all the work, which I appreciate when I am underneath my car. The variable speed trigger takes it from very slow to full speed in less than half an inch of deflection. As an experiment I put a 1/4 inch shouldered bolt in a vise and screwed down a nut at slow speed. The nut stopped turning as soon as it reached the shoulder. I unscrewed the nut and did the same thing with full trigger. This time the nut reached the shoulder and kept turning at full speed. The nut was too hot to touch having stripped the thread! It would have been nice to have separate torque and speed controls, but all I have to do is slow down before the nut reached its limit. For larger screws that can handle the 55 ft/lbs torque this is no problem. For applications where an exact torque is needed I will use my torque wrench as before. This tool makes assembly and disassembly much faster. It has other good features. The built in work light stays on quite a while after releasing the trigger, so I will sometimes skip setting up lighting in dark places. It has a safety lock, that I must remember to use. It also has a 'Fuel Gauge' so I can always know how much power is left in the battery, and the kit includes two batteries as well as a charger, so I am unlikely to be caught without power. I really appreciate the carrying case. This tool is tough enough it hardly needs protection, but by using the case I won't loose the charger or the spare battery. This is another fine Milwaukee product and is backed by a 5 year warranty that I doubt I will have to use.

Milwaukee tools are fabulous, expensive but worth it. This Cordless 1/2” ratchet kit (Model 2558-22) is tough, comfortable, and surprisingly powerful with its 12-V battery. The brushless motor has a lot to do with the 60 ft-lb torque and battery capacity. The kit comes with two M12 batteries, an M12-only charger, and a well-made storage bag. The tool and bag are Made in China, while the batteries are made in Korea. The bag includes velcro straps plus two stretch loops to hold the tool and spare battery, but the loop for the battery end of the tool is too hard to use – I just re-secure the items with the velcro. The variable speed paddle-trigger on the tool has a sliding lock to keep from depressing the paddle accidentally (or while in the bag) and while the lock is a bit stiff is is certainly secure. The LED light is well placed to illuminate the work area. It comes on with a light depression of the paddle and stays on for 10 seconds after release. The drive switches direction with a small twist of the “button” on the ratchet head which is easy to operate but provides no clue as to which way the drive will turn. A quick depression of the paddle shows it though, so it's not a problem – just an observation. There is a four-light Battery level indicator on the tools as well, showing how much power is left in the battery when the motor is running. This is a wonderful medium power tool. It isn't strong enough to handle the lug nuts on my auto tires but it's terrific and comfortable to use on my other tasks.

A 12 volt cordless tool that adequately handles 1/2" drive tasks. I am surprised with the robust design of the ratchet head and the comfortable grip area of the tool. With the no-load speed of 175 rpm I find that this cordless ratchet handles task with decent speed without compromise on torque. The low profile head of the Milwaukee can fit most places a manual ratchet can go. For my trailer U-bolt shackles I used a breaker bar first and then used the Milwaukee ratchet for the rest of the work of removing the locknuts. So much easier than a manual ratchet, especially in the tight working space. The tool light is impressive. I also appreciate the trigger lock (manually operated for locked or unlocked) compared to numerous accidental presses of pneumatic ratchets. I also appreciate the 2.0 amp hour batteries. They are the exact same size as the 12 volt 1.6 amp hour - just a little more power time. Pros: -included nice zippered tool case -comfortable design -smooth operation ratchet -very effective tool light -compact ratchet head design fits most places of manual ratchets -12 volt power helps keep the tool size comparable to pneumatic ratchets Cons: -none! Just keep the extra battery charged. I find a lot of use for this tool

