Milwaukee 2401-22 12-Volt Li-Ion Compact Driver Kit
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List Price: Our Price: $99.00 You Save: $150.00 (60%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Milwaukee 2401-22 12-Volt Li-Ion Compact Driver Kit
Customer Review: Excellent Tool 5 Stars
I am a contractor. I purchased this tool about a month ago. I LOVE IT! It is well designed and built. The light is handy. The chuck is extremely easy to use. The battery meter is great and the tool has excellent power and battery life. Simply put " This is an excellent tool and I wouldn't change a thing about it!" Great job Milwaukee!!!!!!!!!Customer Review: Excellent Tool!
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently purchased this cordless screwdriver. I was seriously debating between this one and the Bosch PS20. After much scrutiny, I bought this one (although I'll bet that I would have also been happy with the Bosch). I've already used it several times and am very happy with it. Great feel, small and light, easy quick-change, LED light, fuel meeter, good clutch, variable speed, lots of power. It's only useful as a drill in soft wood or wallboard because of it's low speed; buy it if you need a handy power screwdriver. Great product Milwaukee.Customer Review: Excellent for computer/datacenter use
Summary: 5 Stars
I work for a datacenter, and almost all of our power drivers are this model. The powerful motor and compact design make this driver ideal for mounting rack-mounted servers, and the adjustable torque means it can handle more delicate tasks inside the computer. I love it so much I picked one up for myself at home. Pair it with the Milwaukee 48-32-1500 Quik-Lok 38-Piece Hex Shank Drilling and Driving Bit Set and this becomes an excellent jack-of-all-trades for around the house.Customer Review: Excellent product
Summary: 5 Stars
I have the 18 volt cordless which I use for drilling and compact is excellent it can take jamming and it is light weightCustomer Review: Excellent product for light jobs
Summary: 4 Stars
I add my review to the chorus of enthusiastic customers who have purchased this unit. I have an 18v. Makita which has been a reliable, tireless workhorse, but it has the weight of a horse and is somewhat clumsy for lighter work with small screws. This unit strikes the perfect balance between reasonable power and user friendliness.As mentioned by others, it does not have the torque for dislodging larger, "stuck" screws.
The small Hitachi is a reasonable competitor, especially if you want a drill/driver combo, but I think this unit has a little more balanced feel. The battery status indicator is also a nice plus. For those who prefer a two speed switch, the Hitachi provides that, probably because it is a combo unit. However, the variable speed trigger on this unit provides all the control you need. The quick load snap on chuck is a nice feature of the driver style unit here. The illumination light is helpful, especially if you use a small extension attached to the chuck so that the screw stands off the unit about 2 inches. Otherwise, parallax tends to put the light off target. Recharging of the LiIon batteries proceeds rapidly, and with the charger in the field, a full day's uninterrupted, steady work is easily achievable. A second battery is included as well to facilitate same.
One point with respect to user friendliness, which has been cited frequently, is the difficulty in removing the battery pack from the unit. This is indeed the case in my experience as well, and is the one negative. However, after analyzing how the release mechanism works, I can offer the following suggestion which makes the process "tolerable": Assuming you are right handed, hold the driver in your left hand with the chuck facing away from your body, place the knuckle of the DIP joint of the second finger of your right hand on the under side of the release mechanism exerting most pressure on the most superior aspect(closest to the center of the grip) of the release tab. At the same time, push with your right thumb on the upper component of the release, again on the portion farthest away from your body, closest to the center of the grip. Said in another way, the pressure points, top and bottom should be closest to the plane of the virtual axis of the trigger(described as the "center"). This is a little difficult to describe, and I hope it is clear. When you look at the way the release is constructed, pressure at those points translates into the maximum excursion and release effect of the catches. While exerting the pressure, pull the battery out directly. On my unit, pulling slightly backwards helps a little, but this may vary depending on the unit. Although this does not make the process easy, it is a definite improvement.
For people with arthritis in their hands, or any significant weakness, this clear design flaw is a deal breaker, and is a disappointment considering how well made this tool is otherwise; hence a deduction of 1/2 a star.
Rated 4 1/2 stars, highly recommended with the one caveat as described above.
UPDATE 2/20/11
With respect to the difficulty removing the battery back, here is an easier solution to try:
1) Place the tool on your lap with the chuck facing towards your body and to the left, so the handle is towards the right. Be sure the chuck is empty and the clutch set to its middle position so that the trigger can't be accidentally activated.
2) Grasp the handle with your left hand with your thumb over the part closest to your body and your 4 fingers draped over the handle.
3) Simulataneously push the release clips with the thumb and forefinger of your right hand, and pull the battery back away from the unit while pushing with the thumb of your left hand strongly on the battery pack as if to push it away from you. This seems to facilitate the alignment making the disengagement more easily.
I hope this is clear and helps.
I have found that this method works with less force, and is relatively easily reproducible. Just a better idea for an annoying design flaw in an otherwise fine unit which I continue to recommend most highly after now a considerable interval of frequent use. BTW, I have found the battery time is very good, so oftentimes won't need the backup all day unless the unit is in constant usage througout the full day. Also, shelf life of the battery in the unit when not in use is also very good, unlike my larger Makita!