So where does the Surge fit in your toolbox? For many Pros, the Surge is a great replacement for the standard impact driver since it's capable of doing the majority of what your impact driver already does. Additionally, the Surge is significantly quieter, making it less disruptive when working indoors or in occupied spaces such as an office.
Overall Score9.7(out of 10)
Milwaukee’s second-generation M18 Fuel Surge impact driver steps in with some bold claims—quieter operation, smoother driving, and a serious boost in performance across the board. If you’ve used the original M18 Fuel Surge, you already know hydraulic impacts bring a totally different feel compared to traditional hammer-and-anvil drivers. This updated model takes that concept and pushes it further with higher speeds, more torque, and a cleaner, more controlled driving experience. After putting it through its paces, the real-world results tell a pretty interesting story.
Check out our best impact driver article to see which traditional models we rate the highest.
What makes a hydraulic driver different from an impact driver is the presence of a hydraulic drive system. As the hammer strikes in a traditional impact driver, each blow creates a forceful punch that drives the bit around.
The hydraulic drive in this driver uses oil expansion and contraction to spin the collet. This is less violent and creates a push that stays engaged longer than the hammer on an impact driver. On your end, you feel a strong, but less violent impact that is usually at a lower rate than traditional impacts. The Surge, however, impacts at a faster rate that should result in very fast driving.
Torque
Torque is one of the more misleading numbers when it comes to impact tools, and even more so with hydraulic drivers like the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Surge. Let’s try to make some sense of it.
Essentially, a drill delivers constant force by pushing the chuck until it binds up or the clutch engages. An impact driver hammer spins freely, building up momentum until the brief moment it engages the anvil with as much force as it can muster.
The hydraulic drive in the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Surge engages longer than an impact driver, but still has some free spin time on the oil contraction sides before engaging the next push. Because each driver engages the chuck differently, 1,000 inch-pounds of torque will net you different results in each type.
I didn’t pick that value arbitrarily. The Gen II Surge comes in with a whopping 1,000 inch-pounds of torque, which far outpaces most cordless hydraulic models on the market!
Milwaukee claims the Surge has up to 50% reduced noise levels with 3x less vibration than standard impact drivers, as well as being up to 3x faster than the previous model. This second-generation model features three speed settings with a top speed of 3,200 RPMs, 200 PRMs faster than before.
More impressive than the speed increase are the improvements to the impact rate and max torque. The 2761 impacts at 6,300 IPM and is rated for 1,000 inch-pounds of torque. This is a noticeable increase compared to the 2760’s 4,000 IPM and 450 inch-pounds!
What’s interesting, too, is that the Surge’s impact rate is dramatically higher than what we typically see from standard impact drivers. Not only is this tool stronger than other hydraulic impacts we’ve tested, but it also impacts at a much higher rate.
Noise Level
When it comes to noise, there’s no doubt the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Surge is quieter than a standard impact driver. During our testing, we compared the noise level of the Surge against the Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2953. To do this, we set our SPL meter about 3 feet away and drove an 8-inch RSS screw into our OSB test block.
The Gen II Surge peaked at 90 dBA, and the 2953 topped out at 94 dBA. While this may not seem like a significant improvement, the perceived noise level is about 50% quieter. Additionally, the tone is significantly less shrill and more subdued than that of a standard impact driver. This makes it much more enjoyable to use indoors and in other confined spaces.
Vibration Level
Vibration reduction comes around thanks to the oil. You get the softer push of a hydraulic drive design that clearly translates less vibration to your hand than a hammer striking an anvil. While I don’t have a meter to test the exact amount of vibration produced, it’s greatly reduced compared to any of our standard impact drivers.
The Surge’s weight comes in at 2.4 pounds as a bare tool, 4.1 pounds with the kitted 5.0Ah battery, and measures 4.3 inches from tip to tail. These specs are nearly identical to those of the M18 Fuel 2953 impact driver that we mentioned earlier, and are right in line with what we expect from a Pro-grade impact driver.
Granted, you could always opt for a lighter 2.5Ah battery, but this will obviously decrease your overall runtime.
Ergonomics
Milwaukee’s standard handle, rubber overmold, and trigger are all present, and overall, the tool is ergonomically solid and easy to handle. With a compact battery, the driver is really well-balanced for horizontal, overhead, and downward applications.
Tri-LEDs
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 opted for a collet design that makes life a bit easier by using a one-hand insertion. With the collet empty, just slide your bit into place.
The Milwaukee 2761 retails for $199 as a bare tool and $349 as a kit. The kit includes two 5.0Ah batteries, a single-port charger, and a hard-shell storage case. Milwaukee backs this tool with a 5-year warranty.
That’s actually the same pricing the previous model has been at, so you’re getting a serious upgrade without an upcharge.
The Bottom Line
So where does the Surge fit in your toolbox? For many Pros, the Surge is a great replacement for the standard impact driver since it’s capable of doing the majority of what your impact driver already does. Additionally, the Surge is significantly quieter, making it less disruptive when working indoors or in occupied spaces such as an office.
On the other hand, it is noticeably less powerful in terms of torque when compared to standard models, so some of the more heavy-duty applications might be off the table, like driving larger structural fasteners. However, for everyday driving and fastening tasks, this is a great tool to have on hand.
Having worked in various trades spanning the automotive, cilvil engineering, concrete, and metalworking trades, Josh brings a practical, deep, and diverse knowledge of tools to Pro Tool Reviews. His experiences range from core drilling commercial properties for purposes of surveying to diagnosing and repairing luxury consumer vehicles.
