Customer Reviews
Milwaukee ain't Milwaukee no more! 
2008-08-06
This kit was purchased mostly for the lithium battery upgrade because the price was only a little more than the batteries and charger alone, and who can't use an extra drill, right? The only problem is that I would never want to use this one after having used my older one, the Lok-Tor Hammer drill model 0624-20. Whereas the Lok-Tor is smooth as silk and the fit, finish, ergonomics, and feel of the drill just ooze quality, this one is very loud and heavy with below-average ergonomics and a tawdry look obviously designed to be as flashy as possible for marketing reasons. Trouble is, it's all hat and no cattle. Yes, it's a powerful drill, and yes, it will definitely get the job done. But the reason I bought Milwaukee tools at their premium price is not simply because they get the job done, but because they made the highest quality tools and using them was truly enjoyable. They always felt a step above anything from Dewalt, Makita, or even Bosch, and their slogan, "Nothing but heavy duty," seemed to be a real mantra of the company that its employees took pride in rather than simply a catchy but empty marketing line. I also appreciated the fact that they were one of the only power tool companies to make most of their stuff in the USA (although the Lok-Tor drill is from the Czech Republic - still, I'd much rather have that than one from China). This drill was made in China with the goal of minimizing costs, and it shows.
It's not that China can't make good stuff, but when companies move their production there, that's generally a sign that they put the making of money, by whatever means, ahead of pride in the product that actually creates the wealth. And once that attitude takes root, the company starts cutting corners wherever it can to minimize costs while generating a huge marketing push to sell products based purely on flashy images and slogans rather than substance, which no longer exists. Despite what the brand loyalists might say, this drill is no better than the offerings from Dewalt, Makita, or Hitachi, yet it is much heavier than the other brands.
It's a shame what the company has become since I bought my first Milwaukee tool, a magnum hole-shooter, 12 years ago. The changes began when they were bought out a few years ago by the same China-based company that makes Ryobi and Ridgid, and now Milwaukee is pretty much just Ridgid in red instead of orange. They still make a few tools in the USA that have remained unchanged, such as their corded circular saws, sawzalls, and I believe the magnum drills. If you need them, you better get them while you can, because slowly but surely I see more and more Milwaukee tools showing up that are made in China, and it's only a matter of time before it happens to these old standbys. In cordless tools, nothing about Milwaukee stands out from other brands except the weight. If you aren't too concerned with weight, I'd say Bosch is now probably the most consistently high quality of the main brands. For the weight conscious, Makita or Hitachi are your best bet.
On the plus side, the lithium batteries are terrific and make my old tools just a bit more powerful than fully charged nicads, and believe it or not, they are made in Canada (yeah, I'm scratching my head on that one, since the vast majority of our electronics have been made in China for a long time already). But if Milwaukee were to maintain the honesty of the slogan regarding their actual tools, it should be changed from "Nothing but heavy duty" to "Nothing but heavy, period."
Awesome Hammer Drill!!!!!!!! 
2008-04-19
I researched other hammer drills on Amazon and this was the best rated hands down! I couldn't be happier with the purchase and it has the best chuck I've ever used. I had two Makita's and a Dewalt in the past and there's no comparison. If you're looking for a Lithium Ion hammer or drill driver - Go with a Milwaukee - there's nothing better on the market according to my research.Milwaukee 0824-24 V18 Lithium-Ion Hammer Drill Kit
Milwaukee Power Tools 
2008-04-03
Good hammer drill/driver. A bit heavy and tall. The battery does slip slightly front-to-back but this doesn't seem to affect operation. It can be reversed and the drill seems better balanced with the battery in the "reverse" position.
It should be noted that Milwaukee Tools is now owned by Techtronic Industries who also own AEG, Ryobi, Stilleto, Homelite, Hoover, Dirt Devil, and Vax. They are registered in Hong Kong and their stock is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
According to Techtronic's web site the company is currently undergoing a "Repositioning". They have transfered all Milwaukee cordless tool production to the PRC. Their corded tool production will be transfered to the PRC by the end of 2008 and they will close their two factories here in the USA by the end of 2008. Even their highly rated Sawsalls will be soon made in China.
The best cordless 18v drill 2008-03-21
I am a perfectionist, so selecting a drill was like everything else...a difficult and arduous task. Two years ago I went through the same process when I bought my umpteenth cordless drill. I selected the best DeWalt 18v drill I could find (DC987KA from Lowes). I am an occasional drill user. Sadly, I learned the hard way that NiCad (XRP) batteries are not suitable for such use, which brought me into the drill market again. I will not be buying any more DeWalt products. I have returned or no longer use almost all of my DeWalt products (belt sander, 2 different vacuums, and now an expensive drill). Thanks to the fine folks who leave Amazon feedback, I now know why...DeWalt is owned by Black & Decker. Once a company is bought and absorbed by a bigger company, it loses its soul. Fortunately, it's not that way with Milwaukee (as far as I know)...and it shows. There were many fine choices, but there is one clear winner. This is THE DRILL. Here's why:
1) Lithium-Ion is much better suited to occasional drill users...batteries should last much longer.
2) quality is head and shoulders above all other drills I have owned. The drill has a substantial and solid feel to it. All of the various settings have a good solid click...unlike the DeWalt which had 3 gears but actually using them was often problematic (if the gears weren't lined up just right, I could not change gears...the switch would just jam until I rotated the chuck a bit).
3) the motor sounds cool...way cooler than a drill should
4) the batteries have LED indicators on them...I just press a button and can see how much juice is left in them...awesome!
