Review of Makita 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Combo Kit

When you’re first starting out in construction or any other line of work, buying tools as a combo kit is really the only way to go. There are many brands to choose from that will fit the bill but only a handful that are going to stand the test of time. Not only that but you need your money to go as far as possible and not be plagued with dying batteries or failing tools. This little combo kit has some pretty slick technology and beef for not a lot of cash….check it out:

We’re going to take a little closer look at the Makita 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Combo Kit. I recently reviewed a smaller combo kit that only includes a drill and impact driver and is geared a bit more toward lighter duty use than this combo kit. If that’s more your style, check it out the review over here. Its a nice kit that is a little less expensive and can satisfy a lot of jobs.

The Makita LXT line is absolutely blowing up and lots of people are linking the variety in products. I think we are at an incredible age in battery and motor technology that has allowed manufactures to not only be competitive with each other on price but also compete to offer the most bang for the buck.

This kit is a perfect example of juts that; high quality and durable tools in a package deal that are ready for the work place. The Home Depot is listing this drill, impact driver, and reciprocating saw for less than 400 bucks. To me it’s a pretty good deal for someone who is serious about their tools and has a high standard for a tool that can take some abuse.

For your $400.00 you get the three tools I mentioned plus 2 batteries and a charger in a nice duffle-bag style carrying case. The case is equally durable and a lot like a canvas linemans bag.

The 4.0 Ah batteries have some interesting technology going on inside them. Built inside the battery is a small micro computer that manages the discharge and recharge rate of the battery in such a way that it protects the battery from over heating, over charging, or excessively discharging. It also manages to regulate the power output as efficiently as possible depending on the torque and RPM demands of the user.

The charger has some cool features to prolong the battery life as well. As the battery is charging, a fan helps to convectively cool the battery which reduces the charge time and reduces the wear and tear on the individual cells. The charge time for the 4.0 Ah battery is 40 minutes or less. And as you probably already know, all of these batteries are interchangeable with the many different tools in the LXT line

Like some of the other tools we’ve looked at lately, this LXT combo kit features brushless motors on all 3 tools. I recently delved into the advantages of the brushless motors in one of the last DeWalt reviews you can find HERE. The short story is that brushless motors endure less friction and less heat which tend to prolong their service life.

The drill and impact driver are both a tall step above the sub compact kit I discussed earlier in this Home Depot ProSpective campaign. The drill is a bit heavier at 4.2lbs, offers 530 in-lbs of torque, and has a hammer feature for drilling into mortar, stone, or concrete. The chuck is also a lot more gnarly when compared to the sub-compact units.

The impact driver also got beefed up on this model and is up from 1,240 in-lbs to 1,500 in-lbs compared to the sub-compact unit. Other than that the two impact drivers feel very close to one another.

The reciprocating saw is a powerhouse with smooth cutting action compared to older models. Vibration has always been the largest drawback to the reciprocating saw in my opinion but Makita managed to smooth this saw out pretty nicely. I cut through a few different sections of  2×4 when test driving this little unit and came away appreciating how quickly and easily it rips through material compared to my old corded clunker I’ve had for years.

The reciprocating saw also has a couple of convenience features that make it a bit easier to handle. There is a well placed LED directly behind the shoe of the saw that shines right on the work piece in low light environments. Unlike the older models, this model does not require a tool in order to change the blade. It’s just a simple turn of the locking collar and the blade comes right out.

The designers incorporated a hanging hook on the side that snaps and stows away nicely when you’re not using it. This is especially nice if you’re working up on a ladder and need to keep you tools from falling to the ground.

All three of these tools are built to take some real abuse if the situation calls for it. The smart guys at Makita developed these with Extreme Protection Technology (XPT),  in order for the tools to resist abuse from dust and water. If you’re working around water, dirt, gravel, sand, sawdust, metal soot and so on this set of tools is going to be right at home. The XPT line has integrated seals engineered to channel away dust and water.

My husband Cody has owned a Makita impact driver and hammer drill set for about 5 years now and has been anything but nice to them. Back then I paid more money for just the two of those as a birthday present than this entire 3 piece set is advertised at. With the improvements they’ve made even since then, it’s safe to say this set is going to pay for itself.

Check out this link to learn a bit more about them. In a small way it helps this page stay alive and kicking. : ) Thanks for dropping in to learn more about this product.

Take care – April

This review is sponsored by The Home Depot through their ProSpective campaign. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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