Customer Reviews for Milwaukee M18 18-Volt 2 Gal. Lithium-Ion Cordless Wet/Dry Vacuum with M18 Compact Vacuum (2-Tool)

Be warned that if you attempt to use any vacuum attachments that are not provided with this vac, you will likely have problems using those attachments. Most vacuum attachments are made to work with a 1.2" diameter male hose end. The male hose end on this vacuum is 1.3". Most attachments I have do not fit securely and consequently fall off when using this vac. The included photo shows that a third party attachment does not fit well, and results in an insecure connection with a gap for air to leak out. Milwaukee needs to redesign the hose end, to reduce the diameter, and provide current owners with a solution for the diameter that is too large. Otherwise the vac is fine, as long as long as you don't need to use third party attachments.

The vacuum is extremely convenient to utilize on the job site because it is battery powered. It has awesome strength and gets the job done and it's extremely easy to clean.

This vacuum is really easy to use. It has plenty of attachments to choose from and the hose detaches easily if something gets stuck inside. Great suction- I use it for stairs and cleaning the entryway. No cords, but I would recommend an extra battery because you get about 10 min with a charge.

I do a lot of work in residential and businesses. Was tired of dragging an extension cord around. With a 5.0 battery you can not beat the suction power on this vacuum.

The Milwaukee 18 volt Cordless 2 Gallon Wet / Dry Vacuum is the perfect on the go vacuum. It generates plenty of suction and has been able to stand up to any mess I have thrown at it. It is nice and compact and it has on-board storage for the utility nozzle as well as the crevice tool and hose that can extend to approximately six fee. The vacuum comes equipped with a HEPA filter and can run for approximately 30 minutes on a 9.0Ah 18 volt battery. The vacuum can accommodate any size 18 volt battery from the 1.5Ah to the 12.0Ah batteries. Keep in mind that based on the size battery you use will affect run time. The tool box design makes it super easy to pick up and carry just about anywhere, whether that be around the house for those small everyday messes, cleaning your car, around the job site or anywhere else you can imagine. The size and shape allows for easy storage, whether it be in the trunk of your car or in your workshop. Would highly recommend this vacuum. It truly is the perfect size / weight combining maneuverability, power, and convenience all into one.

As a facility manager for a 77,000 sq ft Church, we acquired one Milwaukee ($248) as a test to compare against a ProTeam GoFree Flex Pro Battery Powered Backpack ($1488). The only complaints I have received after 46 days of use (one 12.0 battery per shift) is: -- The carpet head does not like to roll freely over the commercial close knit style carpet. I speculate it is due to the rubber catch blade on the bottom of the head that is causing the hangup. (Suggestion, perhaps a braided Aramid fiber, close weave, with a nylon core for rigidity would act as an appropriate air dam/catch and be resistant enough for commercial use? If you chose this design idea, please reach out to compensate the Church) My staff reports the working solution to be an extreme angle of attack, basically, extend tube all the way out and vacuum as far ahead of you as you can reach, this takes the downward force off the back of the head allowing it to spread more evenly on its 4 small wheels. -- Suction becomes noticeably diminished when the internal particle vortex screen becomes plugged with dust bunnies or, as shown by pictures, cellulose insulation. Fortunately, the design of the unit is easy enough to clear out the blockage, you'll just get a little messy doing so. You'll know when the unit is plugged up when the pitch of the exhaust changes to a higher tone. My staff agrees that the 12.0 battery pack is perfect to handle one shift on the high setting- they all are amazed at how quiet the unit is, as am I, the ease in which to dump its contents and the fit and finish of the components. Overall, we are very pleased with this unit. I would recommend this for use on hard dry surfaces, close office style knit carpet, and use for spot cleaning. I plan to purchase 2 more for use in our facility.

Is vacuum is great for hard floor cleaning, But not great for big debris. Anything bigger than a drywall screw. I find myself clean the filter more often than empty. The dust canister. Have not had this for very long and I run it on the big batteries. I wish there was a way I Could return the item As I have not had it any more than 2 months.

