Model numbers / Milwaukee

What do the letters at the end of Milwaukee model numbers mean?

By Rob, licensed electrician (Australia), 18 years on the tools · Checked 2026-10-16 against Milwaukee's US product pages

On Milwaukee US model numbers, -20 means bare tool: no battery or charger; -22 means kit with 2 batteries and a charger (battery size varies by tool) (usually); -22CT means kit with 2 compact (CP) batteries and a charger (usually); -22CX means kit with 1 compact and 1 extended-capacity battery (usually); -21 means kit with 1 battery and a charger (battery size varies by tool) (usually); -21HD means kit with 1 HIGH OUTPUT HD12.0 battery and a charger (usually); -22HD means kit with two high-capacity batteries and a rapid charger (HIGH DEMAND 9.0 or HIGH OUTPUT HD12.0, depending on the tool) (usually); -22DE means rotary hammer kit with two batteries, a rapid charger and the matching HAMMERVAC dust extractor (usually); -24 means four-tool combo kit (the number counts tools, not batteries) (usually); -26 means six-tool combo kit (the number counts tools, not batteries) (usually).

Milwaukee model numbers end in a dash code: -20 means bare tool. In kits the second digit is usually the battery count (-22 = two batteries), but the code does not say which battery.

Milwaukee model number endings

Ending	Means	Milwaukee models we cover with it
`-20` always	Bare tool: no battery or charger [maker page]	2505-20, 2520-20, 2526-20, 2551-20, 2552-20, 2554-20, 2562-20, 2563-20, 2719-20, 2720-20, 2730-20, 2732-20, 2761-20, 2767-20, 2804-20, 2821-20, 2834-20, 2836-20, 2853-20, 2855-20, 2880-20, 2903-20, 2904-20, 2905-20, 2906-20, 2953-20, 2957-20, 2960-20, 2962-20, 2967-20, 3403-20, 3404-20, 3453-20, 3601-20, 3650-20
`-22` usually	Kit with 2 batteries and a charger (battery size varies by tool) [maker page]	2505-22, 2551-22, 2552-22, 2562-22, 2563-22, 2720-22, 2730-22, 2761-22, 2767-22, 2821-22, 2855-22, 2880-22, 2903-22, 2904-22, 2953-22, 2960-22, 2962-22, 3403-22, 3404-22, 3453-22, 3497-22, 3697-22
`-22CT` usually	Kit with 2 compact (CP) batteries and a charger [maker page]	2960-22CT, 3601-22CT, 3650-22CT, 3692-22CT
`-22CX` usually	Kit with 1 compact and 1 extended-capacity battery [maker page]	none yet
`-21` usually	Kit with 1 battery and a charger (battery size varies by tool) [maker page]	2562-21, 2719-21, 2720-21, 2730-21, 2821-21, 2836-21
`-21HD` usually	Kit with 1 HIGH OUTPUT HD12.0 battery and a charger [maker page]	2732-21HD, 2834-21HD
`-22HD` usually	Kit with two high-capacity batteries and a rapid charger (HIGH DEMAND 9.0 or HIGH OUTPUT HD12.0, depending on the tool) [maker page]	none yet
`-22DE` usually	Rotary hammer kit with two batteries, a rapid charger and the matching HAMMERVAC dust extractor [maker page]	none yet
`-24` usually	Four-tool combo kit (the number counts tools, not batteries) [maker page]	none yet
`-26` usually	Six-tool combo kit (the number counts tools, not batteries) [maker page]	none yet

What the Milwaukee ending does not tell you

In kit codes the second digit is usually the battery count, not the battery size: a -22 can mean 1.5Ah, 2.0Ah or 5.0Ah packs. -20 is the exception: bare tool.
The code does not reliably say whether you get a bag or a case: read the box contents.
Combo kits (-24, -26) count tools, not batteries: 2497-24 lists three batteries; 2718-22HD's box list says HIGH OUTPUT HD12.0 while its description says FORGE. Read the box list.

"Usually" means we found exceptions or too few examples to call it a rule. The box list on each model page, taken from Milwaukee's own page, is what to trust. For battery counts and sizes across every kit we cover, see what ships in each kit.

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