Milwaukee, WI
5 Tools Craftsman Makes That Milwaukee Doesn’t – SlashGear
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Even though many of us are no longer buying Craftsman tools sold at Sears, the brand is still going strong, adding new tools to its catalog each year. These include home improvement and other power tools in its cordless V20 line, as well as lawn and outdoor equipment the company has long had a strong reputation for. Craftsman has been around nearly as long as another red-colored major tool manufacturer – Milwaukee – but the two brands are not exactly considered equals.
Milwaukee’s tools are generally pretty pricey, though they offer power and high-quality engineering that many would agree are superior to Craftsman’s products. That’s not to say that Milwaukee is the better brand, but rather that each caters to different audiences, with Milwaukee’s premium hardware geared more toward professionals. Craftsman, on the other hand, aims for DIYers and those who use tools when they need to, but not every day. This difference between the two also affects the types of tools each offers within its catalog. Many of us — even the most casual tool users — could use a lawn mower, but not everyone needs a PEX Pipe Expander.
Craftsman tools are still considered reliable and good quality. After all, the brand likely wouldn’t have survived a century if that wasn’t the case. But, generally speaking, you can expect them to be a bit less powerful, less durable for daily use, and lacking in more niche areas. That said, there are still some products sold by the company that Milwaukee doesn’t offer, and if you’re in the market for one of these, the latter brand won’t be of any use to you.
Chipper Shredder Vacuum
One area Craftsman has an edge over Milwaukee is when it comes to landscaping tools, likely since many of them can be used by most people with little training. Milwaukee still has a fair share of options, including string trimmers, cultivators, and leaf blowers, but it doesn’t have a Chipper Shredder Vacuum. The Craftsman 24-inch 163-cc Chipper Shredder Vacuum is an interesting piece of machinery — a twisted hybrid of a lawn mower, vacuum cleaner, and mulcher.
It’s pushed around and operated like a lawn mower, but has a large, flexible hose attached that you work handheld. The hose is used to suck up sticks and branches, similar to a blower in reverse. Unlike a blower, which typically chops up leaves and twigs for easier disposal, the chipper shredder cuts its debris up much more, allowing you to use it as mulch and compost. The machine is powered by a 163-cc Briggs & Stratton Mower and has a 24-inch vacuuming width on its underbelly. It’s equipped with a side chute, and its seven-foot hose can be lengthened with a three-foot extension tube.
The tool is equipped with a lever that adjusts nozzle height, allowing for ground clearance between ⅝-inches and 4-⅛-inches. Its collection bag can hold two bushels of chips and mulch before needing to be emptied, and Craftsman says the machine has a debris reduction ratio of 8:1. This can be a pretty useful device to keep in your tool shed, but the reviews of Craftsman’s Chipper Shredder Vacuum from people who’ve used it are currently mixed at best.
Air Ratchet Wrench
Pneumatic tools may not be as easily portable as their battery-powered counterparts, but some still prefer air-driven equipment for a variety of reasons. These include the potential fire hazards that powerful lithium batteries pose, as well as the need to replenish batteries as they age or, worse, buy totally new tools if a brand evolves its power system. Those who do prefer air-driven tools will find Milwaukee’s inventory very lacking, even for basic tools like a ratchet wrench, though it is one of the top brands for air compressors that power such equipment.
You likely wouldn’t be able to build out an entire pneumatic tool setup using Craftsman alone, but the brand does offer a ratchet wrench and other commonly used air tools. The Craftsman 3/8-inch Air Ratchet Wrench Model delivers up to 50 ft-lbs. of torque and 180 rpm. The tool can quickly adjust between forward and reverse using a switch on the ratchet head, though it lacks variable-speed control in its contoured trigger.
Craftsman’s Air Ratchet Wrench consumes an average 4.4 scfm of air at 90 psi and includes a standard 1/4-inch NPT air inlet to connect to most pneumatic systems, though a quick plug connector is not included. Since it doesn’t require a ton of force, it would pair well with Craftsman’s smaller portable electric 6-gallon air compressor. The ratchet’s handle is insulated to keep the air from chilling your hands and is also textured for a better grip when your hands are wet or greasy. A muffler is built in to help reduce operational noise.
