I researched for a very long time when purchasing a new drill/driver after my 14v Craftsman NiCad died after a good 8 year run (!). I own some Dewalt, some Milwaukee and some Bosch tools. After reading a ton of reviews and looking at reviews of certain model's predecessors I narrowed it down to the Makita. This Makita replaces one in it's line up that was very well loved. This is my first Lithium Ion tool and so far have not been disappointed. I have used the drill every day driving 3 inch construction screws into oak supports for a carving commission I am working on and have yet to drain the battery. Have read complaints about the chuck having a "wobble". Yes, there is a bit of a wobble visible on the keyless chuck collar but the chuck jaws themselves are straight and true. All drill bits etc. are perfectly straight coming out of the jaws. So if you are more interested in the chuck collar being straight, you may be disappointed. I for one don't care about the collar just as long as all bits turn straight and true and that is not a problem. I was surprised at how small the tool looks and feels having not owned a "compact" drill driver before. I felt that for the price I should be getting a giant work-horse. But what you do get is a "compact" work-horse...hence the title "Compact Drill Driver" (sorry to be so redundant). The keyless chuck has a ratcheting feature which I know is now standard, but again is new to me. I definitely get a very secure feel on my non-hex bits. The L.E.D light is so bright and focussed I actually use it as a flash light after I turn off the shop lights and head back into the house. And as a side note it has this nice little dimmer feature that instead of just going off, it slowly dims after about 5 seconds of non-use...a simple and non-important feature, but lends to it's coolness and charm. I have read many reviews of Lithium Ion batteries not performing well in cold, and to that I can not speak. I do keep the case and additional battery in the mudroom of our house and do bring the drill in after use so it never sits out in subzero weather. I live in Wisconsin and we are regularly experiencing below freezing temps right now. So, yes, I am taking some precautions as to keeping the batteries in a moderate temp....so if you keep your tools in a truck or worksite that is subjected to freezing temps I can not offer an opinion. The case is sturdy and functional, and the charger does have a series of little tunes it plays when it is done charging....is it important; no, is it a bit cheesy; yes, is it kind of fun to run through the different tunes....sure. But, as someone else stated, they are about as good as a digital watch tune. The initial charge was longer that 15 minutes, but as I was not paying attention I can not say exactly how long. However, before I knew it the charger was playing it's tune. It was probably around 1/2 hour. Makita has always been an industry standard and I am very pleased with my purchase. It has a ton of power in a small light weight tool. If anything changes I will repost, but so far it has met and in some cases exceeded all of my expectations. Makita LXFD01CW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit
My friend has an earlier model of this drill and I really fell in love with it while doing a bathroom remodel, so I decided to order the updated model (LXFD01CW).
My drill came today and when I tested it with 3 brand new drill bits I did in fact notice a wobble in the chuck like a few other of the reviewers had noticed. Its a small wobble but definitely noticeable and INEXCUSABLE on a $200 dollar drill.
I am going to take a chance and send it back to AMAZON and see if I can get a replacement.
I will update when I get the replacement.
**UPDATE**
Received my replacement drill hoping the wobble issue would be solved....not the case. I tried MANY different drill bits however my replacement drill had the same annoying wobble as the first one. Its not a HUGE wobble but enough to notice and shouldn't happen on a $200 dollar drill.
Here is what I really like about the drill:
Weight...it is very light with very good torque
Grip...this drill feels wonderful in your hand...very balanced and very comfortable
Belt Clip...nice feature
Battery...very fast charge time (15 minute) however I'm not sure how long a charge would last.
Looks...over all this is a very good looking tool.
So...with all that said, I am going to return this drill and most likely go with a Bosch or DeWalt (probably a Bosch).
I hope this review helped and welcome any comments.
Just purchased this drill/driver and since it is so new to the marketplace none of us can really comment of it's longevity or wear characteristics, but based upon it's predecessor and first impressions, it is going to do just fine. It is a small, lightweight powerhouse that does what it says it does and does it better than anything else comparable. Even with Amazons current DeWalt promotion it matches the price with an arguably inferior product, no thanks. But then I have always preferred Makita to DeWalt from construction jobs to Industrial maintenance jobs. I guess the point of this review is that this Makita continues that legacy and does so well.
My critiques: A poorly designed but very well made case. (needs more and specific cord space and better compartments for accesories or needs to be smaller).
Melody selection on the charger could be at least as good as my daughters jewelry box.
The battery cover is weak and poorly fitting.
Other than that or perhaps in spite of that, I'm quite pleased.
I did alot of reading on cordless drills looking for something lightweight and powerful, I do cable splicing so weight was an important factor to me and this is the lightest 18V out there (my coworkers DeWalts weigh a ton next to this thing). Today I sent it back to amazon because it quit working, its a great drill in many ways, looks amazing, powerful, battery lasts a long time and charges quickly, lightweight and the belt clip is nice. But after 2 weeks of working outside in MN weather its shot, if I hit the trigger the flashlight comes on (which is useless by the by, it doesnt light the bit it lights right below it). Also it does have chuck wobble, my works not precise enough that it bothered me but forewarning to those of you who need to be right on, apparently some of these wobble and some don't. Thats my 2 cents, hope it can help you decide, I may have gotten a lemon, but I dont think I'll be going with Makita products again anytime soon. - Lithium Ion - 18 Volt - Cordless Drill - Drill'
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