Milwaukee’s Extended Reach Ratchet Better than Snap-On?
Milwaukee tools have been going head to head with Snap-On for quite some time in the electric cordless ratchet market and this latest 3/8 extended ratchet from Milwaukee is just the next chapter in a growing rivalry between the two companies and each one’s fans.
In this post, I’m going to give you guys some of the comparison specs between the Milwaukee Extended 3/8 2560-20 cordless ratchet and the Snap-On CTR 767 Series 14.4 V and hopefully help you decide which one is a better buy. Or maybe each one has its own intended buyer. We are going to soon find out the goods about these two powerhouse cordless ratchets.
What do the Snap-On CTR767 and Milwaukee 2560-20 have in Common?
Since the Snap-On extended cordless ratchet and the Milwaukee are direct competitors, it’s important to look at what the two tools have in common. Some of the technology used in both major tool brands is bound to be similar or the same- and as a mechanic it’s important to know what is the same and what’s different, especially since both tools are at somewhat different price points.
Both the Milwaukee and Snap-On are Brushless
One of the most significant advantages of a cordless tool in 2023 is whether or not it uses a brushless motor. In the case of the CTR767 and the 2560-20 from Milwaukee and Snap-On, both tools use a brushless electric motor. Milwaukee uses its patented POWERSTATE™ Brushless electric motor to power all of its FUEL line of power tools.
Snap-On doesn’t seem to use any special named brushless motors in its tools. Some YouTubers have tore apart Snap-On cordless electric tools to see what’s inside because the impact wrench was not performing well- and it costed $900.
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What’s the advantage of Brushless?
In order to fully understand why brushless motors are better than brushed, one must first understand how an electric motor works and what usually causes the latter to fail. As you may be able to gather, the main advantage of a brushless motor is that there are no brushes to wear out and cause the tool to fail or become noisy.
Older electric tools with brushless motors used to be weak in comparison to the brushless models in 2023 but due to advances in the materials- specifically the magnets- used to make them, the brushless electric motors of today are very strong and highly efficient in comparison to brushed motors.
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Snap-On and Milwaukee Both Use Powerful Electric Motors
When Snap-On started using brushless versus brushed motors in its power tools, the company made a lot of noise about it but Milwaukee has been using brushless motors since they debuted the FUEL line in 2012. When it comes to the brushless vs non-brushless tools debate, Snap-On came a little late to the party but they made it.
Starting with the CTR861, Snap-On’s cordless electric tools have used brushless motors ever since. I did a post on an old Snap-On ratchet that will give you a good idea of what happens when the brushes go bad in an electric power tool.
The Milwaukee Extended Ratchet and Snap-On CTR767 Use Lithium Ion Batteries
Another similarity between the Snap-On extended handle cordless ratchet and the Milwaukee 2560-20 is both tools use lithium-ion batteries to power their tools. The benefit of lithium batteries in power tools include higher output, longer-lasting battery life and higher-efficiency operation.
Milwaukee’s M12 versus Snap-On 14.4 V Micro-Lithium
Both Snap-On and Milwaukee use lithium-ion batteries but the two have different voltages with the Snap-On using 14.4V and Milwaukee using 12V. Bigger is always better, right? So is Milwaukee’s 12V system less than Snap-On’s or does less voltage make any difference in this case?
In almost every case study that I could find comparing Milwaukee’s M12 to Snap-14.4V line, the mechanic or user chose the M12 line as being far superior to the Snap-On higher-voltage line of cordless tools. In my own experience with both tool lines, I would also recommend the Milwaukee M12 versus the Snap-On Micro-Lithium 14.4.
Technical Comparisons Between Milwaukee and Snap-On long reach cordless ratchets.
Of course, in order to get a good feel for how the Milwaukee and Snap-On 3/8 long-reach cordless ratchets compare to each other, we need to look at some of the technical specs. Both Snap-On and Milwaukee are considered top of the line for mechanics but the latter isn’t considered even top ten in power tools according to most sources. So in order to understand which power tool is better for mechanics, it’s important to look at the specifications for each one and see if Milwaukee or Snap-On hold a definitive edge over the other.
Torque Output-
Milwaukee: 55 ft/lb
Snap-On 40 ft/lb
Speed (Free Speed RPM)
Milwaukee: 200 RPM
Snap-On: 275 RPM
Length
Milwaukee: 11.5 inches
Snap-On: 10 inches
Warranty
Milwaukee: 5 Year
Snap-On: 1 Year
Snap-On CTR676 versus Milwaukee 2560-20 Reviews
In an extensive search for reviews of both the Snap-On CTR767 and the Milwaukee 2560-20 extended reach cordless ratchets, I came up with a lot of mixed opinions which is to be expected when comparing the top two power-tool companies in the automotive industry. It wouldn’t be a reach to say that the pendulum has shifted in Milwaukee’s favor when it comes to the best electric power tools though.
Something worth pointing out is the difference in RPM between the Snap-On and MIlwaukee cordless ratchets. A negative 75 RPM versus the speed of Snap-On’s CTR767 is a slight disadvantage for the MIlwaukee. This difference in speed is especially important though since MIlwaukee is calling it’s 2560-20 a “High-Speed Ratchet.”
One thing is 100% clear though- the fierce competition between Snap-On, Milwaukee and other major power tool brands is causing a surge of innovation and exciting new tool technology in 2023 and hopefully even further.
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What’s the Price of Snap-On’s CTR767 versus Milwaukee’s 2560-20?
One of the biggest advantages to buying a Milwaukee Fuel cordless power tool has always been the major difference in prices versus a similar Snap-On model. With these 3/8 extended reach cordless ratchets, the difference isn’t as pronounced but the Milwaukee is still quite a bit cheaper.
For the tool-only version of a Milwaukee long-reach 3/8 electric ratchet it’s going to run you around $240 on Amazon and if you want a brand new Snap-On CTR767, the tool lists for around $350 on Snap-On’s website unless you can find one on Ebay.
What’s your opinion on this? Have you used both the Snap-On and Milwaukee extended reach 3/8 ratchets and have a favorite? Let me know in the comment section.
Author- John Green
