Makita Review: Is It a Good Tool Brand?

Makita Review: Is It a Good Tool Brand?

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If you are looking to buy some new tools, whether you are a home repair guru, a DIY enthusiast, a tool lover, or a professional in need of high quality and diverse tool arsenal, one of the popular brands you might be looking into is Makita.

Of course, you want the best products that your money can buy, and this means knowing what the brand has to offer. With that in mind, today we review Makita, specifically in terms of quality and product selection.

Is this a good tool brand?

 

Long Story Short…

Makita

A Japanese brand with more than a hundred-year history and an excellent selection of power tools. Recommended for serious amateurs and even professionals.

Before we get into a full-blown review of the brand, it is worth knowing what its history is like. Makita is a Japanese manufacturer of power tools and related products. It was founded in Aichi Prefecture by Mosabura Makita who first started the company under the Makita Electric Works Company name.

The company first started by making and selling lighting equipment, motors, and transformers. However, the Japanese tool market seemed to be void of any big-time tool manufacturers at the time, and by 1960, Makita had realized the potential of manufacturing and selling power tools.

What is important to note is that Makita is a great brand to consider if you are looking for power tools, power tool accessories, and outdoor power equipment, as these are the product categories that it mainly focuses on.

Makita Circular Saw

It is also worth noting that Makita was the first brand to develop and introduce a nickel-cadmium rechargeable battery tool to the market in 1978, the 6010D rechargeable drill. Later on, in 1997, Makita introduced the first nickel hydride battery tool in the world, the 6213D rechargeable driver-drill. Moreover, in 2005, the brand’s first lithium-ion battery tool, the TD130D, was introduced.

One last thing to know about Makita is that it is a true behemoth in the world of power tools. At this time, it has an estimated 17,000 employees worldwide, with a presence in over 40 different countries. It operates production plants in 10 of those. The estimated annual revenue of the company is roughly 4.5 billion dollars.

Makita Tool Quality Overview

Now that you are familiar with a bit of Makita’s history, let’s find out just how good these tools are, and yes, if you know anything about tools, you might know that this brand is well known and regarded for producing high quality products across the board. For the most part, you won’t find many complaints about Makita products.

Sure, just like with any other brand or line of products, there are always some complaints, a few outliers, but that said, when it comes to Makita tools, the vast majority of people seem to be very happy with them.

There are some really good things that people have to say about Makita power tools, accessories, and related products, such as lawn and garden equipment and outdoor tools. Some of the praise that the company has received is related to the high quality and performance of the tools they make. For instance, Makita tools are very tough, durable, and long-lasting.

Makita Cordless Tools

Unlike many other brands, Makita uses very high-quality raw materials and it holds itself to high manufacturing standards too. These are the kinds of tools that you can drop on the ground repeatedly, and they should still work as if though they were brand new out of the box.

People also find that Makita products are long-lasting in general, with the electrical components, motors, and other such mechanical components being able to withstand high amounts of heat, friction, and general wear. Users also note how Makita tools tend to be fairly comfortable, functional, and feature friendly too.

All in all, Makita power tools and related products are indeed seen as some of the best in the world. Yes, Makita tools are great for home use, DIY jobs, crafts, and more, but this is really not their intended purpose. Makita products are marketed towards professionals, tradesmen, and anyone else who needs really high quality and reliable tools for daily, prolonged, and heavy-duty use.

The quality comes at a cost, though. Keep in mind that Makita is one of the pricier brands out there. Simply put, you get what you pay for, and with Makita’s fairly high prices comes a high level of quality.

Manufacturing

Something you might be interested in knowing is where Makita tools are manufactured. At this time, as mentioned before, Makita manufactures its tool in 10 different countries including Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico, Romania, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, and the United States.

As you can probably tell from this list, the majority of tools are made in countries that adhere to fairly high manufacturing standards, which is definitely a good sign for anyone purchasing these tools.

Warranty

Something else that is quite impressive about Makita is that it offers really good warranties on the majority of its products. Makita offers its customers a 30-day replacement guarantee on all products.

In addition to the above, all tools have at least a one-year general product warranty for defects. That said, All emissions-related (gas-powered) tools have a two-year warranty, and all lithium-ion tools come with a three-year limited warranty.

As you can see, the warranties offered by this tool brand are on par with the best of all brands out there.

Makita Product Portfolio Overview

Let’s take a look at just how good Makita’s selection of products is, and to do this, we want to focus on some of the main tool categories.

Cordless Power Tools

One of the biggest tool categories that Makita has to offer is its line of cordless power tools. One of the reasons why this product category is so diverse is because Makita offers various battery systems.

Makita offers cordless power tools that use 12V, 18V, 36V, and 7.2V batteries. Moreover, one of the most impressive battery systems that Makita offers is the long-lasting LXT line. It offers a vast lineup of power tools and outdoor equipment with various battery options, and yes, the selection is huge.

It ranges from general-purpose tools like drills, impact drivers, and saws through outdoor equipment all the way to specialty tools like rebar tiers and benders.

Makita Cordless Tool Portfolio

Corded Power Tools

Although Makita is very well known for its cordless tools, it does also have a rather impressive selection of corded power tools.

Whether you need a drill, a driver, an impact wrench, or anything in between, and you prefer them to be corded, rather than battery-powered, you can rest assured that Makita will have at least a couple of options for you.

Makita Corded Tools

Outdoor Equipment

Another thing that Makita is well known for is its lineup of outdoor equipment. Makita has a large selection of chainsaws, trimmers, blowers, lawnmowers, and more.

However, what is important to note here is that the vast majority, if not all of Makita’s outdoor equipment is battery powered. That said, there are also some gas-powered Makita products.

Makita Outdoor Equipment

Dust Management & Cleaning Solutions

Makita offers a fairly wide variety of dust management systems, whether small dust management accessories for existing power tools, such as table saws, or full-sized dust extraction vacuums.

Makita does its best to make your work as mess-free, clean, and convenient as possible.

Makita Dust Extraction Attachment

Mechanic’s Tools

Makita doesn’t just do power tools either, as it has quite a big footprint in the world of automotive tools.

On the Makita site, you can find a variety of automotive drills and fastening tools, detailing tools, cutting, grinding, and adhesive tools, accessories, cleaning solutions, and much more.

Makita RW01Z 12V max CXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 3/8" / 1/4" Sq. Drive Ratchet, Tool Only

Jobsite Lighting

Finally, Makita also has quite a good selection of jobsite lighting solutions so you can always see what is going on no matter what kind of work you are doing.

Makita DML805 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless/Corded 20 L.E.D. Flood Light, Only

Is Makita a Good Brand?

Yes, Makita is a good brand, plain and simple.

The only downside to this brand is that all of the products are rather expensive, but once again, you get what you pay for. With Makita, you get very durable and long-lasting tools, not to mention a massive selection across multiple product categories, plus really good warranties on all of their products too.

How Does Makita Compare with Other Brands?

If you are not convinced Makita is the right brand for you, make sure to also read my detailed comparison putting it side by side with other popular brands:

Makita Product Reviews

Finally, if you are looking for specific tools, go through the product reviews below:

Summary

At the end of the day, Makita has to be one of the very best tool brands out there.

Sure, the products may not be the most affordable in the world, but in terms of quality and reliability, they are some of the best without a shadow of a doubt.