Drills and Tools Made by MakitaAcross the world, when people need drills, power tools and saws, Makita is one of the first brands that comes to mind. This Japanese company is renowned for the quality of its tools and the range of different products available. This buyer’s guide explains what’s on offer and how to find the best deals on whatever Makita product you need.
Makita was founded in Japan in 1915, and since then it has expanded all over the world. In the 1960s, the firm became world famous for introducing the first fully rechargeable handheld power drill, an innovation that was followed by the first nickel-cadmium battery drills and then, in 1997, the first rechargeable driver drill. The company has remained at the forefront of the tool-making world, pioneering lithium-ion drills and extending the capabilities of artisans and tradesmen across the globe.
Makita products are used by all manner of professionals. With a product range that stretches from planers and angle grinders to lawn mowers outdoor power supplies and staplers, their tools are a common sight on building sites, in factories and workshops and ordinary home tool-kits all over the UK. So, if you have a gap in your tool collection or you want to update your cordless drill, Makita are usually a good company to turn to.
The Makita product range presented is incredibly broad, and not all of their products are relevant to ordinary consumers. Some of the products you’ll regularly find at the Makita HotUKDeals listings include:
Makita Drills – Makita stock various types of corded drill, including rotary hammers, percussion drills, rotary drills, angle drills and diamond core drills. Those corded varieties tend to be better suited to large scale construction projects, but Makita cordless drills are a popular home option. Makita stock drill drivers, combi drills and impact drivers, as well as multi-tool adapters to create customised drills and other cordless power tools. So, if you are starting a furniture making project or your cordless drill has given up, Makita will have something to use instead.
Makita multi-tools – One of the core elements of the Makita product range is their collection of multi-tool kits. Their multi-tools kits include a basic corded or cordless power tool that can be fitted to various attachments, including saw blades, grinders, drill bits and sanding pads. They come in a resilient Makita tool box and you’ll find mains powered, 18V, 14.4V and 10.8V multi-tools at the Makita website.
Makita impact drivers – If you need more power than a traditional cordless drill, Makita also stock a range of impact drivers. The company offers plenty of impact driver models to choose from, ranging from compact 7V models to much larger 18V varieties.
Makita saws – Another key part of the Makita range is their huge collection of saws. You’ll find high-powered circular saws, mitre saws, table saws, jigsaws, reciprocating saws, cut off saws, bandsaws, plunge saws and metal cutters at the Makita online store at makitauk.com, with most product areas including corded and cordless versions.
If you are looking for a power drill, several factors need to be considered. Firstly, you need to decide whether to go for a cordless or corded variety. Cordless drills tend to be more user friendly as you can take them wherever you like and access hard to reach parts of your home.
However, cordless drills also require battery packs to retain their charge, and for some people charging batteries is a real inconvenience. The battery pack also adds extra weight to the drill itself, making cordless drills and drivers slightly more unwieldy in some cases (though you can always choose a slender, lightweight model if that’s a major factor). The vast majority of Makita drills feature lithium ion battery packs, which radically reduce the weight of their products, but some older models still have Ni-Cad batteries, which are heavier and less efficient.
Safety is another issue. If you are worried about tripping over cables as you work, a cordless drill is obviously the way to go.
Comfort is also a huge consideration. Makita’s drills come in a wide range of voltages and sizes. Go for a 12V model if you want something light enough to hold for extended periods, or an 18V model if you are physically stronger or only need the drill for short periods.
Now, you need to think about what you’ll be using the driver or drill for. If all you intend to do is drill in screws or nails, a handheld driver will be fine or, for a little more torque, an impact driver. But if you some heavy-duty wood, stone or glass drilling in mind, you’ll be better off choosing a drill with more power. You might also need a drill with a side handle, which is usually a must for working on stone or other hard materials.
Popular examples from the Makita catalogue include the 8391D Combi Drill, the BHP453 Lithium Ion Combi Drill and the DHP456, another Lithium Ion combi drill, which is a development of the BHP453. If you need a simple combi drill, go for the DHP456 if you can, as the advanced batteries deliver 35% more charge.
There’s a huge variety of saws on offer at Makita, and choosing the right one depends on what you need to use it for.
For instance, if you are going to be working with large sheets of wood or plastic, a cordless or corded circular saw is the way to go. Makita’s circular saws come with safety features like double safety triggers as standard, extra features like LED lights to chart your course across the wood, as well as comfortable grips.
For more precise woodwork, a jigsaw could do the trick. Band saws are ideal if you need to cut vertically or above head height, while mitre saws are probably the right way to go if you will be handling denser, hard to cut materials. Mitre saws also usually come with dust bags and dust collection systems, so they can be a good choice if you need to ensure that your workspace remains well ventilated.
In general, if you are making simple cuts on regular shapes of wood or metal, a circular saw will be ideal. If you need more precision, go for a jigsaw. If you are dealing with piping or plastic, a reciprocating saw will probably be the right option.
Whatever type you go for, look for the following specifications:
Stroke length – How far the blade moves to make a cut (or “stroke”). On jigsaws, this is the crucial metric. The larger the stroke length, the thicker the material that your saw can cut through.
