Cordless drill match-up: Makita vs. Milwaukee

[Jim Broestler]

I'm getting ready to buy a new drill, and I've narrowed it down to two choices: Makita 18v Li-ion or Milwaukee 18v Li-ion. I like the fact that the MW has a bit holder, and by what I've heard, the batteries are a bit more reliable than the Makita. But the Makita seems to have gotten a lot of good press and charges a battery in only 15 minutes. So I need a bit of input here: which one would you pick?

I'm a hobbyist WW'er, but stay fairly busy in the shop, and I want a good, tough, reliable tool.

[Brian Peters]

For me, I would get the dewalt 18v xrp drill. In terms of durability and battery life IMO its the best one I have used professionally. Not really a fan of Makita, Milwaukee makes awesome sawsallz but never have I used their drills.

[Kevin Groenke]

If it were up to me I would get a Panasonic 15.6v NMH. More compact/comfortable/ergonomic. Plenty of torque, tough.

Panasonics aren't commonly available at the borgs, but are well worth seeking out.

-kg

[Glenn Howard]

You might also want to look at Bosch. I have five different Bosch drills/impact drivers/hammer drills. All well made, the cordless charge up fast, hold a charge for a good long time, very ergonomic, nice cases...I've been very happy with Bosch power tools.

[Jim Broestler]

If it were up to me I would get a Panasonic 15.6v NMH. More compact/comfortable/ergonomic. Plenty of torque, tough.

Panasonics aren't commonly available at the borgs, but are well worth seeking out.

-kg

I was originally going to get the Panasonic, but by what I've read and heard, the Li-Ion batteries are better than the NMH, and the Pany doesn't have a bit holder, which is something I really like. Any idea how the two battery types compare?

[Mikail Khan]

I have the Makita and I am very happy with it. The Li ion batteries are great. Look at the drill/impact driver/flashlight combo which sells for around $250 on Amazon. I use my impact driver more than my drill.


MK

[Peter Quadarella]

If I was just buying a drill, I would probably go with Makita. But I like the total Bosch 18v cordless lineup so much, I would stick with that brand just for the interchangeability.

[Mark Rios]

I have an 18v Li-ion Makita and I too love it. Mine is this model:

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-BHP451-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Driver-Drill/dp/B000EDRT66/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1218080134&sr=8-1

Although I bought it as part of this kit: http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LXT202-BHP451-Hammer-Lithium-Ion/dp/B000I6PJG6/ref=pd_cp_hi_1?pf_rd_p=413863601&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000EDRT66&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1WVQK13HXS3R1DD74G1X

The above driver DOES have a bit holder, two in fact. Both on the right side.



Makita also has this model, which doesn't have a bit holder. Perhaps this is the model you are looking at:

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-BDF452HW-18-Volt-Compact-Lithium-Ion/dp/B000K6ILDW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1218080134&sr=8-3

I'm sorry, I can't comment on latter driver as I don't own it. But, I use my LXT202 kit on the job and around the house. It's always ready and drives what I need it to, from drilling holes into concrete for Tapcons (and then inserting said Tapcons) to hanging cabinets to.....whatever else I need to do. :D

HTH

[Denny Rice]

I'm getting ready to buy a new drill, and I've narrowed it down to two choices: Makita 18v Li-ion or Milwaukee 18v Li-ion. I like the fact that the MW has a bit holder, and by what I've heard, the batteries are a bit more reliable than the Makita. But the Makita seems to have gotten a lot of good press and charges a battery in only 15 minutes. So I need a bit of input here: which one would you pick?

I'm a hobbyist WW'er, but stay fairly busy in the shop, and I want a good, tough, reliable tool.

Jim,

I've been around for awhile and I remember with cordless drills were a novelty not the norm. In the early days Milwaukee and Makita were the heavy weights of cordless drills. In the late 1980's (1988ish) I purchasd a brand new Makita 9.6V cordless drill for the low price in the 80's of 250.00! It came with one battery and a charger, I remember telling my wife and she about flipped.LOL What I am trying to say is the Makita I purchased was built like a tank, and I still use it to this day. Through the yrs I have replaced the chuck with a keyless chuck, purchased a couple of batteries, and sent it out ONCE to have it tuned up, new brushes,ect. Back then these two companies built the Cadallics of cordless drills but over the yrs I am not too sure anymore. I purchased another Makita cordless drill about 4 yrs ago and I never use it, I still use my order drill. The new drill does not seem to have the torque of my older drill and it feels more like the cordless drills I could purchase at Sears for 99.00 that would come with a charger, two batteries and a flashlight. I think if I were to make a decision on a cordless drill today I would go and purchase the Craftsman and when it died just throw it away and buy a new one. These drills being produced in China today are throw away drills and are not made to be repaired, replacement batteries are expensive and parts are hard to get for them. It sadened me when Makita stopped producing their cordless drills in Japan and moved to Mexico, that was the time the Makita seemed to lose a little of its luster.

