In July when you walk on-site, the heat and humidity is extreme. You’re breathing in insulation fiber and sawdust. Your clothes will clings to your sweat-soaked body.
That’s not just uncomfortable; that’s unsafe. A jobsite fan isn’t an add-on to make things more comfortable, it’s a piece of safety equipment so you can keeps your body cool enough to work efficienty. For many user, it comes down to brand preference; do I like DeWalt or a Milwaukee fan?
Choosing Between Milwaukee And DeWalt Fans
Jobsite Fan Safety and Brand Preference
If you already have DeWalt tools, then you probably already has a bunch of DeWalt batteries hanging from your tool belt, so it makes sense to just throw the DeWalt fan on there. If you’re a Milwaukee guy, the same goes for that. But this is one area where brand should not be the only determining factor.
Milwaukee Fan Durability and Airflow
There are other factors such as durability, airflow volume, and how each brand move the air in a rough and tumble environment. The folks at Milwaukee has made a tough, brute-force style with the design of their fans. The jobsite fan are solidly constructed and feature bold red highlights that scream “I’m built tough,” with a build that suggest they can handle a drop from scaffolding.
The Milwaukee M18 jobsite fan fit right into their lineup. It use the same battery system as all their other tool. So if you’re like me and you’ve got several M18 batteries, you understand how nice it is to swap batteries between tools without having to look for a wall plug halfway through framing a wall.
DeWalt Fan Efficiency and Control
If you don’t want to run extension cords around or there’s no power available, this is a good option. The controls are user-friendly. Versatility is another focus for DeWalt.
The industrial yellow finish on their fan helps them blend in. Generally speaking, DeWalt’s line of jobsite fans feature variable speed control so you can fine tune airflow need. That’s important if you’re looking to chill out without blowing your blueprints all over the place and setting off little bits of hardware down the road.
Battery Life and Runtime Comparison
Sometimes Milwaukee get hung up on maxing-out CFM, which while certainly a subtle point, can make a difference in usability on a hectic job site. Battery life matters Each brand features its own platform of 18 volts, but not all motor are created equal. While Milwaukee users typically pull more amperage and gets the speed up a little quicker, it put a strain on the battery and will go through that standard battery rather quickly.
Running on one of those compact two-amp hour batteries may require you to change batteries in the middle of your shift. The DeWalt has focused on motor efficiency and generally offer longer run time off the same sized battery. Before making the commitment to an eight hour work day, look at the battery indicator on your charger; do you still have enough juice?
Durability and Portability Tradeoffs
These aren’t the fans you buy at the store. Durability mean something different here. Tools like this get dropped, kicked around, and coated in concrete dust at jobsites.
Construction site are hard on tools. Both DeWalt and Milwaukee has built their fan with a sturdy grille and housing made of some type of reinforced plastic. These fans will hold up to what happens on the worksite day-in and day-out.
That said, Milwaukee tends to make things a little beefier, meaning more weight but more stable too. DeWalt fans tend to be lighter as a result, easy to set down on a narrow beam or hanging off of a ladder. It’s a matter of portability versus heft every time.
Price Availability and Final Verdict
Ultimately, it comes down to availability and price. Milwaukee is seen as a higher-end tool. That means paying a bit extra.
And they’re sometimes harder to find locally (though that varies different than where you live). DeWalt is usually a bit more readily available, and there’s often a sale or two going on at your local hardware store. The cost savings may not feel big if you’re only getting the fan without a battery.
Add in the cost of having multiple batteries to run throughout the day, however, and you’ll see how that savings can add up over time. Before purchasing new packs, you should of make sure you check your existing supply. Get the fan that works with what you have.
If you’re all Milwaukee tools, go for theirs. They put out a lot of air, and it’s all from the same brand. Want to keep things efficient?
Go for Dewalt because they’ve got some nice variable speed fans as well. You can adjust the airflow around you depending on where you are working or how hot it gets outside. Both aren’t necessarily best at everything.
It just comes down to which one sticks into the battery in your hand already.