Most call Makita Teal in the US. We have definitely ran out of colors for all the brands. . I’ve enjoyed great longevity from Makita tools. Decades on some cordless ones. Even some 15 year old batteries. I’m pleased with makita’s performance. Their ergonomics and the ruggedness of their batteries are desirable. Other brands make good tools too. Big box stores can get good prices from their vendors, and sometimes pass the savings along.
Makita Addiction Thread
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Most call Makita Teal in the US. We have definitely ran out of colors for all the brands. . I’ve enjoyed great longevity from Makita tools. Decades on some cordless ones. Even some 15 year old batteries. I’m pleased with makita’s performance. Their ergonomics and the ruggedness of their batteries are desirable. Other brands make good tools too. Big box stores can get good prices from their vendors, and sometimes pass the savings along.
In absence of other factors, picking your favourite color is a valid strategy for choosing your power tool brand.
jollygreengiant
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Those in house big box brands may have similar quality and longevity, but that is a pretty recent development. And sure the tools may be better, but are the batteries?? My experience with in house brand batteries has been suboptimal to say the least. I have Makita cordless tools and batteries that are over 15 years old, and they still perform as they did when I bought them.
Now granted price is an important consideration. If I only need a tool a couple times a year and the house brand option is significantly cheaper, I will go that route. I really like Makita but economics does come into play at some point.
Heck I'll even buy a cordless tool for the odd use.
engineer2
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The biggest seller is Milwaukee because people want an American brand. Some don't know they are actually Chinese.
At least Makita is Japanese owned, who tend to value high quality, but most are assembled in China for our market.
I have a 14 year old LXT Makita impact driver that works like new. I am currently using the 14 year old batteries in my string trimmer for the summer. Recharge about every third use. No complaints.
At least Makita is Japanese owned, who tend to value high quality, but most are assembled in China for our market.
I have a 14 year old LXT Makita impact driver that works like new. I am currently using the 14 year old batteries in my string trimmer for the summer. Recharge about every third use. No complaints.
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Two Speed
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My Makita stuff has been around a long time. I've got a 7.2v drill/driver that put in thousands of screws and used as an occasional hammer, never broke. Still have it, but as you can imagine a 30 year old nicad battery isn't much more than a door stop now. I might repower it, was a great sized drill and handy as all get out for what we where doing at the time.
9.6v drills also graced the tool box, still have one, others disappeared on the job site. Had I jumped on the home depot clearing out batteries for this thing I'd still be using it. Replaced it with a 12 volt drill driver. Not quite as compact as the 7.2v drill, but a decent size for the randomn holes I drill now.
9.6v drills also graced the tool box, still have one, others disappeared on the job site. Had I jumped on the home depot clearing out batteries for this thing I'd still be using it. Replaced it with a 12 volt drill driver. Not quite as compact as the 7.2v drill, but a decent size for the randomn holes I drill now.
Steel_Rain
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I’m not a GC and don’t live on construction sites. That said, I still have friends that do, meaning I’m sometimes in their company while at work.
I still see the older guys on job sites using 90’s power tools and often times, they are teal in color.
I still see the older guys on job sites using 90’s power tools and often times, they are teal in color.
YesIHaveAHammer
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Unless someone wants to offer a reason I shouldn't, I'm minded to drop into the XGT ecosystem. I'm not on any Makita cordless already, just some older corded tools.
I know the tools aren't the cheapest but the premium isn't unreasonable and I can easily see what I'm getting for it. I know the batteries are a bit more expensive than other brands, but they're all high performance and I don't need lots of them. I see they don't have every tool that 18v platforms have, but they do have everything I can imagine needing.
Also for what it's worth, there perhaps isn't much to dislike about them as a company and how they operate, compared to others.
Recip saw is the first thing I'm after, and the JR002G (GRJ02Z) seems to blow everything else out of the water. The only things that seem to come close are the Metabo SSEP 18 LTX BL MVT and the Bosch Pro Expert EXSA18V-32. No I don't need all these features, but I do want some of them.
I know the tools aren't the cheapest but the premium isn't unreasonable and I can easily see what I'm getting for it. I know the batteries are a bit more expensive than other brands, but they're all high performance and I don't need lots of them. I see they don't have every tool that 18v platforms have, but they do have everything I can imagine needing.
Also for what it's worth, there perhaps isn't much to dislike about them as a company and how they operate, compared to others.
Recip saw is the first thing I'm after, and the JR002G (GRJ02Z) seems to blow everything else out of the water. The only things that seem to come close are the Metabo SSEP 18 LTX BL MVT and the Bosch Pro Expert EXSA18V-32. No I don't need all these features, but I do want some of them.
