Makita Lithium Ion - How do they work for you?

[Matt_in_AK]

I am thinking about getting a new cordless set. I need a drill, a light, a cordless, and maybe an impact driver. (I could do without the driver it the drill has enough torque.)

I have never used the new Lithium Ion batteries. A few people I know have really recommended Makita's newer 18V sets.

I just wanted to ask anyone out there if they own a Makita 18V tool, and what type of experience they have had.

How do the batteries hold up? Durability, feel, balance?

If not Makita, are there any other recommendations?

I know that there are two options with the batteries. The 3 amp-hour, and the 1.5 amp-hour. Is there a big difference between the two?

Any help would be great.

[ToolManBill]

All I ever use is DeWALT kits their the best.

[Dave]

Matt_in_Ak,

First off, welcome to our power tool forum!

Here at eReplacementparts.com, we are a Makita Authorized repair center, so of course we are going to recommend anything they make...

That being said, I will tell you what I know about these lithium-ion tools, and I will try to keep the bias to a minimum.

To start, Makita had a jump on the market when they came out with lithium ion power tool technology in October of 2005. That's good news for the end user because that means they have been making and selling these tools for close to three years.

This proved to be a great move for Makita, because their lithium ion line has been very successful, and they have taken some of the cordless tool market share from other manufacturers.

If you are looking for a well designed, well thought out cordless tool kit, the Makita lithium ion kits are a great option.

I personally use the BDF452HW, which is the 1/2" 18V driver / drill. It was shocking how light the drill was the first time that I picked it up, especially for an 18V tool. The best part is that the 40% lighter weight does not come with a sacrifice of power. It seems to run longer and better than 18V NiCd drills that I have had in the past.

If you are in the Market for a 3-pack, the LXT311H is a great option. It comes with the following:
BTW253 - 18V 3/8" LXT Impact Wrench
BDF452 - 18V 1/2" LXT 1/2" Driver Drill
BML185 - 18V LXT Flashlight

We are just a repair shop, so we really don't sell a lot of tools from our location, but there are many places on the internet to find this exact kit. If you are maybe looking for a cordless circular saw, or a recip saw try one of these two kits:

LXT405 - this one comes with a hammer drill instead of just a driver, and it comes with a cordless circular saw as part of a four pack

LXT407 - this one comes with the hammer drill, and a reciprocating saw as well

In short, a direct answer to your question would be... Yes Makita lithium ion tools are a great option for cordless kits. The battery technology is some of the best out there. Makita has had a long history of success in the cordless power tool market. The tools include an excellent attention to detail.

I hope this helps. Please let us know if you have any more questions.

[Dave]

One more thing I almost forgot. You asked about the difference between the 1.5 Ah batteries and the 3.0 Ah batteries.

Here is the difference: the 3.0 Ah batteries have exactly twice the capacity of the 1.5 Ah batteries.

The 3.0 Ah batteries are larger in size, and take a bit longer to charge then the smaller 1.5 Ah batteries.

The decision between the two usually depends on your needs. Makita came out with the lighter duty 1.5Ah tools to sell a high quality lithium ion tool, but at a lower price point. It is easy to distinguish between the tools, because the 1.5Ah tools are black and white, while the 3.0Ah tools keep Makita's blue and black color scheme.

[Philp]

hello,i own and run a small tool repair shop and i have alot of customers that swear by makitas new 18v cordless tools,I can tell you this, makita is all i use in the shop,i have been switching over to makita from dewalt because i believe they last longer per charge and are just overall a better tool.hope this helps in your decision.

[Mike]

Makita sure has come on strong with their new Li-Ion tools. We have a BDF452 here at our shop and we really like it. It's light and inexpensive. We have heard rumors of widespread problems with the new battery packs although we've only warrantied a small number of them. Our drill has never had a problem.

[peng]

i have 2 set of 7 pice set, one for my dad one for me, it take under 30 min to charge, and the impact last for ever, one full charge i can use for a hole day, the sawall is weak, grinder is very good, it will turn off when it overload, Circular Saw not so bad, nice set to buy, holp it help.

[milou6]

I own 7 18v Dewalts that I've had since 06, and recently bought a Makita LXT set (hammer drill + impact driver) when my Dewalt drill/driver died. I am very impressed with the Makitas. Well designed, great feel and control, and lighter thanks to the lithium-ion batteries.