When it comes to upgrading your collection of tools, obviously you want the best products that your money can buy. With that, you are likely spending a lot of time trying to decide which brand to go with.
If you found yourself here, chances are you are focusing on two of the best-regarded ones, Metabo HPT and Makita.
Which of them is better for you, though?
A Brief History of Metabo HPT & Makita
Metabo HPT is a relatively old company, one that was started in 1924 in Nurtingen, Germany. The company is officially known as Metabowerke GmbH, and was started by Albrecht Schnizler. It got its name from the product it is famous for, the “Metallbohrdreher”, which means “metal drill” in German.
At first, Schnizler built his drill, of which he sold 50,000 units, and then shortly after, founded Schnizler GmbH. The company was renamed Metabowerke Closs, Rauch & Schnizler KG in 1932. As it stands today, this is a company focused on making very high-end and high-quality power tools for professionals and craftsmen.
In 2004, Metabo HPT opened a production plant in Shanghai, which currently produces a good portion of the brand’s power tools. Later in 2016, Metabo was purchased by the Hitachi Group, and in 2017 was sold to HK Holdings, which is a part of the KKR investment firm. At this time, Metabo has roughly 2,000 employees with estimated annual revenues bordering on 400 million euros.
Metabo HPT
On the other hand, we have Makita, officially known as the Makita Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer of power tools. This company was founded in 1915 by Mosaburo Makita, and is currently based out of Anjo, Japan.
At first, Mosaburo began by selling and repairing lighting equipment, motors, and transformers. By 1958, Makita began making portable electric planers and officially became a producer of power tools.
What is interesting to note is that in 1969, Makita introduced the first battery-powered drill into the market, which was also the first rechargeable power tool in mass production. In 1978, Makita also launched the first nickel-cadmium battery tool, yet another rechargeable drill. In 1997, Makita made another advancement, as it introduced the first nickel hydride battery tool into the market.
At this time, Makita has roughly 18,000 employees generating well over 3 billion dollars in annual revenues.
Makita
Metabo HPT vs Makita: Which Offers Better Quality?
One thing that can be said about Metabo HPT is that it is one of the very best manufacturers of power tools in the world, by which we mean that their quality standards are very high. All Metabo HPT tools are geared towards tradesmen, professionals, and craftsmen.
These are not tools designed for occasional DIY use. They are extremely high quality, durable, and long-lasting tools designed to perform heavy-duty work over long periods of time.
Over the years, Metabo HPT has developed a reputation for being perhaps the highest quality power tool manufacturer worldwide. Of course, this also means that Metabo HPT tools are expensive, very much so. Simply put, you get what you pay for.
Metabo HPT makes the majority of its tools at home in Germany, with a select number of tools being produced in Shanghai. That said, Metabo HPT continues to ensure high production standards in all facilities,
When it comes to Makita, this brand produces its tools in many countries worldwide including Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico, Romania, the United Kingdom, Germany, Dubai, Thailand, and the United States. Now, although many of their products are currently being made in China, an equal number of tools are made in Global North countries with high production standards.
Generally speaking, people really don’t have many complaints about Makita tools, and they are generally regarded as being quite high in quality, higher than most other brands in fact. Most would agree that Makita tools are ideal for heavy-duty use.
With that being said, Metabo HPT does produce the higher quality tools, but at the end of the day, both are high-end producers of some fantastic tools, with Metabo HPT being the more expensive of the two.
Which Offers a Better Warranty?
Here is a breakdown of the warranties offered by Makita, but keep in mind that it does depend on the exact tool you get.
All Makita products seem to come with a 30-day replacement guarantee. All tools have a one-year general product warranty for defects. Finally, all emissions-related (gas-powered) tools have a two-year warranty. Lithium-ion tools come with a three-year limited warranty.
When it comes to Metabo HPT, this brand offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee on all products, with all tools being covered by a five-year professional warranty, a two-year warranty, or a one-year warranty.
Once again, the exact warranty depends on the specific tool. Through our research, we have concluded that Metabo HPT does generally have the better warranties.
Metabo HPT vs Makita: Which Has a Better Product Portfolio?
Right off the bat, the consensus about Metabo HPT is that although it produces high-quality tools, it does not produce all that many of them. Metabo HPT is all about quality instead of quantity. On the other hand, Makita, while it does make quality tools, it also has a huge selection of them.
Metabo HPT also does not really produce many hand tools either, whereas Makita has loads of them.
Remember, Makita as a company is many times larger than Metabo.
To illustrate this point, let’s compare the selection of tools across a few categories.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Drills?
Through our research, we found that Metabo HPT has somewhere over 30 drills available for sale on its website, whereas Makita has more than twice that amount.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Miter Saws?
One area where Metabo HPT appears to have a bigger product selection is in the miter saw department, with Metabo having 13 to choose from, compared to the 10 offered by Makita.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Angle Grinders?
Both the Metabo site and the Makita site currently have 15 angle grinders available to choose from.
Which of the Two Brands Should You Choose?
Making a choice between these two brands is not easy, because realistically, both of them produce an array of high-quality tools designed for heavy-duty and professional use.
That said, Makita does have a better product portfolio in most tool categories, as well as in categories that Metabo HPT does not even have, such as worksite radios.
While Metabo has a slightly higher level of quality, it comes at a higher price point too. As such, for most users, Makita will be the option offering better cost-performance.
Summary
When it comes down to it, as a professional, you would probably be pleased with the tools from either of these brands. Both Metabo HPT and Makita are regarded as some of the highest quality tools out there.
That said, the former is considerably pricier.
How Do Metabo HPT and Makita Compare with Other Brands?
See how Metabo HPT compares with: Bosch | DeWalt | Festool | Hilti | Milwaukee
See how Makita compares with: Black & Decker | Bosch | Craftsman | DeWalt | Dremel | Festool | Hilti | Milwaukee | Porter-Cable | Ridgid | Ryobi | Stanley | Worx