Makita Cordless Drills Review

5 models rated on this site · 30 tracked · 4 with owner sentiment · 359 owner comments (model + brand level)

3.9 Brand score from 223 rated owner comments
Owner sentiment
3.9
Recommendations
4.3
Spec score (avg of models)
3.6
Value
Not rated
How brand scores work →

Makita owners on Reddit praise battery & runtime (64), power & torque (57), compact & lightweight (49) and most often complain about clutch & speed control (11), value (10), durability (9).

Should you buy a Makita cordless drill?

Shortlist Makita if

  • Battery & Runtime matters: 64 owner mentions praise it.
  • Power & Torque matters: 57 owner mentions praise it.
  • Compact & Lightweight matters: 49 owner mentions praise it.

Look elsewhere if

  • Clutch & Speed Control is a dealbreaker: 11 owner complaints.
  • Value is a dealbreaker: 10 owner complaints.
  • Durability is a dealbreaker: 9 owner complaints.

Most positive owner comment

5/5 Battery & RuntimeValue

“best is subjective.”

owner comment via r/DIY · 2026-08-18 · 171 upvotes

Most critical owner comment

2/5 Chuck & Bit Grip

“My brother's Stanley cordless drill plastic chuck is broken, so I made up an excuse for myself to get the Yukiwa chuck and I transferred the Makita branded one to his drill.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2025-10-23 · 3 upvotes

Praise vs complaints

ThemePraiseComplaints
Battery & Runtime640
Power & Torque570
Compact & Lightweight490
Clutch & Speed Control011
Value010
Durability09
5/5 Battery & RuntimeValue

“best is subjective.”

owner comment via r/DIY · 2026-08-18 · 171 upvotes
4/5 Compact & LightweightBattery & Runtime

“Everything still works great.”

owner comment via r/Tools · 2026-07-05 · 12 upvotes
5/5 Power & Torque

“I have the exact model and it's fucking fantastic!”

owner comment via r/Tools · 2026-04-25 · 9 upvotes
4/5 Power & TorqueBattery & Runtime

“That was about five years ago and the drill & battery are still going strong after being used as a jack stand.”

owner comment via r/Tools · 2026-01-01 · 39 upvotes
5/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“I've got the previous model of the mitre saw, the LS0815FLN, and it's great.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-06-23 · 7 upvotes
5/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“The RT0700C is the corded trim router, it's great.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2025-11-19 · 7 upvotes
5/5 Compact & LightweightBattery & Runtime

“They fell off ladders, sat in the rain, survived in hot attics and trucks, and generally got put through the wringer, and I only ever replaced them because I wanted a newer model (I love the black compact models), passin”

owner comment via r/DIY · 2026-08-18 · 6 upvotes
4/5 Battery & Runtime

“Makita is a motor company who just happen to make good quality tools.”

owner comment via r/DIY · 2026-07-16 · 26 upvotes
+32 more owner comments
4/5 Power & TorqueChuck & Bit Grip

“If you not confident about how much force to use, I would not recommend this.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-07-25 · 5 upvotes
4/5 Power & Torque

“They are absolutely incredible, powerful and dependable.”

owner comment via r/BuyItForLife · 2026-09-12 · 14 upvotes
5/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“After getting most of my tools I was in a Home Depot and I saw this one LXT impact driver (XDT20) and picked it up, it was SOOO light and has the ring light and it was just too good I got it.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-06-27 · 3 upvotes
5/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“I have had no need to move towards XGT stuff yet but someone else said it best on here, XGT is best for tools that you might use 2 hands on.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2025-10-30 · 3 upvotes
2/5 Chuck & Bit Grip

“My brother's Stanley cordless drill plastic chuck is broken, so I made up an excuse for myself to get the Yukiwa chuck and I transferred the Makita branded one to his drill.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2025-10-23 · 3 upvotes
3/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“Home Depot isn't great for deals, but it can be convenient if you get them to price match a sale one of these others is having.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-08-30 · 3 upvotes
4/5 Battery & RuntimeDurability

“I haven't come across made in Romania battery packs myself but every Romanian made tool I've used has been as good as made in Japan, UK and Germany Makitas.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-04-09 · 3 upvotes
4/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“DHP484 is the new prosumer/heavy DIYer brushless model, ”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-07-05 · 3 upvotes
5/5

“I used to love my little 12v makita set for doing machine work.”

owner comment via r/DIY · 2026-08-18 · 12 upvotes
5/5

“I love the Makita.”

owner comment via r/Tools · 2026-09-24 · 11 upvotes
2/5 Clutch & Speed Control

“It is part of the problem caused by the gearbox assembly, I have made posts in this subreddit, add 2 more pins for secure gear switching, you can ask more questions if you don't understand after your research, I'm happy ”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-06-30 · 10 upvotes
4/5 Power & TorqueDurability

