First off, I didn't buy this from Amazon unfortunately, My father and I got two of this Jacket from our local Ferguson Plumbing wholesaler. We recently got Carhart coats and got the idea of heated jackets so I looked for a Milwaukee one (We LOVE Milwaukee!), we were surprised by the price but decided to try them out. I personally love mine but my father hasn't worn his much (he does when it's cold enough or raining). Our sets came with (1) jacket, (1) battery and (1) charger each however you can buy just the jackets for quite cheaper (if you already have an M12 battery from another M12 tool consider just the jacket).
[--Update--]
(warranty)
My (first) jacket suddenly wasn't working, it either wouldn't turn on or would and after moving it would be off again; we guessed internal wiring issues but will never know. So I called Milwaukee and a few days later I received a new jacket and sent the old one back (makes sense why you have to, but they do send you a new jacket first). Milwaukee warranty is good, but I owned my jacket for well less than a year and it 'broke', my father's however is still running like a Lamborghini.
(con)
To say my jacket was dirty would be an extreme understatement. Not being able to machine wash this and my laziness for hand washing clothes really didn't help this jacket, but it didn't hinder its performance, just note that if your'e a dirty person, this jacket will show it.
(still recommend it)
I "convinced" a few friends to buy this kit, and they really like it as well. This is a great jacket.
I was disappointed at first by the inner material, but it warms much faster than I expected and I am now glad it is what it is. The materials are; Outer shell: 95% polyester 5% spandex, Inner shell: 100% polyester (track jacket style). They are small/thin enough we can still wear our Carharts over them (if the temp gets below freezing). If you live in 0F year round weather and are looking for a one coat solution this is not it, however it would certainly help.
The heating part of this jacket works amazing, we have cleaned a sewer line from the roof vent while raining with the coats on high and by the time we were done we realized we weren't cold (Temp was about 45F in that storm) so they heat pretty good overall, although it has "heat zones" (One on each side of the chest and one in upper back) that didn't affect us in a bad way. The M12 icon above the left chest Milwaukee emblem is the Heating level control and lights up (surprisingly bright) as follows: Warm up (more a feature than heat setting) (flashing red), seems to go down to medium after about 5 minutes, High (red), Medium (White) and low (Blue).
Unheated, this jacket has very good thermal efficiency for its size, which isn't much, this Jacket is quite thin and light especially without the battery.
The battery (which is supposed to last up to 6 hrs.) is the same socket type, shape and size as the normal M12 series battery however it has been improved (Red lithium is the model), The box states "40% more run time, 20% more power, and 50% more recharges" and misc. better stats over the standard M12. By the way, any standard M12 will work in this jacket as far as I know {we have one from the copper cutter (major disappointment) and it works in this jacket. The battery sits in a dedicated pocket (with elastic straps) in the lower left (when worn) which i'm still not sure was the best placement for it. I have sat against my seat fast and the battery was smashed between my back and seat, so I don't do that anymore. When the jacket is zipped I don't have this problem, or if I just hold it out of my way sitting down it's fine and has become habit, so not a major complaint.
Water and wind resistant? When my jacket was brand new I dipped it in some, dirty water, so I ran over to a hose and drenched my arm for about 5 minutes, after this my arm was as dry as ever, as well as the roof incident I mentioned earlier. In my case this jacket is waterproof.
This jacket can NOT be put in a washing machine, instructions are remove battery pack and controller (holster) and Hand wash in cold water. Improper care voids warranty (one year).
Finally price. This jacket is very comfortable and we look good in it, despite being red (my father didn't like it at first but has since changed his mind). But is it worth (about) $170 (what we paid for each)? It's worth it to me, it's small enough it doesn't hinder my arm movement at all which is a big plus while keeping me warm. Which was a problem with the Carharts. Is it worth it to the average John? No. If this were $100? BUY IT! Anywhere in between you decide.
Milwaukee appears to be in an experimental stage still and has been for a couple years, battery operated copper cutters and pvc shears for example and a lot more tools that have never been mainstream available (to my knowledge) before. Maybe the next generation of this jacket will be better somehow, but this generation is well worth looking into if it suits your needs. This jacket easily replaces my big puffy Carhart, although at the same time this jacket was 70% more expensive. If your not sure about the Milwaukee brand trust me, sometimes you get what you pay for, and this is it. Milwaukee is a very high quality brand which is on average more expensive and in our experience has always been well worth it.
If there are any questions or comments about this product feel free to comment this review and I will get back to you soon. If you find my review not helpful please take a minute in a comment explaining how I could review better, Thank you.
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I wouldn't say is top notch, but material is well made. Keeps you warm even without the electric heat on.
Pro: Keeps you warm, water resistance and wind proof.
Con: Battery dies too fast. the 6 hr that is advertised is on "LOW" (blue) and you barely feel it. "MID" (Blue) lasts about 4 hours the most, you going to need an outer layer on top of it. "HIGH" (red) lasts less than 2 hours, but when this is on high; You'll get the kick from it.
Hope this helps.
Best Deals for Milwaukee 2331-L M12 12-Volt Large Heated Jacket Set
I bought this coat on here after seeing it in PM mag in Dec. I live in montana, and it gets... cold. I have been inpressed with the coat. I wish it had a line running down the sleeve in below zero weather, but it has been nice. In REALLY cold weather, it works better as a liner in a larger jacket if u are not moving much. I made a car adapter for this, as i drive a geo in the winter for the traction/handling, but as some of u know the heater sucks, and the coat heats RIGHT UP. It inpresses anyone who sees the light, and the battery does last a decent amount of time, approx 2hrs on high, 6 on low, medium is comparable to high. Thank you seller!
Honest reviews on Milwaukee 2331-L M12 12-Volt Large Heated Jacket Set
I ordered this to wear under my normal motorcycle jacket on the colder days. It works perfectly for that use, keeping me warm. I also wear it for other times outside as it is very comfortable and warm, even without turning on the heaters.
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This is the best jacket. Warms up quickly and keeps me warm even in below zero weather. It is the BEST!!!
