Milwaukee M18 2801-20 Compact Drill.

The Gavler Review.

Milwaukee M18 2801-20 Compact Drill Review: A Cheap Door Into a Serious Battery Platform

The Milwaukee M18 2801-20 Compact Drill ranks number 10 on Gavler's Best Power Drills list with a score of 8.1. It's the drill we recommend when the actual goal is landing on Milwaukee's M18 battery platform as cheaply as possible — not when the goal is maximum drilling power. The number that explains almost everything about this tool is 500 in-lbs of max torque, and Pro Tool Reviews couldn't even get it there on their test bench, measuring it at "only 121 in-lbs" in soft-torque testing where they'd expected something closer to 250. That shortfall, more than any spec on the box, is what you need to understand before buying.

What it is

The 2801-20 sits in the middle tier of Milwaukee's M18 drill lineup: below it is a brushed compact drill, above it is a brushless hammer drill, and above that sit the two M18 FUEL drivers, the 2903 and 2904, which top this list. The 2801-20 is Milwaukee's compact brushless drill/driver — a 2-speed tool running 0-500 and 0-1,800 RPM through a 1/2-inch metal ratcheting chuck, with an all-metal gear case and an 18+1 clutch. It weighs 3.4 lbs with its CP2.0 battery, measures 6-1/2 inches long, and lists for $129 on Amazon.

The core trade-off is torque. The 2801-20 tops out at 500 in-lbs, against 1,400 in-lbs for the M18 FUEL 2903 and 2904. That's not a trim-level difference — it's a 2.8x gap, and it defines what kind of work this tool is built for. It's also missing AutoStop, the anti-kickback protection Milwaukee builds into both FUEL drills, which matters if you're regularly driving large bits or spade bits that can bind and snap the tool back on you.

In use

Pro Tool Reviews is the only outlet we found that put the 2801-20 on instruments rather than just handling it, and their conclusion lines up with what the spec sheet implies: "The Milwaukee 2801 drill driver has a 2-speed brushless motor with an 18+1 clutch, a full-metal chuck, LED light, and a reversible belt hook. It's basic, but it's functional and it's all you really need to effectively make holes and drive fasteners." That's a fair summary — nothing about this drill tries to be clever. You get a metal chuck instead of plastic, a real clutch with 18 driving settings plus a drilling position, an LED work light, and a belt hook that swaps sides. No brushless-motor gimmicks, no electronic torque control, no hammer function.

Where it falls short is under load. Milwaukee rates the 2801-20 at 500 in-lbs max torque, but Pro Tool Reviews' soft-torque bench test averaged only 121 in-lbs — well under the 250 in-lbs they expected based on typical soft-to-hard torque ratios. Rated capacity is listed at 1/2-inch in steel, 1-1/8 inch with a flat bit, and 2 inches with a hole saw, but those numbers assume you're operating near the drill's ceiling, which the bench data suggests is optimistic for anything beyond fastening work.

Strengths

• Genuinely compact. Pro Tool Reviews measured it at 7.78 inches tall and 6.63 inches long and called it "the most compact in the 18V Compact class" aside from the two true sub-compact drills they also tested. If tight-space access matters more than raw power, this is one of the smaller tools in its class.
• Lowest-cost entry to M18. At $129, it runs every battery in Milwaukee's M18 lineup — the same batteries that power the company's saws, impact drivers, and outdoor tools — without paying FUEL pricing.
• Solid build for the price tier. An all-metal ratcheting chuck and metal gear case aren't guaranteed at this price point, and the 18+1 clutch gives real fastening control rather than a stripped-down two- or three-setting clutch.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

The torque ceiling is the headline issue, and it compounds with the missing AutoStop protection: this is not the drill for large-diameter holes, dense hardwood, or repeated masonry work — it doesn't do masonry at all. If your job involves boring through joists with spade bits or hole saws on a regular basis, the 2.8x torque gap to the FUEL 2903/2904 will show up as stalling, bogging, and burned-out patience, not just a number on a spec sheet.

There's also the product-lifecycle problem. Milwaukee replaced the 2801-20 with the M18 3601-20 in June 2023. ToolGuyd's coverage of the successor is blunt about the difference: "The compact drill length has been shrunk from 6.5″ to 5.7″, a reduction of about 12.3%. That's a substantial difference." The 3601-20 also bumped rated torque to 550 in-lbs and added a new mechanical clutch. At least one major distributor now lists the 2801-20 as discontinued, even though Milwaukee's own product page is still live and stock is still moving through retail channels. Buying a superseded model isn't automatically a bad decision if the price is right, but you should know you're doing it — support, accessory pairing, and long-term parts availability all skew toward the newer tool over time.

How it compares

The 2801-20 sits at the bottom of this list's price range for a reason. The consensus top pick, the DeWalt DCD801B 20V MAX XR, ranks first overall with a 9.8 score and 550 in-lbs of torque for $219 — more power than the 2801-20 for less than double the price, which is a hard case to argue against if budget allows. Inside Milwaukee's own lineup, the M18 FUEL 2904-20 ranks second at 9.7, delivers 1,400 in-lbs of torque, and adds a hammer-drill masonry mode the 2801-20 simply doesn't have — for $229. The 2801-20 isn't competing with either of those tools on capability; it's competing on entry price into the M18 ecosystem, and that's the only lens that makes sense of its position on this list.

The Gavler verdict

This is a legitimate low-cost door into the M18 battery platform, and it's genuinely compact — but understand what you're giving up: 500 in-lbs against the FUEL models' 1,400, no AutoStop anti-kickback, and a feature set Pro Tool Reviews itself called basic. Buy it if the batteries are the real point of the purchase and your work is screws rather than large-diameter holes. If you're shopping new rather than clearing out old stock, note that it has been superseded by the 3601-20, which is nearly an inch shorter and rated for more torque. Our 8.1 score tracks Pro Tool Reviews' own 8.4 for the tool itself, nudged down for a product cycle Milwaukee has already moved past.

Review by The Gavler Team.

Common Questions

Is the Milwaukee M18 2801-20 worth it in 2026?

It's worth it if the M18 battery platform is the actual point of the purchase and your work leans toward driving fasteners rather than boring large holes. Pro Tool Reviews scored it 8.4 out of 10 and called the feature set 'basic, but functional,' which matches Gavler's take — it's a legitimate compact drill at a low price, not a powerhouse.

Why does the Milwaukee M18 2801-20 feel underpowered?

Because it is, relative to Milwaukee's own FUEL lineup. It's rated for 500 in-lbs of max torque against 1,400 in-lbs on the M18 FUEL 2903 and 2904 — a 2.8x gap. Pro Tool Reviews measured it even lower in their soft-torque test, averaging 121 in-lbs where they expected closer to 250.

Has the Milwaukee M18 2801-20 been discontinued?

Milwaukee replaced it with the M18 3601-20 in June 2023. ToolGuyd reports the successor's length dropped from 6.5 inches to 5.7 inches, a 12.3% reduction, while torque climbed to 550 in-lbs. At least one major distributor now lists the 2801-20 as discontinued, though Milwaukee's own product page remains live and stock persists in retail channels.