Ridgid vs Milwaukee – Which Brand Makes the Best Saw?

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As you begin the search for a new saw for your workshop, you may be inundated by the variety of brands available on the market to select from (I was too). To help make the decision a little easier to manage I have broken down the difference between Ridgid vs Milwaukee saws.

These two competitive brands offer saws for a series of applications, and one may just be right for your next project. Take a look at how these two saw brands differ and find out which one I determined was the best.

​Brand Background

History of Ridgid

​When you compare the brand Ridgid vs Milwaukee, both have a long history that dates back to the 1920s. Ridgid got its start in 1923 by inventing the pipe wrench.

Since this time, the company has grown its tool offering, with products that are geared toward professional use.

Ridgid provides a solid warranty on its ​products with many of them featuring lifetime coverage. It stands behind its products and focuses on producing ​tools that are designed to make work easier and faster.

The main attraction to Ridgid is the strength of its tools, including its saw lineup. The saw collection includes reciprocating sawscircular saws, miter saws, table saws, and tile saws models.

​Ridgid also produces a strong line of your more basic tools, ranging from hammers and wrenches to sockets and socket organizers.

The primary focus of the Ridgid lineup is on plumbing and electrical, so there are a lot of tools dedicated to these trades.

Read my review on the Ridgid R4210 Miter Saw, one of my favorite saws of theirs.

Orange Ridgid jigsaw laid on a glossy wooden table top
Source: popularwoodworkingmagazine.com

History of Milwaukee

​The tools produced by Milwaukee are also dedicated to professionals like contractors, woodworkers, carpenters, and craftsmen. The company’s history dates back 85 years to 1924 when it launched the Hole Shooter, a ¼ inch capacity drill that could be used with one hand.

Since that initial product launch, Milwaukee has introduced hundreds of high quality tools. Their product line spans across more than 500 tools and more than 3500 accessories.

Its lineup is marked by products such as the Sawzall Reciprocating Saw, the Hole-Hawg High-Torque Drill, and the Super Sawzall Reciprocating Saw.

Milwaukee Tool is committed to electrical powered tools, with many of them powered by Lithium-Ion batteries. The company offers good warranty coverage on its tools, including its many jigsaws.

Many of them have lifetime or extended year guarantees.

The company’s main focus is on the heavy-duty construction of its tools. It continually innovates with new products and places emphasis on quality.

The company excels at producing new tools which make tasks easier using the latest technology available to do so.

Ridgid vs Milwaukee

​Comparing Ridgid vs Milwaukee is a difficult task. While the two companies certainly offer an extensive range of tools to choose from, they both are aimed at different types of consumers.

Brand Focus

With Ridgid, the use is primarily electrical and plumbing related with a sprinkling of general purpose tools mixed in.

Milwaukee, on the other hand, is more of a general use tool manufacturer which has earned a reputation in the construction industry with its products. It is also a well-known brand with homeowners and novice tool users, even for​ kids.

Range of Tools

While both companies focus on producing tools like saws, which can make your life easier with their use, Milwaukee has an edge as it does incorporate new technology.

Ridgid holds true to its roots and relies on the tried and true methods of producing tools which have worked for generations. Milwaukee looks to update and advance its tool line and is considered a superior brand over Ridgid in several instances.

Saw Durability

Both companies bill their tool line as heavy-duty or strong in their promotions. When comparing Milwaukee vs Ridgid, Milwaukee takes a strong lead with the durability of its products.

Milwaukee is a more widely accepted brand by users than Ridgid, even though they both have been producing tools for nearly the same amount of years.

Red Milwaukee Jigsaw ready to use on top of a kitchen countertop

Ridgid GEN5x vs Milwaukee Fuel

My main comparison of the two companies comes down to their latest family of products. These are the Ridgid GEN5x vs Milwaukee Fuel.

The GEN5X from Ridgid is a line of 18 V tools, including the likes of circular saws, reciprocating saws, best selling drills, and flashlights. The GEN5X uses permanent magnet motors and includes a lifetime service agreement, offering you free parts, batteries, and service.

Milwaukee’s Fuel line is fierce with Powerstate brushless motors, RedLithium battery packs, and RedLink Plus intelligence. This builds on the company’s initiative to use the latest technology available.

All of the tools have an 18 V platform and include chainsaws, circular saws, Sawzalls, and table saws for a total of more than 150 tools falling under the Fuel M18 family.

Milwaukee’s Fuel line is more extensive than the GEN5X from Ridgid. It also has more power and performance, which I appreciate with this level of tools.

Ridgid Recommended Saws

​In reviewing Ridgid’s saw line, I don’t have any standout models I would consider must-have options for your workshop.

While they do offer a number of different saws, the selection is limited and not of the quality I would choose or recommend you invest in.

Milwaukee Recommended Saws

Milwaukee has a great miter saw, along with having a solid jigsaw saw I feel is worthy of note. I’ve listed my favorite here and recommend you see how well this top model stacked up.

As a cordless saw, it utilizes Milwaukee’s Lithium-Ion battery technology in its power pack. For convenience, it comes with an additional battery and provides users plenty of cutting power in a compact package that is durable and easy-to-use.

My Top Pick from ​Milwaukee

How To Use a Jigsaw For Your DIY Home Improvement Projects

Conclusion

​My decision was pretty straightforward. Hands down I selected Milwaukee, especially the Milwaukee M18 Cordless Jigsaw.

Milwaukee is a reputable brand that really will make those cutting tasks quicker and easier. You get plenty of power with virtually all of their tools, and it has the technology to back the progressiveness of their designs.

When you are deciding between Ridgid and Milwaukee saws, I recommend you go with the Milwaukee brand. You’ll appreciate all the features as well as the performance these saws provide. 

An expert at home repair, remodel, and DIY projects for nearly 40 years. His first experience came in completely restoring an antique home. Completely redone from the inside out, and restored to its original form, the home is a featured design by renowned Southern California Architect Cliff May, considered to be the father of the California Ranch Home. Now Dennis spends his time on fine woodworking projects and tool comparisons.