# M12 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only): specs and price

**Price (US):** $129 at milwaukeetool.com (Bare tool MSRP at 2018 launch; street prices vary), as of 2026-06-27. A sourced, dated price of record — other retailers (incl. Amazon) may be lower. Among the 10 impact drivers we track it is #2 cheapest of 10; category median $149.
**Brand:** Milwaukee
**Released:** 2018
**Deskmark:** Platinum Deskmark — pay-blind category standing 81/100, #1 of 12 in class (independent, computed from sourced data, never for sale).
**Price tracked since:** June 2026

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Price (US) | $129 |
| Brand | Milwaukee |
| Released | 2018 |
| Voltage (V) | 12 |
| Max torque in (lb) | 1300 |
| Max (rpm) | 3300 |
| Max ipm | 4000 |
| Brushless | Yes |
| Speed settings | 4 |
| Weight (lb) | 1.76 |

## Where it stands

At $129, the M12 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) is #3 cheapest of the 10 impact drivers we track, where the median is $149. On the spec sheet, its voltage of 12 V is the lowest of the 12, its max torque in of 1300 lb is the lowest of the 12, and its speed settings of 4 is the highest of the 12.

## What reviewers say

Evidence is real but thin and single-outlet: both surviving bodies are Pro Tool Reviews head-to-heads (Dec 2019 vs DeWalt DCF801, Mar 2021 vs the M12 Surge) covering the 2553-20 bare tool on the same bench rig. Verified numbers: 804 in-lbs fastening torque, 397 RPM in a 1/4 in. lag screw, 12.4% fastening efficiency, 1.78 lb bare / 2.19 lb with a 2.0Ah pack, 5.2″ x 6.8″. It is the strongest traditional 12V impact PTR had tested on fastening torque and speed, but it loses nut-busting torque to both rivals and is the loudest 12V they measured at 100 dB(A). Data is 5-7 years old and describes the Gen-2 tool; no independent second outlet was verified. (Based on 2 reviews, 2 lab-tested, 2019-12-26–2021-03-02.)

Praised: Highest fastening torque of the traditional 12V impacts PTR had tested — 804 in-lbs, vs 579 in-lbs for DeWalt's DCF801 (the hydraulic M12 Surge does beat it at 1026 in-lbs); Fastest lag-screw driving speed in the traditional 12V field at 397 RPM, vs 265.6 RPM for DeWalt and 346 RPM for the Surge; Light and compact: 1.78 lb bare, 2.19 lb with a 2.0Ah pack, 5.2″ long by 6.8″ tall; Best measured fastening efficiency of the tools compared, holding 12.4% of tested no-load speed under load (DeWalt 9.1%, Surge 11.1%); Deep M12 tool ecosystem, battery range from 1.5Ah to 6.0Ah, and a 5-year tool warranty; Three speeds plus an assist mode — more speed versatility than DeWalt's two-speed DCF801.
Flagged: Loudest 12V impact PTR measured — 100 dB(A) at 24 in., against 87 dB(A) for the M12 Surge; Loses the nut-busting/breakaway test at 1680 in-lbs (140 ft-lbs) — behind the M12 Surge's 2400 in-lbs and DeWalt's DCF801 at 1800 in-lbs; Collet has one-hand bit insertion but no spring/one-hand bit ejection, which DeWalt's DCF801 does offer; LED light below the collet is less effective than DeWalt's 3-LED ring; 12.4% fastening efficiency is near the tool's ceiling; PTR recommends stepping up to an 18V impact driver for a lot of 1/4 in.-and-larger fastening; M12 stick/pod-style battery gives it a thicker handle than slide-pack designs.
Disagreement: No cross-outlet check exists. Both surviving bodies are Pro Tool Reviews, same author and same test rig, so the shared figures (804 in-lbs, 397 RPM, 12.4%, 1.78 lb) agree by construction and should be treated as one data point, not two. The only real tension is internal and concerns which kind of torque you weight: the 2553-20 wins fastening torque and driving speed but loses nut-busting torque to both the M12 Surge (2400 in-lbs) and DeWalt's DCF801 (1800 in-lbs), so 'most powerful 12V' flips depending on the test. PTR's own 'best of every 12V impact driver we've tested' line for the 804 in-lbs result is superseded two sentences later in the same article by the Surge's 1026 in-lbs. Also note both articles predate later M12 FUEL generations, so none of this reflects the current lineup.
Sources: Pro Tool Reviews (2021-03-02, protoolreviews.com), Pro Tool Reviews (2019-12-26, protoolreviews.com)