Solid, solid, solid tool! When you hold this tool you can feel how solid and robust it is. The handle is comfortable and has a decent length allowing for good leverage while the tool is driving. The M12 battery is compact enough to not make the tool too heavy and cumbersome. Operation is dead simple. Attach whatever driver you need to use to the ½” square driver, select the desired direction of drive, unlock the trigger and then squeeze the paddle switch to obtain the desired speed. The lock mechanism can be left unlocked and this makes for practical pick-up-and-use during a job. I would probably only lock it again if packing the tool away with a battery attached. As with most of the M12 tools, there is a fuel gauge that indicates the battery status when a battery is inserted or the tool is used. There is also a nice white LED light that illuminates the work area when the tool is used. The tool will operate up to 175 RPM and can exert up to 60 ft-lbs of torque! The yoke part of the driver is made from cast steel, which gives it the healthy heft. The ratchet uses the well established Milwaukee brushless motor and power management electronics. In addition to the tool itself, the kit comes with two 2.0 Ah M12 batteries and an M12 charger. This should facilitate continuous work if one charges one battery while using the other. Of course it can also take any of the other M12 batteries in the M12 product range. It all packs into a very strong carry bag which I prefer to the hard plastic cases that take up a lot of room and provide no room for other items such as sockets etc. There is plenty room for such items in this carry bag. A robust zipper is used to close the bag. The ratchet and battery will likely also fit easily into your existing tool box and the charger will probably live on your workbench anyway. I can’t think of any improvement for the tool. Design is tops, and manufacture quality looks to be excellent. Tool and charger made in China. Batteries made in Korea with further processing in China. 5 year warranty against defects of materials and workmanship in USA, Canada, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean.

Weighing in at a fraction over 3Lbs which includes the fitted 2AH battery, this tool has a really good grip and not once during the removal of an assortment of various sizes of nuts and bolts did I lose my grip on its rubber over-mold. Because I use different size socket sets that has both 3/8 and a ¼ connection, I bought an adapter reducer set, which for less than $8 from Home Depot is an indispensable addition which allows me to use my smaller sockets without going to the added cost of buying a complete ½ inch ratchet set. In removing my truck’s engine, I did soon discover that it does not always loosen some really stubborn bolts despite the 60ft-Lbs torque and had to resolve to use a standard ratchet. However these were few and far between, and with even those, I was using an extension bar to pry them loose. The excellent RPM of 175 removed the nuts/bolts quickly and easily and yes, there were the odd bolt I did have to revert to the `old fashioned` spanners because of the lack of space in trying to use this ratchet. Its length is just over 12 inches with the width being slightly less than 2 inches and although it did give me more room to work in than some ratchets do, it does of course have its limits as you would expect. As to the run time using the extended 2AH 12V battery: After the removal of my engine, I was using it to remove about 70 assorted fasteners from my new truck engines casing and I was certainly impressed with the speed that it removed them and on checking the remaining battery power, it was showing only slightly less than half full. So I had removed my truck engine and prepared for the new one, which did take three of us over two hours and was amazed at how long such a small battery lasted and with power to spare. The Variable speed metal trigger is a vast improvement compared to other tools that use this system, albeit in a different format, and has a convenient and safety trigger lock. As well as the recessed head ratchet, which is reversible in direction of rotation along with a good light, it also comes supplied with the charger, 2 X batteries which are held in place with Velcro and a very sturdy soft carry case which has room inside for extra bits. Only one annoying feature is concerning the holding in place of the tool. The case, instead of using Velcro for holding it, it has opted to use a stitched piece of elastic which I found was difficult to fit the head of the tool inside it. So it this ratchet kit worth the cost and did it hold up to some rough hard work? The answer is a definite yes and yes again.

This M12 Milwaukee ratchet is well made and built like a tank,the quality is excellent.What surprises me is just how much power this has for only being a 12 volt.It is beefy and heavier than my air ratchet but with this design it runs circles around the air ratchet.It has a lock out switch so it doesn't accidentally come on when you don't want it to like in the tool bag.Switching forward and reverse is on the head and the paddle trigger is nice and wide for easy control.Batteries recharge in about 30 minutes.This is so good I wont be bringing out the air ratchet anytime soon.

I’m impressed with this cordless ratchet and I’m thrilled to add this to my tool collection. What I like: • High quality is readily noticeable when you hold it in your hand. It’s solid and feels up to the task for years and years of service. Where these can sometimes fail is the trigger. This trigger is metal (and attached well) I don’t see it breaking unless it’s dropped from up high on concrete. • Ergonomics are good on this unit. Rubber grip is well placed right where it should be. • It’s powerful and it will handle most serious situations and every normal situation. This really is a ‘professional user’ product that will handle the abuse. You need to be careful with the amount of power you are dealing with. If you are using this to assemble your kid’s birthday gift, furniture, etc. take your time until you get used to the trigger tension and torque. You can do some damage if you are not careful. • LED light. It’s expected nowadays on products like this. Plenty bright enough and aimed well. • Fuel gauge is nice to have. A lot of 12 V tools from other manufactures don’t include these gauges and to me that is a deal breaker. • NO air hose needed! It really makes things easier, more efficient, and safer without dragging a hose around. I spend a lot of time in body shops and I see a lot of cordless (prior generation since this one was just released) Milwaukee ratchets out there and they are quickly replacing pneumatic wrenches in many situations. • Battery life is good. I used it on and on for a couple of hours and it still had 4 dots on the gauge. • It’s fairly quiet. No louder than a normal cordless drill. What I don’t like: • I’m struggling here to find anything to be critical about this. It’s a great tool. I guess one might say it’s a little bit on the heavy side but again it’s made strong/solid so the weight is to be expected. Overall, this is a wonderful addition to a professional or DIY’er tool kit. It’s made to last and very easy to hold. It’s an outstanding product. I recommend.

