Customer Reviews

Milwaukee 2410-22 M12 12-Volt 3/8-Inch Drill/Driver

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

As a long time Milwaukee fan, it was worrying a few years ago when ownership of Milwaukee changed. With that change, there was a concern that the longstanding quality of their tools would diminish. With this 2410-20 drill, there seems to be little to worry about!

The straight and true: the tool is SOLID, fit/finish is excellent, there is no flex in the handle (other than the comfortable, soft coating). The battery has zero slop in the handle, works for longer than expected and charges quickly. Given the compact size, torque is also better than I hoped for with high speed being a great choice for driving screws (took the tool to work for moving audio equipment in a bunch of sound racks).

The wobble: there is only one part that I've found to deserve criticism - the chuck. It seems great and very similar to the excellent chucks on the V18 drills (minus the carbide grip inserts). While there is very little run-out in mine, the chuck auto-loosens. Driving screws in results in the momentum (on high speed) loosening the grip a little bit each time a screw hits bottom (or the brake of the drill is used when letting go of the trigger). Really cranking the chuck tight helps in delaying the loosening but does not seem to eliminate the problem with the screwdriver bit dropping out after 15 to 20 screws. Although this is a huge problem, the tool is good enough otherwise that it is still a keeper.

After experiencing the positive qualities of this Milwaukee tool, I'm very curious to try out more of the M12 line (especially the impact driver for use with screws). Luckily, the new Milwaukee seems to have done a lot to increase the engineering and design speed of tools and seems to have not lost the high quality that makes older Milwaukee tools legendary.

Edited 9-6-2009 to add: Turns out mine is not the only sample that self-loosens the chuck. This is something to be very aware/wary of and it probably would help if each of us with faulty chuck operation went to [...] and communicated to them through their system. It does not take much imagination to see a decent size, sharp spade bit drop from the chuck and poke a hole in a leg of someone working while wearing shorts.

Edited 7-26-2010 to add: Between my experience with 3 of these drills and reading the comments to this review, it seems clear that Milwaukee has a product where they have failed in both design and testing. Given the time they have had to fix the problem but have not, I suggest passing over the M12 tools until Milwaukee demonstrates production of tools that work 100% properly.

New Rating - One Star - what good is a drill that can't hold a bit??

just purchased the 2410 Milwaukee drill as a kit with two batteries 2 months or so ago from Amazon . first impression good . recent experience quite disappointing.
i have used the drill moderately but often during this time. the major problem it he batteries. first charge good. followup battery performance renders the drill only good for small short duration jobs. charges quickly,so far, but no staying power. now i learn that to overcome this problem Milwaukee has brought out a "heavy duty" battery to be bought separately.
i noticed the problem a few days after the amazon full replacement policy.
i had read several reviews before purchasing- most were good. after my problem i read reviews just on the battery and discovered that many people have had the same experience.

Be careful with this one. It is not an inexpensive mistake.

And I thought my chuck problems were isolated! Reading other reviews here shows me it's common!

I've been using cordless Milwaukee 18 volt tools for about 8 years on a daily basis, and am lucky enough to have a service center fairly close by - I've burnt out the switch on a 18v sawzall, brushes in the 1/2" 18v drillmotor ( and yesterday the swtich!) and the parts are readly available - they've given REALLY good service (though the sawzall is probably on it's last legs - it makes a LOT more noise than it used too!).

But I'm re-thinking - it's about time to replace these guys, and my experience with this little drill motor makes me wary about buying all Milwaukee. How hard is it to spec a chuck that holds it's grip? Who the hell wants to climb off a ladder to fetch the bit that you thought was secure in the chuck, only for it to dropout after one use????????? Not only do I not have time for that, I'm getting creaky and it really ticks me off to get up & down for something so stupid - I've NEVER had a chuck with this poor performance in all my 58 years!

And I won't start on the styling business - it does look cool but the little non-functional rubber piping on the side became halfway detached by day 2 and now just flaps around - I should cut it off!

