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Festool CXS Competitor? Milwaukee's M12 is a Compact and Versatile 4-Head Drill/Driver

By Rain Noe - November 12, 2019

in Tools & Craft

It used to be that if you wanted a tracksaw, you had to pony up for a high-priced Festool--if there was even a dealer in your area. Nowadays DeWalt, Grizzly, Kreg, Makita and more all make them, and they're sold at local big box stores.

Are there other once-unique tools in Festool's line-up that are vulnerable to duplication? It looks as if Festool's incredibly handy and dimunitive drill/driver, the 10.8-volt CXS, now has a direct competitor.

Festool CXS

Milwaukee M12 Fuel

Milwaukee is now offering the M12 FUEL Installation Drill/Driver, which features the same D-handle form factor as the CXS and the same interchangeable system of multiple heads--plus an offset-bit head that Festool only offers on their larger drills.

Here's what the M12 can do:

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Despite their similarities, one huge difference that's bound to be noticed by the price-conscious is the differential: $300 for the CXS with all of the heads, vs. $179 for Milwaukee's offering. As a proud owner and frequent user of the CXS, I have to say, ouch.

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Chris D

4 years ago

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I've been using the CXS for about 7 or 8 years now, and it has been my most frequently used drill for everything but the most demanding construction tasks. I've also checked out the Milwaukee pretty extensively, and have noticed a few differences. One, the price differential is not that high - for the comparable Milwaukee version with 2 batteries and a charger, it's actually $229 ($179 is the bare tool) - so the price difference is not that high. If you appreciate the systainer, already that helps to make up some of the gap. There are also some key differences with the tool itself. The Festool is very well balanced and sits nicely on a table due to the wide, flat bottom of the battery pack, whereas the Milwaukee generally has to be laid on it's side. As others have noted, the forward/reverse being on top is very unusual and uncomfortable, as this is something I find myself doing constantly during installation work. Regarding the offset chuck, I've never found I needed it for the CXS - the machine has such a slender profile that even with the offset chuck, you really don't gain much or get closer to the side of something. With the Milwaukee, you do need this offset because both the drill and chucks are more bulky. Lastly, and probably my favorite feature of the CXS, is the obnoxiously long belt clip. This thing will never come off our your belt or pocket and at just 2 pounds, you hardly even notice it being there. I will more drills had these deeper belt clips because it is something I have grown to really love and appreciate about the CXS.

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Mike Cheung

5 years ago

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Top mounted reverse switch kills the milwaukee for me. Anyone using this type of tool knows you go back / forward pretty often.

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Nathan D.

5 years ago

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Bosch has been doing this for a while with the Flexiclick now and it's even cheaper. It's a very low-powered drill but it's still the one I reach for first 90% of the time and it's survived multiple 8 foot drops on concrete and a night out in the rain.

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peter eller

5 years ago

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The Festool was on my wishlist until I discovered the Brushless Bosch GSR 12V 35 FC better than both the Festool and the Milwaukee! I just got it a few weeks ago and just love it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn7pfvHBCBo&t=229s

I can't bring myself to consider anything from Milwaukee because their anticompetitive patent trolling

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Juan Cano

5 years ago

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What's the purpose of the D handle in these tools? Stability?

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- Sean Horita
  
  Juan Cano
  
  5 years ago
  
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  that's a good question. Might have something to do with the belt clip on the forward part of the 'D' - making the handle easier to hook and grab.
  
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