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Milwaukee power tools are known for their dynamic power output. When compared directly to their competitors from other brands, Milwaukee tools often outmuscle basically all challengers (but not always, some alternatives do outpower select Milwaukee models). All that heft demands plenty of power support though. The M18 lineup is a cordless range, and so Milwaukee’s catalog naturally includes a wide range of battery options to power its most demanding equipment. The Milwaukee website includes 13 products in its battery subsection, and some support equipment, like a new hybrid four-port super charger, will soon expand upon that list.

The rapid charger is a great new augmentation for anyone frequently deploying some of Milwaukee’s most energy-demanding tools, but it’s not alone in this effort. Milwaukee’s largest battery packs are its M18 RedLithium Forge HD 12.0Ah batteries. The batteries are significant in size, weighing 3.3 pounds apiece. They’re also expensive, found at Home Depot, for instance, at $229 each. For that expense, you’ll get a high-density power pack that also brings a 35-minute supercharge capability, bringing the pack back to 80%. These batteries are excellent when reaching for some of Milwaukee’s most power-hungry tools, including some usual suspects like table saws, heavy-duty outdoor power tools, and more. These are the Milwaukee M18 tools that can benefit the most from a massive power pack.

The M18 Fuel 21-Inch Auger Propelled Dual Battery Single Stage Snow Blower is a massive power producer, with the ability to throw snow up to 35 feet away. It produces 7.5 horsepower at its peak. The blower offers a similar working experience to a 252cc gas alternative but features a startup procedure that takes less than one second and generates a sound level 10 decibels lower than a comparable gas model as a result of its electric power. To generate all that snow-throwing ability, the snow blower leans on two installed batteries at a time to give it power. What’s more, when purchased as a kit, the blower comes with two of Milwaukee’s Forge HD 12.0Ah batteries. For those with smaller batteries on hand, the blower can also accept up to four individual power packs.

When powering the blower with two of Milwaukee’s largest batteries, the tool still provides plenty of oomph. It can clear up to 500 feet of sidewalk or the equivalent of 11 car spaces with average density snow six inches deep. The snow blower also utilizes a rubber auger that drives the tool through the snow, creating a self-propelled operation that limits the push required from you as the operator, but adds yet another layer of power requirements into the mix. The snow blower can be found at Home Depot for $1,499 in its kit variant.

Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel 9-Gallon Dual Battery Dust Extractor is another tool that comes in a kit format with two Forge HD 12.0Ah batteries included alongside a slate of accessories. The tool requires two batteries to operate, and once again it’s heavily implied that Milwaukee’s suggested mode of powering the tool is with these more extreme battery packs. The tool’s stated runtime adds another good reason to reach for the heavier power producers. When paired with the two batteries that come in the kit, you’ll get 41 minutes of continuous cleaning time and up to 78 minutes in max runtime mode. Either of these will often be enough for a DIYer or moderate-level user to work through their cleaning needs, but in shop settings heavier use is the rule rather than the exception, and large batteries will likely be non-negotiable.

Notably, the extractor can deliver immense power output. It’s also worth noting that the tool delivers hybrid power support, running with M18 batteries or corded power for even better longevity. When plugged in, the tool can produce 175 CFM air speeds and up to a 125 CFM rating on battery power. The dust extractor can be attached to other power tools to make cleaning tasks easier (like an SDS drill or sander). It also has the ability to clean up wet material. It can be found at Acme Tools for $899 without the batteries, or $1,499 with them included.

Power tool users can find impact wrenches built to a wide range of specifications. Most notably, impact wrenches tend to offer one of a handful of anvil types, and some of the most potent cordless impact wrenches produce well over 1,000 ft.-lbs. of max torque. The M18 Fuel 1-Inch D-Handle High Torque Impact Wrench goes beyond what a standard pistol grip-style impact wrench can generally muster, producing 2,000 ft.-lbs. of maximum breakaway torque (and a surprisingly similar 1,900 ft.-lbs. of fastening power). The tool is built with a heavy-duty setup featuring a large D-handle on top, organizing the tool’s visual layout more like an SDS drill built to cause destruction rather than the more friendly-looking combi-drill.

