Makita LXT Drill, Anyone got one?

[Pat Barry]

I was browsing at HD again yesterday and spent a long time looking at the Makita 18V LXT combo drill package (for $279). I have an old Makita 12V NMH drill that I've had for a long time and its my favorite power tool. But, the batteries are gone and the technology is going fast and I have work to do, so the new LXT looks like a great tool. The only downside to it is the reviews are mixed on various websites due to poor battery life. These reviews go back a few years, so I got to thinking these might be outdated, and that Makita has fixed the problems. So, does anyone here have experience to share regarding the battery life or satisfaction with the tool they would care to share?

[Steve Juhasz]

I have about 8 or 9 various LXt tools. Some are useless, like the circular saw, some are very good, like the drill you mention. The battery problems have gotten worse over the years, not better. Now, Makita will not honor warranty on batteries that have died after only 40 charge cycles because you cannot produce the receipt. About 5-6 years ago, when the battery would crap out, you just took it back to the store and it was replaced if it was under the cutoff period for charge cycles. Not so anymore. Basically, I now use the cordless tools only when needed, and all of them have corded counterparts on the jobsite and in the shop.

[jon amick]

i have the lxt drill/driver combo. i'm a part-time contractor and these tools get a lot of use. I've had no problems with the batteries, except for the usual slow loss of juice over the year and a half i've had them. my only gripe is the clutch getting loose and bits falling out every once in a while. other than that, i love this combo.

[Mikail Khan]

I have several lxt tools with four batteries. 2 of the batteries are about 4 years old. No problems with batery life thus far. Hobby use.

MK

[Eric DeSilva]

I think there are blueish LXTs and white/black LXTs and they aren't the same. I've got the blueish drill and driver and love them--I haven't had the battery issues I've heard others talk about, but I use them on a hobby basis. Mine are probably 6-7 years old and are still running strong. I bought them in a larger kit, which--as others have observed--was largely useless. As pointless as I've found the battery circ saw and recip saw, however, I'd still buy another drill from them in a heartbeat.

[Bill White]

B & W LXT here. Has been a very good drill. I'd buy it again. I use the light weight batt.
Bill

[Dan Masshardt]

I think the blue ones are tougher overall, but one verifiable difference is the white tools come with a 1.5 battery while the blue with the 3.0. Drills run on either but saws supposedly need the 3.0.

[Greg R Bradley]

Not quite sure what you mean by "the" LXT drill as there are a half dozen models. I think there may be just one that comes in the small battery black/white combo.

I have purchased about 35 LXT tools and several additional batteries. I bought two drill/impact combos when the first came out 8+ years ago ranging up to a brushless 3 speed impact and a NAINA chainsaw bought about 2 years ago. Some of these are in daily professional use including some brutal employee use and some are my personal stuff that is lightly used.

The were some issues on some drill models of chuck runout. It only affected some models. I had one battery die after 20-30 charges, which was replaced under warranty. I had one die early, probably around a year or two. The rest all work although the ones with date codes before 2006 don't last as long as the newer ones. I want to emphasize that some of the impacts are used almost every working day and have 200 charge cycles per year for several years. Clearly, freezing temperatures don't hurt batteries in SoCal. I had one of the early style chargers fail.

The Recip Saw and Circular Saw do exactly what you would expect out of 18v tools. If you expect a replacement for a corded tool, you have to step up to a 36v tool, which is what I did on a Circular Saw. At my age, I wouldn't want to have to use the bigger tool for everything.

[Rick Potter]

Bought the set, green/blue ones, with 3.0 batteries. Hobby use. I really use the sawzall a lot, it is perfect for trimming trees up to three inches or so. The circ saw is slow, but really has been handy when we did a room addition. Only one problem with the six year old batteies. I was trimming trees, and set it on the trash can, and forgot it. Someone at a landfill probably thought it was Christmas. $80 :eek:

If you are looking at the white one, I would consider the 12V Milwaukee, it is a great drill, and I rarely use the Makita anymore.