Awesome additional to any garage. Compact yet very powerful. Comes with 2 batteries and a charger. This is great addition to my M12 line. Awesome for getting into small places. Great for changing car tires and working underneath the hood of a car. Just pressing the trigger alone shows you how much power this Ratchet has. 1/2 adapter will fit most ratchet attachments.

This review is for the new Milwaukee M12 1/2" ratchet, model # 2558-22, which I got a chance to try out. (The 2258-22 is a 'kit'; it comes with two M12 Red-Lithium batteries (2 amp hrs each), a charger, a carrying case, and of course the ratchet. Purchased as a "bare tool" the ratchet is listed as a "2558-20" model). Although these days I'm a semi-retired, DIY'er homeowner, many years ago (back when cars had distributor points…) I worked as a professional auto mechanic. Though no longer a pro mechanic, I do still do some of my own auto maintenance chores and a few for friends and family as well as home maintenance tasks. This review will come from that perspective; active pro mechanics may have different views. The new Milwaukee, offering a ‘brushless motor’ design, is claimed to have the power of a pneumatic ratchet - without having to have a compressor and drag a hose behind you, and without the ever-present, ever-annoying blast of exhaust air when it’s in operation. There’s just a very, very light exhaust coming from the wrench, nothing like my pneumatic wrench. Power specs: the 2558-22 offers up to 60 ft. pounds of torque and up to 175 r.p.m. The r.p.m. is determined by how much pressure you place on the paddle switch – the more pressure, the more r.p.m. In practice it works quite well – there’s enough resistance built into the paddle to allow control. The 2558-22 comes in at just over 3 pounds with the battery installed, a bit heavier than comparable pneumatic wrenches. However, with pneumatics you have to consider the weight and drag of the attached compressor hose. I’m of average height and build, and I’m not finding the weight of the Milwaukee to be a problem – but of course that sort of thing is very subjective. What’s heavy for one person may be light to another. The wrench has a rubberized covering over the back part of the body which is proving to offer a comfortable grip even in the 20-something degree weather we’ve been having this week. I was working on the lawn mower and snow blower (outside) and felt no discomfort. I like tools that offer a solid grip when used with greasy hands or in intemperate weather and the Milwaukee seems to measure up. The M12 battery slides into the back of the cylindrical ratchet and thus remains out of the way. However, the new lithium cells are very light considering the power that they put out, and the result is that the Milwaukee wrench has a balance point more towards the business end, rather than being in the middle of the tool. It doesn’t make the wrench a bother to use but it is noticeable. Maneuverability is good – there’s a recessed head that can fit into tight places and the lack of a hose makes for the ability to use the wrench in any position without worrying about getting the hose into position. Another feature that I’m finding handy is the LED that lights up the work area – something not available on my air ratchet. See photo. The portability of the wrench is a real plus. I like being able to 'grab it and go'. This would have been a real advantage when I repaired cars for a living. The operation, in forward or reverse, is smooth and predictable. Still, you'll want to maintain a good grip on the ratchet. Action on the forward/reverse toggle control is positive and doesn't slip into 'neutral'. The trigger lockout, just forward of the paddle, is just a bit recessed so that it can’t be activated accidentally. When storing the wrench I’m activating the lockout so the paddle doesn’t get accidentally pressed but when I have the tool out I just leave oy off – I don’t like having to fiddle with it when I’m working. YMMV. I did find the Milwaukee a bit noisier than I had expected; not so much that it’s a downgrade of the ratchet and not as loud as my pneumatic, but without the blast of exhaust air I figured it would be pretty quiet. Not so much – it’s easy to know when it’s working. However The Boss is liking the new wrench because when my compressor kicks on in the garage it can be heard a couple of doors down the block, and she hates the noise; the Milwaukee can only be heard by someone in the immediate work area. As well as tinkering on our cars and outdoor equipment, the ratchet is proving helpful in other D.I.Y. chores (putting together one of those gray steel shelving units was much easier with a power ratchet than it would have been with a manual ratchet or ratchet wrench!). Of course the 1/2" driver is a