The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 3-in-1 Backpack Vacuum Kit is a portable vacuum designed for workshop, construction, and woodworking applications, though you can't use it to suck up liquids. It delivers exceptional performance on bare floors and easily cleans pet hair on a variety of surface types. Despite the canister's heavy weight, its cordless design and backpack form factor makes it easy to clean hard-to-reach areas too. Its battery also charges very quickly, though its max battery life isn't quite as long as some other cordless vacuums. Its selection of attachments is also somewhat limited, as it only comes with a crevice tool and a dust extractor attachment to help clear fine debris while drilling.
Our Verdict
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is great for bare floors. It can clear the majority of debris in a single pass. That said, its floorhead sits very close to the ground, so it tends to push a small amount of debris around rather than picking it up. It's also well-built and doesn't have many components that need regular cleaning. However, while its backpack configuration does make it easy to carry around, this is still a somewhat heavy vacuum.
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Good bare-floor performance.
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Sturdy, easy-to-maintain design.
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Fast recharge time.
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Minimal recurring costs.
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Heavy canister body.
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Not a wet-dry vacuum.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is great for bare floors. It can clear the majority of debris in a single pass. That said, its floorhead sits very close to the ground, so it tends to push a small amount of debris around rather than picking it up. It's also well-built and has few components that need regular cleaning. However, while its backpack configuration does make it easy to carry around, this is still a somewhat heavy vacuum.
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Sturdy, easy-to-maintain design.
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Fast recharge time.
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Minimal recurring costs.
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Heavy canister body.
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No surface-type adjustment feature.
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Struggles with fine and large debris.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL performs poorly on high-pile carpet. The floorhead gets stuck and creates a lot of resistance on the carpet fibers. That said, its bagless design incurs minimal recurring costs as long as you regularly clean its HEPA filter. However, it can be hard to push around on high-pile carpets, and its floorhead can get stuck on rug tassels.
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Sturdy, easy-to-maintain design.
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Fast recharge time.
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Minimal recurring costs.
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Heavy canister body.
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No surface-type adjustment feature.
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Can be hard to push around on high-pile carpets.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is adequate for dealing with pet hair. Though it struggles to clear pet hair on carpet, it's highly effective at cleaning fabric furniture. Unfortunately, there's no upholstery tool, so you must use a small crevice tool for this task, making it time-consuming. It also has an onboard HEPA filter to trap allergens as you clean. In addition, this vacuum feels sturdily built and isn't very difficult to maintain. However, its selection of attachments is very limited, and it doesn't come with a turbo brush to deal with pet hair on fabric surfaces.
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Sturdy, easy-to-maintain design.
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On-board HEPA filter.
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Minimal recurring costs.
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Heavy canister body.
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No turbo brush attachment.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is a great option for vacuuming stairs. It has a heavy body, but its padded shoulder and waist straps make it fairly comfortable to carry around. However, you may experience fatigue if you carry around its canister in one hand. Its cordless design ensures that you can climb and descend staircases without a power cable getting in the way. It delivers superb performance on bare floors and does a decent overall job on carpeted surfaces.
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Good bare-floor performance.
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Sturdy, easy-to-maintain design.
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Minimal recurring costs.
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Heavy canister body.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is a decent option for vacuuming the inside of your car. Its cordless design ensures that you don't need to stay close to an electrical outlet while vacuuming. You can carry around its canister while vacuuming with its wand if you don't want to wear it as a backpack, though be aware that its hose is somewhat short. It also doesn't have a turbo brush, which would make it easier to clear debris on upholstered surfaces.
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Sturdy, easy-to-maintain design.
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Minimal recurring costs.
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Heavy canister body.
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No turbo brush attachment.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is okay for workshop cleaning. It performs very well in clearing solid household debris on hard surfaces and is also a great choice for clearing heavier debris like wood or metal shavings. That said, it's not made for use with water.
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Good bare-floor performance.
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Sturdy, easy-to-maintain design.
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Minimal recurring costs.
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Heavy canister body.