Manual Grass/Weed Cutter
Milwaukee is more known for its power tools than its hand tools these days, though it still builds some of the latter, especially automotive gear. However, the brand isn’t reliable for lawn equipment if you’re looking for cheap, simple hand tools like a garden rake or a grass/weed cutter. A grass/weed cutter barely takes up space in the shed and, while it requires more grunt work, can be a better option than a string trimmer for those who hate the noise or cost of one. That cost includes the string heads that need to be continuously replenished, and issues with installing them and fixing jams might be the biggest reason somebody prefers a manual tool instead.
As one of the many Craftsman tools that can help with yard work, its Long-Handle Grass/Weed Cutter utilizes a sharp, double-edged serrated blade to slice through vegetation. Because it’s double-edged, you’re cutting as you move the tool both forward and back toward you as you swing, making your manual labor more efficient. The head is a little over 14 inches long for a decent-sized cutting width, and can cut weeds over uneven, rocky environments. It’s built from steel, with the head double-bolted to the handle, so it’s durable enough to clear ditches, fields of tall grass, and other large patches of overgrown areas.
The hardwood handle is also tough, strong, and up to 30 inches long, but the bare-bones tool doesn’t include any cushioned grip. It weighs 2.4 pounds. Craftsman offers a 15-year limited warranty in the event that the blade or handle needs repair or replacement. Though simple, the cutter accomplishes a task that most property owners, landscapers, and maintenance crews need to take care of — after all, weeds grow like, well, weeds.
Universal Powerhead Wet/Dry Vac
Milwaukee just edges out Craftsman when looking at the best major shop vac brands, but there’s at least one type of vacuum that Craftsman makes that you can’t get from Milwaukee – sort of. Both tool brands make a powerhead wet/dry vac, which is basically a thin, flat suction device with no container that can then be attached top-down to a bucket. The big difference, though, is that Milwaukee’s vac only attaches to its proprietary bucket shape, while Craftsman makes a universal Powerhead Wet/Dry Vac that can be used with “most 5-gallon buckets.”
There are certainly benefits to using Milwaukee’s shop vac, especially its Packout-compatible model, which can be a great modular accessory for your tool stack. But, like many Milwaukee products, it’s costly and so are the buckets it’s compatible with — the Milwaukee 12-gallon Wet/Dry Tank has a list price of $99. The buckets you can use with Craftsman’s powerhead, on the other hand, can be found all over the place or be recycled from some other project. You can buy a new bucket on Amazon for less than $10.
That’s good, because the Craftsman 1.75 Peak HP Powerhead Wet/Dry Vac doesn’t come with a bucket. It’s equipped with a 1-1/4 x 4-foot hose to suck up wet or dry debris and collect it into the container you attach. It also has a blower port if you want to reverse the airflow and clear debris or dust. Its six-foot power cord gives you decent reach in the workshop without an extension cord, and its compact size and 4.5-pound weight give it portability.
Riding Mower
There is just one single lawn mower in Milwaukee’s current catalog, and it’s a 21-inch push mower. Craftsman offers multiple types of push mowers, as well as several riding mowers and even more advanced zero-turn models. Its riding mowers range from 30 to 54-inch deck widths and include both gear-drive and automatic options, as well as “Turn Tight” mowers powered by a V-twin Hydrostatic engine. Most of these are gas-powered, though there is one Craftsman battery-powered riding mower available — the Craftsman 56V Max 30-inch Compact Riding.
With a 30-ah battery, Craftsman says the mower can run for up to an hour and cover an acre of grass before needing to recharge. The company also says it’s 65% quieter than gas models. It features an LED headlight, soft-touch steering wheel, cruise control, and compatibility with Craftsman mower bags, which are sold separately. It has the same deck size as the Craftsman 30-inch 10.5-horsepower Gear Drive Mini Gas Riding Lawn Mower, which also includes a mulching kit, unlike other Craftsman mowers.
The brand offers three different zero-turn mowers, including 42-inch and 46-inch models. Its Z5200 is powered by a beefy Kohler 7000 capable of producing 20 horsepower. Something to note is that, across the board, owners have shared common issues with Craftsman riding mowers, including transmission issues, blades that won’t engage, and engines that refuse to start. Other users, though, like them just fine.