## Frequently asked questions

**What do reviewers say about the M12 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only)?**

Evidence is real but thin and single-outlet: both surviving bodies are Pro Tool Reviews head-to-heads (Dec 2019 vs DeWalt DCF801, Mar 2021 vs the M12 Surge) covering the 2553-20 bare tool on the same bench rig. Verified numbers: 804 in-lbs fastening torque, 397 RPM in a 1/4 in. lag screw, 12.4% fastening efficiency, 1.78 lb bare / 2.19 lb with a 2.0Ah pack, 5.2″ x 6.8″. It is the strongest traditional 12V impact PTR had tested on fastening torque and speed, but it loses nut-busting torque to both rivals and is the loudest 12V they measured at 100 dB(A). Data is 5-7 years old and describes the Gen-2 tool; no independent second outlet was verified. Praised: Highest fastening torque of the traditional 12V impacts PTR had tested — 804 in-lbs, vs 579 in-lbs for DeWalt's DCF801 (the hydraulic M12 Surge does beat it at 1026 in-lbs); Fastest lag-screw driving speed in the traditional 12V field at 397 RPM, vs 265.6 RPM for DeWalt and 346 RPM for the Surge; Light and compact: 1.78 lb bare, 2.19 lb with a 2.0Ah pack, 5.2″ long by 6.8″ tall; Best measured fastening efficiency of the tools compared, holding 12.4% of tested no-load speed under load (DeWalt 9.1%, Surge 11.1%); Deep M12 tool ecosystem, battery range from 1.5Ah to 6.0Ah, and a 5-year tool warranty; Three speeds plus an assist mode — more speed versatility than DeWalt's two-speed DCF801. Flagged: Loudest 12V impact PTR measured — 100 dB(A) at 24 in., against 87 dB(A) for the M12 Surge; Loses the nut-busting/breakaway test at 1680 in-lbs (140 ft-lbs) — behind the M12 Surge's 2400 in-lbs and DeWalt's DCF801 at 1800 in-lbs; Collet has one-hand bit insertion but no spring/one-hand bit ejection, which DeWalt's DCF801 does offer; LED light below the collet is less effective than DeWalt's 3-LED ring; 12.4% fastening efficiency is near the tool's ceiling; PTR recommends stepping up to an 18V impact driver for a lot of 1/4 in.-and-larger fastening; M12 stick/pod-style battery gives it a thicker handle than slide-pack designs. (From 2 tester reviews, 2 lab-tested.)

**How much does the M12 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) cost?**

The M12 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) has a US price of $129 (Bare tool MSRP at 2018 launch; street prices vary), as of 2026-06-19.

**How does the M12 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) compare on price?**

At $129, the M12 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) is #3 cheapest of the 10 impact drivers we track, where the median is $149.

**When was the M12 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) released?**

The M12 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) was released 2018.

**What are the M12 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only)'s key specs?**

M12 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) (Milwaukee): voltage v 12, max torque in lb 1300, max rpm 3300, max ipm 4000, brushless Yes. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-19.

Source: https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/2553-20 (milwaukeetool.com, accessed 2026-06-19)
Corroboration: https://www.constructionjunkie.com/blog/2018/2/14/review-milwaukee-tools-new-2nd-generation-m12-hammer-drill-and-impact-driver (accessed 2026-06-19)
Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/product/impact-drivers/milwaukee-2553-20/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, the M12 FUEL 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (Tool Only) price of record was $129 as of 2026-06-19 — https://frontdeskreview.com/product/impact-drivers/milwaukee-2553-20/
License: CC BY 4.0. Price history: https://frontdeskreview.com/data/price-history.jsonl