Every year an extremely exclusive, hand-selected, highly trained, ultra-elite, licensed to thrill group of media make an annual pilgrimage to a key tool media event – the Milwaukee Tool New Product Symposium. Somehow HomeFixated and some other online media riffraff manage to make the invite list too. It’s a great opportunity for us to go hands-on with Milwaukee’s latest and greatest hand and power tools. While Milwaukee like’s to refer to the event as the New Product Symposium, we think that’s a little dry for Milwaukee’s corporate vibe. As a result, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to hereby refer to the event as Media Mania 2013. Mainly because we like alliteration. And because we couldn’t make “New Product Symposium” fit well on the image we stole from Milwaukee’s website. Read on for all that’s new and shiny coming out of top secret labs of Milwaukee Tool’s HQ.
In recent years, we’ve seen Milwaukee push more aggressively into the hand tool market. Thus far, we like what we see. Milwaukee isn’t content to just release a red version of the same old tool. Instead, their new hand tool offerings often combine multiple new features into a single tool, and they often rethink the tool’s design to better serve its core users. We’d be surprised if we don’t see some new hand tools on the agenda this year. Accessories are also important to the Milwaukee lineup. A power tool is only as good as the accessory you put in it. We’ll have our eyes open for any new blades, bits and gizmos to supplement their tools.
Last but not least, we expect to see some new power tool offerings. The move to brushless motors continues to be a big push for Milwaukee (and the other big tool co’s). We wouldn’t be shocked to see more M18 and particularly M12 Fuel cordless tools. With only one tool in their M4 category, the M4 cordless screwdriver, I’m going to go out on a limb and predict something new in the ultra-compact tool realm. We’re hoping it’s an M4 Cordless Beer Bottle Opener, particularly since the event is taking place at the old Pabst Brewing Company’s newly restored facilities.
Milwaukee also has a penchant for never-before-seen tool-related technology. Previous entrants in this realm include cordless copper pipe cutters, a new solder-less copper pipe crimping system, a fluorescent lightbulb tool that magically lights bulbs via an extendable wand, and even toasty M12 Heated Jackets. High tech sensors like accelerometers are becoming more and more popular incorporated into tools, so more of that might start appearing in Milwaukee tools soon too. While we don’t expect to see nuclear fusion powered tools quite yet, we do hope to see a product or two that makes the other tool companies wonder why they didn’t think of something similar first.
To bring you the latest Milwaukee Tool news as fast as possible, your best bet is to follow HomeFixated on Twitter. We’ll be sending out Tweets (with photos) from the event Wednesday, June 12th. You’ll find the Twitter coverage and photos from the event updated below. To get more live coverage of media events and trade shows with the latest in tool, home and construction products in the future, be sure to follow HomeFixated on Twitter. More detailed coverage of some of the products we’ll be playing with at the Media Mania event will also be appearing in the coming months on HomeFixated.
Milwaukee Media Mania Twitter Coverage
#nps13 kicking off with @MilwaukeeTool in moments! pic.twitter.com/GN5kYSIPvx
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
@MilwaukeeTool stepping it up with a new line of cordless-optimized step drill bits in Oct #nps13 pic.twitter.com/F5seCXoS8T
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
@MilwaukeeTool has knock out punch precision in the crosshairs #nps13 pic.twitter.com/Ed4JF7RFzk
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
@MilwaukeeTool making an impact with yet more Shockwave impact duty accessories #nps13 pic.twitter.com/pxmt6mZkU2
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
@MilwaukeeTool is going nutty with new compact insert style but drivers #nps13 pic.twitter.com/3aLONDx9z5
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
@MilwaukeeTool says Do More – Carry Less #nps13 pic.twitter.com/3sY7bzDepl
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
@MilwaukeeTool releasing a new auto-centering, non-slip & anti-splinter door lock jig $40ish #nps13 pic.twitter.com/JYpk7e3nEJ
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
@MilwaukeeTool new M18 with tool-free changes & an LED coming in Oct #nps13 pic.twitter.com/mfgTDK6NZI
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
Drilling porcelain? You need one of these from @MilwaukeeTool #nps13 pic.twitter.com/ShyXsocG13
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
Gotta lot of M18's? @MilwaukeeTool has a six pack (sequential charger) for you #nps13 pic.twitter.com/jgywtqkgjY
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
VERY thoughtfully engineered @MilwaukeeTool M12 & M18 LED work lights #nps13 pic.twitter.com/4qRSwbgTzT
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
Ladies rejoice! @MilwaukeeTool has a pink-trimmed heated jacket coming for you in August #nps13 pic.twitter.com/y3b5XgSe08
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
Washer & dryer-friendly heated hoodies coming soon from @MilwaukeeTool #nps13 @OneProjCloser pic.twitter.com/7gu7SsfAJR
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
Anyone have a @MilwaukeeTool collection like this? #nps13 pic.twitter.com/6ePmYWfCCe
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
Sweet and smooth @MilwaukeeTool Fuel Sawzall #nps13 pic.twitter.com/jISL0yqlHj
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
New @MilwaukeeTool M18 circ saw is a mean machine! Cool dust blowing port & LED #nps13 pic.twitter.com/JhTzlyLOD1
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
@MilwaukeeTool Fuel grinder crankin' out the power #nps13 pic.twitter.com/OQNUieislT
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
@MilwaukeeTool has their own version of arm wrestling #nps13 pic.twitter.com/3WCpKoqu4G
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
@HandymanClub double-fisted tool testing with @MilwaukeeTool #nps13 pic.twitter.com/nMCxU9JIyj
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
Now where'd I put my @MilwaukeeTool drill? #nps13 pic.twitter.com/ed0HAFxulS
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
No threaded rod is too long for the new @MilwaukeeTool HollowCore nut drivers #nps13 pic.twitter.com/F9efnTamJE
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
More Press & Flip FastBack options ftom @MilwaukeeTool #nps13 pic.twitter.com/cjhmKvXRid
— HomeFixated.com (@HomeFixated) June 12, 2013
I like the look of those new knives. Hope they are priced right.
I would love too see an M12 multi charger like the M18 or even better would be a Combination of the 2 and call it the 12 pack. The one thing is I would be nervous about some one walking away with a changer with that many batteries on it.
That’s a valid concern Jason. . . maybe they need one with a motion sensor or GPS tracking! 😉