12V drill/drivers · Comparison
The short answer
Bigger holes, deck screws, some steel? Milwaukee
Cabinets, furniture, pocket holes? Bosch
Both are brushless, two-speed and about 6 inches long, so they look closer than they are. The Milwaukee has more torque (400 vs 300 in-lbs), a 1/2 in. chuck and much bigger rated hole sizes. The Bosch is half a pound lighter, spins faster in high gear and has finer clutch steps.
Best for bigger holes and screws
Kit 3403-22: drill, one 2.0Ah and one 4.0Ah battery, charger, contractor bag.
Check the Milwaukee kit on AmazonBest for light assembly
Kit GSR12V-300B22: drill, two 2.0Ah batteries, charger, carrying bag.
Check the Bosch kit on AmazonBefore you buy: I compared the two kits (drill, batteries, charger, bag), since a first 12V drill needs batteries. When I checked on Oct 8, 2026, the Milwaukee kit was sold by a third-party seller, not Amazon. Milwaukee's warranty covers tools bought from an authorized Milwaukee distributor. Listings change, so check who the seller is and that it's new before you order.
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This counts the rows below where one number is clearly better. It's a tally, not an overall rating. The Bosch's three wins (weight, clutch steps, top speed) are the ones that matter most for light furniture work.
A green check means that number is clearly better. No check means it's a tie, the gap is tiny, or the makers measure it differently. Every figure comes from Milwaukee or Bosch, not from Amazon.
| Milwaukee M12 FUEL 3403 | Bosch GSR12V-300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Max torque | 400 in-lbs | 300 in-lbs |
| Chuck | 1/2 in. all-metal, keyless | 3/8 in. keyless, three-jaw |
| No-load speed (low / high gear) | 0–450 / 0–1,550 rpm | 0–460 / 0–1,750 rpm |
| Clutch settings | 12 plus drill mode | 20 clutch steps plus drill mode (20+1) |
| Max hole in wood (maker rating) | 1-1/4 in. spade (flat) bit · 1 in. auger · 2 in. hole saw | 3/4 in. |
| Max hole in steel (maker rating) | 1/2 in. | 3/8 in. (mild metal) |
| Max screw diameter (maker rating) | 1/2 in. | 9/32 in. |
| Weight, tool only | 2.1 lb | 1.6 lb |
| Weight with battery | 2.5 lb | Not listed by Bosch |
| Length (head length) | 5.95 in. | 6.0 in. |
| Height | 7 in. | 7.2 in. |
| Motor | POWERSTATE brushless | EC brushless |
| Batteries in the kit | One 2.0Ah + one 4.0Ah (XC) | Two 2.0Ah |
| Tool warranty | 5 years | 3 years |
| Battery warranty | 2.0Ah pack 2 years; 4.0Ah pack 3 years | 3 years (tools, chargers and batteries) |
These are real shop jobs, checked against each maker's own numbers: torque, chuck size, rated hole sizes, speed, weight and length. I haven't tested either drill. If a job goes past a rating the maker publishes, it gets a CAN’T, even if some people push their drill further.
| Job | Milwaukee M12 FUEL 3403 | Bosch GSR12V-300 |
|---|---|---|
| Screws | ||
| Deck screws | Can do3 in. screws into framing: 400 in-lbs, and the manual lists deck screws. | Just barelyWithin its 9/32 in. screw rating, but 100 in-lbs less. Use low gear. |
| Cabinet screws | Can doClutch 1–3 (about 10–16 in-lbs) is listed for small cabinet screws. | Can do20 clutch steps: finer control than Milwaukee’s 12. |
| Pocket holes | Just barelyKreg bit fits; 1,550 rpm is barely over the 1,500 Kreg says works. | Can doKreg bit fits; 1,750 rpm is closer to the 2,000 Kreg prefers. |
| Holes in wood | ||
| Small holes (3/4") | Can do3/4 in. spade bit: well under its 1-1/4 in. flat-bit rating. | Just barelyExactly Bosch’s 3/4 in. max for wood. |
| Medium holes (1" spade) | Can doUnder its 1-1/4 in. spade rating. A 1 in. auger is right at its limit. | Can’tPast its 3/4 in. max for wood (spade or auger). |
| Big holes (1-1/2" hole saw) | Can do1-1/2 in. hole saw: inside its 2 in. rating. Use low gear. | Can’tTwice its 3/4 in. max for wood. |
| Door lock hole (2-1/8" hole saw) | Can’tHole saw just past its 2 in. rating. | Can’tFar past its 3/4 in. max for wood. |
| Metal | ||
| Small steel holes (3/8") | Can doUnder its 1/2 in. steel rating. Use cutting oil. | Just barelyExactly its 3/8 in. mild-metal max. |
| Large steel holes (1/2") | Just barelyExactly its 1/2 in. steel max. | Can’tPast its 3/8 in. mild-metal max. |
| Comfort | ||
| Tight spaces | Can do5.95 in. long; Milwaukee calls it the shortest in its class. | Can do6.0 in. head length, just 0.05 in. longer. |
| Overhead work | Can do2.1 lb bare, 2.5 lb with battery. Light, but the heavier one. | Can do1.6 lb bare. Bosch pitches it for overhead work. |
| Other | ||
| Mixing | Can’tNot a listed use. Thinset or paint needs a mixer or full-size drill. | Can’tNot a listed use. Thinset or paint needs a mixer or full-size drill. |
Ratings are the makers' maximums. Bit sharpness, wood species, and battery charge all affect how a hole actually goes.
