This Milwaukee Gear Could Help Power Your Outdoor Christmas Decorations
Christmas is the time to bring out the lights and lawn decorations to make your house more festive and inviting. However, many times that can involve dragging out extension cords and cleaning the outdoor plugs rarely used throughout the rest of the year. What if you used a generator instead? Choosing the right generator can help keep your electric bill at a minimum, depending on how often you need to change a generator's battery if required.
The biggest component to keep in mind when choosing a generator is how many watts your decorations are going to use in the time you want them actively lit. There are outdoor Christmas lights that can use 1,000 watts or more. Don't let that discourage you, though — some lights can pull as few as 72 watts or even less.
Based on professional reviews from Pro Tool Reviews, a reputable publication in the industry, as well as a mix of user reviews, these are a few different Milwaukee generators you can use to power outdoor Christmas decorations that are placed too far from wired outlets.
MX Fuel 3600-watt/1800-watt push portable battery-powered generator
If you're trying to light up the neighborhood or have a vast array of inflatable decorations in your front yard, which can use anywhere from 100 to 240 watts per inflatable, you'll want to invest in a generator that can support that amount of power. Milwaukee's MX FUEL 3600-watt/1800-watt push start generator is an option. It does come with a hefty price of $2,380, but it is fully compatible with all MX FUEL equipment. The peak wattage is 3600 while the running wattage is 1800, so you'll be able to start and use high-draw devices.
This generator is easy to use with a push start while also being eco-friendly due to no emissions and no use of gas or oil. It's all battery-powered, and when the batteries go dead, it only takes 45 minutes to fully charge. Additionally, it's a fairly quiet generator at 60 dB, so running it for a few hours at night won't wake up your neighbors. According to Pro Tool Review, one downside to the generator is the small amount of on-board capacity compared to some other generators on the market. If you're a loyal Milwaukee customer, though, this remains a solid option.
M18 18V cordless 3600-watt/1800-watt battery power supply
If you're looking for a power supply that is lighter in weight and costs under a third of the price as the MX Fuel option, Milwaukee's M18 18-volt 3600-watt/1800-watt power supply comes in at $699 and weighs just 28 lbs. It contains a pure sine wave inverter, which safely turns DC power to AC power, protecting your Christmas lights and inflatable Santa.
As with the MX Fuel generator, this power bank has a starting wattage of 3600 and a running wattage of 1800. However, the amount of power you receive from the battery generator depends on the type of M18 battery you're using with it. Four HD12.0v batteries will get you approximately three times the amount of running time compared to four XC5.0v batteries.
A drawback of using this unit is that the price of two HD12.0v batteries will run you $498, and that does not include the charging bay. So, if you haven't already invested in Milwaukee's M18 system, it can get a bit expensive. Additionally, it's not as feature-heavy as some other power supplies, according to Pro Tool Reviews, which means you have fewer options to work with. If it offers the specific features you need and you've already invested in the batteries, however, it's a relatively affordable option that should last you through many Christmas seasons.
M18 18-volt lithium-ion 175-watt powered compact inverter
Let's say you have a strand or two of lights outside that only pull 70 watts a piece — in that case, you have the option of purchasing a much smaller power supply. Milwaukee's M18 18-volt 175-watt powered compact inverter comes in at $99, though you'll also need to buy a compatible Milwaukee battery if you don't already have one. Additionally, the running time depends on the size of the battery that you are using. In Pro Tool Reviews overview of the Milwaukee product, it states that the power supply can maintain full power even while all the ports are in use.
To use the power supply, push the battery into the power supply like you would any Milwaukee power tool and plug your Christmas lights into the AC 120v outlet. You also have the option of using the USB-C port, but it's important to note that it can only handle up to 45 watts. However, because of how lightweight it is, you can hang it anywhere with the rafter hook that comes installed on the side.
How we selected these products
Our selection of these three Milwaukee products is based on evaluating a variety of customer reviews published about each one, as well as reviews from the professional industry website Pro Tool Reviews, which uses its expertise to analyze products from many commercial brands.