- 8.0 Bare Floor
- 7.0 Low-Pile Carpet
- 6.7 High-Pile Carpet
- 6.8 Pets
- 8.2 Stairs
- 7.6 Cars
- 6.1 Workshop
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Updated Dec 04, 2024:
We've added text for our performance tests and adjusted our verdicts at the start of the review accordingly.
- Updated Jul 09, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3. We've overhauled our floor performance tests and added new 'Hard Floor Pick-Up,' 'High-Pile Carpet Pick-Up,' 'Low-Pile Carpet Pick-Up,' and 'Pet-Hair Pick-Up' tests. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Nov 01, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.2. This update builds on our previous 'Suction' test with a new 'Airflow' test that more accurately measures a vacuum's ability to generate air movement. If you'd like to see an in-depth look at the reasoning and methodology behind this change, you can see our full changelog here..
- Updated Aug 10, 2022: This vacuum's suction force has been retested with a more accurate manometer. The test results for the 'Maximum Suction' and 'Normal Suction' fields have been updated. All relevant scores and text have been updated.
- Updated Jul 28, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated May 27, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Dec 08, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Dec 03, 2021: Early access published.
- Updated Nov 17, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Nov 09, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Nov 03, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
- Updated Oct 29, 2021: The product has won our suggestion poll, so we'll buy and test it soon.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is available in two variants, which differ only in terms of accessories included in the box. We tested the 0885-21HD variant, which comes with an additional battery charging kit. You can see our unit's label here.
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Model Number |
Included Accessories | Notes | |
| 0885-20 | Dust Extractor Adapter, Floor Tool, Crevice Tool, Telescoping Extension Wand, 6' Flexible Hose | ||
| 0885-21HD | Dust Extractor Adapter, Floor Tool, Crevice Tool, Telescoping Extension Wand, 6' Flexible Hose | Comes with M18™ REDLITHIUM HIGH OUTPUT™ XC8.0 Starter Kit for charging M18 and M12 batteries |
Let us know in the discussions if you come across a different variant of this vacuum, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Vacuums
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is a portable backpack vacuum. It's designed for vacuuming construction and carpentry worksites, though it isn't a wet-dry vacuum, which some may consider somewhat limiting. Still, it delivers exceptional performance on bare floors, similar to the Eureka Mighty Mite. However, unlike the Mighty Mite, it has an onboard HEPA filter and doesn't use dirtbags, resulting in minimal recurring costs.
If you're looking for alternatives, take a look at our list of recommendations of the best cordless vacuums, the best handheld vacuums, and the best bagless vacuums.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 3-in-1 Backpack Vacuum Kit and RYOBI 18V One+ 3 Gal. Project Wet/Dry are for different kinds of uses. The Milwaukee is a backpack-style cordless vacuum that's better suited for cleaning larger areas thanks to its longer battery life and included floorhead and extension wand. It also has an onboard HEPA filter and feels slightly better built. However, only the RYOBI can be used to clear liquid spills. It also does a better job of cleaning debris on carpeted surfaces, and its more compact size makes it easier to store.
The Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal and Milwaukee M18 FUEL 3-in-1 Backpack Vacuum Kit are designed for different use cases. The Dyson is a bagless canister for home vacuuming. Its corded design results in a virtually infinite runtime, though it doesn't have the cordless Milwaukee's go-anywhere range. The Dyson is even easier to maintain, has a surface-type adjustment feature, comes with a wider array of attachments, and is a bit easier to maneuver. However, the Milwaukee feels better built, has a much larger dustbin, and clears more debris on bare floors and high-pile carpets.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 3-in-1 Backpack Vacuum Kit and the Eureka Mighty Mite are differently designed vacuums with different strengths, so one may suit you better than the other, depending on your needs. The Milwaukee is a better-built backpack/handheld vacuum with a cordless design, allowing you to clean areas far from an electrical outlet. It has a bagless design that incurs low recurring costs and an onboard HEPA filter. Meanwhile, the Eureka is a much more compact canister vacuum that uses disposable dirtbags. It's even easier to maintain and delivers better performance on low-pile carpets.