- Orbital action
- Vibration damper, halves the vibration
- Speed selector dial, so you can go slow without trigger feathering
- Constant speed, so you can use it slow without bogging down
- Kickback protection, like (more importantly) on an angle grinder
- Brake, instantly stops on trigger release
- LED light on the front
- Variable speed AND paddle trigger, a rarely offered combination
- Paddle trigger is full length, so you can move your hand up if desired once activated
- Kickback protection
- Brake
- Constant speed, won't bog down when run at low speed with certain wheels
- No touch membrane style buttons
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YesIHaveAHammer
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Weight of the batteries.
The strategy of getting a bunch of midsized batteries and using them on everything doesn't perhaps work so well on this platform.
Everyone else vs. Makita XGT:
4Ah 0.6kg vs. 0.9kg
5-6Ah 1kg vs. 1.3kg
8Ah 1kg vs. 1.9kg
Steel_Rain
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Eh. I have a lot of tool ecosystems. To compare LXT to XGT, I can’t say the small amount of extra weight bothers me much.
These aren’t apples to apples comparisons, but here is a size comparison for reference with one LXT impact driver and one XGT impact driver:
I realize this is the smallest XGT pack and one of the largest LXT packs.
That said, the power of XGT is next level and is worth the extra weight in my opinion.
duneslider
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I guess it depends on what you are doing with it. I haven't run into anything my little impact doesn't do for me, except take lugnuts off the truck...Eh. I have a lot of tool ecosystems. To compare LXT to XGT, I can’t say the small amount of extra weight bothers me much.
These aren’t apples to apples comparisons, but here is a size comparison for reference with one LXT impact driver and one XGT impact driver:
I realize this is the smallest XGT pack and one of the largest LXT packs.
That said, the power of XGT is next level and is worth the extra weight in my opinion.
For my use case I just don't need anything more powerful. That said, I know there are other use cases.
neophyte
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You’re ColorBlind.
Makita tools in Australia, at least as far as I can tell from the Bunnings website, are the same color as in the USA.
The blue is more of a torquoise, so has a bit of a greenish tint, but a bit of a greenish tint is hardly “greeen” like Metabo, or Hitachi, or Ryobi, or the accents on Festool, etc.
I’m also certain Makita has gotten less green over the years, although on older Makita tools, the color difference may be the yellowing of older plastic, causing a more greenish tint, which can happen quicker with lots of UV light.
Attachments
So does an impact driver really benefit from 40V? A couple weeks ago I used my Makita LXT to drive 5/16" X 6" GRK deck post screws thru 1" hardwood and 5" PT blocking using a T40 bit. I figure that's about the limit of an impact driver and it performed just fine. I can see the added benefit of 40V for certain tools like big circular saws or recip saws but not things like impact drivers or common drills.Eh. I have a lot of tool ecosystems. To compare LXT to XGT, I can’t say the small amount of extra weight bothers me much.
These aren’t apples to apples comparisons, but here is a size comparison for reference with one LXT impact driver and one XGT impact driver:
I realize this is the smallest XGT pack and one of the largest LXT packs.
That said, the power of XGT is next level and is worth the extra weight in my opinion.
Those two battery packs in your image contain about the same total energy 100 watt hour vs 90 watt hour but at a big $ premium for the 40V.
Steel_Rain
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Great question and yes, I’m familiar with the Wh similarities, that was the reason to compare packs the way I did.
So recently, I used one of LXT impact drivers and one of my XGT impact drivers mounting shelving units on a concrete wall using 3/8” tapcons (3/8”x 2-1/4” HD). I spilt up using these on purpose to compare. I will dig up the specs if you want, but the XGT tool is mega superior in both power and speed, while maintaining a similar weight.
Agreed that XGT is mega overkill for certain tools, but I disagree on the impacts and my recent experience proved that to me.
With XGT/40v, Makita somehow kept the balance, trigger action and smooth performance that attracted me to LXT in the first place. I have many tool ecosystems claiming to be the most powerful, but Makita XGT is my top choice for extreme performance and consistent, smooth operation. It’s unlike anything else in the power tools industry, and I guess you just need to experience it to understand.
YesIHaveAHammer
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My mistake here is not considering they're double the voltage, so I wasn't comparing batteries with equivalent energy capacity. After taking that into account, the XGT batteries actually have higher energy density.
These two contain the same amount of energy.
Thanks, I did use my Makita XGT 10-1/4" rear handle circ saw this morning to cut some 4X6's. For that kind of task it's sure nice to have the high voltage. (it's also nice to not have to flip them over to complete the cut!) I was just curious about the 40V benefit for the smaller tools.