Hope folks from Milwaukee read this & actually pay attention to business - how many customers can you afford to have defect to another brand?

I purchased the 1/4" hex chuck driver a while back and can't say enough good things about it. When I saw this slightly beefier cordless drill from Milwaukee in the same product family I couldn't wait to get it. It's a great size for light duty work. I like the 3/8" chuck because finding a drill bit with a 1/4" hex shank for the other non spade bit drivers that produces a hole larger than 1/4" is not as easy. Having a higher speed range for drilling and having the clutch are also pluses above the basic driver. I have a Bosch 1/2" 18v hammer drill for heavy duty jobs but it's WAY too much drill for light jobs around the house. This Milwaukee drill/driver is a great intermediary range tool. The trigger pull is smooth and consistent and makes controlling the speed of the drill easy, the clutch has enough range to handle plenty of diverse needs and the size is very convenient to have in a holster if you're working on a ladder or wearing it on a tool belt all day. The life of the lithium ion batteries is great and the recharge is pretty quick at 30 or so minutes. The battery technology has clearly come a ways from my old DeWalt 18v NiCd setup. (which was stolen and is the reason I branched out to different systems such as the Bosch and the Milwaukee) The only down side I can find on this drill (and the 1/4" hex driver as well) is that when I'm using the drill in reverse, my index finger on my right hand tends to hit the "forward" button. It's not a large problem, just something I have to consciously think about when using it in reverse. That's a large hands issue though, not really a fault of the drill.

Most the other reviews are covering the extensive pro's on this tool, so I will skip the gushing (mostly). I love this tool. It won't replace your 18v for everything, but for 90% of jobs it'll cover. I've driven a 4" torx screw through a 2x4 into a joist, and then into another 2x4. I've drilled holes in metal. Pushed 1-1/4" spade bits. Everything I expected of this drill and more. I picked this drill up for finish work, but have ended up using it on plenty of rough construction. My only complaints are minor. First, I wish it came with at least one of the extended batteries. Second, can I get a bit holder please?

As far as the chuck that many seem to be complaining about; I've had basically no problems with mine. My guess, is that not everyone is tightening them correctly. On this drill, you are supposed to finish tightening the chuck by hand with the drill off. (Yes I read the directions, its in there) It takes two seconds, and honestly seems more secure and sturdy than my old Makita, or my current Dewalt 18v. When the drill is off, the chuck actually locks in place so when you tighten it you generate more pressure. Not sure why they designed it this way, probably to save wear and tear on the motor. Regardless, I find it easy, quick and secure.

*** Update: After using my Milwaukee, my father purchased one as well. He is a master carpenter and cabinet maker. An authority on woodworking and tools. He has two of the top of the line Dewalt Li-ion drills (DeWalt DCD960Kl 1/2-Inch 18-Volt Cordless XRP Lithium-Ion Drill/Driver Kit) and said he reaches for this more often. When I asked him about his chuck, he said he hasn't had any issues either. He tightens it the way I do, which is how the instructions suggest...

I'm a telecom installer and bought this because my 18 volt DeWalt was too big. I often have to reach deep behind racks or into closets and a full sized drill/driver is just too big. This is small enough to fit in my tool bag, into all the nooks and crannies I have to work in and has enough power to sink a screw fast. The light is a bonus, especially when working in the back of a closet. I usually charge both batteries every weekend just in case, but I've never had one run out in a weeks worth of work. The charge indicator on the side of the unit is a good feature, if I ever did get a battery used up, I could tell before I went into a new site and had to make a trip out to the truck for the spare battery.
For racking and stacking gear this driver will run rack screws down in a heartbeat. I usually set the clutch to 1 or 2 to prevent stripping them when starting, and use second (high) gear to run them in fast. For rack mount ears I use low gear, the screws are so short it doesn't have time to spool up in high gear. When mounting gear on backer boards (3/4 plywood usually) I use low gear and set the clutch to 5, and it will sink a 1 inch screw in just a few seconds. I mention the low setting I use on the clutch because that is a a bit of a draw back. If you use a high clutch setting it has enough torque to strip screws or twist off smaller screws. I'm sure that an engineer could measure the difference between 10 and 20, but I couldn't. I kept setting it lower and lower, thinking that it would not be able to drive a screw in to wood at some setting, but on 1 it will still drive a 2 inch screw into a 4x4. It will eventually slip but I thought 1 would be pretty weak and it isn't.