The tool is a hefty piece of equipment, too. It weighs nearly 21 pounds before adding a battery into the mix, and when purchased as a kit, you’ll get two Forge HD 12.0Ah batteries alongside the tool. Using one of these batteries, the impact wrench promises the ability to install up to 200 1-1/4-inch bolts. It’s a savage fastening and removal tool that hungers for the support of an equally powerful battery pack. It’s available at Home Depot for $1,499 as a kit.

A theme begins to emerge within the subset of tools in Milwaukee’s catalog that behave best when paired with a large battery. When purchased as a kit, you’ll encounter these tools paired up with Milwaukee’s Forge batteries, often featuring the 12.0Ah model, and sometimes as a duo of power packs even when the tool doesn’t demand multiple power sources to operate. The M18 Fuel Blower is yet another tool available in the kit variant, with the addition of a Forge HD 12.0Ah battery. It’s available in this format at Home Depot for a very favorable (given the cost of a battery on its own) $299 price tag. The blower produces up to 120 MPH air speeds with a 500 CFM rating. It also produces 12.2 N to generate intense, constant power output. The tool can reach full throttle in under one second and features a variable-speed trigger for precise control over the blowing power you require. The tool is significantly quieter than its primary competition, producing 54 dB(A).

Milwaukee notes that this tool is designed specifically to operate optimally when paired with a Forge battery, and the HD 12.0Ah battery pack that comes with the kit suggests that plenty of value can be found in an extra-large power source. As is the case with some other tools that operate in a constant-on state (think sanders, angle grinders, or table saws), this tool ultimately presents itself as a power hog, making the 12.0Ah battery a worthwhile investment.

Another outdoor power tool on the list of Milwaukee equipment that ships with a Forge HD 12.0Ah battery when purchased as a kit, the M18 Fuel Edger is a natural, power-hungry cutting and cleanup solution. Not only is this tool built to operate with Forge batteries, but it’s also optimized for use specifically with Forge HD 12.0Ah models. It’s available at Acme Tools as a kit for $449. Pairing it with one of these power packs lets it deliver on its promise to replace a gas-powered edger. The tool’s brushless motor creates more power than a 31cc gas engine, delivering intense blade speed to power through even thick growth to create pristine edges every time you pull out the tool to finish off your landscaping tasks.

The edger features a fixed shaft that produces less vibration and is relatively lightweight. It can reach full throttle in under one second and deliver cutting depths of up to two inches. Edging is a tricky task for the tool that performs it because you’ll often find that the blade comes into contact with concrete elements sharing this boundary line with your grass. As a result, any edger you take out of the garage will need to have the power to roll with the punches that come from contact with this hardened surface. A large Forge battery enables the Milwaukee tool to provide just that.

Milwaukee makes a few high-intensity cutting tools, and among its circular saws, the M18 Fuel 7-1/4-Inch Circular Saw is a cornerstone for many renovators, contractors, and builders. It delivers intense cutting power and, when paired with the right battery, can perform for extended periods. It’s probably for this reason that Milwaukee offers a kit bundle with an M18 Forge HD 12.0Ah battery included with the tool. The kit can be found at Home Depot for $449.

The saw is a hefty (but not utterly unmanageable) 11.1 pounds with the battery installed, and delivers 750 cuts per charge when paired with Milwaukee’s largest battery pack. It produces a no-load speed of 6,000 RPM and features the ability to maintain high speeds even when strained under the demands of hardwood lumber. It features an electric blade brake and utilizes some quality-of-life enhancements like an LED work light built into the tool as well as a rafter hook to make this an all-day cutting option for heavy-duty users.

The M18 Fuel 9-Inch Cut-Off Saw is a powerful cutting tool designed to handle concrete and other similarly dense materials. This is not your typical saw, and therefore it demands the support of some serious batteries to deliver on runtime and power production targets. It’s also expensive, retailing as a bare tool at Home Depot for $679. The tool produces a cut depth of 3.4 inches with an onboard water connection featuring a quick-connect system to help keep the blade cooler for longer. It produces 6,600 RPM no-load speed and is as much as 50% lighter (weighing 10.6 pounds as a bare tool) than a comparable gas-powered alternative.

