Milwaukee M18 2606-21CT: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-19

Summary

The 2606-21CT kit is built around the brushed-motor 2606-20 compact drill/driver — 500 in-lbs, 0-400/0-1,800 RPM, all-metal chuck and gear case, 5-year tool warranty — launched in 2013 as Milwaukee’s most compact drill/driver and still sold inside kits. The usual troubles are short runtime on the small CP1.5 battery, battery-release tabs that bind, and an LED that dims after about 7 seconds, while owner evidence on durability is strongly positive: one drill survived about 10 years of industrial use. The only running cost is battery replacement every 2-5 years. It is a good buy at a deep discount — about $90 bare or $80 used — and a weak one at its $200 list price.

Common problems and fixes

Short battery runtime — the CP1.5 is the smallest M18 pack; TechGearLab measured about 4.5 test cycles per charge and scored battery life 5.3/10, and the iFixit troubleshooting wiki lists battery seating as an item to check. The practical fix is a larger M18 pack, which the tool accepts. [3][9]
Battery tabs bind — the double locking battery-release tabs can bind when removing the pack; it is listed under convenience complaints in the only instrumented test, with no documented fix. [3]
Belt clip not installed — a belt clip exists for the tool but is not installed from the factory. [3]
Batteries aging out past warranty — M18 CP packs have a practical service life of roughly 2-5 years, and failures past the 2-year battery warranty are a recurring owner complaint in r/MilwaukeeTool threads, though the evidence mostly concerns larger packs rather than the CP1.5 specifically. [7][6]
Older brushed design — launched in 2013, the 2606 predates Milwaukee’s own brushless compacts (3601/3602) and FUEL line; at its $200 list price TechGearLab called it “a bit heavy and expensive for the casual DIYer”. [3][15]
Box contents unresolved — sources disagree on whether the exact 2606-21CT ships one or two CP1.5 batteries; check the box before purchase. [2]

Parts and consumables

48-59-1812 multi-voltage charger — included in the kit; Milwaukee rates it at about 30 minutes for compact packs, and TechGearLab measured a 31-minute full recharge. [2][3]
Belt clip — exists but is not installed from the factory. [3]

Yearly running cost

Not enough data for a yearly dollar figure. An owner who already has M18 batteries has essentially no yearly cost. [7][6]

When it is a good buy

Store prices (research check October 2026): the bare tool 2606-20 lists at $139 at Hanessupply and PowerToolRepair, and at $176.06 at AutoToolWorld; a comparison article cites a $91.99 bare-tool sale price in April 2026, 34% off a stated $139 MSRP. The current-generation 2606-22CT kit lists at $229 at Dillon Supply and $244.20 at Northern Safety; TechGearLab’s 2022 list price was $200, Milwaukee’s 2013 launch pricing was $179 for the kit and $99 for the bare tool, and a functioning used kit sold for $80 in 2025. [10][11][14][12][13][3][4][5]

At the $91.99 bare-tool sale price it is a defensible way into the M18 system or a compact backup drill. [14]
From $100-139 it is fair value if compact size, the all-metal drivetrain or existing M18 batteries drive the purchase. [14][10]
From $139-179 the brushless competition is hard to ignore: Milwaukee’s own 3601 and DeWalt’s Atomic occupy similar price points, and TechGearLab preferred the brushless M18 Fuel 2903 as a better-value Milwaukee option at list. [3][15]
The used market is the strongest value: a decade-old kit still sold for $80 in 2025. [5]