Milwaukee M18 Fuel Impact Driver: 4th Generation Technology

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Impact Driver Unveiled For Its 4th Generation

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 M18 Fuel Impact Driver Performance

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 M18 Fuel Impact Driver Design Notes

Size and Weight

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 the DeWalt DCF850 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.

Tri-Beam LED

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.

One-Hand Bit Insertion

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.

Milwaukee One-Key Models

As expected, you also have a Milwaukee One-Key option for this impact driver. It currently comes as a bare tool option only, though you can get a fourth-generation two-tool kit with One-Key versions of both the M18 Fuel hammer drill and impact driver.

Additional Highlights

Available rubber boot
All-metal belt clip
Compatible with all Milwaukee M18 batteries

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Impact Driver: Gen 3 vs Gen 4

	Gen 3 (2853)	Gen 4 (2953)	Gen 4 (2957)
No-Load Speed	1900/2800/3600 RPM	1700/3000/3900 RPM	1700/3000/3900 RPM
Impact Rate	4300 IPM	4400 IPM	4400 IPM
Max Torque	2000 in-lbs	2000 in-lbs	2000 in-lbs
One-Key	No (2857)	No	Yes
Length	4.59 inches	4.47 inches	4.47 inches
Bare Weight	2.2 pounds	2.2 pounds	2.2 pounds
Bare Price	$149	$149	$199

Milwaukee 2953 M18 Fuel Impact Driver Price

The Milwaukee 2953 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.

Buy at Acme Tools

Milwaukee 2957 M18 Fuel Impact Driver w/One-Key Price

Look for the Milwaukee 2957 One-Key impact driver as a bare tool for $199. Currently, Milwaukee doesn’t offer it as a kit. However, if you want a solid One-Key 2-tool combo kit, grab the 3696-22 for $449. It includes both the One-Key impact driver and hammer drill along with a pair of 5Ah batteries and a charger.