Over all this tool feels well made and solid. Quality and power are excellent, I would recommend it very highly to any one who needs a small light driver that has power to do pretty big jobs.

I really LOVE this drill! I had a bunch of various household jobs I needed to take care of today and many of them included the need for a cordless drill and a powered screw driver. This tool handled every job I threw at it brilliantly. The fact that the battery was nearly fully charged out of the box was a nice surprise and allowed me to get right to work with my new drill!

The 2410-22 M12 replaces what was then a top of the line Makita cordless drill/driver circa 1992. The original Makita has been my only previous experience with cordless drill/driver tools, but considering that at the time, the Makita was "IT" if you wanted a professional caliber cordless drill, this Milwaukee was worth retiring the Makita for. This unit is much lighter and better balanced than the Makita and appears to have at least the same amount of power/torque which is saying something. It definitely was more precise when it came to driving wood screws. The variable speed motor performed nice and smooth and made driving screws a pleasure! Using it for a drill was also painless. I also like the little LED head lamp the drill has to light up your work! Nice touch to an already impressive package! The other thing I like is the fact that this package comes with TWO LIthium-Ion battery packs instead of just one like all the competing products I looked at before making this purchase.

I haven't seen any of the "chuck" issues that I read about in some of the unfavorable reviews here, so not really sure what that is all about. For me, everything about this package screams value and quality! I love the look of the tool, and the carry case it came with that has a space in it to hold one of the Milwaukee drill bit sets I bought along with the drill. The battery charger also fits nicely in this smart looking carry case as well as the second battery it came with. It is hard to get excited about a drill, but in this case, you can't help but feel good about the purchase when a product does everything so well.

For the price I paid, I am 100% satisfied, and since I had the opportunity to perform pretty much every type of job one would use this tool for today, I felt comfortable writing this review and giving the product the highest score possible. I don't think you could find a better package than this one, and from a brand that has always stood for quality.

I wanted a light weight driver/drill and after handling the other available units, Milwaukee was my choice. I work with several hand drills when creating wood projects, e.g., one drill for counter-sinking, another for pilot holes--when needed--and a third for driving the screws. I also use the big brother of this driver, the 2601-20, which uses a bigger battery and weighs almost a pound more. To my surprise, this light-weight driver powered 2-1/2 inch deck screws as easily as the big boy. On the side, LEDs light up to indicate the remaining charge, and with two batteries and included 30-minute charger, it was always ready to drive! Torque setting is a snap, and the keyless chuck held tight. Like it's big brother, a LED light illuminates the target when you press the trigger part way.

This little wonder is a great jobsite drill/driver. It's small and light enough to fit in a tool-belt bag. The battery has enough charge so that the two it comes with last the whole day, with plenty left over. It has plenty of power for most home-building jobs short of driving lag bolts, and the little headlight is great for setting screws in dark recesses.

My only complaint is that the various manufacturers of similar tools didn't standardize their battery packs, so pick the brand that has the right combination of other tools for the work you do.

Used this drill the past few months remodeling kitchen. Drove well over 2000 screws for drywall, floor plywood, floor hardi- backer and framing. Works really good, lots of torque and racheting chuck was great. Only problem is the included batteries. They don't last long. I purchased the a xc battery and I'm glad I did. Last 5 times longer than the small battery and gives the drill more power. The 2 small batteries were good in between charges of the xc battery. Charge time was very fast, less than 1 hour. Actually left drill out in poring rain and didn't realize for a week. Thought it was ruined. Dried it out, sprayed some wd-40 in thee chuck, and it still works. Very rugged drill.