Customer Reviews

Milwaukee 0235-21 Magnum 5.5 Amp 1/2-Inch Drill with Keyless Chuck

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

OK, what do you want in a 1/2" drill? Power, balance, longevity, reputation, ease of use? This one has it all! Enough power to twist your arm off, thus it comes with a side handle. Use it if there's any chance of the bit catching, because with the torque available you may hurt yourself if the drill starts turning instead of the bit. Notice the trigger? It's a big paddle style type, making it easy to use with a multitude of hand grips. No more fumbling for the trigger. Controlling the speed is amazingly easy. You can choose any speed you want, and keep it set. An unusually smooth speed control on this tool. Just one niggle with drill- I recommend a keyed check, not the keyless. I have a keyed one on mine. You simply cannot tighten a bit enough unless you use a key, usually by going around the check in two of the three holes. Bits that slip are frustrating, and sometimes dangerous. Does anyone make better tools than Milwaukee? Not usually. They work hard, last forever, and are designed for professionals. Not a professional yourself? But the best you can afford and you won't make compromises that you may wish you hadn't.

This is a great drill. Durable, powerful and it will probably last forever. It's clearly a professional quality tool. Downside is: it's very heavy. with constant use it can tire your wrists. Word of caution. If the bit you use with this drill bites the wood too hard and gets stuck, the drill is so powerful it will very quickly jerk your wrist around and could potentially cause injury. So be aware of what you're doing. Still, it's a valuable tool and great for heavy-duty drilling needs. I'd recommend a lighter-duty drill for everyday stuff...

I own five Milwaukee tools to date, various electric drills, sanders, and grinders. I have found them easy to repair, with parts readily available locally so that I have short downtime when repairs (mostly maintenance) need to be done. I have never had to replace any of the tools I own. Parts are never obsolete, at least in my experience. I recently replaced a variable speed switch on my electric drill which is over ten years old. It is the first repair I have had to make on the tool since I purchased it and it has had extensive use in my work as a professional. I would never think twice about purchasing another Milwaukee tool, they are worth every penny.

This model has been superceded in the Milwaukee line. Have used similar models from 1/4" up for years. Talked to guys at Milwaukee service center as I needed a new 1/2". They said to get the old model if I could find one as they've seen quite a few armature issues with the new ones. I've got a couple of other of these Milwaukees in other sizes that have endured more than 20 years use with minimal attention.

I tried the -21 model to check out the keyless chuck. I'm generally not a fan of keyless chucks on HD drills, but would probably have replaced the keyed chuck with a Jacobs so I figured I might as well try the keyless and then replace it with a keyed Jacobs. So far it's been better than I expected but will still probably be replaced.

I really like this drill. After a couple of months of reading reviews about a few of the other Milwaukee drills I decided to purchase this one. The one thing that really helped me to decide is that this drill is almost identical to my Milwaukee 3/8 inch drill. My 3/8 inch drill has been a workhorse around the house.

I do not know for sure but this 1/2 inch drill seems to have a slightly lower gearing ratio than the 3/8 inch version with definitely a lot more torque. I would agree with several other reviewers that the screw-in-the-housing-type of second handle is the better way to go vs. the clamp-on version. It is just simply stronger.

This drill also has the cartridge type brush system if one would ever need to change those out. Simply unscrew the small side panel and the brushes can be replaced. I will not need to do this for several years down the road but whatever makes the task easier I am all for it.

Last two items: the cord is the Quik Lock type that detaches from the drill (approx. 1 turn) and the keyless chuck has been a definite time saver. I love the keyless chucks. I have drilled into metal, wood, plastic, and concrete without the bit ever loosening - granted I do a double tightening check before I drill into anything other than wood.

In summary, do not let the lower amp rating fool you into thinking that this drill is weak. It is anything but weak. I compared this to my 5 year old 7.5 amp Craftsman Professional hammer drill. This drill has as much as or even more torque than the Craftsman.

I used this brand of drill for 10 years and use it mainly for door installations. It is a very heavy duty drill with alot of power. I actually burnt out one of these drills and another stopped working. I am on my third one. (I readily admit I abuse my tools so that why I don't hold it against milwaukee. I don't want a more powerful drill, I would probably break my wrist if it caught something)
Note: I had the drill twist out of my hands many times, that's why you have to use the side grip attachment.
The only reason I gave it four stars is because the motor burnt out on me once. I think the connection broke on the trigger the second time.

This drill worked great for me, until last weekend when it suddenly burst into flames. Yes, I was using it for a "tough" job -- 1" Forstner bit in hardwood -- but that's what a "heavy duty" drill is for, right? Anyway, after much argument with the local home improvement store where I bought it 6 months ago (they wanted me to send it back myself to Milwaukee for warranty) I got a replacement. I'm hoping I just got a lemon and this new one will live up to its reputation.

Also, I can say from first hand experience that this drill CAN hurt you if you don't hold the drill and the work piece very firmly. My injuries were very minor but it was a powerful lesson in how much torque this drill has.