Milwaukee M12 Right Angle Drill Review: It Really Needs a FUEL Upgrade
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The Milwaukee M12 Right Angle Drill is one of those tools that's useful to have around, but it's never been one of my favorite Milwaukee tools. It works, it's compact, and the right-angle design can get you into places where a normal drill simply won't fit. Beyond that, though, it feels pretty dated. Honestly, this thing really needs a modern M12 FUEL brushless replacement.
It's Useful in the Right Situation
The whole reason to own a right-angle drill is access. If you're drilling between studs, inside cabinets, around plumbing, or anywhere else that doesn't give you enough room for a traditional drill, the M12 can be extremely useful. It's also small enough that you can throw it in a tool bag and basically forget about it until you run into one of those situations. That's really where I think this tool earns its place. It's not something I'm constantly reaching for, but occasionally it's exactly the tool you need.
The Performance Is Just Okay
The problem is that the actual performance isn't particularly impressive anymore. Milwaukee's newer M12 FUEL tools have gotten incredibly good, and this right-angle drill feels like it's from an older generation by comparison.
I'd love to see Milwaukee give it the FUEL treatment with a brushless motor, more power and better overall performance while keeping the compact size. That could turn this from a tool that's simply useful to one I'd actually recommend going out of your way to buy.
Would I Buy the Milwaukee M12 Right Angle Drill Again?
At full price? Probably not. Cheap? Absolutely. We actually found ours at a pawn shop for a good price, and that's exactly how I'd recommend buying one. If you find a used one sitting on a pawn shop shelf, Marketplace or somewhere else for cheap, go for it. It's a handy specialty tool to have around. Just don't expect it to feel like Milwaukee's newer M12 FUEL tools. It's okay. It does its job. But Milwaukee, it's time for a FUEL version.