[Rollie Meyers]

I have a Milwaukee 14.4 V & a 18 V, both have NiCad batteries though if were to buy a new drill Panasonic would be my 1st choice they are the only company who builds their own batteries and have a great rep. from their users. The Milwaukee drills that I have are old enough to be still made in Germany and the 14.4 is my favorite drill and the only make that the battery can be reversed but since they are Chinese built now they are off my radar also have 3 Makita 9.6 V, a nearly bulletproof drill but unused due to lack of batteries but have no opinion about newer ones except they are also made in China.

DeWalt's yellow color does match a bodily function and that is in my opinion the best thing you can do with a DeWalt tool (they are a Black & Decker company).:D

[Neal Clayton]

I have an 18v Li-ion Makita and I too love it. Mine is this model:

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-BHP451-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Driver-Drill/dp/B000EDRT66/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1218080134&sr=8-1

Although I bought it as part of this kit: http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LXT202-BHP451-Hammer-Lithium-Ion/dp/B000I6PJG6/ref=pd_cp_hi_1?pf_rd_p=413863601&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000EDRT66&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1WVQK13HXS3R1DD74G1X

The above driver DOES have a bit holder, two in fact. Both on the right side.



Makita also has this model, which doesn't have a bit holder. Perhaps this is the model you are looking at:

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-BDF452HW-18-Volt-Compact-Lithium-Ion/dp/B000K6ILDW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1218080134&sr=8-3

I'm sorry, I can't comment on latter driver as I don't own it. But, I use my LXT202 kit on the job and around the house. It's always ready and drives what I need it to, from drilling holes into concrete for Tapcons (and then inserting said Tapcons) to hanging cabinets to.....whatever else I need to do. :D

HTH

note that the one mark mentions above, which i have as well, is the higher end line of makita cordless stuff, they grey ones are lesser in durability, battery life, etc. the green ones cost more for a reason ;).

that said if you're referring to the green makitas in your decision about which to buy, they are fine. will work all day under constant use, charge in about an hour, comes with 2 batteries so there's no downtime as long as you charge the dead one as soon as you take it out.

[Denny Rice]

Jim,

I've been around for awhile and I remember with cordless drills were a novelty not the norm. In the early days Milwaukee and Makita were the heavy weights of cordless drills. In the late 1980's (1988ish) I purchasd a brand new Makita 9.6V cordless drill for the low price in the 80's of 250.00! It came with one battery and a charger, I remember telling my wife and she about flipped.LOL What I am trying to say is the Makita I purchased was built like a tank, and I still use it to this day. Through the yrs I have replaced the chuck with a keyless chuck, purchased a couple of batteries, and sent it out ONCE to have it tuned up, new brushes,ect. Back then these two companies built the Cadallics of cordless drills but over the yrs I am not too sure anymore. I purchased another Makita cordless drill about 4 yrs ago and I never use it, I still use my order drill. The new drill does not seem to have the torque of my older drill and it feels more like the cordless drills I could purchase at Sears for 99.00 that would come with a charger, two batteries and a flashlight. I think if I were to make a decision on a cordless drill today I would go and purchase the Craftsman and when it died just throw it away and buy a new one. These drills being produced in China today are throw away drills and are not made to be repaired, replacement batteries are expensive and parts are hard to get for them. It sadened me when Makita stopped producing their cordless drills in Japan and moved to Mexico, that was the time the Makita seemed to lose a little of its luster.


Hey something I forgot, if quality is paramount and you want a drill that will last you 10 yrs or longer think Festool. They have a really cool 12V cordless drill with some really cool attachments. Now the sticker shock, the drill retails for about 450.00, I know this may seem steep in the days off 99.00 drills, but like the Makita I purchased back in the 1980's for the price of a house payment and is still running today, this drill will probably still be running 20 years from now. They are a brushless drill, and are guaranteed by Festool to screw 1 million screws! I have told my wife I would like one for Christmas, we'll see what happens.
Denny

[Bob Slater]

My Dewalt XRP has been a great performing drill. The Nicads need replacement every 2.5 years, but they are cheap on Ebay. It can take a pounding.