bit much for many chores; Milwaukee does offer the tool in 1/4" and 3/8" drives as well and I'm trying to convince The Boss that a 3/8" drive would make a nice holiday gift when Christmas comes around. The included soft sided storage case (see photo) has a nice zipper pull, there’s a small pocket in the inside lid for the operator’s manual and such, and offers a fabric handle for easy carrying. It measures (about) 14 in. x 8 3/4 in. x 3 3/4 in. The ratchet, charger, and spare battery all fit neatly into the case, secured by Velcro tabs (one elastic tab also helps secure the ratchet in its place but it’s very tight to fit onto the ratchet handle and I think Milwaukee would have been better served by a third Velcro strap rather than the elastic band. YMMV.) There’s some space available for carrying a few sockets once you’ve removed the charger (see photo). No socket container is included, so you’d have to provide your own if you decide to carry sockets in the Milwaukee case. For me, the ratchet will be stored in my roll-around tool box; it’s easier access than having the thing stored in the carry case and my impact sockets have their own case. I haven’t managed to completely run down one of the M12 batteries yet – I don’t do enough auto repairs anymore that would cause me to use the Milwaukee all day, as a pro might. There is a 'fuel gauge' on the wrench to keep you appraised of available power, so you shouldn't get caught out. The M12 batteries are interchangeable across the entire spectrum of Milwaukee M12 tools. A couple of safety caveats - ALWAYS wear eye protection when using a power ratchet (and I advise hearing protection as well, even though the noise level on the Milwaukee isn’t all that high). In addition, Milwaukee notes in the user's manual that "These tools are intended only for use with accessories designed for impact tools. Other sockets could shatter or break, causing injury". I don't know of anyone personally who has broken a chromed socket used on a power ratchet - there's no hammering action going on, unlike an impact wrench - but I prefer to play it safe. I use impact sockets even though they tend to be a bit bulkier and are sometimes harder to fit into tight spaces. One last note – this isn’t a “torque” wrench; you don’t want to crank the full 60 pounds available down on a bolt/nut rated for 30 pounds. Cranking a low torque fastener down with full power could actually shear it off. Overall - the Milwaukee is a terrific addition to my workshop. Whether it is overkill for a weekend warrior / D.I.Y.'er has to be a personal decision and certainly budget comes into play. (Pros will have their own opinions, of course - but I wish I'd had such a tool available 'back in the day'!). For me the 2558-22 kit isn't overkill at all; it makes my "honey-do" list a bit easier and anything that does that works for me. It also adds portability – I don’t have a compressor in my basement shop (The Boss won’t put up with that noise in the house); with the new Milwaukee I can use the tool anywhere I’m working, as when putting shelving together in the basement. The Milwaukee 2558-22 isn’t made in the U.S., but comes with a 5 year warranty on the tool itself and separate 3 year warranty on the lithium batteries. See the Home Depot web page or the Milwaukee Tool web page for details on what’s covered. Of course Home Depot offers their standard 90-day return policy on the Milwaukee kit as well. I'm rating the Milwaukee at 5 stars due to the build quality, the suitability for purpose, and the portability factor. It’s amazing to me, the amount of power available from modern batteries. HTH Regards, Jim

The new standard in cordless ratchets! It's a beast! Made installing a trailer hitch easy when there was no room to get a regular impact wrench under the vehicle (not enough ground clearance). Gets in tight places where other tools just can't go. Highly recommend!

Excellent extremely handy power tool to have in your arsenal. This cordless ratchet works great in tigh spaces and is a real time saver. Develops plenty of torque for most applications and is easy to handle. Case has a convenient carry handle and has ample room to store a set of socket (not included). Has charger and 2 batteries enabling uninterrupted use. Tool has a trigger lock so it will not activate accidentally in the case. It also has an LED to light the work area. Very nice!

This Milwaukee 3/8 drive ratchet is great the head is very compact. This allows to reach fasteners that you couldn't get to before. This powerful little ratchet delivers up to 40 foot pounds of torque. The ratchet fits my hand well and is very simple to operate. The 2 ah battery is enough to loosen or tighten a large amount of bolts. The kit includes two of them and the charger all in a carrying bag