Cordless Blower Review

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 450 CFM Blower: Specs, Pros & Cons

⚡ Overview: Milwaukee’s Light Single-Battery Handheld, Not a Gas Machine

The Milwaukee M18 FUEL blower (model 2724-20) is the second-generation single-battery handheld in Milwaukee’s outdoor line. It’s a brushless, inline-design tool rated at up to 450 CFM and 120 MPH, with a variable-speed trigger, a high/low selector, and a lock-on button. It’s sold as a bare tool (2724-20) or as the 2724-21HD kit, which adds an 8.0Ah High Output battery and a rapid charger.

The trade-off is power and runtime. Pro Tool Reviews measured 11.2 N of blowing force, which suits hard surfaces and broad leaves but sits well short of today’s 20 N-plus cordless blowers, and runtime on high depends heavily on the battery you pair with it. This Milwaukee M18 FUEL 450 CFM blower review covers the specs, battery math, owner feedback, and how it compares with Milwaukee’s own newer blowers and other cordless options.

Yes, if you already own M18 batteries and want a light, simple handheld. It weighs 4.9 lb bare, has two speeds plus a lock-on button, and Pro Tool Reviews measured 11.2 N of force. Runtime on high is short on smaller batteries, and the battery isn’t included unless you buy the kit. Choose Milwaukee’s newer 3017-20 for a bit more force and a quieter rating, or the dual-battery 2824 or 3009 backpack for much more power.

• Best for: homeowners, jobsite crews, and lawn pros who already own Milwaukee M18 batteries and want a light handheld for post-mow cleanup, driveways, and shop work
• Standout strength: a 4.9 lb inline design with two speeds, a lock-on button, and compatibility with every M18 battery
• Biggest weakness: 11.2 N of measured force, and short runtime on high with smaller batteries
• Skip it if: you want the strongest measured force, you don’t own M18 batteries, or you’d rather buy Milwaukee’s newer 3017-20 or dual-battery 2824

Score basis: raised by the low weight, the two-speed and lock-on controls, a fast ramp-up, and the size of the M18 battery system; lowered by 11.2 N of measured force, short runtime on high with smaller packs, the cost of a separate battery, and newer Milwaukee blowers that measured higher. It’s an editorial judgment, not a lab score, and it isn’t based on hands-on testing.

Availability note. Milwaukee’s site still has a product page for the 2724-20 tool-only blower (checked October 28, 2026), and dealers list the 2724-21HD kit with an 8.0Ah battery and rapid charger. One dealer, though, marks the tool-only version discontinued and out of stock, and Milwaukee also sells a newer 500 CFM model, the 3017-20. I couldn’t confirm whether the 2724 is being phased out. I couldn’t open the Amazon listing, so check it for stock, the seller, and exactly what ships (tool only or kit). Milwaukee advises buying through an authorized partner to keep support and warranty coverage, so look at who is selling it before you order.

In the box (2724-20)

M18 FUEL blower

2724-20, handheld, inline design

Nothing else listed

Milwaukee lists one item in the box

Needed separately

M18 battery

Milwaukee recommends the XC8.0 High Output (48-11-1880)

M18 charger

Any compatible M18 charger

Or buy the kit

2724-21HD adds the XC8.0 battery and rapid charger (48-59-1808)

📊 Full Specifications

Core specs

Figures that vary by source or region

These are the numbers where sources disagree or leave something out. I show each one instead of picking a winner.

💨 Power and Airflow: What 450 CFM Really Means

CFM and MPH sell blowers, but blowing force in newtons says more about how one handles a pile. Pro Tool Reviews measured the 2724 at 11.2 N with a 9.0Ah battery, up from about 9 N for the first-generation blower, and called that a real improvement. Milwaukee doesn’t publish a force figure on the product page I saw, so 11.2 N is the independent number to use.

