You get two tools in one when you buy this kit. Milwaukee's Magnum hammer drill can be used as a regular drill for boring in wood or metal, or it can be switched over for use as a hammer drill, allowing percussion carbide-bit drilling in concrete and masonry. You can feel the quality of this tool when you hold it--its reinforced nylon resin casing, which is lighter and stronger than metal, offers better heat dissipation and chemical resistance. The machined, keyed, industrial chuck is impressive, too, featuring deep, heavy-duty teeth that up the maximum bite on the bit. Of course, when a hammer drill is used in heavy-duty industrial situations, the brushes wear out quickly; taking this into account, Milwaukee's Magnum drill conveniently comes with a removable brush cartridge system, so you can change brushes in seconds (there are even two extra brushes stored inside). We also liked the Quik-Lok cord set, which makes it easy to switch cord lengths (if you have one of the optional cords). There's also a handy depth guide adjustment that makes it easy to repeat accurate holes. While the dual operation of this drill is a great feature, if you intend to use it primarily for wood and metal work, you may want to consider a drill designed for that purpose; the Magnum, because of its dual-action capability, is larger and heavier than standard drills. But if you're interested in a tool that can handle both applications, we think this is a great choice. --Tim Block
