Tool Box Buzz

Milwaukee Cordless Multi-Tool 2836-20

The Tool Box buzz team recently published the results of an updated 2021 Cordless OMT Head to Head.  12 Tools from 11 manufacturers competed in this latest showdown.  When the sawdust settled, a clear winner emerged.  Here we will take a detailed look at the Milwaukee 2836, the best overall cordless OMT.

MILWAUKEE M18 FUEL 2836-20

• 18 V – 5.0 Ah battery
• 11,000-18,000 OPM
• 2.6 lbs. bare tool and 3.35 lbs  with 5.0 Ah battery
• Variable speed
• 4.2°
• Starlock and open back blade type
• MILWAUKEE M18 FUEL 2836-20

Standout Features

Cutting Speed

During the Multi-tool Head to Head, we ranked the tools across five different categories including Accuracy, Ergonomics, Noise, Features, and Performance.  The performance category used a test rig to determine the cutting speed and power of each tool.  The Milwaukee 2836 absolutely dominated the field in this category, with cutting times an order of magnitude faster than the rest of the field.  Milwaukee advertises their OMT as the fastest cutting saw on the market and our tests back that claim up.  If you care about speed in your OMT, then there is no better choice.

Variable and Automatic Speed Settings

Like most OMTs on the market, 2836 has a variable speed dial for controlling the oscillating speed of the tool.  One unique feature also included in this speed selection is an Auto-Load or “A” setting.  This setting limits the speed of the cut during the initial stages of contact to help better control the accuracy. As the tool senses the material being cut, the tool ramps up the power to quickly remove the rest of the material.

Features and Ergonomics

The Milwaukee 2836 is a well-designed tool that was the user’s experience at the forefront.  The Milwaukee pulled second and third place in the Features and Ergonomics rankings helping solidify the tool as the best overall.  The tool has nice over-molding that one would expect from a Milwaukee tool.  With a decoupled oscillating head, the vibrations of the most powerful tool in the field are surprisingly low and comfortable. The tool also has a great set of wrap-around LEDs to illuminate the work surface well.

Room for Improvement

Although Milwaukee 2836 received our highest rank of best overall OMT of 2021, there are still some areas that could be improved upon.

Blade Change 

The Milwaukee 2836 uses what the team calls a pin and lever blade change system.  A locking lever on the top head of the tool is manipulated to clamp down or release the locking pin onto the blade.  The tool is compatible with OIS/One Fit style blades as well as standard Starlock blades that have that OIS interface.  Given the ease of use of some of the other OMTs that take advantage of the Starlock PLUS and MAX, this blade changes on the Milwaukee was ranked near the bottom of this category.

Noise

Perhaps one downside to being the fastest most powerful cutting saw on the market, is that it also ends up being one of the loudest.  During our OMT Head to Head testing we recorded noise levels with a fixed distance Decibel meter during tool only, wood and metal cutting scenarios.  The Milwaukee 2836 came in 10th place out of 12.  All OMTs are loud tools and really should be operated with hearing protection.

Overall Impressions

The Milwaukee 2836 is a great successor to the older Milwaukee 2626 OMT.  Whether you are looking to upgrade to the latest offering from Milwaukee, or looking for the winner of our 2021 Best Cordless Oscillating Multi-Tool Head to Head, the 2836 is a great buy.  The  2836-20 (Tool Only, No battery) is currently priced around $219 at the time of publishing.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.