Handy Vacuum, just keep filter and hose clean and it has a lot of suction. Works great as a wet vac too, just remember to take off filter first.

This vacuum is awesome. Very quiet and very powerful. A must have.

The back pack vacuum is a good solution for the home owner to keep the garage or shop clean. For the contractor that has to keep the site clean. And the detailer that is working on a car a portable way to clean and keep it moving.

It is a great little vacuum, and I find myself using it a lot. I just wish it came with a brush attachment for upholstery, and I really wish it fit on the M18 sander. It's pretty lame that the two Milwaukee tools aren't compatible.

Works great, I recommend buying the extended life battery.

Perfect for the workbench, stairs and the car. Don't expect to use it for your floor carpets. I got this to replace my old, weak single purpose hand vac. You know, the type that don't have any lasting battery power. Matched with the M18 system, this thing is perfect with all the battery power you need. I have both 2.0 and 5.0 versions of the M18 batteries and both work fine, although the tool feels better with the 2.0, and still provides a lot of vacuuming time. I like the power. I like the fact it works with the M18 system. The hose is quality. The floor tool has a unique swivel that I both like and dislike, if that makes sense. It takes some getting used to. There is a lock "on" which is very handy so you can take your finger off the trigger. This is absolutely perfect for stairs, both bare and carpeted. It doesn't work well on big carpets, however, because there is no beater bar system. Carpeted stairs are OK since you can focus the small work area. It is really handy for the workbench and mine picks up fine. It also works great for cars, just make sure to use the hose and have the exhaust go elsewhere. It kicks back a lot of exhaust air. I took off a star because even with the small 2.0 battery, the tool gets really heavy in the hand. Made in China

this is one of the few vacuum cleaners that her HEPA filter battery operated

Milwaukee hits another home run. This is the best vac vacuum in the market. Its powerful and everything fits inside the box.

When it worked it was adequate for the job but it broke after 1 month of light use. Wont turn on now. Tried with several different batteries.

Cool product that uses the M18 system. I plugged the smallest battery in it and the unit sucks up stuff fast. The only thing they forgot was like the other vacuums in their line it does not have a reverse flow or fitting, it would make a killer leaf blower if it did.

I thought I'd like this, but it turned out that its heavy duty construction kind of makes it too heavy. When wearing it as a backpack, it felt too cantilevered out, making me a bit unsteady on my feet. The backpack harness does remove so you can carry it by its handle and it has a nice sturdy ladder hook so you can hang it from a ladder rung or the side of scaffolding. I got 23 minutes of quiet run time with a 9 A/hr battery. Not having to drag a cord or a wheeled vac around is really nice. This is NOT a wet/dry vacuum. It works well on most debris. Waste bin is super easy to dump. The tools are again, heavy duty. For example, when is the last time you saw a metal vacuum wand? Even the hose has a stress relief joint where it plugs into the vacuum. As a nice extra, it includes an adapter so you can connect dust collection ports from your tools. Since it's a HEPA vacuum, this will help with requirements to use a dust extractor. The bummer is that it's heavier than my 16 gallon wet/dry vac.

Very sturdy but relatively lightweight vacuum. So far I have been using this vacuum as a light duty shop vac. While the hose size cannot handle larger wood fragments and big leaves, its portability makes it a go-to tool over a standard tub-shape shop vac that has to be wheeled around. The suction is great and of course battery life/power from an M18 pack is exceptional. The greatest benefit has been with cleaning our minivan and truck while using the vacuum in backpack mode. You don't tip over carrying it on your back even with bending and you don't get a cord caught around the tires of the car as you go from door to door. Unlike many shop vacs, all accessories are stored on the vacuum, either in the belt or on the canister sides that you can actually reach while it is on your back. If desired the backpack straps can be quickly removed to hang the canister by an underlying, unfolding handle. It can also be carried around by a built handle on top. The extension handle is for once very easy to telescope in and out. The battery compartment is recessed so that if the vacuum falls the battery should be protected.