How the verdicts were made: each job was compared with the maker's published limit. Hole sizes come from the "Capacities" block in each operator's manual. Torque, speed, weight, and length come from the product spec pages. Nothing here comes from hands-on testing or owner reviews.
Deck screws: Milwaukee's manual names "deck screws" at clutch settings 11–13 (about 37–45 in-lbs). For long screws, use drill mode for full torque. Bosch's manual gives a max screw size (9/32 in.) but doesn't name screw types.
Pocket holes: the Kreg Easy-Set bit has a 1/4 in. hex shank and a 3/8 in. stepped tip, so it fits both chucks. Kreg's K4 manual says to run variable-speed drills at the fastest speed. An older Kreg owner's guide says a 2,000+ rpm drill gives the cleanest holes, and a 1,500 rpm drill "will do the trick" with more bit wear.
Mixing: neither manual lists mixing as a use. Thinset and full buckets of paint are a long, heavy load, so these verdicts follow what the makers list rather than guessing.
Sources:
Your first drill decides which batteries you own. The batteries don't cross over: an M12 pack won't fit a Bosch 12V tool, and a Bosch pack won't fit an M12 tool.
Milwaukee says this drill is part of the M12 system, which it describes as "fully compatible with over 125 solutions." That covers far more than drills and drivers.
Bosch's 12V Max line includes drill/drivers, pocket screwdrivers, hammer drills, impact drivers and wrenches, a right-angle drill, a jig saw, a planer, a palm edge router, a reciprocating saw, an oscillating multi-tool, a grinder, and lights. It's a smaller line than M12, but it covers the main woodworking tools.
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if you mostly drill pocket holes. Its 1,550 rpm high gear sits right at the low end of what Kreg says works. Skip it too if every ounce matters for overhead work.
if you'll often need holes bigger than 3/4 in. in wood or 3/8 in. in steel, or bits with shanks wider than 3/8 in. Those are past its rating or its chuck.
I left this out on purpose. I only list an owner point when at least three separate owners of this exact model said it, with linked sources, and I haven't checked that for either drill yet. For now this page sticks to what the makers publish.
On paper, yes. Milwaukee rates the 3403 at 400 in-lbs and Bosch rates the GSR12V-300 at 300 in-lbs. Milwaukee also publishes much bigger maximum hole sizes for wood and steel.
Both can. The Kreg bit's 1/4 in. hex shank fits both chucks. Kreg says to run the drill at full speed and prefers 2,000+ rpm. The Bosch tops out at 1,750 rpm and the Milwaukee at 1,550, so neither gets there, but the Bosch comes closer.
Only for bits with round shanks wider than 3/8 in. Hex-shank driver bits and most small drill bits fit both. The bigger limit on the Bosch is its 3/4 in. max hole in wood, not the chuck.
No. M12 packs fit Milwaukee M12 tools, and Bosch 12V Max packs fit Bosch 12V Max tools.
Get the kit if this is your first 12V tool, since the bare tool has no battery or charger. Both brands also sell the drill alone (Milwaukee 3403-20, Bosch GSR12V-300N) if you already own their batteries.
Specs checked October 8, 2026 against Milwaukee's and Bosch's own pages and manuals. Links are in "Notes and sources" under the chart above.