5Rank 05 of 8 · Best Cordless Drill Sets
Milwaukee Milwaukee M18 FPD3
The most powerful tool here at 158 Nm, with 89 mm wood and 16 mm masonry capacity. Milwaukee's cheaper M18 BLPDRC took third at Stiftung Warentest 2025 — this model was not in that test.
8.3BPR score
- €189Price
- 1.3 sehr gut (testberichte.de composite, 2024)Independent test grade
- 5 of 8in Best Cordless Drill Sets
- 8.3BPR score 0–10
Review
What this product is
Written after the analysis, from the same sources the score is built on: the manufacturer's documentation, available studies and verified owner feedback.
The professional pick, and the only tool here with capacities that genuinely exceed household requirements: 89 mm in wood, 16 mm in steel, 16 mm in masonry, from a claimed 158 Nm maximum torque — the highest figure in this ranking by a wide margin.
Treat that number with the scepticism this whole category deserves. Milwaukee does not publish a soft-joint figure, so 158 Nm is presumed hard-joint but not stated. As a tier indicator it is meaningful; as a directly comparable measurement against a Makita's 130 Nm or a Bosch's 64 Nm, it is not.
The brushless POWERSTATE motor runs 0–500 and 0–2,100 rpm across two gears with 33,000 bpm hammer action, and the whole tool is 175 mm long and 2.2 kg with battery — compact for the output. testberichte.de's composite score is 1.3 "sehr gut" from 2024.
A note on the Stiftung Warentest evidence. This model was not in the 6/2025 field. Milwaukee's cheaper M18 BLPDRC was, and it took third place with "gut (2,0)", behind the Einhell and Parkside. That is a good result and it says something positive about Milwaukee's batteries and electronics, but it is a different tool and should not be read as a grade for this one.
The M18 platform carries more than 250 tools, narrower than Makita LXT or Ryobi ONE+ but with deep specialisation in trade categories. Pricing runs from €179 for the bare tool in a case to €377 with two 5.0 Ah packs — check which configuration a listing actually covers, because the SKUs look similar.
Honestly assessed, this is more drill than a homeowner needs. At 158 Nm a jammed bit will twist your wrist hard, and the anti-kickback provision matters more than the torque figure. If you are fitting kitchens or building decking every week, it earns its money. If you hang shelves twice a year, the Einhell at €80 does the job better for your purposes.
Technical data
Specification
Figures from the manufacturer's documentation, verified against available outside sources. Values we could not confirm are marked as declared.
- Type
- Combi / hammer drill, 4th generation FUEL
- Maximum torque
- 158 Nm (joint type not published)
- Motor
- Brushless POWERSTATE
- Battery platform
- Milwaukee M18
- Chuck
- 13 mm metal keyless
- Speeds
- 0-500 / 0-2 100 rpm, 33 000 bpm
- Weight
- 2.2 kg with battery
- Length
- 175 mm
- Capacities
- Wood 89 mm, steel 16 mm, masonry 16 mm
- testberichte.de composite 2024
- 1.3 sehr gut
- Related test result
- Milwaukee M18 BLPDRC took 3rd at Stiftung Warentest 6/2025, gut (2,0)
- Price
- EUR 179-377 depending on configuration
Component scores
Where the score
comes from.
Four components, equal weight, each on a 0–10 scale and each resting on a named source. The overall score is their mean — the full procedure is in the methodology.
What we liked
- 158 Nm claimed maximum torque, the highest here
- 89 mm wood, 16 mm steel and 16 mm masonry capacity
- 175 mm long and 2.2 kg with battery — compact for the output
- testberichte.de composite 1.3 sehr gut
- Brushless POWERSTATE motor with 33 000 bpm hammer action
- M18 platform with over 250 tools and deep trade specialisation
Worth knowing
- Not included in the Stiftung Warentest 6/2025 test
- No soft-joint torque figure published
- Substantially more capability than household work requires
- €179-377 depending on configuration, and the SKUs are easy to confuse
- At this torque, anti-kickback protection matters — verify it on the specific SKU
Comparison
How it compares
within the category
All values come from the same analysis and are comparable only within the category Best Cordless Drill Sets.
| Product | Score | Independent test grade | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Einhell Professional TP-CD 18/70 Li-i BLTop score | 9.1 | 1.8 gut — Testsieger (Stiftung Warentest 6/2025) | €84 |
| Milwaukee M18 FPD3This product | 8.3 | 1.3 sehr gut (testberichte.de composite, 2024) | €189 |
| Category average8 products analysed | 8.2 | — | — |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is 158 Nm comparable to the Bosch's 64 Nm?
No. Bosch's 64 Nm is explicitly a hard-joint figure and it also publishes 36 Nm soft. Milwaukee publishes one number without stating the joint type. The Milwaukee is genuinely the more powerful tool — its 89 mm wood capacity against the Bosch's 68 mm confirms that independently — but the ratio between the headline numbers overstates the real gap.
What is anti-kickback and do I need it?
It is an electronic system that cuts power when the tool detects sudden rotation, which happens when a bit binds in the workpiece. Above roughly 90 Nm a jammed bit can twist hard enough to injure your wrist. Bosch calls it KickBack Control, Metabo has an equivalent, and Stiftung Warentest scores jamming response as part of its safety assessment. On high-torque tools it is more important than the torque figure itself.
From the same ranking
Other products in Best Cordless Drill Sets.
The same protocol, the same key parameter, the same set of sources.
-
No. 019.1/ 10
Einhell Professional TP-CD 18/70 Li-i BL
Stiftung Warentest's 2025 outright winner, at €80 for the bare tool. Brushless, 70 Nm hard…
-
No. 029.0/ 10
Bosch AdvancedDrill 18V-80 QuickSnap
The best pure drill-driver here: 78 Nm, brushless, and just 1.2 kg with the battery…
-
No. 038.6/ 10
Parkside PSBSA 20-Li C3
Second place at Stiftung Warentest 2025 — with a brushed motor, beating several brushless…
-
No. 048.4/ 10
Einhell TE-CD 18/50 Li-i BL
The most consistently tested tool here — graded by four separate publications between 2021 and…