Milwaukee M18 2606-22CT 18V Cordless Drill/Driver Kit vs Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18V 1/2-Inch Hammer Drill/Driver Kit

The FUEL is a hammer drill, meaning it delivers rapid percussive blows while rotating — that's what lets it chew through concrete and masonry. The brushed M18 is a drill/driver only, which means the moment you hit a concrete anchor or a brick wall, you're stuck. For most homeowners this never comes up. For anyone on a job site, it comes up constantly.

Brushless motors don't have physical contact points wearing down with every rotation, which means the FUEL runs cooler, draws less battery drain per task, and will outlast the brushed M18 by years of heavy use. For a weekend DIYer, this difference is nearly invisible. For a contractor running the drill 6 hours a day, it's the difference between a tool that lasts a decade and one that needs replacing in three years.

At $149-$179, the brushed M18 is already the most expensive 18V brushed drill in its class. The FUEL starts at $229 and can run to $329 depending on the kit. That delta buys you a brushless motor, hammer drill function, and AutoStop safety — genuinely valuable features. But if you're not using those features, you're paying a significant premium for capability that sits idle.

Drill bind-up — when a bit catches and the drill torques violently in your hand — sends thousands of people to the ER every year. The FUEL's AutoStop feature detects bind-up and cuts power before the drill wrenches your wrist. It sounds like a minor feature until it happens to you once. The brushed M18 has no equivalent protection, which matters more as hole sizes and material hardness increase.