Milwaukee 12-volt Heated Jacket on the Job

Plug a rechargeable battery pack into a side pocket, hold the ON button for three seconds, then feel enough electric warmth to keep you cozy during cold, winter, outdoor work sessions. This is the promise behind Milwaukee’s brand new heated work jacket, and after wearing it for the last three days of outdoor work, I’m impressed. Granted, it hasn’t been really cold outside – only hovering around the freezing mark where I live – but this jacket isn’t very thick, either. A little heavier than the average windbreaker, the all-red garment really proved its worth when I was outdoors but not active. That’s when chills often set in, but not while wearing this thing. Time will tell how durable and reliable this jacket proves after long-term field use, but right now I like it. The jacket comes with the latest generation of 12-volt lithium-ion battery that’s used in Milwaukee cordless tools, and in my tests so far, a fully-charged battery lasts anywhere from two to four hours, depending on the heat setting you’ve got dialed in. Stay tuned for more details as I gain experience.