[Jay Jolliffe]

Bob....The batteries I had for my 18xp dewalt which were many I couldn't get 1 yr out of. I own the Makita now & like it a lot. I think the dewalt had more power-torque though. I like the light on the Makita comes in handy.

[J. Greg Jones]

The battery lifetime on the DeWalt stuff seems to vary considerably. The first cordless drill that I ever owned is a 12v DeWalt. The original 2 batteries are over 10 years old now and are still as strong as when they were new. My 18v DeWalt batteries are not as good, but the ones that have died on me were over 4 years old when they gave out. If the lifetime of the battery is a major factor in the purchase decision, then the Rigid drills deserve consideration also as Rigid will replace the batteries when they go bad under their lifetime service agreement.

[Chuck Tringo]

Nothing may be built to last that long anymore, but if you look at the 18V compact drill from RIDGID, they at least have a lifetime service contract, they will tune it up and even replace you batteries for as long as you own the drill.

[Bond Turner]

Don't know where you are, but Menard's in my area is clearing out all Makita tools and there are some steals for a quality brand.

I am a huge Milwaukee fan, but Makita is a great brand name with a quality reputation and I am always a fan of a great deal!

Good luck.

[eric auer]

For some reason all the shops I ever worked in were equipped with Makita's, I have a Hitachi I love atm but if I had to buy a new one I'd look real close at Makita.

Eric

[Peter Quinn]

For cordless makita was one of the first and remains one of the best. I have not stepped up to the lithium ion model but i have used them, they work great. Don't know about battery life. I have owned and used makita cordless drills for years, very durable, great battery life on the NiMi, very tough drills. Milwakee is good, and I love their corded drills, but prefer makita for cordless, better balanced in the hand.

I have used a few DeWalts on a "Hey, can i borrow that drill for a second, mine is in the truck" basis. I found them to be barbells with no more power or performance than my makita. I usually hand them back quickly and go get mine from the truck. nice workout though, if that's what your in for. Guess I'm not a yellow tool man.

[Harley Reasons]

If I remember correctly;
Makita 1 year warranty
Milwaukee 5 year warranty
Ridgid - Free Lifetime Service Agreement that includes the batteries.

Ridgid solves the batteries are expensive complaint down the road.

[Brian Jarnell]

If it were me that had asked the question,I would be no further from finding the answer.

Seems to me it is six of one and half a dozen of the other.

[Jim Becker]

For in the shop use, I'd not opt for any 18v setup...way too heavy for me to enjoy using for any period of time. For heavy home improvement/construction...yes, the 18v (and higher) tools are probably a better idea, but not for furniture work in the shop. They also tend to be physically larger and that makes for less versatility with regard to access inside of casework, etc.

I use a 12v drill/driver most of the time in the shop with a 14.4v drill/driver as my backup/second for when that's convenient. The former is Festool and the latter is Dewalt. Forgetting about the brand itself, one of the things I really like about the primary tool I've chosen, especially the 12v, is that it is smaller and fits my hand like a glove. Very comfortable to use. And it's very well suited to everything I do in the shop. There are a number of good choices "out there" that provide these kinds of physical attributes.

Oh, and as of late, I've decided the best combination for me going forward to cover both drill/driving and heaver work is to pick up an impact driver (I like the Hitachi for that right now) that compliments my existing drill/drivers.

[Harley Reasons]

We just got in the new Makita 12v impact driver. I haven't un-boxed one yet to put on display, but they look pretty nifty. The torque on them are 92.5 ft lbs (1,110 in lbs), this puts it up in the big boy class with the 18v impacts.
Here is a link to the Makita site (link for informational purposes only) 12v cordless impact (http://www.makita.com/menu.php?pg=product_det&tag=6980FDWDE)
Don't know what the price point on it is yet, but I'm guessing $150 give or take a little

[Prashun Patel]

Everyone has their favorites.
I have the Makita compact LiIon and it's great.

Pros of the Makita:

1) lightweight
2) small and compact; easy to get into tight spaces.
3) one-handed clutch makes bit insert/removal easy (not sure if that's the right tech term; but you don't have to hold the stationary part of the chuck and turn the rotating part to release a bit; you just turn the rotating part...)
4) there's a great light that illuminates the drill target when you depress the trigger. I thought it was a gimmick; but it's GREAT in tight spaces.
5) fast charge time


Cons of the Makita:
No bit holder. But you can get one frm McFeely's for $3. Most bit holders on drills are too short to hold countersink bits or longer driver bits anyway.

