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Milwaukee recently launched their newest and best-ever M18 Fuel brushless hammer drill and impact driver combo kit, 2997-22. Not only that, they’re saying that these are the highest performing tools of their kind in the industry.
Home Depot sent along a combo kit for review consideration (thank you!) as part of our paid partnership with them. I’ve done some testing so far, and I have a little more to go, but now seems like a good time to share what I know and think about them this far.
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The new Milwaukee 2804 brushless hammer drill is powerful, but smaller than I expected. Yes, this sounds silly seeing as how I previewed it at NPS18, but still – it’s more compact than I remember it being.
The newest high-powered hammer drill can deliver up to 1200 in-lbs of max torque, while only measuring 6.9″ in length. You’ll want to use the auxiliary handle, which is included but not shown in my photo, at least for higher power applications.
It’s plenty speedy too, with 0-550 and 0-2000 RPM ranges.
This is the most powerful cordless drill/driver I have ever used. And, according to Milwaukee, it’s the most powerful drill in the industry. It blows through my more demanding test bench applications, and I’ll be looking for more opportunities to push it towards its limits.
(As usual, I’ll be happy to consider any testing scenario requests!)
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The newest Milwaukee M18 impact driver also impresses, with its extremely compact length. It measures just 4.59″ long, which Milwaukee says makes it the most compact impact driver in the industry.
It features multiple speed and torque settings (3 + 1 self-tapping screw mode), and LED work light (so does the drill), and feels really good in-hand.
I have been testing it with 5.0Ah battery packs, but will probably swap them out for compact packs, to save on weight.
The impact delivers up to 2000 in-lbs or torque, which is a lot more than my personal Bosch impact, and more even than the brushless Hitachi I love to use, reviewed by Ben here.
You really have to see the impact in person to get a true sense for how compact it is. Milwaukee has broken records with this design, and I’m sure that engineers at competing brands have been busy tearing it down and studying it, trying to figure out how it was done.
The Combo
These tools are Milwaukee’s best of the best, and the kit comes with (2) 5.0Ah battery packs, a charger, and hard carrying case. As Milwaukee’s press email says, they’ve set the bar. As such, it’s not easy on the wallet, but if you need the highest-performing tools money can buy, this is the kit to get.
Personally, this combo is more than I typically need – way more. I like my drills compact and lightweight, but there are times when I have to bring out the big guns, and this 1200 in-lbs beast certainly fits that description.
The impact is lovely to use. Is that strange to say – using lovely to describe it? It’s powerful and compact, and a pleasure to use. I can’t find anything to complain about yet. I just love it when a tool fits perfectly in my hand and blends into the background as it gets work done.
I have spent more time with the impact than the drill, but so far, both have been working flawlessly.
Price: $379
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
Also Consider…
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There’s a new holiday special, featuring the latest generation M18 Fuel hammer drill and impact driver, pairing them with a Packout tool box, and a mix of compact and XC battery packs.
This looks to be an incredible deal!!
As mentioned, I like the idea of a compact battery pack anyway. The drill pairs well with the XC battery, benefiting from higher “XC effect” power, and the compact drill can shed some weight when paired with the compact battery.
There looks to be an error in the product description, referencing the previous generation tools, but the photo, parts of the description, and the model number (2997-22CXPO) have me nearly convinced that this these are the latest tools, discussed above. (I’m waiting for verification.)
I’ve heard from Home Depot, and this kit definitely includes the 2804-20 hammer drill and 2853-20 impact driver.
Coupled with the Packout tool box, as well as the discounted price, this is a great promo. Milwaukee doesn’t discount their M18 Fuel tools often, especially not the newly released latest-generation tools.
Price: $299
See Also(Packout Combo via Home Depot)