For context, Pro Tool Reviews puts residential gas handhelds at roughly 13 N at the top and professional gas handhelds at about 15 N, and says the best cordless blowers now pass 20 N. At 11.2 N, the 2724 sits just under residential gas and well below the strongest cordless models. Within Milwaukee’s own range, Pro Tool Reviews measured 12.2 N for the 3017-20, about 18 N for the dual-battery 2824, and 20.5 N for the 3009 backpack. That puts this blower in the clear-hard-surfaces-and-broad-leaves group, not the heavy-debris group.

Two details from the reviewer’s notes are worth knowing. Small, stubborn oak leaves were harder for this class of blower than broad leaves. And smaller batteries made little practical difference to clearing power, mostly shortening runtime, though the reviewer expected an 8.0Ah or 12.0Ah High Output pack to push force closer to 12 N. Milwaukee itself recommends the 8.0Ah High Output pack for the rated performance.

How the high/low and lock-on controls work

The 2724 has a variable-speed trigger plus a two-position high/low selector. Milwaukee says high is for the most demanding jobs and low is tuned for clearing flower beds without moving mulch. The lock-on button holds the blower at full throttle so your hand can relax. The first-generation blower had a cruise-control feature instead, and the second generation swapped it for the high/low selector and lock-on. One quirk from the review: you have to release both the trigger and the lock-on before you can change modes.

What Milwaukee says it’s for

Milwaukee positions the blower for landscape maintenance professionals and claims it can clear from 15 ft, reaches full throttle in under a second, and weighs up to 4 lb less than competing high-voltage blowers. Pro Tool Reviews frames it as a gas supplement for lawn crews and homeowners and an upgrade over typical jobsite blowers. I haven’t used this blower, so I’m passing along their experience, not mine. If you’re comparing options, the current Amazon listing shows what’s bundled.

🔋 Battery, Runtime, and What You’re Buying Into

This is a bare tool unless you buy the kit, so the battery decides your runtime, and it’s the part of the purchase to plan around. The blower takes any M18 battery. Milwaukee recommends the REDLITHIUM High Output XC8.0 (48-11-1880), and the 2724-21HD kit includes that pack plus the M18/M12 rapid charger (48-59-1808). These are theoretical energy figures for common M18 packs, calculated from amp-hours at the 18V nominal rating, for context only:

Theoretical stored energy by M18 pack size (Wh)

I couldn’t find a runtime figure from Milwaukee, and Pro Tool Reviews didn’t publish a runtime test for this blower, so here is what owners report, side by side:

Runtime depends on battery size, speed setting, temperature, and battery age. These are individual reports, not tests. They suggest roughly 10 to 30 minutes at full power depending on the pack, and longer on low.

In plain terms, the high setting drains a pack quickly, and the low setting is where runtime stretches. A mixed job should last longer than the high-setting numbers suggest, but I can’t say by how much.

If one battery won’t cover your yard, a second pack or a larger one is the usual fix, though a bigger pack adds weight to a blower that’s otherwise light. I didn’t find a charge time for the rapid charger, so check the listing. On cost, Pro Tool Reviews listed $149 for the bare tool and $279 for the kit in its review, then $169 to $179 for the bare tool in later comparisons, so prices have moved. Check the Amazon listing for today’s price and what the kit includes.

⚖️ Weight, Noise, Build, and Use by Job

Weight and handling

Pro Tool Reviews weighed it at 4.9 lb bare, a little under a pound lighter than the first generation, and about an inch smaller in each dimension (roughly 33.8 × 5.87 × 9.7 in). The inline, rear-intake design gives the air a straight path, and the rubber-covered handle has about 5.25 in of grip space with a generous trigger. The reviewer found it well balanced with the larger battery, and noticed next to no vibration at full throttle.

The lock-on button sits above the trigger on the left, and the reviewer found it easy for both right- and left-handers.

Noise

OPE Reviews and dealer listings give a 62 dB(A) rating, and one dealer shows 63 dB. Pro Tool Reviews measured 81 dB at the operator’s ear at full throttle, a bit less on low, and 67 dB from the 50 ft distance used in the ANSI test. Ear-level readings are always louder than a rating taken from 50 feet, so the numbers don’t contradict each other, but I can’t explain why the 50 ft reading is about 5 dB above the rating. Hearing protection is sensible, and noise rules vary by town, so check your local ordinance.