The NaceCare HVR 200 Henry and Milwaukee M18 FUEL 3-in-1 Backpack Vacuum Kit are differently-designed vacuums with different use cases. The NaceCare is a bagged canister vacuum primarily designed for home cleaning. It's easier to maintain, clears more debris on high-pile carpet, and comes with a wider assortment of tools and accessories. Conversely, the Milwaukee is a backpack/handheld vacuum with a cordless design meant for cleaning workshops and construction sites. Its cordless design allows you to clean far from any electrical outlets. It also has a HEPA filter to trap allergens as you clean, incurs lower recurring costs, and clears more debris on bare floors and high-pile carpet.
The Eureka Whirlwind Bagless Canister and Milwaukee M18 FUEL 3-in-1 Backpack Vacuum Kit are designed for different uses. The Milwaukee's cordless design and backpack/handheld form factor make it much easier to clean hard-to-reach areas. It feels much better built, has a considerably larger dustbin, and is fitted with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter. However, the Eureka's corded design ensures that you don't need to worry about running out of charge partway through a cleaning session. It also delivers better performance on low-pile carpet and has a floorhead with retractable bristles, allowing you to adapt to different surfaces on the fly.
Test Results
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL feels amazingly well-built. Its plastic construction is very sturdy, and it has a telescopic wand made of metal. You can see its padded shoulder and waist straps here. The straps can be tightened or loosened to keep the vacuum from bouncing around while carrying it on your back. The attachment points near the carrying handle at the back of the vacuum feel solid, and you can see them here. There are no obvious weak points in its construction, and even its clear plastic dustbin feels quite solid. This vacuum is also quite easy to assemble and disassemble. Its backpack strap is already attached out-of-the-box, but reattaching it after removing it can be a little tricky. You can see its mounting point here.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is impressively easy to maintain.
- Dirt compartment: The dirt compartment can be removed by pressing the unlock button and sliding it out of its housing using the handle. You can empty it by pressing the release button on the dirt compartment over a trash bin whenever it gets full. If necessary, you can wipe it down with a clean cloth or blow away any stuck-on dust or dirt with compressed air, but you shouldn't wash it under water.
- Cyclone: The cyclone is located in the dirt compartment but can be pulled from its housing quite easily. You can then shake it over a trash bin to clean it. Still, the dirt compartment's large size makes it easy to clean without removing it.
- HEPA filter: The HEPA filter is located on top of the dustbin, and you can easily pull it from its housing. You shouldn't wash it with water, but you can tap it against the side of a trash bin or use a can of compressed hair to clear away any stuck-on dust and debris. No specific maintenance interval is given by the manufacturer, but you should clean it regularly to avoid any loss in suction performance.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL incurs very low recurring costs.
- HEPA filter: No replacement interval is given by the manufacturer regarding the HEPA filter, but it should be replaced if damaged or if you notice a loss in suction power even after the filter is cleaned. You can purchase a replacement part from the manufacturer.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is easy to store. It has a fairly compact body that can be stored upright. You can hang its crevice tool and adapter accessory on the waist strap, and the vacuum body itself has a slot for its hose. Still, if you're looking for a shop vacuum that's even easier to store and don't mind its handheld-only form factor, the RYOBI 18V One+ 3 Gal. Project Wet/Dry is a solid option.
This vacuum has a great dirt compartment. It has a larger capacity than even some bagged vacuums, such as the Eureka Mighty Mite. However, while it does have a clear plastic construction, there isn't any max-fill indicator to indicate when you should empty it.
- Vacuum Body
- Dirt compartment
- 1x HEPA Filter
- Telescopic wand
- Hose
- Main floorhead
- Crevice tool
- Dust Extractor Adapter attachment
- Dustbin lid
- 1x M18™ REDLITHIUM HIGH OUTPUT battery
- Battery Rapid Charger for M18 and M12 batteries
- Operator manual and guide
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is cordless, so its range is limited only by its remaining battery life and the room left in its dustbin. While its hose is somewhat short, the vacuum's backpack form factor does make it easier to clean hard-to-reach areas.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is reasonably portable. It's considerably heavier than even some traditional canister vacuums like the Miele Complete C3 Alize. However, its backpack design ensures that you shouldn't experience too much fatigue while wearing it in this configuration, especially considering its wand weighs very little in the hand.
