Back in 2019, we published our review of the original Milwaukee M18 Fuel Quik-Lok attachment system, and I’ve been using it ever since. Now that the second-generation powerhead is available, I’m taking a side-by-side look to see what’s different and what performance gains you should expect.

Pros

Noticeable improvement in power
Easier attachment connections
Upgrades to 3-speed controls
Upgraded air cooling system
Attachment range covers the needs of Pro landscaping crews
Kits now come with an 8.0Ah Forge battery
Multiple combo and bundle options to improve value
Extension pole and shoulder strap available
Compatible with all Milwaukee M18 batteries (High Output or Forge recommended)

Cons

Only compatible with Milwaukee attachments

Shop Quik-Lok Gen 2

Milwaukee Quik-Lok Attachment System Gen 2 Powerhead

Milwaukee Quik-Lok Attachment System Gen 2 Review

Motor and Battery Selection

As an M18 Fuel product, the attachment system is powered by one of Milwaukee’s PowerState brushless motors. With the Gen 2 design, Milwaukee added an advanced air cooling system to keep the motor from overheating on high-demand tasks.

The original version came with a 9.0Ah battery and was later swapped to an 8.0Ah High Output pack. If you grab one of the kits with the new model, it comes with an 8.0Ah Forge battery, so you’re getting the best of Milwaukee’s battery technology.

As with all Milwaukee M18 and M18 Fuel products, you can use any M18 battery. Just be aware that the best performance comes from Forge batteries. Standard or even High Output packs don’t deliver as much energy.

Improved Connection

Milwaukee Quik-Lok Attachment System Gen 2 Connection

One of the pain points on the Gen 1 model was that the connection wasn’t clean. You could line up the arrows between the powerhead and attachment and it wouldn’t mate properly. You had to push down and twist to turn the internal components until they slipped into place. Since I’ve been using it for more than 5 years, I’m used to it.

However, the product team addressed this. With the new powerhead, the internals self-align much better, and I haven’t had to do the “push-and-twist” dance at all with it.

The drive connection is proprietary to Milwaukee, so you’re not able to use “universal” attachments from other brands. Milwaukee has a solid suite of attachments, so you should be able to outfit your crew with everything they need.

Weight

For good measure, I weighed both powerheads to see if there was a difference. There wasn’t. Both weighed 6.3 pounds without a battery or attachment.

Milwaukee Quik-Lok Attachment System Gen 2 Performance

Speed

Milwaukee Quik-Lok Attachment System Gen 2 Controls

Once you install the attachment you want, you now have three speeds to choose from instead of the two speeds we had on Gen 1. As I was testing, I also noticed you’re able to change speeds on the fly without cycling the trigger.

I put a tachometer on the string trimmer attachment to see what kind of trimming speeds you can expect. Here’s what I measured using an 8.0Ah Forge battery, the stock 0.095-inch line, and the same attachment on both powerheads:

	Gen 1 (2825)	Gen 2 (3016)
Low Speed	4962 RPM	4555 RPM
Medium Speed	NA	5348 RPM
High Speed	6217 RPM	6141 RPM

A couple of things stand out. First, the new Milwaukee M18 Fuel Quik-Lok string trimmer measured slightly lower RPMs than the original. Technically, both models are rated at 6200 RPM, and I identify an obvious reason for the difference. Regardless, this is still a very high speed for a string trimmer.

It’s also interesting that low speed on the new model is lower than the original. You might think that’s a little too low for string trimming, but with a quality line like Echo’s Black Diamond, it can be surprisingly effective on lighter cuts. Plus, it will give you a serious runtime boost.

Runtime

As long as we’re on the subject, I did some runtime testing as well to see if the new version would run more efficiently. It did have a slight boost. Running at high speed and using the same 8.0Ah Forge battery with stock 0.095-inch line setup, the original model ran for 15:36 seconds while the updated 3016 didn’t quit until 16:54.

Power

So does the Milwaukee 3016 only give you a little more runtime and a third speed to work with over the original Quik-Lok?

No. Controlled tests are fine, but the differences become more apparent when the trimmer is under load.

Cutting light grass, both models felt and sounded like they were accomplishing the same amount of work. When we shifted over to thicker grass, I could feel more power muscling through to keep the RPMs driving through.

It’s a difference Milwaukee confirms as well. The original model didn’t have a direct gas equivalent comparison, but we estimated it was near the power of a 25cc gas unit. The 3016 now exceeds the power of a 31cc gas model.

Despite the higher power level, the string trimmer accessory is still only rated for 0.080 or 0.095-inch line. I suspect the motor can handle 0.105-inch, but you’d limit the runtime with it, and the trimmer head internals might not feed that higher diameter as well.

The upgraded power resonates across the entire system, not just the string trimmer attachment. Others, like the bristle brush, rubber broom, pole saw, and cultivator, will all perform with more confidence using the new powerhead.

Milwaukee Quik-Lok Attachment System Gen 2 Price

If you’re already on Milwaukee’s attachment system, you don’t have to rebuy the attachments you already have to upgrade your powerhead. You can get it on its own or take advantage of several combo options to save some money. Here’s what’s available:

Gen 2 Quik-Lok Powerhead Only (3016-20): $199
Gen 2 Quik-Lok String Trimmer (3016-20ST): $249 (no battery or charger)
Gen 2 Quik-Lok String Trimmer Kit (3016-21ST): $349
Gen 2 Quik-Lok Pole Saw (3016-20PS): $349 (no battery or charger)
Gen 2 Quik-Lok Pole Saw Kit (3016-21PS): $499

Note the kit options include an 8.0Ah Forge battery and an M18/M12 rapid charger. The pole saw kit also includes an extension pole that doesn’t come with the bare tool pole saw combo.

Shop Quik-Lok Gen 2

The Bottom Line

Like many of you, I came into this review wondering if it’s worth upgrading from the original to the Gen 2 Milwaukee M18 Fuel Quik-Lok powerhead. Based on what I experienced, I’m glad I did. The additional power brings the system to a higher level. It’s very much like the difference between a 25cc and 31cc gas powerhead—both can do the job, but the stronger one is more effective and efficient for demanding tasks.

With the number of attachments now available, the Quik-Lok attachment system has the versatility to maintain nearly any property. The tools are well-designed for their purpose, improve your workflow, and provide professional-quality results. While there’s still room to expand the attachment selections, the system is well-suited to meet the needs of most lawn care crews.

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Quik-Lok Attachments

Milwaukee currently has 13 attachments available for the M18 Fuel Quik-Lok system. All of them are compatible with either the Gen 1 or Gen 2 powerhead.