Are generic Milwaukee, DeWalt batteries on Amazon any good?
A genuine set of 6.0 amp hour High Output Milwaukee batteries sell for around $175. That comes with two batteries and no charger. A charger that claims to be “Rapid Charge” sells for an additional $99. A genuine Milwaukee 5.0 Ah Red Lithium M18 battery is only around $70 but you can buy two “fake” ones for $50.
At that high of a price point, would you buy a generic battery like the ones sold by Vanon for your Milwaukee tools on Amazon? And if you do, are these (technically) fake “Vanon” and other aftermarket Milwaukee batteries going to be any good?
If you have several Milwaukee batteries it may be worth it for you to go with a 6 in 1 charger that only lists $49 more than a single M18 charger. For $149 you can charge six Milwaukee M18 batteries at the same time.
Since the generic Milwaukee and DeWalt batteries are compatible with M12, M18 and DeWalt’s 18V chargers, the generic batteries will work on the generic charger too.
DeWalt and other power tool companies are knocked off on Amazon also.
Other brands like DeWalt sell their 4 in 1 charger for almost $100 more than the Milwaukee 6 in 1. Like the other major power tool brands though, DeWalt generics are sold at a huge discount on Amazon also. You can buy a DeWalt compatible 4 in 1 generic battery charger for $69 online at Amazon.
If you’re looking for a good battery and charger for your home workshop or garage, a high-quality generic will probably work fine- but should these aftermarket’s be used in a professional setting like a repair shop?
Genuine M18 Batteries Are Expensive
It’s easy to see with the price of Milwaukee M18 batteries and chargers, why people would knock them off and sell on Amazon at a fraction of the cost. Are these generic Milwaukee or DeWalt batteries and accessories being sold online junk though?
One deal I found that I would definitely consider even being a knock-off is a charger for Milwaukee batteries and two M18 compatible 9.0 Ah batteries for just $149. Reading the reviews, this generic Milwaukee charger has a 4.6 out of 5 with 144 confirmed buyers.
If these 9 Ah Milwaukee-compatible batteries even come close the stated amperage, they are worth the price on Amazon. A genuine Milwaukee 8 Ah battery costs $170 on Amazon and a 12 Ah is $217. Although I’m sure the Milwaukee batteries are powerful, many people can’t afford $200 or more for a power tool battery.
How safe are counterfeit power tool batteries?
Whether these fake, “aftermarket” power tool batteries are junk is only one of the major questions. The other is are these fake, counterfeited batteries on Amazon safe?
No matter if you’re a DIY or a professional auto tech it’s likely you don’t want a cheap quality lithium-ion battery to explode in your face. According to Businesswire, the FBI has warned of the dangers of knock-off, counterfeit batteries.
”These counterfeit and knock-off batteries may overheat and cause fires or explosions, which can result in personal injury or property damage, not to mention poor battery performance, device damage or complete product failure.” Businesswire– Nov 8, 2022
My advice would be, as it always is- Do your research and find the companies producing generic power tool batteries with good reviews.
Also Read- Milwaukee now a legit alternative to Snap On in automotive lighting.
Price of the Milwaukee, DeWalt batteries is one reason people buy generics.
In this post, I’m going to tell you about some of my experiences. I’m gonna tell you how much I paid for “Amazon” generic Milwaukee batteries and I’m going to review the quality of these Amazon batteries.
Although Milwaukee batteries are pretty damn good they are not indestructible. Just like any other Lithium-Ion battery the life cycle of a Milwaukee battery can be hard to determine. Is it worth buying a Vanon Milwaukee battery at a fraction of the cost?
What we have to figure out here is whether these “Milwaukee tools” and “DeWalt Tools” knock offs being sold on Amazon are worth the money you’re going to save. Are the benefits of a cheaper power tool battery worth the risks of using generic Lithium batteries?
Amazon Fake Milwaukee and DeWalt Tools Reviewed.
I started this post with the M18 batteries because in my experience they are most popular to counterfeit. This is because of the relatively high price point. There are probably a hundred other generic Milwaukee and DeWalt batteries on Amazon. There are all different amp hour ratings and voltages on these power tool batteries.
If we tried to look at the quality, price and power of all these fake batteries we would be here all day. With that in mind, we are going to base our review of the generic batteries on (1) my personal experience and (2) the best research online for these generic power tool batteries.
Milwaukee M18 Fuel generic Amazon battery.
As I said in this post we will review the generic Milwaukee M18 battery. This battery comes in 3.0 Ah, 5.0 Ah and 6.0 Ah all the way up to 9.0 Ah Brands selling this fake Milwaukee and DeWalt equipment include:
This is nowhere near all of the Milwaukee and DeWalt battery replicas, but the Gahino and Vanon battery seems to be most common on Amazon. We will start with those and look for a few reviews.
Gahino Batteries
One of the few reviews on these aftermarket Milwaukee batteries came straight from their Amazon page. Gahino Batteries get an overall 3.7 rating with 51% being five stars and a combined 22% less than a 3.
Here are a few of the customer testimonials.
“These last way longer than the batteries that came with my tool set. Nothing wrong with the originals just wanted something with some more run time.” –Kelton Gourley
Now a not so positive review.
“Does the job buy battery doesn’t last long! One battery quit working after one use!” – Cody D
I looked around to try finding a video of one of these Gahino batteries, but wasn’t successful. I did however find a general review of these cheap aftermarket Milwaukee batteries.
High Quality FutureBatt
The next company making aftermarket Milwaukee (and Dewalt etc.) tools is called High Quality FutureBatt. This company doesn’t have a huge presence in Search.