[Mike Cutler]

We use the Milwaukee brand of cordless drills at work exclusively. These drill are severely abused, basically they are used like they're stolen, absolutley zero respect is accorded them in their usage.
They're beat to heck, scratched, cracked,dropped, plastic parts are missing, batteries are duct taped in place, and they still work.

I own Dewalts at home, but I wouldn't hesitate one iota to buy a Milwaukee, after I've seen what they can hold up to at work.

[glen box]

In my job use a dewalt 18v hammer drill on a dayly bassis. It is a good tough drill. Good battery charge life. The batteries start to go south in about six months and need to be replaced in about 1 yr. I have found this to be true of all cordless tools regaurdless of brand if used heavily on a dayly bassis. The dewalt chargers do not have an auto shut of so it is very important not to leave them in the charger for long after they have finished charging if you do the will not last long at all.

At home I use the ridgid 18v. Another good drill. Has a good charger with auto shut off. Plus it has the lifetime waranty. I have had two batteries replaced using this warranty no questions asked.

I would go with the ridgid.

[Brian Jarnell]

The batteries makes the difference with drill in my experience.
I have just bought an 18v drill with lithium ion,they weight less than an 18 v Ni Mh.
So any of the good makes with these batteries is the answer.

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-5.htm

[Jim Broestler]

Thanks for all the input so far. Looks like the Makita is pretty popular, though I'm curious now about the green version vs. the one that looks like a sneaker. The Milwaukee is probably a bit tougher. That Ridgid is a pretty hard value to pass up with the lifetime battery replacement. The more I think about it, the more it becomes a Makita vs. Ridgid contest. And the more I think about that, the more I'm inclined to go with the Ridgid.

So that's probably what I'll be going for.

[Prashun Patel]

I almost bought the Rigid too for similar reasons. Check the web for reviews of the Rigid, though. I wasn't impressed. Also be sure how the warranty works.

[skip coyne]

From what Ive read online the rigid battery guarantee requires you to send the battery ,charger and tool in for a replacement
its not a matter of walking into the BORG and walking out with a new battery
something to consider if you need the tool on a regular basis

I looked at rigid with the lifetime warranty last time I bought and honestly with emerging technology's (LION wasn't available when I bought my last set ) i don't particularly want a tool to last a lifetime


having owned , Dewalt , Makita , and Milwaukee I've become a Big Ryobi fan
lots of bang for the buck honestly

I'm also a Big lion fan , I love the fact that the battery's hold the charge until you need them

[Brian Smith3]

You forgot Metabo for drills that begin with the letter "M". ;)

I agree with Jim completely. I have a little Hitachi 12v along with 15.5 and 18v Metabos. The Hitachi is the one I always seem to build things with, also the battery doesn't protrude forward which I find easier to maneuver.

But if you just want an answer to your question I personally prefer the Milwaukee. I had one of those for years and again I like it too because you can flip the battery around backwards which makes it easier to maneuver in some situations.

[Kevin Groenke]

I was originally going to get the Panasonic, but by what I've read and heard, the Li-Ion batteries are better than the NMH, and the Pany doesn't have a bit holder, which is something I really like. Any idea how the two battery types compare?

Jim,

On the NMH drills, there is a place to store a driver tip under the battery. It's not much, but since we usually use magnetic bit holders, insty-bits, quad-drives and the like, I've never missed a bit holder. I'm sure you could find an aftermarket holder that would probably be more effective/versatile than the on-board storage on some other drills.

As somebody mentioned, Panasonic is one of the few companies that makes their own batteries. Whether those batteries are NMH or Li-ion, I think you can expect them to be among the best available.

We have 8-PANY 15.6v NMHs, the oldest are ~10 years, the newest 1. I've replaced a couple chucks and a couple switches over the years, but we've recycled fewer than ten batteries in that time and we haven't had a single terminal failure. These drills are used/abused daily in an educational shop environment, but they are rarely used to drive deck screws all day long.

Since the NMHs work for us and we have a few of them, I doubt I'll replace them unless I have to.

I've handled Pany's Li-ion, its a 3.5lbs vs 4.8 which would be nice, the ergonomics are similar to their NMH drills (THE BEST afaic). Mak and Mil and Met are close. I find most Dewalt's and PC's to be very uncomfortable to use. I cannot fathom why the Rigid drills weigh 2x more than comparables from other brands. We have 6 old 12v Hitachi's which have been pretty goo, but the 18V Li-ion I bought last year was worthless and went back to the Borg it came from.

