Milwaukee 2897-22 M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Brushless Hammer Drill/Impact Driver Combo Kit (Latest Model)

• Includes: 2704-20 1/2 in. hammer drill, 2753-20 1/4 in. hex impact driver, (2) REDLITHIUM XC 5.0 batteries, M12-M18 multi-voltage charger, (2) belt clips, (2) bit holders, side handle, carrying case
• M18 FUEL hammer drill/driver's POWERSTATE brushless motor delivers 1,200 in. lbs. of peak torque and up to 2,000 RPM for faster drilling speeds
• M18 FUEL impact driver's POWERSTATE brushless motor delivers 1800 in. lbs. of fastening torque for faster driving speeds
• REDLINK PLUS intelligence prevents damage to the tool and battery due to overloading or overheating
• REDLITHIUM battery technology has superior pack construction, electronics and performance to deliver more work per charge and more work over pack life than any battery on the market

The 2897-22 M18 Fuel 2-Tool Combo Kit is the highest performing Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit on the market. Also included is the M18 Fuel 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver (2753-20), the Most Powerful Impact Driver in its class. At 1800 in. lbs. of fastening torque, this impact drives screws faster but also provides greater control over power and speed thanks to its proprietary 4-Mode DRIVE CONTROL. M18 Fuel features the most advanced cordless technology available; a POWERSTATE Brushless Motor, REDLINK PLUS Electronic Intelligence and REDLITHIUM Battery Technology, resulting in longer motor life, more runs time and more power. REDLITHIUM XC 5.0Ah batteries deliver more work per charge and more work over the life of the battery. Compatible batteries: 48-11-1815, 48-11-1828, 48-11-1840, 48-11-1850, 48-11-1820.

                                      

By J. J. Dyck

After a month of heavy use, I could not be happier with this set. From drilling with auger & spade bits, fastening drywall, sinking deck screws to drilling precise pilots holes, this kit can handle it all.

PROs
-power - torque and driving capacity to spare
-adjustibility - drill has lots of settings and 3-speed button adjustment on driver is incredibly useful
-ease of use - all settings are clearly marked and where they should be, battery has fuel gauge
-durability - dropped already several times, these things will take a lickin' and keep on tickin'...
-long battery life

CONs
-chuck on drill, while metal, could use deeper grooves for easier tightening
-weight - theses things are solid, heavy - may turn off some users

Overall, couldn't be happier with this set - and shouldn't need replacement for a long, long time!

By Pseudonym

These were the first tools I bought as part of my begrudging conversion to the religion of Milwaukee. I've since bought much more and am never looking back.

The impact driver is tougher than any other I've owned or used (including Makita, a couple different DeWalts, Hitachi, Bosch [...seriously, who thought that was a good idea?], a much older Milwaukee, Craftsman...you get the idea). The wide range of gear and speed selections is helpful and the variable speed trigger is surprisingly precise (I don't know if that aspect of the trigger will last, but for several months it's been wonderful). To be honest, I have a hard time finding excuses to use the highest gear at the maximum speed. It is extreme.

The hammer drill I use less often but when I need it, it doesn't let me down. It will eat through a thick slab of cement like a thin strip of bacon (provided you use a good quality drill bit). I also sometimes use it as a driver when my team needs all hands on deck (so somebody else is using the impact) - it can serve this purpose at the lowest settings, but be gentle, because it's like asking Andre the Giant to wash your tiny porcelain dollhouse teacups. When performing extreme tasks, it can get very hot, but a brush motor would get even hotter sooner and then just fail whereas this one toughs it out to the finish (just wear thick gloves because your hands will burn out before this motor does).

The combination of the brushless motor (more efficient power transfer) and the 4AH XC battery keeps going forever. I can use these all day, forget to charge them, and still have enough left the next day. When I do remember to charge them, it happens fast (as advertised).

These aren't cheap but they're worth every penny and more.

By Steve

I was looking for a good professional quality cordless drill that would last a while. I'm a big "made in America" fan but I couldn't find a cordless drill made in America (100%), so I looked for the best one out there. I watched a number of you tube video comparisons and read a lot of reviews. The guys at work use Dewalt and Milwaukee nut drivers. Both get the job done, but the guys using them say the Milwaukee has a lot more power than the Dewalt. I finally chose this Milwaukee 1/2 inch drive drill and 1/4 nut driver combo. The drill is every bit as powerful as a corded 1/2 inch drill. I built a seesaw for my kids, which involved drilling holes and screwing a tub of deck screws and I didn't even drain half of one battery. I thought I would test the nut driver, so I got a half inch socket adapter and it was easily able to take the lug nuts off my car wheels and put them back on. The case for these is even high quality and durable. If you plan to expand your cordless tools Milwaukee has a huge line of tools you can use with these batteries. The other smaller detail I like about this set is the LED light. Some drills have a little dot for the light to shine through, these have a half moon shaped LED light, so it provides a lot of light on your work area. Great drill and driver set.

By D.M.

Awesome tools. I bought these to replace a set of older 28 volt Milwaukee. I can not tell any difference in power. Hard to believe how many holes I drilled in a 8 inch thick solid concrete wall on one battery. I did burn up 4 drill bits while doing it. If they last as long as the 28 volt I will be happy and I believe they will.
Great tools absolutely worth the money!!!!!!

By Bushybro

I used both of these tools over the span of a month. I started off with a full charge on both and used them pretty regularly. See, we had just bought a house and the honey-do list was so long, it was rolling out the door. Over the past month, I have hung new fixtures and fans in pretty much every room of my home, did some framing in the basement, redid the stairs on the front porch, hung blinds, installed appliances, assembled furniture, etc, etc, etc. These things would not die and they would not lose power. Buy now.