MILWAUKEE – County Executive David Crowley hosted a roundtable discussion on Monday, Jan. 26, to highlight Milwaukee County’s Credible Messenger Program, which aims to improve public safety and support local youth involved in the justice system through expanding mentorship, resources, and job opportunities.
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County Executive Crowley was joined by Credible Messenger partners, local leaders, and representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to discuss how to continue addressing public safety challenges through community violence intervention initiatives, youth engagement efforts, and greater partnership with state and federal leaders.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Office of County Executive David Crowley.
MKE Police Chief Norman criticized for Israel trip
Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman is under scrutiny after attending counterterrorism training in Israel, as residents criticized the trip during a commission meeting and officials defended it as nonpolitical.
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman is facing criticism after it was revealed he recently attended a counterterrorism training program in Israel, prompting public backlash during a Fire and Police Commission meeting.
What we know:
The Milwaukee Police Department said Norman was out of the office from Dec. 1 through Dec. 7 while participating in a homeland security program in Israel. The trip drew sharp criticism during Thursday’s Fire and Police Commission meeting, where speakers questioned the timing and implications of the training.
For more than two hours, residents spoke before the commission, calling out Norman for attending the program amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
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“For this police chief in this political climate when there’s a genocide happening right now, to go learn tactics to further oppress our communities, is shameful,” said Angela Lang, Black Leaders Organizing for Communities.
One Fire and Police Commission member also apologized publicly to residents.
“I called this trip unconscionable and I believe that with my chest,” said Krissie Fung. “I think that for many Milwaukeeans this is not something they will ever forgive.”
What they’re saying:
Norman sat quietly in the front row during the meeting. He later released a statement defending the trip:
“At last night’s Fire and Police Commission meeting, members of the community and various organizations shared their concerns regarding my recent training trip to Israel. I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to express their thoughts and experiences.
Community feedback is invaluable, and I do not take it lightly. I am honored to serve a diverse community—one that includes a wide range of perspectives.
In 2025, I was invited to participate in the Homeland Security Program in Israel, sponsored by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) and the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA). This program, established after 9/11, facilitates the exchange of best practices between U.S. law enforcement and leading counterterrorism experts. Given today’s global security challenges, I viewed this as an important opportunity to learn strategies for preventing and responding to terrorism—knowledge that ultimately enhances the safety of the entire community I serve.
As a leader, I believe in lifelong learning. Every experience, including the feedback I received last night, is part of that journey. I want to assure you that your comments were heard and taken seriously.”
Dig deeper:
The training program was led by retired FBI Assistant Director Steven Pomerantz, who said the program began in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and is not political in nature.
“There was no political tones to it, no connection to the military,” Pomerantz said. “It’s all about law enforcement.”
Pomerantz said Israeli national police have extensive experience dealing with terrorism and have shared lessons learned with U.S. law enforcement for years.
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“The Israel national police had more experience than any other police agency in the world dealing with terrorism and a lot of lessons they had learned over the years that they were willing to share with American law enforcement,” he said.
The program is limited to local law enforcement leaders, including sheriffs, police chiefs and commissioners. Pomerantz said participants learn how agencies in Israel share and analyze information to prevent terrorist attacks.
“What he learned in Israel and what he’s implemented since he’s been back, makes the people of Milwaukee safer,” Pomerantz said.
Another question raised during the meeting was who paid for the trip. MPD said the training is run by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.
The question everyone asks when a trade like this happens is pretty simple: Was this the right move for the team?
Some deals cut a little deeper, and this one definitely feels like one of those.
But this is how the Milwaukee Brewers operate, regardless of whether you agree with the strategy. On Wednesday, the Crew traded ace right-hander Freddy Peralta. They sent him and an expendable piece, right-hander Tobias Myers, to the New York Mets for two of their top-five prospects: infielder-outfielder Jett Williams and right-handed starter Brandon Sproat.
One of the first negative reactions I saw on social media was something from a national baseball writer to the effect of “The Brewers, not the Dodgers, are ruining baseball because they can’t afford $8 million.”