Build and durability

The 2724 has a POWERSTATE brushless motor and REDLINK PLUS electronics, which Milwaukee says provide overload protection through communication between tool, battery, and charger. I found no published weather rating, so I’d keep it out of heavy rain. I couldn’t find long-term durability data specific to this blower, so I can’t say how it holds up after seasons of use. Check Milwaukee’s warranty page for the tool and for any battery you buy separately.

What the numbers suggest, by job

These are reasoned from the specs and test notes, not from my own testing.

• Small yard, deck, and driveway: a good fit. The light weight and lock-on suit short, frequent jobs.
• Shop and jobsite cleanup: Pro Tool Reviews calls it a nice step up from typical jobsite blowers, and the low setting helps in tight spaces.
• Mulch beds and flower beds: Milwaukee tunes the low setting for clearing debris without moving mulch.
• Half acre and up: plan on spare or larger batteries, since owner-reported runtime on high is short.
• Wet or matted leaves: expect slow going at 11.2 N. This is an inference from the force number.
• Pine needles and light debris: the lower setting should be enough, and that’s where a battery lasts longest. This is also an inference.

⚔️ How the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Blower Compares

Inside Milwaukee’s blower line

These figures come from Pro Tool Reviews and OPE Reviews. Force numbers are bench measurements except where noted, and the tests were run at different times, so treat the comparison as a rough guide.

Against other brands and platforms

The EGO figures come from our own reviews of Pro Tool Reviews bench data. DEWALT doesn’t publish a force figure for the blower below, so there’s nothing to compare directly.

Measured blowing force (newtons), Pro Tool Reviews bench tests

If force is your priority, step up to Milwaukee’s dual-battery 2824 or the 3009 backpack, or one of the stronger EGO blowers. If you want the quietest M18 handheld, look at the 3017-20. If you already own M18 batteries and want a light, simple handheld at a modest bare-tool price, the 2724-20 does the job.

⭐ Owner Feedback, Pros and Cons

I looked at owner comments on Home Depot, retailer listings, and ProductReview.com.au, where the model carries about 4.5 out of 5 from six reviews. It’s a small, informal sample, so treat it as patterns I saw, not a survey. Owners praise the power for a cordless tool, the light weight, the two-speed control, and being able to reuse M18 batteries. The recurring complaint is runtime on high, especially on smaller packs, and a few buyers question why Milwaukee recommends an 8.0Ah battery but sells the blower bare. One older comment on Milwaukee’s own page wished for a narrower outlet, so think about what nozzle you need before you buy. One owner said it beat their gas backpack blower, which is a single report and not a pattern.

The points below are my analysis of the specs and test data above:

🎯 Who Should Buy It

❓ Milwaukee M18 FUEL Blower FAQ

What’s the difference between the Milwaukee 2724-20 and the 2724-21HD?

The 2724-20 is the blower alone. The 2724-21HD is the kit: the same blower plus an M18 REDLITHIUM High Output XC8.0 battery and an M18/M12 rapid charger. Read the listing to see which one you’re buying.

How powerful is the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 450 CFM blower?

Milwaukee rates it at up to 450 CFM and 120 MPH. Pro Tool Reviews measured 11.2 N of blowing force with a 9.0Ah battery. That’s enough for hard surfaces and broad leaves, but below the roughly 20 N that the strongest cordless blowers now reach.

How long does the battery last?

Milwaukee doesn’t publish a runtime, and I found no controlled test. Owners report roughly 7 to 10 minutes on high with a 5.0Ah battery and roughly 15 to 30 minutes on high with 8.0Ah to 9.0Ah packs. The low setting runs longer. These are individual reports, not measurements.

How loud is the Milwaukee M18 FUEL blower?