While the saw isn’t offered as a kit option, Milwaukee notes that the tool is optimized for use with a Forge HD 12.0Ah battery, specifically. The saw includes added functionality like a RAPIDSTOP blade brake to generate faster stoppages between cuts so that you can line up the tool for your next incision more safely and more quickly. It features a fully adjustable guard and is compatible with Milwaukee’s ONE-KEY system to track and manage your power tools, which is particularly useful for jobsites and the crews that work on them.

The table saw is a hungry beast and is a tool that can help level up your woodworking skill when the time comes. The tool features a blade that continues to spin until you power it down, rather than the trigger-activated cutting performance of an alternative like a circular or miter saw. This alone requires plenty of consistent power to keep the tool in operation for the duration of your needs. Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel 8-1/4-Inch Table Saw can handle 24½-inch rip cuts. It also provides the equivalent of a fully functional 15-amp corded model, and the tool’s overview makes a specific mention of the Forge HD 12.0Ah battery pack to support its maximum runtime. The saw offers the ability to cut up to 600 linear feet on a single charge, and offers a 2½-inch maximum cut depth at 90 degrees.

The saw is constructed with an all-metal frame for great durability even on demanding jobsites. It produces a no-load blade speed of 6,300 RPM, spinning up and continuing to run for as long as you require between rip cuts or repeated miters. The tool’s rack and pinion fence runs the length of the table, as well, delivering quality precision. It’s available at Home Depot for $599 as a bare tool or $749 in a bundle with a charger and Forge HD 12.0Ah battery.

The M18 Fuel 16-Inch String Trimmer comes in a kit with the vaunted Forge HD 12.0Ah battery. It produces up to 1.76 horsepower and delivers more cutting power than an equivalent 31cc gas trimmer. The tool has enough juice to power through even dense growth without bogging down the motor, and its advanced air-cooling system helps extend its longevity throughout a landscaping job. The trimmer offers three speed settings alongside a variable speed trigger for maximum performance control.

It’s available at Home Depot as a bare tool for $229, although the outlet doesn’t currently have an option to bundle the trimmer with a 12Ah battery; you can get an 8.0Ah battery and charger with the unit for $349. The wicked spin rate this tool produces at its highest setting (up to 6,200 RPM), alongside the heavy-duty motor performance standards, makes this a great candidate to run with a bulky battery pack for the longest possible runtime and highest overall output.

The M18 Fuel Sewer Sectional Machine isn’t a tool that most users will encounter in their regular maintenance and renovation routines. Nevertheless, it’s yet another tool featured as a kit with two M18 Forge HD 12.0Ah batteries included in the bundle. The machine (with the kit bundle) can be found at Acme Tools for $3,499, underpinning its niche characteristics. The tool is a sewer blockage cleaner, utilizing a cable drive system that both feeds and retracts the cable, minimizing the amount of physical exertion a user must experience to clear blockages in a system. The tool can clear roots up to 200 feet out operates with one battery installed at a time.

It can handle sewer blockages in two to eight-inch lateral lines. The tool’s bi-directional operation means that it’s constantly relying on its power source to continue driving toward the clearance result you’ll be seeking, making the large batteries a natural partner for the piece of heavy duty equipment.

An air compressor is a must-have accessory when using any pneumatic tool. Air-powered implements are almost always lighter and feature fewer moving parts, making them tools that can typically operate for longer between scheduled maintenance requirements. These features make them ideal solutions for plenty of professional tool users who operate their equipment throughout the bulk of a workday. However, mobility issues come into play since the setup that powers these implements will often be a large piece of shop equipment or require an outlet to run.

The M18 Fuel 2-Gallon Compact Quiet Compressor puts a different spin on things, allowing you to move your air compressor around quickly and efficiently. The compressor weighs 31.25 pounds and produces a sound level of 68 dB(A). It delivers a maximum PSI of 135 and a SCFM rating of 1.2 at 90 PSI. Naturally, a tool delivering always-on performance like this will require a hefty battery pack to generate the best runtime possible. The bigger the better, although Milwaukee notes that it can deliver enough power to drive 1,600 18-gauge brad nails on a single charge without mentioning the battery size that supports this output. The air compressor can be found at Acme Tools for $399.