Strokes per minute – How many strokes the saw can make (or revolutions in the case of circular saws) per minute. Look for a higher number, as this is usually a sign that your saw is more efficient. A related number is the “No load speed” which is the number of strokes the saw can make when it isn’t cutting.
Power input – How much power the saw’s motor consumes when it is operating at a normal level.
Maximum cutting capability – The thickest piece of material that the saw can safely cut (as determined by the manufacturer).
Blade bore diameter – Only refers to circular saws. This is the diameter of the hole at the centre of circular saw blades. If you already have a circular saw and want to update it, check that the bore diameter of your old blades is the same as the Makita model you’d like. If so, your blades should fit the new model.
It’s also important to look for certain features (most of which Makita saws feature), including:
Keyless blade changing – Which makes changing blades quicker and safer.
Variable speeds – Indicates that your saw is capable of shifting speed to deal with different materials.
Universal blade clamp – with jigsaws, you’ll find two types of blade (U shank and T shank). Saws with a universal blade clamp can handle both, so go for them if possible.
If you don’t want to go to the expense of purchasing a heavy saw and you just need a lightweight cutter for finishing off jobs around the home or your worksite, a multi-tool cutter could be the ideal option.
The great advantage of multi-tool cutters for DIY fans is their size and versatility. You can attach sanding discs, grinders, saw blades and scrapers to the same tool, instead of buying tools and attachments separately.
Good options from the Makita product range include the Makita DTM50Z LXT 18V Li-Ion Cordless Oscillating Multicutter which weighs just 2kg or the Makita TM3000CX4 Multi-Cutter, which comes with a huge case featuring 56 accessories. If you want to have as many options as possible at your disposal, it’s a formidable kit to have around the house.
Of course, you don’t need to look solely at Makita multi-tool cutters. Dewalt, Bosch and Hitachi all manufacture similar tools. Makita happen to be one of the market leaders, and their attachment selection is huge so they are worth checking out first, but they aren’t the only brand in town.
Sometimes, it’s necessary to stock up a tool collection from scratch. When you do so, there’s no sense in buying drills, saws and screwdrivers individually. Instead, Makita make it easy to by tool-kits with multiple tools. That way, you won’t need to purchase individual charging packs either, saving more money and space.
For example, there are Makita drill sets that include both a combi drill and a rotary hammer, and there are also combi drill and impact driver combinations, or kits featuring combi drills and saws. If you need a set of high-quality tools but don’t want to spend extra on separate purchases, these kits make a lot of sense.
However, there’s probably no need for individuals to spend money on a cordless kit that is pitched at professional electricians, carpenters or builders. Instead, a multi-tool cutter will do the job (by and large) at much less cost.
If you need extra capabilities, you can go to the Makita website and purchase accessories, whether that’s a new set of blades or some silicon carbide pads for treating glass surfaces. You can even purchase felt pads for detailed polishing work. So, from basic cutting to sanding and polishing, multi-tool cordless cutters are a handy option.
Power tools are an essential part of modern life, especially if you love to spend your time tinkering with machinery or DIY projects. But why go for Makita’s products over the competition?
Well, in reality there isn’t much to difference between companies like Bosch, Hilti, Makita and Hitachi. However, Makita do have several advantages that make them so popular with professionals.
For one thing, while Makita tools are high-quality, they are not ridiculously expensive. The prices of their cordless drills, drivers, saws and multi-tools are within reach of most DIY fans and aren’t restricted to those in the trade.
Secondly, Makita have a reputation for reliability. Their tools tend to last a long time and meet their product specifications comfortably. Their customer service also tends to receive plaudits, and their product range is second to none.
However, before you make a purchase, take a few moments to consider your options. Do you actually need a high-spec Makita power tool to do a couple of jobs around your home? Couldn’t that be done by a much cheaper Bosch drill?
If you genuinely love DIY or you need tools for work, the answer will probably be no, it’s Makita all the way. If not, think about buying something less powerful and cheaper.
If you’ve made up your mind to buy a Makita tool, how do you go about actually making the purchase? Well, before you buy anything, it’s a good idea to check the Makita website at www.makitauk.com to find out exactly what model you are interested in buying. Take down the product code and any specifications that you’d like to know more about.
You can head to one of your local Makita dealers to discuss the product and take advantage of a Makita sale. You’ll almost certainly find a Makita dealer near you, including major HotUKDeals merchants like B&Q, Jewson, Screwfix and Travis Perkins.
Before you buy anything, make sure you’ve checked out the Makita HotUKDeals listings, as all of these merchants regularly run discounts on popular power tools. Makita tools aren’t cheap, and any savings will make a big difference. So, bookmark the HotUKDeals listings until you see a deal for the product you’d like to buy.
If you want to save even more money, you might try buying Makita tools at certain times of year. For example, Black Friday and Cyber Monday in November and usually sees plenty of reductions (and seasonal sales can start as early as October with some dealers). Other times of year that are worth checking out include the run-up to Father’s Day and the spring sales.
If you want to upgrade your tool collection, buy tools for work or just stock up on basic tools for DIY projects, Makita is one of the biggest names in the business. Their popular range of tools stretches from circular saws and cordless drills to multi-tool cutters. All of them are regularly featured in the Makita HotUKDeals listings, the number one place to find Makita drill deals and cut-price power tools from premium brands.