Milwaukee continues to Impress Me. This 3-in-1 Cordless Backpack Vacuum is a Powerhouse. Low and High Speed Modes deliver all the Power of a canister shop vacuum. The Removable Backpack is a Great Feature. It comes with a Flexible Hose, Expandable Wand, Crevice Tool and Floor Tool. Very East to change Dust Container. It picks up Drywall Dust and that sold me on this Vac. Noise 1level is a lot lower can my canister vacuum. Very High End Vacuum.

First let me say that this is NOT A WET/DRY VAC. I want to emphasize that because that was a question I had since I first found out about this, but never saw anyone mention it. I contacted Milwaukee directly, and they responded to my e-mail very quickly .Great service. Quick Review: Great Vac This is a DRY VAC ONLY, Very quiet and powerful. Great runtime with the 9 and 12.0 ah batteries I love the design(You try to battle my boys, that's not legal OWWWWW) Cons: The placement of the power switch makes it a hassle to power on and off especially if you are hanging it from a ladder. When attached to other tools the vac pulls its (due to suction) while you are pushing the tool. You may have to buy the 9ft hose to fix that More In Depth Review This BackPackVac is surprisingly quiet. , all of the noise that you will hear is basically from the attachment nozzles. If you take them off(the crevice tool and wand) It is virtually quiet. I think the pivot point for the hose is a great idea, adds lots of mobility to the tool. I barely had to put this on high. Having it on Low I will able to pick up everything that I need to, dust bunnies, dirt, saw dust. I put it on high on carpeted areas to get the stuff that the carpet was attached to and it worked. On Low I measured about 67db and high was around 74db for me This lost a star from me due to placement of the power switch. This is advertised as a 3 in 1, so you can wear it, carry it and hang it. To me it is a burden to operate it while it is hanging. I found that since the power switch is located on the bottom of the vac, trying to turn it on and off while hanging it from a ladder can be rather cumbersome. I had to keep going up and down the ladder to hit the switch. One suggestion for an updated model would be to have to two places to turn the vac on from, one of which could on top of the Vac. Looking at the new heated gear from Milwaukee, they can take a page from their book and have the emblem on the strap turn it off and on by pressing it. Making it a lot easy to switch modes and not have to worry about your shoulder. I used this with several tools and it did not perform that well. I attached it to my cordless router, myM18 circular saw and m18 Jigsaw and I still had lots of dust flying around. I think it was mainly due to the placement of the vacuum ports on these products, it is on the back of the tools. I feel they would have more effective on the front, at the point of the cut capturing the dust soon as it forms. The hose has a nice rubbery connector that fits snugly around the ports which is good. While attached to these tools, the hose contracts when in use, at times making it hard to maneuver the tool, the vac is pulling it while you are pushing it. I see why they have an optional 9ft hose, I will try it with that and that should make it more manageable. Some other suggestions I have are: Again taking after the M12 products , have an onboard fuel gauge making it easier to see how much juice you have left in your battery. There is a packout dolly, I think it would be good to have an attachment so you can hook this up to a dolly and roll the Vac around like a tradition shopvac so you do not have to carry it. Also add a light somewhere. It's 2018 it seems like everything has an LED light so when you get something without it , you really notice the missing feature. Having a led would be great, especially when I am on my sites for New Construction and cleaning up after all the sheathing is on and there is no natural light coming in . This way I can touch up without breaking out an additional light source.

A real mans vacuum! I would give it 10 stars if they would let me. Quality is off the charts as expected from Milwaukee. Great design, quiet and powerful. I compared it to a Dyson cordless one I have and the Milwaukee was more powerful. I like to play with my toys before reading directions so when I first used it I thought it was to quiet to do any good but it actually performed really well. Then, when I reached to turn it off, to my surprise, there was a second power level! So it went to really well to totally awesome! Two power levels, battery lasted about 30-35 minutes (some on low and some on high power) Feels very comfortable on the back and more convenient a lot more portable then the roll around vacuums. My wife was jealous of it and now she wants one. For future models I would like to see a wet/vac capable version and a hybrid that can be plugged in conventionally with a cord if needed. But overall I am extremely happy with this and recommend it.

