This week kicks off the annual WWETT (Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport) Show in Indianapolis, where all the popular names in drain cleaning and inspection will be showcasing their latest and greatest equipment. Milwaukee Tool will be their showing off a lot of their new tools, and Ohio Power Tool will be in attendance as well in booth #1541 showcasing and selling all of the plumbing equipment you could need! Always wanting to bring something new and exciting to these shows, the Red Team launched a handful of new products this week to specially demonstrate at the WWETT Show. A whole new line of M18 FUEL Wet/Dry Vacuums (read more about those here) as well as a brand new M12 Stick Pump and new M18 Drum Machine.
The M12 Stick Transfer Pump 2579-20
The Milwaukee M12 Stick Transfer Pump 2579-20 ($149, bare) will be a welcome addition for many trade professionals, with a ton of applications for other users as well. While the design is not new, it does have some benefits it brings to the table. OPT currently carries the Reed 18V Pump Stick ($229, bare), which has been very popular with a similar design, but the Reed model does have a few draw backs for Milwaukee users. The Reed Pump Stick comes standard compatible with the Bosch 18V system, so if you are already on the Milwaukee M18 or Dewalt 20V platform and want to use your existing batteries, you would need to modify the tool with Reed’s battery adapters.
It looks like the Milwaukee M12 Stick Pump takes this popular design and also makes some improvements, adding pumping power and bumping the 12’ head height to 15’–which would be handy in deep trenches. The water outlet is a standard ¾” thread that will work with any garden hose, and the “HydroPass” filter is a large 360-degree filter that will start working in as little as 2” deep water and keeps pumping down to only 1”.
Compared to the M18 Transfer Pump 2771-20 ($199, bare), you’ll see a much different design. The M18 version is designed strictly for clean water, while the M12 Stick Pump has a filter to handle dirty outdoor water removal as well. The volume for the two units is actually very similar with 8-9 GPM (gallons per minute). The M18 unit offers a little more lift height at 18’ head height versus the 15′ you get with the M12, but both Milwaukee options exceed the head height of most competing models. If runtime is a concern for you, you might want to go with the M18 Transfer Pump, which moves 240 gallons with a 5.0Ah M18 battery, but the M12 looks pretty respectable with 275 gallons per 4.0Ah M12 battery. This is a good amount for most jobs, but is only about 1 mid-sized hot tub (a popular application for these pump sticks), so depending on your needs, you might need a few M12 batteries.
New M18 Drum Machine 2817A-21
The Milwaukee M18 Drum Machine with 3/8” Cable 2817A-21 ($649) is another new product being premiered at this year’s WWETT Show. This is an extremely popular design that has been around for years, but is now getting some much needed improvements, and of course now works with the M18 cordless system. When Milwaukee got into drain cleaning several years ago, they may have overshot the mark with the completely new and unique design of the M18 FUEL SWITCH PACK, which basically changed everything about what a drain cleaner of this size looked like, how it operated and how it was transported. It has taken years for the product to catch on, but now has built a nice following among drain cleaning professionals.
This new 2817A-21 doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. It looks very similar to the popular RIDGID K-400 ($874) and seems to work very much like it. Their specs are similar for cable options and capacity, and the optional “CABLE DRIVE” assembly on the M18 looks and works just like the “AUTOFEED” on the RIDGID. Do we think this approach will work? Yes, yes we do.
Keeping it simple with a design that’s worked for decades, then making it cordless to run off the wildly popular M18 batteries seems like a recipe for success. What will have to be proven in the field is whether the Milwaukee version has the durability and longevity people have come to expect from the RIDGID K-400. This model has been copied many times before, but remains the leader in its class for a reason.
It appears Milwaukee continues to be serious about their plumbing lineup, specifically the service side of things, which is a big part of their heritage. These are going to be very welcome additions to Milwaukee’s lineup and prove that Milwaukee continues to zone in on specific trades to add new solutions to their arsenal, making life easier for their core users.
If you have any questions about the new M12 Transfer Pump, M18 Drum Machine, or any other tools and equipment from Milwaukee, give the team at Ohio Power Tool a call at 800-242-4424, email us at sales@ohiopowertool.com, or leave a comment below for assistance. We’re always happy to help! To be the first to know about new products and deals, subscribe to our e-newsletter and follow us on social media!
Comments