The Milwaukee M12 Subcompact Brushless 3/8" Drill/Driver Kit is a compact cordless drill kit built for drilling holes and driving fasteners in tight spaces. This is a drill/driver designed for drilling and fastening. Model Number 3401-22. If you spend your day inside cabinets, between studs, above your shoulders, or moving from room to room on service work, this size matters. Milwaukee kept this tool short at 5.4 inches and light at about 2 pounds with the kitted battery, which makes it easier to control when you are working one-handed or reaching into awkward spots.

For performance, Milwaukee gave this subcompact drill a brushless motor rated at 350 inch-pounds of torque with a 2-speed gearbox. Low speed runs from 0 to 450 RPM for controlled fastening, while high speed runs from 0 to 1,550 RPM for faster drilling in wood and general installation work. That combination makes it a practical everyday drill driver for electricians, cabinet installers, maintenance techs, punch-out crews, and serious DIY users who want something smaller than a full-size drill but still capable enough for real work.

The hardware is set up the way most buyers want it. You get a 3/8 inch all-metal keyless chuck for durability, 12 clutch settings for better fastener control, and a variable speed trigger so the tool responds the way your hand tells it to. Milwaukee also built in an LED work light and a battery fuel gauge, which are small features until you are working in a dark corner or trying to finish one more task before swapping packs.

From a design standpoint, the biggest win here is balance. A lot of compact drills are short, but not all of them feel planted when you actually put a bit in material. This one is built around the M12 platform and sized to stay nimble without feeling toy-like. The premium rubber overmold helps with grip, the belt clip makes it easier to keep the tool on you during ladder work or service calls, and the under-2-pound working weight helps cut fatigue during overhead drilling and repetitive fastening.

Milwaukee also backs the tool with REDLINK Intelligence, which is their electronic protection system that monitors load and temperature. In plain terms, that means better protection when the tool is pushed hard, and better communication between the drill and the battery. On a compact platform, that matters because these are the tools people tend to use everywhere. Overload protection helps the tool hold up better over time.

As a kit, this package makes sense for someone getting into M12 or adding a compact second drill to an existing setup. It includes two M12 RedLithium Compact 2.0 battery packs, an M12 charger, and a contractor bag. The drill is also part of the broader Milwaukee M12 system, which means the batteries work across a large lineup of 12V Milwaukee tools. If you already own M12 gear, this kit drops right into that platform. If you do not, it is a straightforward entry point.

Who should buy it? If your work leans toward finish carpentry, electrical rough-in and trim-out, HVAC service, general maintenance, fixture installation, furniture assembly, or home projects where maneuverability matters more than max power, this is the right kind of compact drill. If you mostly bore large holes or run big structural fasteners all day, step up to a larger drill. But for the bulk of daily drilling and fastening jobs, this kit covers a lot of ground without taking up much space in the bag.

Milwaukee M12 Subcompact Brushless 3/8" Drill/Driver Kit for everyday carry

This is the kind of compact drill kit that actually gets used every day because it is small enough to bring along and strong enough to handle the work most people do most often.

• Who it's for: Pros and serious DIY users who need a compact cordless drill for service work, installs, assembly, and light-to-medium drilling and fastening.
• Why it stands out: The 5.4 inch length, brushless motor, all-metal 3/8 inch chuck, and full kit setup make it more than just a stripped-down compact option.
• Worth knowing: This is a drill/driver, not a hammer drill, so it is the right pick for wood, metal, and fastening jobs, not masonry drilling.

• Is this a hammer drill? No. This model does not have a hammer function. It is a standard drill/driver for drilling and fastening.
• What battery system does it use? It uses Milwaukee M12 batteries and is part of the M12 platform.
• What is the top speed? The drill has a 2-speed transmission with 0 to 450 RPM in low and 0 to 1,550 RPM in high.
• Does it have a metal chuck? Yes. It uses a 3/8 inch all-metal keyless chuck for improved durability.