OPE Reviews and dealer listings give a rating of 62 dB(A). Pro Tool Reviews measured 81 dB at the operator’s ear at full throttle and 67 dB from the 50 ft distance used in the ANSI test. Those numbers measure different things. Check your local noise rules.

Which batteries work with it?

Any M18 battery works. Milwaukee recommends the REDLITHIUM High Output XC8.0 pack to get the rated 450 CFM and 120 MPH. Smaller packs work but mainly shorten runtime, according to Pro Tool Reviews.

Is the Milwaukee M18 FUEL blower brushless?

Yes. Milwaukee lists a POWERSTATE brushless motor and REDLINK PLUS electronics that protect against overload by communicating between the tool, battery, and charger.

What’s the difference between the 2724-20 and the 3017-20?

The 3017-20 is Milwaukee’s newer third-generation single-battery blower. Pro Tool Reviews lists it at 500 CFM and 120 MPH with 12.2 N of measured force and a 54 dB ANSI noise rating, compared with 450 CFM, 120 MPH and 11.2 N for the 2724. Both run on M18 batteries and were sold as bare tools in that review.

Can it replace a gas blower?

For light residential work, mostly. Pro Tool Reviews describes it as a gas supplement for homeowners and lawn crews and an upgrade for jobsite blowers. At 11.2 N it measured below residential gas handhelds (about 13 N in that source) and professional gas handhelds (about 15 N). Heavy, wet or large-property jobs may need a stronger blower.

Can I use it in the rain?

I found no published weather rating, so I can’t say it’s rain-safe. Check Milwaukee’s manual for its guidance and keep the tool and battery dry as a precaution.

What warranty does the Milwaukee M18 FUEL blower have?

Pro Tool Reviews and one dealer listing give 5 years. Milwaukee’s own product page links to its warranty page without stating the term, so confirm the terms there, including what applies to a battery bought separately. Milwaukee advises buying from an authorized partner to keep support and warranty coverage.

🏆 Final Verdict: Is the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 450 CFM Blower Worth It?

The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 450 CFM blower is a sensible handheld for anyone already invested in M18 batteries. The tool is light, easy to control, and ramps up fast. What holds it back is 11.2 N of measured force, a short runtime on high with smaller packs, and the fact that newer Milwaukee blowers measured higher.

If you own M18 batteries and your jobs are small to mid-size, it fits well. If you’d need to buy a battery and charger, compare the 2724-21HD kit, Milwaukee’s newer 3017-20, and a boxed alternative first. If it fits how you work, you can check the latest price, what’s included, and what other buyers say on Amazon.

📸 Milwaukee M18 FUEL Blower Photos and Videos

Click to see full view or play a video

📚 More Blower Reviews

EGO LB5302 56V 530 CFM Leaf Blower: Specs, Pros & Cons
A boxed cordless kit with a battery and charger, and measured force.

DEWALT DCBL722B 20V MAX XR Blower: Specs, Pros & Cons
A light cordless handheld for DEWALT 20V MAX owners.

EGO Commercial LBX6000 56V Backpack Blower: Specs & Pros
A commercial handheld that runs from a backpack battery.

✅ Before You Buy: Quick Checklist

A few details vary by seller, so it’s worth a minute on the listing to confirm:

• Tool only or kit: the 2724-20 has no battery or charger; the 2724-21HD adds an 8.0Ah High Output battery and a rapid charger
• The model number: 2724 is the 450 CFM blower; the newer 3017-20 is rated 500 CFM
• Your batteries: any M18 pack works; Milwaukee recommends the XC8.0 High Output
• The seller: an authorized Milwaukee partner keeps support and warranty coverage
• Current price and what ships in the box

See all five on the Amazon listing ➔

How this review was made: This is a research-based review. It draws on Milwaukee’s product page, Pro Tool Reviews and OPE Reviews test data, and dealer listings and owner reviews. I haven’t tested this blower myself. Where sources disagree, I show both numbers, and I update the page when specs, prices, or availability change.

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