Whether you are looking for a set of tools to keep around the house for when the need arises or to get your handyman business started, Makita is an excellent brand to go with. Known for its distinct green color and exceptional quality, you cannot make a wrong choice by picking one of its tools.
In this article, I take a look at what I believe to be the four best Makita combo kits. If you have some time, I recommend reading through the whole article so that you can pick the set that best suits your needs. That said, if you are in a hurry and want a quick recommendation, then that would have to be Makita XT612M which includes six of the most commonly used tools.
Makita XT612M 18V Brushless Cordless 6-Piece Combo Kit
The six-piece Makita XT612M kit includes a drill/driver, an impact driver, a 6-1/2-inch circular saw, a reciprocating saw, and an angle grinder. It also includes a flashlight, two 18V LXT 4.0Ah batteries, and a tool bag.
All in all, this kit is a great choice for users who need professional-level cordless tools with brushless motors for drilling, driving, fastening, cutting, and grinding.
Before going to the runner-up, let’s take a closer look at each of the tools included in the top pick.
XPH12Z 18V LXT Compact Brushless 1/2-Inch Hammer Driver-Drill: The drill included in the kit has a brushless motor that delivers up to 530 inch-pounds of torque, and has systems built-in to optimize battery energy use for up to 50% longer run-time per charge.
The driver-drill can match the torque and RPM depending on the demands of the application and, with a variable two-speed design, can cover a wide range of drilling and driving applications. It weighs only 4.2 pounds and has an LED that illuminates the job area.
XDT13Z 18V LXT Brushless Impact Driver: The impact driver included in the kit is suitable for a wide range of fastening applications. It can optimize battery energy use for up to 50 percent longer run-time per charge and delivers up to 3,400 RPM, up to 3,600 IPM, and up to 1,500 inch-pounds of torque.
The driver is only five inches long and weighs just 3.3 pounds, making it comfortable and compact. It’s equipped with an LED light to illuminate the job area.
XRJ05Z 18V LXT Brushless Recipro Saw: The reciprocating saw has a variable two-speed brushless motor that delivers up to 2, 300 strokes per minute in the low-speed mode and up to 3, 000 strokes per minute in the high-speed mode. It ha a 1-1/4-inch stroke length. It’s equipped with a tool-less blade change system for quick blade swapping. The compact and ergonomic saw is only 17-1/4 inches long and weighs only 8.2 pounds.
XSH03Z 18V LXT Brushless 6-1/2-Inch Circular Saw: This circular saw weighs just 7.3 pounds with battery, but delivers as much as 5,000 RPM for fast cutting and ripping. It can adjust its speed and torque during operation to the needs of the task at hand and it has a large cutting capacity (2-1/4 inches at 90 degrees) and bevel capacity (0 degrees to 50 degrees). It is only 13-3/4 inches long.
XAG04Z 18V LXT Brushless 4-1/2-Inch Angle Grinder: This grinder is ideal for grinding, cutting, and sanding a wide range of materials including tiles, concrete, pipes, conduit, and more. It has a comfortable rubberized grip and a slide switch with lock-on. It can adjust speed and torque by sensing the load for optimum performance, and even turn the motor off if the wheel is suddenly forced to stop. The grinder also has spiral bevel gears for smoother rotations and better efficiency.
DML185 18V LXT Xenon Flashlight: Finally, this handy work flashlight has a xenon bulb with 4,500 lux brightness. It is equipped with a four-position pivoting head for versatility. The compact light is only 11-1/8 inches long and can run up to four hours on a single charge.
Makita XT613X1 18V Cordless 6-Piece Combo Kit
The Makita XT613X1 kit includes a brushless driver-drill with two speed settings, the same impact driver as the top pick, a 6-1/2-inch circular saw, a Bluetooth speaker, and a flashlight. It also includes two 18V LXT 3.0Ah batteries, a charger, and a bag.
Overall the kit is similar to the top pick, however, some of its tools are less powerful than their counterparts in the top pick, and two tools – an angle grinder and a reciprocating saw – are missing.
Below is a closer look at the tools included in the set (other than the impact driver which is also included in the top pick).
XFD13Z 18V LXT Compact Brushless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill: This compact driver-drill has a mechanical two-speed transmission (up to 500 RPM in the first gear and up to 1,900 RPM in the second gear) for a wide range of drilling and fastening applications.
It can produce up to 440 inch-pounds of torque. It can match torque and RPM to the application and is only 6-5/8 inches long. Weighing just 3.6 pounds, this comfortably designed drill can work in tight spaces. Working in the dark won’t be a problem due to the built-in dual LED light.
XSH04Z 18V LXT Brushless 6-1/2-Inch Circular Saw: This powerful circular saw has a compact and ergonomic blade-right design at only 10-5/8 inches long. It weighs just 6.4 pounds. The saw delivers 5,000 RPM for faster cutting and ripping, and has a large cutting capacity (2-1/4 inches at 90 degrees) and bevel capacity (0 degrees to 50 degrees).