“Upgraded to a brushless when they came out for the extra torque, but the OG is still going strong for home projects.”

owner comment via r/DIY · 2026-08-11 · 10 upvotes
4/5 Compact & LightweightMasonry & Hammer Mode

“But then again, if the normal drill doesn't go through with good pressure, then the hammer drill is the only option.”

owner comment via r/DIY · 2025-12-02 · 9 upvotes
2/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“There’s no best— more powerful ones are heavier and bigger.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-01-04 · 8 upvotes
5/5 Masonry & Hammer Mode

“It's perfect for the ~1 time a year I need the hammer function.”

owner comment via r/Tools · 2026-05-10 · 8 upvotes
5/5 Battery & RuntimeValue

“I am "loyal" to Makita only because it's the first good cordless drill I bought.”

owner comment via r/Tools · 2026-05-25 · 2 upvotes
2/5 Value

“I've bought a chop saw, biscuit jointer jigsaw, 2 routers, a die grinder and a planer anr haven't been disappointed with any of them.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-02-13 · 2 upvotes
5/5 Compact & LightweightBattery & Runtime

“I don’t keep up with what’s the newest but I have the 40v GOB01CZ and don’t get me wrong it’s nice but I still end up grabbing the LXT on the job way more often.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-06-28 · 2 upvotes
3/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“For trim, I think the 6.5” LXT circular saw would be great.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-07-05 · 2 upvotes
1/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“I see a lot of hate for it, but I’m a big fan of the lightweight 6.5” circular saw.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-07-05 · 2 upvotes
2/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“I have a compact drill XFD15 acquired during a long period of subbing to a cabinet company who had loads of jobs and no reliable installers.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2025-12-22 · 2 upvotes
2/5 DurabilityClutch & Speed Control

“I own the HP001G drill and it hasn't failed me yet.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-08-08 · 2 upvotes
2/5 Battery & RuntimeDurability

“Having said that I had a makita 9.6 v (NiCad) cordless drill for 25 years and it only died after a flooded basement got to it.”

owner comment via r/ryobi · 2026-09-29 · 2 upvotes
4/5 Masonry & Hammer ModeErgonomics

“I'm sure no we all handle our precious little dainty drills with cotton gloves and felt lined boxes, right before we drop then off a ladder into a nice fresh batch of concrete.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-07-23 · 2 upvotes
4/5 Power & TorqueChuck & Bit Grip

“Its to help the motor but it's super annoying especially finishing the cuts when doing stair stringers.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-09-12 · 2 upvotes
3/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“I don’t have any LXT circular saws or anything like that so the best I can test is on my palm sander which I assume is more draw than my Makita 3,000 lumens light?”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-10-09 · 2 upvotes
3/5

“An insider I know gave me a best guess of maybe mid-June.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-03-26 · 2 upvotes
3/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“No, for the money you're spending, you're better off importing a DHP492, which is supposed to replace the XPH14 (DHP486 in the rest of the world).”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-04-16 · 2 upvotes
5/5 Power & TorqueCompact & Lightweight

“I have no experience with HP003G, but Tools & Stuff (a great and honest, down to earth youtuber, go watch him) tested the HP003G, it is much bulkier and heavier, because of the more powerful motor (higher hard torque rat”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-06-05 · 2 upvotes
5/5 Battery & Runtime

“I love my Makita battery suite.”

owner comment via r/Tools · 2026-02-24 · 7 upvotes
2/5 Battery & RuntimeDurability

“One stopped working dead.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2025-10-22 · 7 upvotes
1/5 Power & TorqueMasonry & Hammer Mode

“That spade handle Makita will still be doing work long after those HF power tools let out the smoke and are tossed in the trash.”

owner comment via r/Makita · 2026-06-24 · 7 upvotes

Makita lineup, best first

Makita GPH01

Hammer drill · 40V max XGT
3.4 (10 owner comments)
Price varies — check Amazon
Clutch & Speed ControlCompact & Lightweight

“(GPH01 US is what I have, I don’t think we have a non-hammer version).”

Read review →

Makita XPH14

Hammer drill · 18V LXT
3.3 (21 owner comments)
Price varies — check Amazon
Power & TorqueClutch & Speed Control

“I have the xph14 which I believe is the flagship on the lxt line.”

Read review →

Makita XPH16

Hammer drill · 18V LXT
3.2 (6 owner comments)
Price varies — check Amazon
Power & TorqueErgonomics

“Its to help the motor but it's super annoying especially finishing the cuts when doing stair stringers.”

Read review →

Makita XPH07

Hammer drill · 18V LXT
3.2 (4 owner comments)
Price varies — check Amazon
Battery & RuntimeChuck & Bit Grip

“I LOVE my Makita tools.”

Read review →

What to look for in a Makita drill

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