I couldn’t find much about them, but Amazon will offer you plenty of reviews. The company overall has a 3.9 Amazon rating. Reviews seem to be mixed.
A two-pack of the 6.0 Ah M18 version of this battery sells on Amazon for less than $60. It guarantees to be compatible with any M18 products such as the Impact Gun, M18 Drill and even leaf blowers that Milwaukee makes.
At a fraction of the cost of genuine Milwaukee or any other power tool brands, it’s hard not to see the appeal. If you can buy a cheaper power tool battery that’s gonna be of similar quality. Why wouldn’t you? I used this same approach when comparing jump starters and work lights.
Vanon M18 Power Tool Battery
I just bought two of these batteries on Amazon, so I figured I would include them in the aftermarket Milwaukee battery review. Since I’ve had a chance to run these Vanon batteries, I’m going to look to give you my experience and look to the internet to find out if Vanon batteries are junk in the long-term.
One of the resources for these Aftermarket, compatible Milwaukee batteries comes from the BBB and it’s not promising. Coming in with a rating of 1.15 out 5, the Vanon version of the M18 Fuel battery does not seem to hold up.
One YouTuber going by the name “Damn Good Reviews” reviewed the Vanon batteries in a Ryobi power tool. Although we’re talking about Milwaukee in this post, there’s zero doubt that the actually battery inside the casings are identical if the brand is the same.
Not the best reviews on these “fake” generic power tool batteries.
These batteries are exactly what they are marketed as. Cheap, aftermarket knock-off (usually Chinese) batteries that will cost you less. Some are better, some are worse but they are what they are and that is Chinese knock off power tool batteries.
Will these generic power tool batteries work in my tools? As long as they are compatible with the Milwaukee, DeWalt, Ryobi etc. they will work on your tools.
How long will a charge last with fake Milwaukee, DeWalt or Craftsman batteries?
Most of the time it’s “how long will a charge last?” It’s a pertinent question especially if the buyer wants to use these generic batteries with their existing M18 line up. Again, some of these fake batteries will hold a charge for hours while some never make it past the first cycle.
I recommend when trying to find an aftermarket or generic battery for a power tool, go read the Amazon Reviews. Usually hundreds of people will tell you how long an aftermarket battery holds a charge, depending on the brand.
How long will the aftermarket battery last before it’s junk?
Honestly, there is no right answer to this question. I bought a set of no-name M18 batteries a couple years ago that lasted for a year. I broke one of the casings or it may have lasted longer. I think I paid around $60 for the set.
At that time there weren’t dozens of manufacturers making knock off power tool batteries. Amazon had a few brands and eBay had several brands competing. Now there might be a hundred companies knocking off every power tool battery on the market.
Will companies selling fake Milwauke, DeWalt batteries warranty their products?
As with everything, the warranty on generic Milwaukee or DeWalt batteries is worth exploring. In this case though, it’s a firm no. These companies selling cheap, generic batteries for hardly nothing are not going to warranty the products.
If warranty is a major concern when you are buying a power tool battery, stay away from these brands like Vanon, etc. Its simply not feasible to think a company selling batteries for a fraction of the price of name brand is going to offer a warranty.
You get what you pay for and when buying fake Milwaukee or DeWalt batteries, the price will not include a warranty.
Will non-OEM Milwaukee, DeWalt, Ryobi or other batteries damage my tools?
According to the Power Tool Institute, there are many reasons not to use fake aftermarket batteries in your power tools. Is it actually going to ruin your tool if you use a generic battery from Amazon in it?
I wasn’t able to find any research saying that using off-brand batteries will harm or ruin your tools. Using any other brand battery than the one the manufacturer sells will void the warranty on the tool though.
Also, tool companies like Milwaukee have started using newer technology such as their RedLithium that you won’t find in a generic M18 battery. You get what you pay for.
Do knock off, counterfeit batteries have the same torque as OEM?
A major question when buying a knockoff battery for your electric tool is does the battery have the same “power” as the OEM. The battery can say 6.0 Ah or 9.0 Ah but is that battery going to hit the same on your electric impact?
I found a good review of a DeWalt version of the knock off. In the video, the original DeWalt battery put out 602 on the Dyno. The Amazon version of the battery put out 536. The torque rating on the knock off was approximately 89% as powerful.
You can sacrifice about 10% torque for a 50-60% savings versus the price of an original battery for your Milwaukee. For things like drills and die grinders, etc ninety percent torque would probably be suitable.
Are fake Milwaukee, DeWalt and other power tools for professionals?
Each knock off Amazon power tool battery is going to have different strengths and weaknesses. You have to weigh the question- is it worth buying a knock off, generic battery for your power tools?
An important difference in buying power tool batteries is whether the buyer is a professional or using the batteries at home.
If a DIY guy or gal is just taking lug nuts off, an Amazon battery will definitely suffice. If the buyer is a professional and relies on his power tools every day, these fake Milwaukee and DeWalt batteries probably aren’t worth it.
Do companies make aftermarket or “fake” batteries for other power tools?
On Amazon you can find a knock off of probably every battery for every electric tool in your box. Dewalt is probably the second most popular generic battery for power tools, but batteries for Ryobi, Makita and others are out there.
Not only are you going to find many other brands, there will be other size fake batteries and designs for multiple tool lines. M12 Milwaukee batteries come to mind. $48 for four of them.
CONCLUSION: Cost savings can outweigh quality in certain situations.
There are pros and there are cons to buying cheaper, aftermarket tool batteries on Amazon. I hope I did a good job of giving you the knowledge to pick an aftermarket versus an OEM power tool battery. That’s the goal I was trying to achieve when researching for this post.