It also has an electric brake, dual LEDs for illuminating the work area, and adjusts cutting speed and torque automatically during cut for optimum performance. The aluminum base and magnesium blade cover make it highly durable.
XMT03Z 18V LXT Multi-Tool: This multi-tool is ideal for cutting, sanding, scraping, grout removal, and more. It has a variable speed control dial allowing for speeds between 6,000 and 20,000 oscillation per minute. As such, it can be used in a wide variety of applications. It also has a large on/off slide switch with a lock-on button and a small diameter barrel grip (only 2-3/8 inches) for easy handling.
The tool has adapters to fit most accessories, allowing it to be used for wood flooring, tile, plaster, sheetrock, wood, PVC, and many more applications. The battery capacity warning system turns on an indicator light and stops the motor when it is time to recharge the battery. There’s also a soft start feature for smooth start-ups.
I reviewed this tool in detail here.
XRM08 18V LXT / 12V max CXT Job Site Speaker: This rugged job site speaker can play music through Bluetooth. It delivers rich sound and has a woofer for low sounds and a tweeter for high sounds.
DML815 18V LXT LED Flashlight: This flashlight has four LEDs that provide 160 lumens of brightness. It has a rubberized soft grip for increased comfort and is only 10-3/4 inches long. It has a 12-position pivoting head.
Makita XT505 18V Cordless 5-Piece Combo Kit
The Makita XT505 is another combo kit worth considering. It includes a variable speed hammer driver-drill, an impact driver, a reciprocating saw, a 6-1/2-inch circular saw, and a flashlight.
While it doesn’t have as many tools as either of the previous two sets, it still has most of what a DIYer and even a professional handyman might need. Let’s take a closer look at the items in this combo, other than the flashlight which is the same one as the one in the top pick.
XPH10Z 18V LXT 1/2-Inch Hammer Driver-Drill: This hammer driver-drill is compact yet powerful. It’s equipped with a four-pole motor delivering up to 480 inch-pounds of torque and has a variable two-speed design (up to 600 RPM in the low setting and up to 1,900 RPM in the high setting) that is suitable for drilling, driving, and hammer applications.
At only 7-3/4 inches long and weighing just 3.4 pounds with a battery, this is a comfortable and convenient tool to use in tight spots. It has dual LEDs to illuminate the work area.
XDT11Z 18V LXT Impact Driver: This impact driver delivers up to 2,900 RPM and up to 3,500 IPM. It can produce a maximum torque of 1,460 inch-pounds suitable for a wide range of fastening applications. Weighing just 2.8 pounds and being only 5-3/8 inches long, it is comfortable to use. It has a comfortable rubberized grip and a chuck that allows for easy one-handed bit changes.
XRJ04Z 18V LXT Recipro Saw: This saw can produce up to 2800 strokes per minute, each with a 1-1/4-inch length. The saw is designed to minimize blade deflection and reduce vibration. Other key features include a large two-finger variable speed trigger, an electric brake, and the ability to change blades without tools. The saw weighs around 8.3 pounds and is 19-1/2 inches long.
XSS02Z 18V LXT 6-1/2-Inch Circular Saw: The circular saw included in this kit has a high-torque motor that produces 3,700 RPM. It has a cutting capacity of 2-1/4 inches at 90 degrees. Just like the circular saws in the other kits, it has a bevel of 0 degrees to 50 degrees. The saw has a heavy-gauge, precision machined base which makes it both durable and stable. For more information about this tool, read my review here.
Makita XT269T 18V Cordless 2-Piece Combo Kit
The Makita 18V LXT Brushless 2-Piece Combo Kit contains two of the most popular tools from our top pick. It includes a variable speed 1/2-inch hammer driver-drill with two speed settings and a variable speed impact driver delivering up to 1500 inch-pounds of torque. Along with the two tools, the kit also includes two batteries, a rapid charger, and a tool bag.
This two-piece combo kit is good enough for most drilling, fastening, and driving needs. Among others, it can be useful for automotive or mechanical operators who need plenty of power but no extras like saws or grinders.
Summary
Personally, I highly recommend Makita. Having used the brand’s tools for years, I never saw one malfunction, even under heavier-than-usual use. While you could start by getting a single tool, like an impact driver, if you are looking to build your collection, you might just as well get a set.
If you want to have the most versatile set, then you should get the Makita XT612M. With two types of saws, an angle grinder, a drill, and an impact driver, there is hardly any regular job you will not be able to finish with the set. On the other hand, if you are on a budget and are looking for something simpler, you can get the Makita XT269T, a two-piece combo kit that includes a drill/driver and an impact driver.
Finally, if you are not sure whether Makita is the right brand for you, make sure to read my article about the best power tool brands. You can also check my comparisons of Makita with DeWalt, Milwaukee, and Ryobi.