Chainsaws eat up power, and when paired with your battery up to the task an electric chainsaw has the ability to stand toe to toe against some of the most heavy duty gasoline powered alternatives on the market. The M18 Fuel 14-Inch Top Handle Chainsaw is a great example of a tool capable of handling intense cutting demands. The tool weighs 10.8 pounds and produces a rapid chain speed of 15 meters per second. It cuts faster than an equivalent 35cc gasoline chainsaw, while minimizing the headaches of starting the tool up as well as the maintenance that goes into a traditional chainsaw motor. The tool delivers 2.7 horsepower and 3.2 Nm peak power and torque output ratings.

It’s capable of producing 225 cuts per charge in 4×4 cedar when paired with a Forge HD 12.0Ah battery pack, and is optimized for use with Milwaukee’s Forge batteries. It’s likely this pairing preference that has Milwaukee’s kit variant adding both a Forge High Output XC 8.0Ah and an HD 12.0Ah battery into the bundle. The saw is available at Home Depot for $299 as a bare tool or $699 with the power kit included.

Numerous sanding tools are available from Milwaukee and virtually all other toolmakers. Cordless sanders all share a similar drawback when paired with a small battery, given their always-on running function. But bulk material sanders are the biggest culprits, utterly demanding a huge battery to draw out their best possible performance. You can get away with a smaller power source with a detail sander at times, but you’ll rarely experience that same capability with a tool like the M18 Fuel 3-by-18-Inch Belt Sander.

It’s available from Home Depot for $329 as a bare tool, or $449 with two additional 8.0Ah batteries and a charger. That’s a good deal price, but you’ll want to think twice about relying completely on a midrange battery rather than the bulkiest powerplant that Milwaukee makes. The tool produces the equivalent power and torque of a corded eight-amp unit, and produces a huge sanding surface that offers variable speeds ranging from 1,350 surface feet per minute down to 750. This is a bulk material removal tool and demands ample power support to perform its duties.

HP laptops are generally seen as a great mix of affordability and reliability, but even the best major PC brand in terms of customer satisfaction can run into problems from time to time. Some problems are more common in certain HP laptop lineups, such as Pavilion and Envy models, due to their design or the suite of manufacturer-included software.

If you’ve noticed your HP laptop overheating or rapidly declining in performance as you use it more, you’re not alone. Similarly, if you’ve experienced spontaneous audio issues – especially after a Windows update – you may have a model that uses Bang & Olufsen and/or Realtek audio drivers, which can cause a known issue for some HP laptops.

Other issues reported on support forums, reviews, and repair shops stem from bloatware and mechanical malfunctions, but where there are common problems, there are solutions. Knowing about these common pain points can help you diagnose and troubleshoot the issues, getting your laptop back in working shape in less time.

Certain HP laptop models, namely the Pavilion and Pavilion Gaming lineup, push quite a bit of heat through their thin frames. Depending on the amount of stress you’re putting on the system, it can overheat, triggering the fans to run at a higher setting and leading to slower performance.

You can check your device’s temperature using a tool like Open Hardware Monitor to gauge how hot it’s running and compare it to the temperature range listed in your laptop’s manual or on the manufacturer’s site for the individual part. First things first: make sure you don’t have a case on the laptop that’s blocking its airflow, or that you’re not using it in a particularly hot, sunny area. If neither of those applies to you, it’s likely because of a stressful workload or dust buildup in the fans.

To check how many resources your PC is using at a given time, open the Task Manager by right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting Task Manager (or pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del and clicking Task Manager). Then, click on the CPU or Memory column headers to sort the currently running programs by most usage. Check the top programs — do you recognize all of them? If not, there are apps or processes running in the background (or that you’ve forgotten to close) that are consuming resources and generating more heat. Verify that the app or process is not a vital Windows application (a quick Google search of the process name will usually identify it), and if it’s not, close it down. Then, look to uninstall the application to prevent further background usage. Not only will this reduce system heat, but it will also go hand in hand with fixing long startup times.

If you notice your HP laptop is particularly slow to boot after a restart, there’s a good chance bloatware is to blame. Bloatware is any software on your laptop or PC that you didn’t intend to install — and it doesn’t have to come from malware or shady websites. Many manufacturers of the best laptops you can buy, HP included, install certain suites of apps and processes onto laptops to improve the user experience and offer more features. But in many cases, and especially on budget laptops with less memory, these manufacturer-installed apps do more harm than good.

