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Milwaukee M18 2606-21CT Drill Kit

Milwaukee M18 2606-21CT Drill Kit

By Milwaukee · Cordless Drills · Power Tools · More from Milwaukee

  • M18 18V cordless drill/driver 2606-20 (same tool as in 2606-21CT kit)
  • 500 in-lbs torque, 2-speed 0-400/0-1,800 RPM
  • Only 7-1/4 in long, all-metal gear case and 1/2-in metal chuck
  • Kit: 2x M18 REDLITHIUM CP1.5 1.5Ah batteries, M18/M12 multi-voltage charger, case
  • REDLINK Intelligence overload protection, 5-year tool warranty

Price not listed

New
Used, refurbished, open-box

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Problems, parts and running costs

Summary

The 2606-21CT kit pairs Milwaukee’s brushed 2606-20 compact drill/driver — 500 in-lbs of torque, all-metal chuck and gear case, 5-year tool warranty — with small CP1.5 batteries and a multi-voltage charger. It suits an M18-ecosystem entry at a discount; check the box first, because sources disagree on whether this exact kit ships one or two batteries.

Strengths

  • All-metal gear case and ratcheting metal chuck — the build quality owners and reviewers keep citing.
  • Compact reach into tight spaces that longer drills cannot match.
  • Owner longevity is the standout: a 2606-20 ran about 10 years of industrial drilling, tapping and improvised wire-wheel use with zero mechanical issues, then sold used for $80 in 2025.
  • TechGearLab scored drilling 8.8/10 and driving 9.0/10, with 16-gauge steel punched through relatively effortlessly.
  • A 5-year limited tool warranty is long for the class.
  • The CP1.5 pack took 31 minutes for a full recharge in testing, among the fastest charging in the group.

Weaknesses

  • It is a brushed-motor design from 2013; Milwaukee’s own brushless compacts now sit at similar money.
  • Battery life is the weak point — TechGearLab measured about 4.5 test cycles per charge on the 1.5 Ah pack.
  • The LED work light dims after about 7 seconds.
  • The double locking battery-release tabs can bind when you remove the pack.
  • Box contents are unresolved: one retailer mirror describes the 2606-21CT with a single battery, the product brief says two.
  • At its 2022 list price of $200, TechGearLab called it heavy and expensive for a casual DIYer.

Verified specifications

Modelkit 2606-21CT; the tool inside is the 2606-20, part of the M18 system, 18 V nominal.
Motorbrushed 4-pole frameless with rare-earth magnets — not brushless, not FUEL.
Torque500 in-lbs peak.
Speedtwo ranges, 0-400 and 0-1,800 RPM.
Clutch20 clutch settings.
Chuck1/2-inch all-metal single-sleeve ratcheting keyless chuck.
ProtectionREDLINK Intelligence overload and temperature protection.
Extrasbuilt-in LED work light; battery fuel gauge on the battery, not the tool.
Dimensions7-1/4 in long per Milwaukee marketing and retailer spec sheets (Milwaukee’s own spec table says 7.8 in); about 2.9 lbs bare, 3.75-3.8 lbs with a CP1.5 battery.
Warranty5-year limited tool warranty; 2-year limited battery warranty.
In the box2606-20 drill, REDLITHIUM CP1.5 1.5 Ah batteries, M18/M12 multi-voltage charger, carrying case — one retailer mirror describes the 2606-21CT with a single battery, so the box count is unresolved.
Full research notes and sources

Which model this is

This page covers the 2606-21CT kit, an earlier kit revision built around the brushed 2606-20 compact drill/driver; Milwaukee’s site now foregrounds the 2606-22CT kit and the 2606-20 bare tool. The kit ships the drill, REDLITHIUM CP1.5 1.5 Ah batteries, an M18/M12 multi-voltage charger and a case — though one retailer mirror describes the 2606-21CT with a single battery, so check the box count at purchase. Do not confuse it with the FUEL brushless drills (2903/2904), the newer compact brushless 3601/3602, or the 2607 hammer-drill sibling. Launched in 2013 as Milwaukee’s most compact drill/driver, a claim that is now historical — the brushless 3601 measures 5.7 in. Its Amazon listing is ASIN B00VMH8KT8.

Drilling and driving

TechGearLab’s February 2022 test — the only instrumented exact-model test found — scored the kit 79/100. Drilling came in at 8.8/10: hole-saw work through wood took 30-35 seconds against about 17 for the leaders, but paddle-bit drilling was among the best in the group with no stalling, and 16-gauge steel punched through relatively effortlessly. Driving scored 9.0/10, with wood screws driven to full depth and lag screws set a fraction of a second behind the top drills. Convenience scored 5.8/10: about 3.75 lbs, belt clip not installed, LED dimming, battery tabs that bind.

Battery and charging

The CP1.5 is the smallest M18 pack, and it shows: TechGearLab measured about 4.5 test cycles per charge and scored battery life 5.3/10. Recharge is a strength — a full top-up took 31 minutes in the test, and Milwaukee rates its multi-voltage charger at about 30 minutes for compact packs. The LED work light dims after about 7 seconds, and the double locking battery tabs can bind on removal. Batteries are the consumable in this system: owners report a practical service life of roughly 2-5 years for M18 CP packs, and failures past the 2-year battery warranty are a recurring complaint in r/MilwaukeeTool threads — though the evidence mostly concerns larger packs, not the CP1.5 specifically.

Repairs and upkeep

Milwaukee backs the tool with a 5-year limited warranty and the batteries with 2 years. Repairability is above average for the class: iFixit hosts a 2606-20 troubleshooting wiki covering battery, chuck, transmission and clutch, and motor faults, including chuck replacement, and third-party parts retailers sell replacement parts like chuck screws and chucks. A February 2026 Hackaday piece documents generally poor Milwaukee repairability with high repair costs — a fair warning for proprietary electronics, though the 2606’s brushed motor is simpler than a brushless controller. Day to day there is little to do: hand-tighten the chuck only as far as comfortable and let REDLINK manage overload and temperature.

Is it worth it?

Price decides this one. At the $91.99 bare-tool sale price reported in April 2026 (34% off a stated $139 MSRP), the kit is a defensible way into the M18 system or a compact backup drill. The bare tool lists at $139 at Hanessupply and PowerToolRepair, and $176.06 at AutoToolWorld; Dillon Supply lists the 2606-22CT kit at $229 and Northern Safety at $244.20. At those list figures the brushless competition — Milwaukee’s own 3601, DeWalt’s Atomic — is hard to ignore. 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. If you already own M18 batteries, the math improves: the brushed motor and 1.5 Ah packs ask less of you at a discount.

Sources

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Owner reports:

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