That is certainly a take. Very wrong, but certainly a take.
The Brewers were more than willing to pay Peralta $8 million for 2026. The reason behind the trade is what comes after 2026. No, I’m not talking about whatever happens related to a lockout or strike or anything related to the collective bargaining agreement.
Instead, it has to do with Peralta’s future. He will be a free agent following the 2026 World Series. Peralta enters his age-30 season in a prime position to cash in. After a team-friendly five-year, $15.5 million contract extension that then became a seven-year, $31.6 million deal with two club options that bought out two free-agent years, Peralta is due a payday. He has earned it. Remember that Peralta came to the Brewers as one of three wild cards as they dealt first baseman Adam Lind to the Seattle Mariners following the 2015 season. Peralta hadn’t played any higher than the complex league in Arizona at that point and was 19 years old when he joined the Crew.
In the 10 years since, Peralta has been a self-made pitcher. Sure, the Brewers gave him all the tools they could, but it was Peralta who put in the work and rose from obscurity to MLB All-Star and Cy Young Award contender. And the Brewers reaped the benefits of that and took advantage of the salary-suppression system MLB employs to get more value out of their investment in Peralta. No longer is he Fastball Freddy, the youngster who could only throw a variety of fastballs. Now he features three offspeed pitches in a changeup, slider, and curveball to go along with a four-seam fastball.
Since his stunning 13-strikeout MLB debut on that Mother’s Day in Colorado in 2018, Peralta has been an integral part of the Brewers’ success. Since joining the rotation full-time at the beginning of the 2021 season, Peralta has been a rock in the rotation, even if he wasn’t spectacular for most of that. He started 139 of 141 games with a FIP of 3.65, an ERA of 3.30, and an ERA+ of 126. That ERA+ means Peralta was 26% above the average MLB pitcher. That number was certainly boosted by his 2025 performance, where he posted a 154 ERA+ and finished fifth in NL Cy Young Award voting.
The Brewers’ philosophy of baseball business is not to overpay. They don’t want to hand out exorbitant salaries that could weigh down their roster at the back end. The Brewers are approaching that situation with Christian Yelich, who has three more years at about $24 million each before a mutual option at $20 million for 2029 (those are usually declined). Peralta will certainly clear what Yelich, technically the Crew’s highest-paid player*, is making, perhaps even approach $30 million a year. It is his market value at this moment. The Brewers would have given Peralta a qualifying offer (probably around $23 million for 2027), which he would have declined and netted the Brewers one single draft pick.
That was the situation Brandon Woodruff was in this offseason. Woodruff accepted the qualifying offer and returned on a $22.025 million contract for 2026. That is on top of the $10 million mutual option buyout the Crew paid Woodruff instead of a $20 million contract. So Woodruff is really making $32.025 million this season* (thus the mythical highest-paid Brewers player).
Could the Brewers afford Peralta’s $8 million for 2026? Of course. That was never in question. But the Brewers, like they did with closer Josh Hader, starter Corbin Burnes, and closer Devin Williams, sold high on the player in question. Burnes netted shortstop Joey Ortiz, left-hander DL Hall, and a draft pick that resulted in first baseman Blake Burke from the Baltimore Orioles. Williams brought back third baseman Caleb Durbin and left-handed starter Nestor Cortes.
Hall hasn’t panned out yet, and Cortes flamed out due to injury. Ortiz and Durbin are the starting left side of the infield. Time will tell on Jett Williams and Sproat, but their pedigree is higher than that of the others acquired in those other two deals. This is how the Brewers churn their talent. This is part of the secret sauce they have used to win three straight NL Central titles.
I am on record as saying Peralta was the perfect player for the Brewers to invest in. He epitomizes what they do, taking a ball of clay and molding it into something useful.
But I also understand the Brewers’ philosophy and agree with it to a certain extent. Players should get paid what they are worth, and teams also have the right not to make a bad investment. Hader cashed in. Devin Williams got his payday. So did Burnes, who then got hurt. Peralta, barring the unforeseen, will get his next offseason.
Just not from the Brewers, who sold Peralta at his peak and now instead have two good prospects, bolstering an already-burgeoning farm system.
Was this the right move for the team?
Yes, it was.
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