To remove bloatware from Windows 11, open the Windows search bar located on your taskbar and type “Add or remove programs,” then click on the Settings result. Once the Settings page opens, sort through the apps and remove anything you don’t recognize or want, keeping in mind that some apps and processes, such as Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime, are important to your operating system’s functionality. So if you’re unsure whether an application is important, do a quick online search to verify.

And to aid in a faster startup time, go back to the Windows search bar on the taskbar and search for Startup Apps. This Settings page shows you all of the apps that start up immediately upon restarting your laptop. If you notice anything you don’t recognize, toggle it off to improve your laptop’s responsiveness on startup.

Batteries that don’t charge to 100% and “Plugged in, not charging” messages are among the most common complaints on community forums about HP laptops. In many cases, this is due to HP’s battery optimization software — Battery Health Manager and Intelligent Charging — which may intentionally cap charging at 80% to preserve battery health longer. If you have a ProBook, EliteBook, or ZBook, this feature is likely the culprit.

If your laptop still has some battery life left, try restarting it first. Power cycling your laptop can often fix small, one-off bugs. If you have multiple HP chargers, try using another one to test if the power adapter is the problem. If neither charger works, it’s likely an issue with the charging port or the laptop’s battery.

Inspect your laptop’s charging port with a flashlight for signs of wear and tear. Another sign of charging port damage is if your charging cable sits loosely inside the port and doesn’t connect firmly. If nothing is stuck inside the port and there’s no visual damage, your laptop’s battery may be the issue. Many HP laptops come with a hardware diagnostics tool called HP PC Hardware Diagnostics for Windows, which can help you evaluate your laptop’s battery condition. If the laptop is completely dead and won’t charge, you’ll likely have to send it or take it to a repair shop.

Hinges on the HP Envy and Pavilion laptops have been known to break after only a few years of light use. The problem usually starts with a subtle “click” or “crack” sound when opening the lid. Over time, you may notice that one side of the display feels stiffer than the other, the bezel starts separating from the screen, and the laptop doesn’t open as easily as it used to. These are precursors to a full-blown hinge failure, so if you notice these signs early, you may want to take the laptop into a repair shop to get it checked out and avoid opening and closing the lid to reduce further stress on the joint.

Interestingly, the hinge itself isn’t always the part that fails. Many repair reports blame broken plastic mounting brackets that connect the hinge to the laptop’s frame. Opening and closing the laptop’s lid places stress on these mounting brackets over time, which can eventually cause them to crack and break away from the chassis.

Most of the time, your only solution is to take the laptop to a repair shop or replace it entirely.

HP laptop models like the Spectre x360, HP Envy, Omen, and Victus lineups come out of the box with Bang & Olufsen (B&O) audio drivers as well as Realtek drivers, which are meant to provide enhanced audio and sound control. And in most cases, they work perfectly well. But in other cases, particularly after Windows or BIOS updates, these drivers have been known to malfunction, causing crackling, popping, distorted, and intermittent audio.

To make sure your drivers are up to date, open the Windows search bar on your taskbar and search for Device Manager. With this page open, locate the Audio Processing Objects (APOs) (or “Sound, video and game controllers”) dropdown, right-click each driver, and select Update driver. Then choose Search automatically for drivers to check for updates.

If all of your drivers are up to date, there are still a few things you can try. Reinstalling the Realtek audio driver, updating the BIOS, disabling audio enhancements, and reinstalling HP’s audio control software are all potential fixes.

We identified these HP laptop problems by searching community forum posts, HP troubleshooting pages, manufacturer documentation, and product reviews to find the most common pain points.

Complaints that appeared across multiple laptop families, rather than issues affecting a single device, such as those typically found in HP Pavilion and Envy models, received primary consideration. Solutions to the problems were researched on consumer tech repair websites and HP’s official support site, as well as pulled from expert background knowledge.

To qualify for a spot on the list, the problem had to stem from multiple user complaints or troubleshooting procedures across several sources. Issues common to all laptops, such as aging batteries or accidental damage, were omitted unless HP-specific software, design, or hardware contributed to the problem.