5) the batteries have rubber on the bottom...nice attention to detail...nice touch!
6) the batteries can be inserted from front or rear...which will come in handy later.
7) I can actually get the screwdriver bit out of the handy on-board clip without using a pry-bar.
8) The case is HUGE. Biggest drill case I've ever seen. Why is that a good thing? I'll tell you why. Others expect you to re-wind the charger cord like the factory does...into an impossibly small bundle, in order to jam it into a case designed for just such a bundle and no more...so you are always fighting with the case. Not so with Milwaukee...they spent the extra 5 cents to add another 1/4 cup of plastic. There is plenty of room in there for me to put the charger in and even the attached cord too! And it gets better! There's even EXTRA SPACE FOR DRILL BITS. Furthermore, the case is super high quality, which is immediately felt with clasps that are better than some metal toolboxes I own. This case will last as long as the drill, if not longer.
9) judging by looks alone, this drill blows the rest away...I love red and this drill has few curves and a lot of straight lines. A lot of work went into aesthetically designing this drill to be visually appealing...heck even the charger looks cool.
I LOVE THIS DRILL. By the way, my other Milwaukee products have not let me down in any way (Hole Hawg, Orbital Sawzall). I won't be able to give you a review on performance because I will forget.
Oh by the way...my first one came with a problem. One of the red buttons on one of the batteries had no spring tension. Returned for exchange. Second one good. Amazon's return procedure is always quick and efficient.
The Best Lithium Ion Hammer Drill Kit 2008-01-05
Milwaukee wins hands down with its V18 lithium ion line of tools over the lithium ion tools offered from other manufacturers. The drill while a little on the heavy side, is well balanced and offers huge amounts of torque when needed. The charger will also charge 18 volt NiCads and the case is perfectly molded to fit the tool and accessories. The batteries in this kit have great run time and lighter weight than the older NiCads. In addition, these V18 batteries rated at 3.0 amp/hours are able to fit perfectly and operate older NiCad Milwaukee cordless tools. Another manufacturer has recently offered their version of an 18 volt lithium line of tools. Unfortunately, the amp/hour rating of their new lithiums are only 2.4 amp/hours (the same as their older nicads) and the batteries, while they do fit in the older nicad tools, are undersized and appear rather awkward in the tool. It seems as though the other guys want you to buy a whole new set of cordless tools. I believe the greatest attribute to the Milwaukee V18 line is the fact the batteries can give new life to the older line of Milwaukee tools. Bottom line--buy this drill kit--you won't be disappointed in its performance and features for the price.
buy it 2007-12-26
You get the power and durability of Lithium-Ion technology in this durable hammer driver/drill, along with the heavy-duty quality you expect from Milwaukee tools, like a high-power motor, metal chuck and more.
Jim 
2007-10-05
Hopefully this drill out performs my last chinese made drill. This drill is advertized as an american made drill. My hitachi lasted 1 year. So far so good with this drill-- a year from now watch for my review-- People do not mind paying good money for quality prouducts, if this one doesn't last I'm gonna send it back broken. Hard to review after 1 month--
Fantastic Product 2007-09-06
I have owned Makita cordless drills for years. My most recent model's chuck started slipping and one battery was dead. I began looking at reviews on cordless drills and found the Milwaukee was highly rated and also featured a hammer mode. I decided to give it a try. I have used the new drill quite heavily since I got it a couple weeks ago and its performance blows me away. The keyless chuck is first class all the way. It is simply fantastic. I have not had it long enough to know how well it will hold up over time, but if its fit and finish along with incredible performance are any indication, this baby is a winner from start to finish. I will NEVER own another Makita after using this machine. If you buy one you will be smiling in your sleep.
perfect in every way! Yes, it is a little heavy but because it's built! 2007-07-21
I bought this because I've always found I can depend on all my Milwalkee tools and this one beats them all.
I was warned to stay away from the V28 model because of motor failures and when compairing the two they
almost match. Both V18 and V28 batteries are rated at 3.0 amps, this is what counts not having more volts.
Anyway the ratching 1/2 inch chuck is one of the best I used, the steel gear box with all steel gears will out last the cheaper plastic models but it does add to the weight. The best part of this package is the Lithium-Ion battery, they hold charge while sitting so always ready, a meter on the battery tells how much is remaining so you can have an idea were you stand. Also Lith-Ion cells keep almost full power to the end of each charge, you won't find it slowing down slowly getting weaker, it will just crash. 5 year warr. on the cells with a 2 year 1000 charge replacment. A chip is built in to each battery stamping the first charger date, then counts each charge. This way if you have a claim the factory can tell when it went into service and how many times you charged it. What will they think of next?
Great Drill/Driver 2007-05-12
I have been very satisfied with this drill/driver and love the battery feature that allows you to touch a button to see how much power is left. I also appreciate the area on the handle for storing 2 bits. It was nice of the company to build a plug adapter into the plug itself, thereby allowing you to plug 3 items into a dual receptacle box. Good weight, and nice size battery that is reversable on the drill. The V18 Lithium-Ion battery is compatable with all my V18 Nicad Milwaukee cordless tools from a previous contractor kit. The drill's shell is part metal and part plastic, which appears to be able to with stand more injury then their previous NiCad model. The drill has a very good clutch system with numbered increments. I bought this after my NiCad batteries ran out of juice and a tool technician warned against the 24V model, saying that the 24V batteries are to powerful for the drill's motor. I have no complaints with the output of this 18V model. So, great tool overall.
