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A good shop vac is an essential part of every tool collection. Heck, I own two. One for the house and the other for the garage. A big part of the reason I own two is because they suck to lug around. If you’re at the tail end of a long project, that problem is only magnified and can feel especially tedious for small cleanups, not to mention those in tight spaces. Knowing that pain is exactly what makes something like the Milwaukee M18 Fuel™ Packout 2.5 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum so appealing.
Milwaukee advertises the 2.5-gallon Packout vacuum as having unmatched portability. That’s a bold claim, but it’s backed by the compact size and low weight. It’s also an honorary member of the Packout system. You can stack it onto a matching rolling tool box, further bolstering that statement. When you consider all of that along with the performance it’s said to deliver, you can easily see how well this can serve professionals in the automotive industry. Both technicians and detailers find themselves dealing with messes in space-limited settings, and a package like this can be a real game-changer for those situations.
I’ve been slinging it around the shop for a few weeks now. It’s helped me tidy up after both major and minor projects. It is a very expensive piece and that’s a limiting factor for many. However, the performance, portability, and Packout compatibility really do make for an awesome vacuum that professionals and serious DIYers should take a closer look at.
The Bottom Line
Milwaukee M18 Fuel™ Packout 2.5 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
| Milwaukee M18 Fuel™ Packout 2.5 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum | |
|---|---|
| Portability | 9/10 |
| Value | 6/10 |
| Battery Life | 8/10 |
| Performance | 8/10 |
| Overall | 7.75/10 |
Milwaukee M18 Fuel™ Packout 2.5 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum Specs
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL™ PACKOUT™ 2.5 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum gets its name from the fact that it uses a special interlocking design that allow it to be used in combination with other Packout accessories. The line is comprised of special slat walls and rolling tool boxes that help folks in the trades get their tools to and from projects with ease. With those special slats at the top and bottom of the housing, this vacuum stacks easily with additional boxes and fits right into the signature rolling tool box towers.
The claims of unmatched mobility go beyond compatibility with rolling boxes, though. The 2.5-gallon vacuum weighs around 12 pounds and measures 17.1 inches wide, 10.5 inches deep, and 12.8 inches tall. The small footprint allows you to use it anywhere and the carry handle makes it that much easier to.
It’s not the only vacuum of the likes and there are plenty of alternatives worth considering. However, Milwaukee states that it’s the most powerful small capacity 18V wet/dry vacuum thanks to the Powerstate brushless motor. According to the literature, it’s delivering twice as much suction as its 20-volt competitors, and even outpaces some corded models.
The vacuum works with a 6-foot flexible 1.5-inch vacuum hose and comes with a few attachments. The included utility nozzle and crevice tool are good for general cleanups. However, the adapter that allows it to be used as a dust collector really sweetens the pot. You also have the option to switch the hose between ports to allow you to use it as a blower.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL™ PACKOUT™ 2.5 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum retails for $199.00. That price includes the tool, accessories, and HEPA filter only, not the battery. Milwaukee backs it with a 5 year limited warranty.
Getting to Work
January might have been slow for projects around my shop, but February’s been anything but. I used the Milwaukee M18 Fuel™ Packout 2.5 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum to clean up a good combination of messes. Upon its arrival, my wife immediately put to work getting the dog hair out of the rear seat and carpet of her Honda Civic. After that, I helped me blow through the cleanup after brake jobs on both her car and my 1969 Dodge Charger. It also proved to be super handy for the latest major undertaking, which was adding a Vintage Air system to the Charger as part of a research and development project for the new Gen V system. Stay tuned for more on that.
I really can’t say enough good things about the combination of performance and portability of this vacuum. No, it’s not as powerful as my full-size Rigid wet/dry vacuum. It is still more than capable of pulling debris out of the carpet, though. As I swapped heater boxes, metal shavings, bits of rust, and acorns scattered across the passenger footwell of my Charger. All of that with some embedded dog hair made for a decent workout. This vacuum had no problem getting it all out, though. A pet hair brush would have really sped up the process, but it does just fine without it.
It’s also really nice to be able to set this thing on the front seat of the car while you work. That’s so much better than dealing with a hose stretched from outside the cabin. The relatively low operating noise is also very nice in this situation. An output of 87 dBa keeps your ears from ringing if you opt to go without protection. Of course, the combination of power and size is really great for cleaning up messes beneath the car as well.
The lack of a cord is a really big benefit. That really adds to the portability, allowing you to easily hop around with no concern for outlet location. The tradeoff is dependence on battery life. Milwaukee advertises this thing to deliver 30 minutes of runtime on high and 50+ minutes of runtime on low when using a 8.0Ah battery. The largest battery I have on hand is just 6.0Ah, so I’ve got less to work with. Still, I didn’t find it to be much of an issue, especially given that it does have the power to work through messes really quickly.
The Bottom Line: Another Reason to Consider Packout
There’s no way around the fact that the price is a pretty big issue to overcome for this vacuum. $199 for the bare tool really tanks the value as a standalone item. Simply put, folks who really only want a vacuum like this without the added bells, and whistles are much more likely to buy the half-as-powerful 20-volt alternative because it’s also half the price. However, this Milwaukee Packout Wet/Dry Vacuum does boost the overall appeal of the Packout system.
The ability to stack this onto the rolling tool boxes makes it a great option for mobile detailers and technicians who need it and other items to see a job through. A setup of the likes makes it really easy to tote around microfiber towels, cleaners, gloves, power tools, hand tools, and other supplies. On top of that, it’s a stout performer that you can easily carry around a project without worrying about a power cord, and it can share batteries with other heavy-hitters.
