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Before my wife and I purchased our first home 3 years ago I found few occasions where I would needed a power drill, let alone an impact driver.  Really I wasn’t even sure what an impact driver was.  But that all changed after we purchased a house that was over 90 years old.  As you can guess there was work to be done.

After doing some research I decided to try the Milwaukee 18 volt drill and impact driver combo.  I talked with friends that work in construction and most of them spoke highly of Milwaukee power tools so I figured I’d check out their recommendation.  It was needed to replace a cheap cordless drill that I had received for my birthday many years ago.  Here are the specifics of the Milwaukee cordless kit.

A power drill for the toughest jobs

The Milwaukee 18v drill for the price is very powerful, providing 400 in/lbs of torque.  To put this in perspective a typical 12v drill will provide between 150 and 250 in/lbs of torque.  You won’t need to worry if the drill is up for the job.  I’ve been let down by cheap drills that would refuse to spin or skip if the material is too dense.

Multiple speed settings on the Milwaukee 18 volt drill give you options for different types of jobs.  On the high-end the RPMs range from 1,000 – 1,800 and on the low end the RPMs range from 0 – 450.

The cordless drill features 24 clutch settings (used to make sure you don’t strip or over-tighten screws) and weighs 5.3 pounds.  For a powerful drill it is very manageable, even for long jobs.

How about the impact driver?

Also included in the package is the Milwaukee 18v impact driver.   So what exactly is an impact driver?

An impact driver drives the bit with a high speed rotary hammer.  This creates a tremendous amount of force, which you’ll see in a minute, that can set a screw very quickly.  There is no need to lean into it like you might when using a power drill.  Impact drivers are pretty versatile as well and I’m sure you’ll find new use or two for yours.

At up to 1,400 in/lbs of torque you can see that the Milwaukee 18 volt impact driver packs a punch.  You can also adjust the RPMs from 0 to 2,200.

Often times impact drivers are dismissed because they are frequently lightweight, which in the world of power tools can mean underpowered.  This Milwaukee cordless driver weighs in at only 3.5 pound, almost two full pounds lighter than the cordless drill.  Don’t be fooled, when you get your Milwaukee combo kit try it out.  I think you’ll be quite surprised at such power in such a small package.

Advantages of a lithium ion battery

Lithium batteries, two of which are provided with the Milwaukee drill and impact driver combo, are a bit different from nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries.

Unlike NiCd batteries, lithium batteries work at full power until they are out of charge.  Both the drill and impact driver have a charge gauge so you know how much charge you have left.

The lithium ion batteries in this Milwaukee combo are 65% lighter, 50% smaller, and pack 30% more power than a similar NiCd battery.  So more power and less weight sound good right?

What’s included in the Milwaukee drill combo?

The set contains the 18 volt drill, the 18 volt impact driver, 2 lithium ion batteries, a charger, a belt clip, and carrying case.  The set includes basic bits though many people get the expanded bit and hex driver sets for expanded functionality.

What are others saying about the Milwaukee 18v drill and impact driver combo?

The rating for the combo at Amazon.com is 4.4 at the time of this writing.  Here’s a few words from the reviews:

“Impressive set” – Chuck Culver

“Great Value, the impact driver is a monster” – Matt

“Very nice tool” – Eduardo Thorrens

Does it include a warranty?

Yes, the drill combo includes a 5 year warranty.

Where can I get it?

The best price I found on the Milwaukee cordless kit was at Amazon.com.  They offer free shipping which really sweetens the deal.

Shop for the Milwaukee 18v Drill & Impact Driver at Amazon.com