Factory-Reconditioned Milwaukee 2601-82 18-Volt Li-Ion Compact Drill Kit

I received my reconditioned Milwaukee 18V Li-Ion compact drill/driver kit a few days ago and was quite unhappy with its general appearance. While the unit does appear to be fully functional, cosmetically, it leaves much to be desired. In general, the unit appears more "used" than "reconditioned". The chuck and body are all scuffed up and it appears that someone's name or initials were removed from the body with a sander or rotary tool cutter. In addition, every component of the kit has been marked by hand with an engraving tool and bears the marking "R.K. 04-08". The unit looks well used and is not what I expected. I understand the unit is reconditioned and expecting it to be like new is unrealistic. However, I have some experience with reconditioned tools from Porter-Cable and Makita. I was hard pressed when inspecting these units to find cosmetic defects that distinguish a reconditioned tool from a new one. I guess Porter-Cable and Makita have just set the bar a little...Read more

I bought this drill about two weeks ago. It arrived in good shape and shows little wear. This is my first cordless drill as I have always preferred the corded drills. However, I need to build a 2000' 4 wire trellis system for a 1/2 acre of blackberries and cannot get electricity that far away.

I am using 2" hickory lumber attached to treated posts, all of this wood is VERY hard! This drill is handling it like a champ! The batteries are lasting a reasonably long time considering the hardness of the lumber. They re-charge in less than 30 minutes, so battery life is not a real concern for this project.

Overall, I am very happy with this drill and would purchase it again, I also liked the $70 savings of getting the re-conditioned drill over the brand new one, since it comes with a full 5 year factory warranty.

I'm only a do-it-yourself-er but I don't shy away from bigger projects that test the mettle of a drill. I just don't do them often. So, I went in search of a decent drill that had the support of professionals who use their drills all the time but not a drill so great that it hurt my wallet.

I researched Lithium-Ion drills pretty extensively on-line. At the end, it was between this drill and the Makita BDF452HW. On paper (on-line tests), the Makita looks slightly better but it has a few issues: no bit holder, no belt clip and known battery problems. I could have bought the clip and holder on-line but the battery issues were a concern for me and I was irritated that I'd have to buy those parts separately.

Reconditioned was perfect for me. I could get a great drill for a seriously discounted price. I don't have any fear of reconditioned tools. After all, they've been inspected and tested by a real human being before they go out. Plus, CPO has a decent...Read more