Rick Potter

[Pat Barry]

Thanks all for the feedback. The one I'm referring to is the blue green colored one, not the white black version. The blue green one has a brushless motor and costs a bit more than the white black Litium Ion one.. The white black 2 piece combo kit was just reduced to ($199) I think, and the blue green 2 piece combo is $279. Thats the one I was looking at.

[Larry Browning]

Pat,
I don't know if you are a hobbyist or a pro. But for the hobbyist the B&W version is probably all you will need. I have that one, and couldn't be happier with it. I like that it holds it's charge over time. It can be weeks or even months between uses and it has always fired right up when ever I need it. It also charges pretty quickly as well. Maybe take 15-20 minutes from dead battery to fully charged. The combo kit I got had the drill and impact driver.

[Greg R Bradley]

Pat,

I have the first Makita brushless tool, the 3 speed impact. It is spectacularly good. I don't know if you need the power but the 18v LXT is a real 18v like your 12v NiMh is a real 12v, not a nonsense 12v like the new Li tools that say 12v but are actually 10.8v. Are you looking for that much power? I really think a drill with that much power needs the option of a second handle. Like Larry said, for hobby use, the 18v black/white could be plenty of power and are lighter weight.

I know they have brought out more brushless tools since my impact, but have none of them. When they come out with a brushless version of the 3/8" and 1/2" impacts, I will probably buy those for people doing equipment repair.

[Mikail Khan]

I have had both the black and white and the green and black drills and impact drivers. The green ones have the larger capacity batteries. I believe the also have a hammer mode. The green model is significantly heavier though. If you have never used the1.5ah model you will not know what you are missing.

MK

[Pat Barry]

I'm happy to hear that most have good things to say about the Makita. I have decided (90%) to go with the LXT (green) combo tool. Heres what I like: More battery life 3Ah vs 1.5, Impact driving capability (small factor), 3yr warranty, 1 yr on battery. Here is the downside - $79 more, slightly heavier (4 lbs vs 3.3 lbs). My current 12V drill is 4.3 lbs and I don't feel its heavy at all so weight is not a factor. I do think the fact the 3Ah battery will give me 2X the run time is very important. I don't plan to use the impact feature very often, but there are times when this would be great feature to have. Plus, the LXT is 50% more power than what I now have and there have been many times when more power would have been handy. I wonder about the brushless motor design on the LXT but I figure they must have this figured out so I am willing to take that risk. Thanks for the help.

[Carl Beckett]

I have the B&W drill/driver. The B&W impact driver. The blue 'drill/hammer drill'. The blue circ saw. And the blue right angle drill.

I have about 6 batteries 3.0, and two of the 1.5mA batteries.

I have had issues with the batteries failing prematurely. But - I kept buying new ones and exchanging the older ones. For the last year to year and a half I have had zero issues with batteries. I wonder if it was an issue where the circ saw was pulling too much current and killing them (I used the circ saw a lot when building my shop - so it was seeing heavy duty use)

My favorite is the B&W impact driver. Followed by the B&W drill/driver. Because they are smaller/lighter, and both variable speed. (plenty of power for 95% of the things, the B&W tools do take the 3.0 batteries which I leave on them most of the time, but if you put the 1.5 batteries on them even lighter!)

The blue drill/driver is NOT variable speed - it has 3 discrete speed ranges.

I also have an older Dewalt 14.4 drill and circ saw. The Makita circ is far above the Dewalt. The Dewalt drill has taken some pretty heavy use and abuse, but is still going strong.

I love the tools, but was frustrated with some significant battery failures. With any luck though, that seems to be behind me so will give them a cautious endorsement......

[Maurice Arney]

I started out with a LXT 18v combo package two years ago and have been adding more tools ever since. I've had no problem with batteries and have built a small barn without ever recharging the saw. I hardly ever use my corded tools any more.