When it comes to drills and impact driver, they are probably the most widely used cordless power tools on the market. As with trucks owners, you will also find some of the most brand loyal users in the market when it comes to power tools. Some people swear by Dewalt, other love Milwaukee and still other love Bosch and the list goes on and on. No matter which brand you favor, there is no denying that Milwaukee has been taking the cordless tool world to the next level with their tools and battery technology. So let’s not wait any longer and jump into the Milwaukee 2997 Combo Kit Review and see what we like and don’t like about these two tools.
Milwaukee 2997 Combo Kit Review Overview
If you are old enough, you remember the days of heavy and slow cordless power tools. The NiCad batteries didn’t last long and you were always recharging batteries. While losing the cord had its advantages, not everyone was a believer.
Jump forward to today and Lithium-Ion batteries and brushless motors have made a believer even out of the old-timers who still trusted their corded power tools. Nowadays tools last all day on a single battery and the tools are lighter and more powerful. Speaking of lighter and more powerful tools, the Milwaukee 2997 now takes it to another whole new level with their Hammer Drill and Impact Wrench.
Hammer drills use to be heavy and large, not so much with the new Milwaukee Hammer Drill in this kit model 2804. The impact is just as impressive as it’s lightweight and small size, which is model 2853.
Milwaukee took two of the most used tools, shrunk them down, increased power and runtime. Who wouldn’t want to try these bad boys out?
Milwaukee 2997 Combo Kit Review Features
The Milwaukee combo kit 2997 comes with a Hammer Drill (2804), an Impact Driver (2853), 2-5Ah batteries, a charger, side hammer for the drill and a plastic carrying case.
Both these tools are powered by the Milwaukee M18 battery which is a 5Ah battery.
The hammer drill features a 2-speed gearbox and puts out 0-550 in speed 1 and 0-2,000 in speed two, which is adjusted on a switch on the top of the drill. Now, this tool may be small and lightweight but it puts out a whopping 1,200 in-lbs of torque which exceeds most of the bigger size drill by other power tool manufacturers, very impressive. Speaking of size and weight, this tool only weighs in at 3.2 lbs. and a length of 6.9″. Add the battery and it will increase, but its still not heavy by any means for a hammer drill.
The drill features three functions which can be controlled by a single collar. A user can switch from a torque setting, to drill mode to hammer mode by moving the sleeve left or right.
The drill uses an all metal 1/2″ chuck with a ratcheting lock feature to make sure bits stay in place.
While the drill shrunk in size, it has the same handle design, style, and grip as other Milwaukee tools that you are used to.
The trigger is a variable speed trigger which is easy to feature and control. As with other drills, it has the forward and reverses in the same location for easy access with your thumb or finger.
The impact driver is model 2853 and is small for the power it harnesses. Measuring in at only 4.59” in length, the impact puts out 2,000 in-lbs of torque. Still another impressive number is the impacts per minute and speeds. The impact has a speed range of 0-3,600 rpm and 0-4,300 ipm. Get this, the tool only weights 2.2 lbs.
The impact uses 1/4″ hex chuck. You can insert the bit directly into the chuck and you do not have to pull back on the chuck for the bit to stay in place making this a single-handed insert. To remove the bit, just pull back on the sleeve and the bit will come out.
As with the drill, this uses the same style handle and grip.
The LED work light is located just below the head of the impact.
The impact is a four-mode impact with a push button selection system. You have low, med and high speed for different applications. There is also a self-tapping screw mode for metal applications.
Milwaukee 2997 Combo Kit Review Performance
I have to say this drill is amazing. While I only used it for a couple small concrete application, which it handles easily, the size and weight are beyond belief. The drill is extremely comfortable and powerful. Yes, this is my new favorite drill on the market. As you can see, it goes through the wood with ease. I drilled a bunch of holds for electric, lag screws and more. While I love the 5Ah battery on the drill, I ended up using the compact battery more.
The impact is equally as impressive as the hammer drill. I used it for a bunch of decking, studs and metal strips for HVAC. While I love the power, I loved how easy it is to feather the trigger and sink the fasteners exactly where I want them to end up. Now I did notice because of the size, the impact did get hot quicker than the second Milwaukee generation I was using previously. Not a huge deal but when working in the hot attic, it is noticeable holding a hot impact driver.
Milwaukee 2997 Combo Kit Review Value
Milwaukee usually seems like it has a premium price tag because of its name, but this combo kit comes in at $380 at The Home Depot. Considering the size, the power, the quality and everything else, including the two batteries, this is a great price.
Sure you can buy something less expensive, but this is the one kit I would tell everyone to own and for the price, you can’t pass it up.
Milwaukee 2997 Combo Kit Review Final Thoughts
I am not one to tell people to jump into a new generation of tool unless there is a huge difference. While the Milwaukee generation 2 drill and impact are incredible, generation 3 is a must-have. Lightweight, smaller profiles and more power is well worth the upgrade. For me, the most important aspect is how long I can use these tool without feeling like I am lifting up a brick. I love the power and everything about these tools. I think Milwaukee hit this one out of the park and did an awesome job with the Gen 3 cordless hammer drill and impact driver.
I bought it 2 weeks ago its easily the best 2 tool set on the market today!
That’s awesome to hear, James! So glad you’re loving it!
Couldn’t believe I saw one available already at our store in Hilo, HI but I couldn’t justify getting into a new battery platform just for this kit. However I will say that I think it looks fantastic based on the size. 18v Compacts will soon be a think of the past based on the size of these guys. Do you think though that they need to perfect the electronics a bit more to cope with the overheating I keep hearing about online? Maybe they went too small too fast and the next generation they’ll have the bugs worked out?
This one is another 18V, I’m always interested in how models change between generations. Most compacts have issues with the heat under heavy load, sort of the big trade-off for the small footprint. I am sure things will keep improving in that regard though, motors and batteries as well have changed so much in the last 5 years alone.