FTWingRiders
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A few weeks ago I posted that my XCV11Z vac had crapped the bed. Finally got it down to my local Authorized Makita Dealer to pick up a new one..Jeff told me that for $15 they’ll ship it in for Makita to take a look at it.. sure enough a week later I get the call it’s back and good to go. They replaced the controller unit and for $97 buck I’m back in business! Saved me over $120.. I happy with that!
Adams took and Nail are the best!!
Adams took and Nail are the best!!
Steel_Rain
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Nice! Makita tools are designed to be serviceable.A few weeks ago I posted that my XCV11Z vac had crapped the bed. Finally got it down to my local Authorized Makita Dealer to pick up a new one..Jeff told me that for $15 they’ll ship it in for Makita to take a look at it.. sure enough a week later I get the call it’s back and good to go. They replaced the controller unit and for $97 buck I’m back in business! Saved me over $120.. I happy with that!
Adams took and Nail are the best!!
Watch this guy on YouTube:
You will soon discover why Makita builds excellent products that can be serviced and fixed instead of thrown away.
KnurledNut
Well-known member
I have the newer LXT double charger and it quit working a few years ago. I called Makita and they gave me an address to send it to since I didn't have a service center within reasonable driving distance. I believe it cost me about $12 to ship it. They fixed it under warranty and paid for return shipping. It's been working fine since.
I've also repaired several tools myself with factory parts that were very reasonably priced and high quality. I hope they continue to make tools that can be serviced.
YesIHaveAHammer
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Didn't go for the XGT recip (sorry!).
It's a class above what I need, which brings a significant weight penalty. It's 5kg with the 4040F battery, whereas there are many alternatives capable enough for me at 4kg with battery. That extra weight I think would be a pain or limiting at times. I don't need the extra power, or use it long enough to need the vibration damper.
No worries about the battery weight - as we figured, they're not heavy when compared like for like after adjusting for voltage.
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Hohn
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There are legit green Makitas and even yellow and purple Makitas made in Japan.
Hohn
Well-known member
I don’t think higher voltage offers a ton of benefit in smaller tools. The real advantage is more efficiency at higher power since the same magnetic field takes less current to produce.
And of course, 21700 cells instead of 18650.
neophyte
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Yes, I know.
Google lists the “Official Makita Color” as “Teal” which is supposedly midway between blue and green.
New Makita tools have always looked “Blue” to me, with the older tools looking more green, probably due to the yellowing of the fire retardant chemicals in the plastic over time, which is the same reason older computers have that ugly tan color, which is/was supposedly originally light grey.
I presume Australia might have a bit more of an issue with extra UV light causing plastics to yellow quicker.
Makita did use a metallic green pain on older metal bodied tools, and various other colors as well.
Dave455
Well-known member
Makita’s first power tools were licence built Wolf designs.
When Wolf introduced their “Sapphire” range, notable now for incorporating GRP parts to the casing, they introduced a grey colour scheme, with blue highlights. It was never really “sapphire” blue, definitely more of a teal, but not totally! It looked good with the grey.
Makita produced tools in the same colours under licence, and that’s the origin of the blue!
Wolf remained family owned till the 1980’s and successfully collaborated with Makita on many designs, but the company was sold in the early 80’s, and of course the buyers closed the British factory.
As things turned out, the GRP casings enabled the tools to be “double insulated”, a requirement now, but a novelty then. The Sapphire tools turned out to be very well made, and I still have a 1970’s vintage (maybe late 60’s) drill in occasional use. Ditto an early 80’s grinder.
Makita, of course, fared somewhat better! Although they were helped by the favourable economic conditions for Japanese manufacturing in the 70’s and 80’s!
When Wolf introduced their “Sapphire” range, notable now for incorporating GRP parts to the casing, they introduced a grey colour scheme, with blue highlights. It was never really “sapphire” blue, definitely more of a teal, but not totally! It looked good with the grey.
Makita produced tools in the same colours under licence, and that’s the origin of the blue!
Wolf remained family owned till the 1980’s and successfully collaborated with Makita on many designs, but the company was sold in the early 80’s, and of course the buyers closed the British factory.
As things turned out, the GRP casings enabled the tools to be “double insulated”, a requirement now, but a novelty then. The Sapphire tools turned out to be very well made, and I still have a 1970’s vintage (maybe late 60’s) drill in occasional use. Ditto an early 80’s grinder.
Makita, of course, fared somewhat better! Although they were helped by the favourable economic conditions for Japanese manufacturing in the 70’s and 80’s!