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Milwaukee M18 or M12 drill

Updated: 2026-10-23

You have two red drills in the results and one pile of batteries, and the feet do not match. A Milwaukee M18 or M12 drill choice, in this amazon.co.uk set, is the 60 Nm M18 combi class against the M12 3401-20. The packs do not share a rail. Brick is the wrong job for the M12 row. A charger that accepts both rails still will not fit the wrong pack to the tool. Dated 22 October 2026, this uses Milwaukee's battery rules and the four kept listings. It is not a lab test. A qualifying Amazon purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices are on the [Milwaukee cordless drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/milwaukee-cordless-drill).

You have two red drills in the results and one pile of batteries, and the feet do not match. A Milwaukee M18 or M12 drill choice, in this amazon.co.uk set, is the 60 Nm M18 combi class against the M12 3401-20.

Our top picks

Milwaukee Milwaukee M12 3401-20 subcompact drill driver

Best overall

Milwaukee Milwaukee M12 3401-20 subcompact drill driver
9.2/10about £92.99
View offer
Milwaukee Milwaukee M18 2607-20 hammer drill, bare

Alternative

Milwaukee Milwaukee M18 2607-20 hammer drill, bare
8.8/10about £124.95
View offer
Milwaukee Milwaukee M18 BPD-402C

Best value

Milwaukee Milwaukee M18 BPD-402C
8.8/10about £213.00
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Two rails, one charger that still will not cross them
  2. 2.What the M12 row is
  3. 3.What the M18 rows are
  4. 4.If you own one rail, or neither

Two rails, one charger that still will not cross them

M18 packs stay on M18 tools. M12 packs stay on M12 tools. The 3401-20 compatible-devices line is Milwaukee M12. The 2607-20 line is Milwaukee M18 batteries. The £213 row says Milwaukee M18 tools and batteries. If the pack locks, you are on the right rail. If it stops halfway, you are on the other system, not a stiff latch. A combo charger marked M12-18 will charge a pack from either rail. It does not let you run an M18 pack in the M12 drill. FUEL is the brushless tier on the rail you already chose, not a third battery. The M12 row states brushless. The M18 rows do not. The order of decisions is the Milwaukee cordless drill buying guide.

What the M12 row is

The only M12 drill here is the 3401-20 at £92.99. The amazon table says 12 V, 200 in-lb, a 0.38 in chuck and brushless. The bullets add 12 clutch settings and do not mention hammer. A UK review says there is no hammer action. UK reviews call the body light enough for a bed and a desk. The included line does not name a battery. Milwaukee's 3401-20 page prints 350 in-lb and 0–1,550 rpm. The amazon cell prints 200 in-lb and 1,550 rps. One inch-pound is 0.11298 Nm, so neither inch-pound figure is the BPD's 60 Nm. Use 350 in-lb as the manufacturer figure and 200 in-lb as the amazon cell. Do not average them. Skip this row for brick, for an M18 pack pile, and for anyone who needed a battery in the carton.
Milwaukee Milwaukee M12 3401-20 subcompact drill driver

Testsieger

Milwaukee Milwaukee M12 3401-20 subcompact drill driver
9.2/10about £92.99
View offer

What the M18 rows are

Three titles are M18. Two are the BPD class at 60 Nm where the cell is metric. The £213.00 row prints 18 V, 60 Nm, two speeds, a 13 mm chuck, and a battery and charger, with pack count 1. The £184.99 row prints 18 V and 60 Nm, and a title that claims two 4.0 Ah packs. Its included line says Battery Charger, and its chuck cell says 13 centimetres. The 13 mm metal figure matches a compact chuck. The centimetre cell does not. The third row is the 2607-20 at £124.95. The title says 18-Volt and bare tool. The table says 120 V, 525 in-lb and Hammer Drill. About 59 Nm from 525 in-lb is a conversion, not the printed 60 Nm. Reviews disagree about hammer on that ASIN. It is not an M12 drill. Setting the collar is how to use a Milwaukee cordless drill.

If you own one rail, or neither

If you already own M12 packs, the 3401-20 is the only body here those packs can run. It suits timber, screws and a tight cupboard. It does not suit brick. This row does not name a charger, so you need the one you already own. If you already own M18 packs, leave the M12 row. The £124.95 bare tool is the replacement if you will check the collar before any brick. The £213 row names a battery and a charger. The £184.99 title claims two packs and does not back that up in the included line. If you own neither rail, cupboard screws point at M12, and you will be buying a pack and a charger as well as the £92.99 body. Occasional brick points at the M18 combi class. Once the rail is chosen, the carton is Milwaukee drill body only or kit.

Common questions

Will an M18 pack run the 3401-20?
No. The 3401-20 is M12, and the compatible-devices line says Milwaukee M12. The pack will not seat on the wrong foot. Do not force it. An M18 owner who wants a drill from this set needs one of the three M18 listings, not the £92.99 body.
Can one charger do both rails?
A charger marked for M12 and M18 can charge packs from both rails. It cannot put an M18 pack on an M12 tool. Charge on the charger, then fit the pack to the matching drill. None of these rows states a BS 1363 plug. One review mentions a UK plug on the £213 charger. Look at the pins.
Is FUEL a third battery?
No. FUEL is the brushless tier on a rail you already have. The 3401-20 bullets say brushless. The M18 rows here do not, and 2607-20 reviews say that tool is not FUEL. A FUEL combi at 158 Nm on a UK brochure is a different body, and it is not one of these four ASINs.
Is 200 in-lb the same claim as 60 Nm?
No. The M12 amazon cell says 200 in-lb. The manufacturer page says 350 in-lb. The BPD rows that use newton metres say 60 Nm. One inch-pound is 0.11298 Nm, so 200 in-lb is a much smaller claim than 60 Nm. The 525 in-lb on the 2607-20 table is still not the BPD's printed 60 Nm. Keep each figure on its own row.
Is the 2607-20 an M12?
No. The title says M18 18-Volt, compatible devices are M18 batteries, and the model is 2607-20 bare tool. The table's 120 V cell is a conflict, not a clue that the tool is M12 or mains. It will not run on an M12 pack, and its inch-pound torque is not the 60 Nm BPD claim.

Related pages

Cordless combi drill comparison

Milwaukee cordless drill

Best Milwaukee cordless drill in this amazon.co.uk set

Milwaukee drill body only or kit: read the contents

Milwaukee cordless drill buying guide: rail and box

How to use a Milwaukee cordless drill: collar and gear

Sources

Sources from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026.

  1. Milwaukee UK, M18 system (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. Milwaukee Europe, choosing between M12 and M18 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. Milwaukee, batteries and chargers (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Milwaukee manual, 2607-20 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. Milwaukee, 3401-20 subcompact drill driver (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. Toolnation, Milwaukee 4933443520 M18 BPD-402C (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. Milwaukee guarantee conditions (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. HSE, hand-arm vibration regulations (retrieved 22 October 2026)