This M18 Vacuum is great! The first time I used it was on my wood floors, I turned it on and I couldn't move the head, he suction was that good! I was able to go about 12 min. with a 2.0 battery. For the price it's a true bargain! I have the little brother to this, the M12 and liked that so much I thought I'd give this a try for my fathers day present to myself! The floor head, as I said, doesn't "glide" over the bare floor, so it really deep cleans even in any cracks between my 60 yr old oak wood flooring. It also has a unique ball joint that turns the head 360 deg. This is very versatile for a portable vac., besides the floor attachment and 2 straight tubes it comes with a VERY well made flex hose that I found was great for cleaning out my car. I used one of the tube extensions hooked up to the flex hose so I didn't have to bend down to reach under the steering wheel. Unlike vacs made for home use, all the weight is in your hand, so it can be tiring if you need to use it for long periods of time, I just kept changing hands while I vacuumed the house, it was actually fun to do (don't tell the wife that!!!) I would most likely never use it for that, but I was wondering how long the fully charged battery would last. I would agree with another reviewer that the vac is not meant for rugs. It will take up large dust bunnies, sand, large stuff like small stones, Cheerio's and even fake fingernails! But you really need a beater bar for deep cleaning rugs. A few other points 1. There is a trigger lock so you don't have to keep holding down the trigger. Press the trigger then press/move the black lock-on switch forward then release the trigger. To stop the vac press the trigger. 2. The instructions are in Spanish, French & English & well done as always by Milwaukee. 3. There is a slight taper to the end of the straight tubes, so the smaller diameter M12 crevice tool will actually fit on the M18 tube & head 4. The lever that keeps the collection bin closed is in kind of an awkward place near the battery, I'm surprised that Milwaukee didn't put it on the other side, or even on the side of the unit. Maybe they were thinking to keep it protected from accidental unlocking & dumping? Maybe I answered my own question! Overall this vac is a real winner and a bargain to boot! It makes a really great gift! (don't forget to get the ver of this with the charger & battery if it's a gift, unless of course you know they already own M18 tools) 5. The vac came double boxed with plenty of packing paper to protect the unit. 6. Delivery was VERY quick, thanks HD!

Great tool for years more jobs definitely recommend it

Love the new model rather then the old. The vacuum hose does not pull out anymore or becomes loose when using it, nice storage space inside for all your attachments and hose

sound is normal for a vacuum, it's small, easy to use and store, convienent, works great. wish it didn't eat batteries so quickly, had an ac option and would charge the batteries, but maybe milwaukee will make those changes on the next revision. love it

One issue killed it for me to recommend. The nozzle is over sized at 1.3" and unable to properly fit typical 1.25" accessories. Only the two included attachments fit. I purchased this vacuum because it's spec reads 1.25" since I have many 1.25" attachments. They should include an adapter.

I recived this vacuum as a promotion when I bought a hack saw. I didnt think I would use it but man was i wrong. Its so powerful i pull it out for everything from saw dust to cleaning out the bottom of a panel. It was a big suprise the amount of suction power this vac produces. Best parts are the atatchments that it comes with you dont have to bent down or drag a box behind you! And its CORDLESS slap a battery in and go!

not sure why they put the power switch on the exhaust side of the tool because it makes it awkward to carry the tool in both hands, (im right handed) so if i carry the tool in my left hand the switch is in the "rear" part of the tool while my right hand holds the nozzle that points to the "front" of the tool... would love to use it with the switch on the intake nozzle end of the tool....

Nice compact vac, great for cleaning up kitty litter and saw dust. Not too good on carpet. Works great on hardwood floor, tile, cement, driveway, etc. I wanted a easy to use vac and this fit the bill perfectly. I hate stepping on kitty litter with bare feet and this tool is the solution, other than getting rid of the kitty. :-( I would purchase again and gave a 5 star for satisfying my use, but the suction on carpet is not very good, but any bare surface it works great, it's intended use.