Professional Tool Reviews for Pros

The Milwaukee M18 Fuel Impact Driver didn’t have much room for improvement in its third generation, but that didn’t stop Milwaukee’s product team from working on it anyway. Now even better, it’s the Milwaukee 2953 is the new flagship impact driver. So what exactly is different about this one?

Milwaukee’s previous model didn’t leave us with a disappointing feeling, but there’s a speed increase for the latest version. It moves 300 RPM to drive at a maximum speed of 3900 RPM. That also comes with a slight increase in impact rate, bumping up 100 IPM to 4400 IPM.

The torque stays at the exact same 2000 in-lbs. We’re not upset by that at all considering that’s plenty to drive most screws and the Gen 3 model was already quick to snap our 1/2-inch square drive adapters.

For control, you still have four modes to work with: 3 standard modes and a self-tapping screw mode. Where the team spent some additional time was in developing the trigger system. It’s now capable of smoother acceleration to give you more control over your screw starts.

Milwaukee already had one of the most compact impact drivers available and the 2953 manages to shave another 0.12 inches off, making it just 4.47 inches. By comparison, only DeWalt’s Atomic impact driver is more compact in the 18V/20V Max class, and it doesn’t have nearly the performance of this model.

All of the improvements come with no change in weight. Bare, the tool still weighs 2.2 pounds and a 5.0Ah battery brings the total weight up to 3.8 pounds. You can work a little lighter by using a 2.0Ah or 3.0Ah High Output battery.

The LED light makes a shift from a single light just above the trigger and now forms a ring around the collet with three LEDs. If you haven’t used a tool with this style of lighting, you’re missing out—it’s much better at eliminating shadows than other placements.

Bit insertion can be a pain since it’s typically a two-hand operation. Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel Impact Driver collet design makes life a bit easier by using a one-hand insertion. With the collet empty, just slide your bit into place. There’s no need to pull the collet out to accept it.

There’s no word on a One-Key version of this impact driver at the moment. However, Milwaukee’s M.O. has been to release the higher-tech model well after the initial one. If One-Key is a must-have feature for you, look for it in the next year or so.

Look for the Milwaukee 2953 at Milwaukee retailers beginning in August 2022. The bare tool runs $149 and the kit is $299. The kit comes with the tool, two 5.0Ah batteries, a charger, and a case. As usual, Milwaukee backs the tool for 5 years and the batteries for 3 years.

There’s also a combo kit available that includes the 4th generation M18 Fuel hammer drill.

Discover more at Milwaukee’s website.

On the clock, Kenny dives deep to discover the practical limits and comparative differences for all kinds of tools. Off the clock, his faith and love for his family are his top priorities, and you'll typically find him in the kitchen, on his bike (he's an Ironman), or taking folks out for a day of fishing on Tampa Bay.

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Professional Tool Reviews for Pros