By Clayster

These tools are great! The impact driver is rated at 1600 in/lbs which is the highest in it's class. It also has 3 speeds to avoid over-torquing whatever you are driving. Keyless chuck is great and super fast. The 2 incredibly light XC 4.0 batteries that come with the kit last forever and add extra power to the tools. The hammer drill is awesome. Super powerful with 725 in/lbs of torque. Has 3 modes for hammer, drive, and drill. In hammer mode the hammer function automatically kicks in when pressure is applied to the bit. Also has 2 speeds. I see no reason to have a "normal" drill since this hammer drill weighs .1 lbs more than the fuel drill/driver, has the same torque rating, and also has hammer mode.

By QuirkyFitnessGeek

What an outstanding set. I replaced a 15 year old DeWalt drill with these, and I can't believe I waited this long. Both units have plenty of power, feel great in the hand and do the job well. I was quite impressed by how quickly the battery charges to full as well. Milwaukee tools are exceptional and these certainly live up to that name. I spent a little more for these than other brands, but I don't regret it in the slightest.

By Joshua M Dann

I am a DIYer, a woodworker (wannabe), a home handyman, and generally a "maker". I have been in need of a new cordless drill for some time. Replacing a quickly dying 8+ year old B&D 18v set, I knew that anything I got would be an upgrade. Since I use my drills so much for so many things, I decided to hedge my bets with this set - get the latest and greatest that should give me many years of service. Brushless is the hot new trend in these things, and for good reason. Longer tool life, longer battery runtime, etc. After comparing the available brushed and brushless sets in every imaginable category, I settled on buying one of the top brushless offerings from one of the big players. These are tools I use nearly every single day and I just couldn't see myself sacrificing quality or features to save a few dollars. I even considered the Festool Hybrid option, as I have a few other Festool products and absolutely adore them... but in this case I couldn't find a way to justify that extra expense.

I watched and re-watched many (all?) of the review videos on this Milwaukee set, the competing DeWalt, Makita, and Bosch, as well as some other not-as-popular options including Ridgid, Hitachi, and Panasonic to name a few. For weeks I poured over technical specs and options. I looked for the best deals I could find and even missed a few sale opportunities in the name of due diligence. I decided I wanted the Bosch.

I tried and tried to find a Bosch sale as good as the ones I missed on Black Friday and just wasn't able to locate that sweet deal. I was disappointed because I liked everything about that set I could read or watch on the internet... then I found a brick and mortar store that actually carried them. Too small! They advertise the most ergonomic and comfortable grip on the market. For some people that might be true, but for me the things just didn't fit well. For some perspective, I am a large individual. I'm 6'6" and I wear an XXL or XXXL size golf glove (try finding a decent selection of those!). My gorilla hands made the Bosch look tiny and feel uncomfortable. Sure, I could use them just fine... but my infatuation with that product faded very quickly once I had them in my meaty paws. I had almost the same issue with the high-end DeWalt set. Not quite as bad, but still not right. I'm used to the world being made for people of a smaller stature... but I have to be comfortable with a tool that I'm going to use this often.

Enter the Milwaukee. The first time I picked one up, it just fit. The larger grip is also rubberized in all the right places (unlike the Bosch impact) and the included 4.0Ah batteries added heft that I felt was lacking in the competitors. The tools also balance nicely in the hand. They just feel solid to me. The Makita was similar in size, so it was an option, too... but for almost the same price, the Milwaukee comes with 33% more battery capacity. I was sold.

Fortunately for me, HD is running a sale where you get $150 off the purchase of this set (or any of 3 other choices) plus an additional cordless tool of your choice. The way the deal read, I thought it would be $150 towards that other tool (meaning a $99 tool was free, but you still paid full price for the set). When I checked out with this and the multi-tool of the same system ($99 pricetag), the whole ticket was reduced by $150. Score! So, I got this set plus the multi-tool for $350 total. IMO that's a pretty dang good deal.

Now that I've had them in use for a couple of weeks, I am seriously impressed. The fit and finish of this kit is top-notch. The performance is amazing. The battery life is ridiculously good - I charged both batteries up (very quickly on the included charger!) and put one in each of the drill and the driver. In 2 weeks of relatively heavy use, only the drill's battery life indicator has dropped below 4 bars. Granted, I'm mostly comparing it to my old worn-out B&D but that thing would die after about 6 or 7 pocket holes drilled... I've done at least 2 dozen with the milwaukee along with pre-drilling probably 100 holes in other projects. It's still at 3 bars. at this point I couldn't be happier with my purchase.

If you are looking for the most solid brushless option on the market, I feel confident in recommending this one to fit that bill. Yes, it's a few ounces heavier (bare) than the competition, and yes the bigger batteries add even more weight... but for me that's a non-issue and the benefits of that extra capacity are huge.

By tony324

I am a DIY type of guy. Not a pro here. I have my own house and I have learned that most small drills are good enough for small projects. Still there are those projects where you need the extra strength that these drills provide. These babies are clearly more than what I need, but its nice to know that if I have future projects I don't have to worry if they will get the job done. They charge fairly fast. They are not heavy. Love the feature that torques but doesn't break the screw heads. Super happy with the quality.

By Mr. Diggler

I LOVE THIS DRILL/DRIVER! i use them everyday and they have never failed me. tons of power and the batteries last all day and sometimes two. the case is durable and so are the drill and driver. they are very comfortable in your hand and at the time of purchase they had the best warranty out there; 5 years on the tool and either 2 or 3 on the battery.