I recently got a couple of Milwaukee's compact 12v Li-ion drivers and so far I'm quite impressed, for ~$100, I might get a couple more.

$355 for the Pany 14.4 Li-ion drill/impact kit is not a bad deal.

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-EYC142B-14-4-Volt-Li-ion-Impact/dp/B0012OB494/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1218247405&sr=1-6

NMH
Product Description
This model features the longest running 3.5 Amp Ni-Mh batteries in the industry, compared to other 18 Volt tools. The drill/driver weighs only 4.8 pounds but delivers 390 in./lbs. of torque. Max. Torque (in.-lbs.): 390, Volts: 15.6, Chuck Size (in.): 1/2, Keyless Chuck: Yes, Clutch Settings: 18, Reversible: Yes, Variable Speed: Yes, Side Handle: No, Battery Amp/Hour: 3.5Ah, Battery Included: Yes, (2) 3.5Ah Ni-MH batteries, Charger Included: Yes, 55-minute charger, Case Included: Yes, Tool Weight (lbs.): 4.8


Li-ion
From the Manufacturer
Panasonic 14.4V Li-ion Drill Driver Kit with Light. Panasonic's EY7440LN2L 14.4V Li-ion Drill Driver Kit is strong, fast, light and comfortable. The EY7440LN2L delivers 390 in.lbs power along with high speed resulting in greater efficiency for faster work for all of your drilling and fasening needs. It's lightweigh of 3.5lbs, compact style reduce fatigue, while its 14.4V 3.0ah Li-ion battery deliverys the run time needed to complete the days work. The EY7440LN2L 3.0Ah Li-ion battery pack is equipt with an "electronic performance monitoring system." The electronic performance monitoring system monitors each cell in the battery pack during use and also during charging to prevent overdischarging and overheating. The EY7440LN2L kit includes: 14.4V Drill Driver, 14.4V Light, 2 - 3.0Ah Li-ion battery packs, 1 universal charger, 1 carry case.

[Jim Broestler]

Okay, so I went a completely different direction and got a Panasonic 12 volt drill/driver.

Didn't want a lot of torque, so that knocked out all the 18 volt drills. I use my cordless almost entirely for driving screws, so I don't need all that power.

Didn't like the fine print on the Ridgid, so that was out.

When it's all said and done, I just couldn't deny that the Panasonic is pretty highly recommended and seems to have stood the test of time. I decided against the Li-Ion battery option after a pretty in-depth review on Amazon that got into an issue these things apparently have regarding permanent power loss, and Pany has a really good rep for their batteries anyway.

Thanks for all the advice anyway. The options with cordless drills are so many, it's easy to find oneself bouncing between eight to ten different makes and models in a pretty short amount of time. At some point I figure you just gotta leap.

[Steve Nouis]

I've noticed quite a few Milwaukee products made in China, another good name going down hill. Steve

[Ron Bontz]

Thanks for asking the question. And thanks for the replies. Both my Dewalt 14.4 drills are giving up the ghost. All four batteries that is. So if I have to buy all those batteries AGAIN. I think I will just replace the whole kit.

[Prashun Patel]

I think you'll be happy. Panasonic DOES get really high marks for their batteries.

[Gene Michael]

Before you buy any drill, check the price for a replacement battery. On some models, a replacement battery costs almost as much as a new drill.

[Jim Becker]

Thanks for asking the question. And thanks for the replies. Both my Dewalt 14.4 drills are giving up the ghost. All four batteries that is. So if I have to buy all those batteries AGAIN. I think I will just replace the whole kit.

Ron, I recently rebuilt the battery packs for my Dewalt 14.4 with a kit from Jason Able. Good as new for a fraction of the cost of buying new batteries.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,

Both my Dewalt 14.4 drills are giving up the ghost. All four batteries that is. So if I have to buy all those batteries AGAIN.
If it's just the batteries and you want to "upgrade" to Li-Ion, I believe all DeWalt NiCad tools can use the Li-Ion batteries.

I know the 18V NiCad ones I bought last fall can use the Li-Ion batteries, but a new charger is required.

[Dar Lounsbury]

I have both Makita and Milwaukee drills. I always seem to go for the Makita first. Feels better in my hand and is a little bit lighter. Battery charges last about the same, very good. Makita has the LED. Milwaukee may have a little more torque......may. I like them both but if I could only have one, Makita.

Dar