Note: Without its backpack attachment, this vacuum weighs 15.70 lb (7.12 kg).
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL has great battery performance. In its 'High' suction power mode with its main hose and wand attached, it provides over 20 minutes of runtime. Using it in its 'Low' suction power mode with only its crevice tool increases its battery life to roughly 40 minutes. Its battery is designed to be removed and charged separately on its charging dock, where it can charge in just over 80 minutes, which is quite fast. The recharging dock has slots for both Milwaukee M18 and M12 batteries to charge simultaneously, though be aware that this vacuum is only compatible with M18 batteries.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is a fairly basic vacuum. There's a suction power control switch that lets you switch between 'Low' and 'High' power modes or turn the vacuum off. You can see the switch here.
This vacuum doesn't come with many tools. There's a crevice tool to clear messes in tight corners. You can use the 'Dust Extractor Adapter' to clean dust that's being thrown into the air while drilling.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL can be used as a handheld vacuum by removing its telescopic wand, as seen here. You can also remove its backpack attachment and hang it on a ladder or carry it with its built-in carrying handle.
This vacuum delivers good performance on hard surfaces. It can clear the majority of debris in a single pass. That said, its floorhead sits very close to the ground, so it tends to push a small amount of debris around rather than picking it up. This is especially prominent along walls or in corners.
This vacuum performs badly on high-pile carpet. The floorhead gets stuck and creates a lot of resistance on the carpet fibers. As a result, it's very difficult to maneuver the vacuum on the carpet. It's also poor at clearing fine debris.
This vacuum does a poor job of clearing debris on low-pile carpet. The floorhead creates far too much resistance on the carpet; as a result, it tends to push around medium and larger debris like rice or cereal rather than picking it up. It also tends to break apart fragile debris, like cereal, creating a different kind of mess.
This vacuum is poor at picking up pet hair from carpet. The floorhead creates too much resistance on the carpet, which pushes a lot of hair into the carpet rather than picking it up.
This vacuum has excellent real-world suction performance, though it's crucial to keep it in its 'High' power setting for deep cleaning, where it generates more than enough power to deal with heavy debris or clear away stubborn embedded material. Using it in its 'Low' power mode results in a severe drop in suction power, which is considerably less than higher-end household vacuums like the NaceCare HVR 200 Henry.
This vacuum delivers great airflow performance. As a result, it can clear heavier debris with ease.
This vacuum isn't too loud. Using the High power setting on bare floor results in a louder 75.2dBA of noise. Nevertheless, it won't be too disruptive if you use it in a partially enclosed room.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL is impressively maneuverable. Its padded shoulder and waist straps are easily adjustable and allow you to wear the vacuum on your back with minimal fatigue. Its lightweight telescopic wand and floorhead make it easy to maneuver around or over obstacles too. Swapping out attachments is a quick and simple process, and the waist strap has storage slots for its crevice tool and dust extractor attachment that puts them within easy reach. Unfortunately, the floorhead can sometimes get stuck on dense rugs and rug tassels.
This vacuum is good at clearing pet hair from fabric furniture. It easily removes pet hair; that said, you can expect to spend a while cleaning, as there's no upholstery tool to use, only a crevice tool with a small surface area.
This vacuum is highly effective in trapping fine allergens. Its onboard HEPA filter ensures most fine particles won't escape from the dustbin while cleaning.
This vacuum does a great job clearing debris from cracks and crevices. While it's effective for shallow crevices, the lack of suction from its floorhead means it struggles to pick up debris from very deep cracks. As a result, it underperforms compared to other vacuums with similar floorheads, like the Miele Complete C3 Alize.
