Brand · 26 products · Tools & DIY and Garden & Outdoor Living
Makita
Is Makita worth buying?
Makita earned a buy verdict on 20 of the 26 Makita products we compared (77%), well above the 50% average across every brand on the site. 10 won their comparisons outright: Makita MAC2400 2.5 HP Big Bore Air Compressor, Makita 9403 4 in. x 24 in. Belt Sander, Makita XGC01Z 18V LXT Cordless Caulk Gun, 10 oz and Makita RW01Z 12V max CXT 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. Cordless Ratchet and 6 more. 5 are an "it depends": right for a specific buyer, not for everyone. We would skip 1: Makita XTR01Z 18V LXT Brushless Cordless Compact Router.
Verdicts synthesize independent testing and long-term owner reports; we do not run a lab and never take review units. Each product below links to the comparison it was judged in. How we review.
Buy it 20 products
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The Best Air Compressors: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita MAC2400 2.5 HP Big Bore Air CompressorWon the comparison
The most air at working pressure by a wide margin, and the only spec sheet here that gives you a running horsepower figure as well as a peak one.
Best for: Anyone running air tools with a real appetite, especially two nailers at once, who can live with the weight and the noise.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Belt Sanders: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita 9403 4 in. x 24 in. Belt SanderWon the comparison
The biggest belt and the fastest published speed in the group, and the only one that tells you how loud it is.
Best for: Flattening glued-up panels, leveling large surfaces, and any job where removing material quickly is the whole point.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Caulk Guns: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita XGC01Z 18V LXT Cordless Caulk Gun, 10 ozWon the comparison
States both its dispense force and its rate, and 1,100 lbs is the highest force figure in this group.
Best for: Anyone using standard 10 oz cartridges who wants to know in advance whether the tool will push what they are putting in it.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Cordless Ratchets: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita RW01Z 12V max CXT 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. Cordless RatchetWon the comparison
The lightest and shortest tool in the group, with three times the free speed of either DeWalt and an interchangeable 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. anvil.
Best for: Anyone who wants the smallest tool that still makes real torque, and who works across both 3/8 in. and 1/4 in. sockets.
$$ · mid-range
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The Best Framing Nailers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita AN924 21 Degree Full Round Head Framing NailerWon the comparison
Full round head nails to a full 3-1/2 inches, which is the combination that satisfies codes that reject clipped heads.
Best for: Framing where the inspector requires full round heads and the shop already runs air.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Grease Guns: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita XPG01Z 18V LXT Cordless Grease GunWon the comparison
The highest published flow rate here at 10 fl oz per minute, at the same 10,000 PSI ceiling as everything else.
Best for: Anyone with a lot of fittings to service in a session, where twice the flow of a slower gun is the difference between an hour and two.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Oscillating Multi-Tools: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita XMT03Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Multi-ToolWon the comparison
The widest published angle and speed range here without a cord, plus a 3 year warranty.
Best for: General remodelling and trim work where reaching awkward spots without a cord matters as much as cutting speed.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Random Orbital Sanders: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita BO5041 5 in. Random Orbit Sander, variable speedWon the comparison
Publishes the largest orbit here at 2.8 mm and the widest speed range, including a genuinely slow 4,000 OPM setting.
Best for: General woodworking that spans stock preparation and finish sanding, where one tool has to do both ends.
$$ · mid-range
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The Best Rotary Hammers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita HR2641 1 in. AVT Rotary Hammer, SDS-PlusWon the comparison
The most impact energy in this comparison at 2.9 joules, with the anti-vibration system that decides how long you can keep using it.
Best for: Anyone drilling concrete regularly who wants the most energy per blow and can work near power.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Work Lights: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita ML005G 40V max XGT LED Work LightWon the comparison
The only light here that tells you how long each brightness setting lasts, and it runs on AC as well as battery.
Best for: Lighting a work area for a full day, where knowing you get 7.5 hours at 1,800 lumens is worth more than a higher peak number.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Angle Grinders: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita GA5053R 4-1/2 in. / 5 in. Paddle Switch Angle Grinder with Non-Removable GuardRunner-up
Makita states the guard is designed to stay permanently attached, which removes the single most common shortcut people take with these tools.
Best for: A working buyer who wants the guard question settled at the factory rather than left to a moment of impatience on site.
$$ · mid-range
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The Best Belt Sanders: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita 9903 3 in. x 21 in. Variable Speed Belt SanderRunner-up
The 3 by 21 that most people should buy, and the only corded machine here with a real speed range.
Best for: General shop work: door fitting, panel cleanup, paint removal, and anything where you want to dial the speed back rather than commit to one rate.
$$ · mid-range
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The Best Brad Nailers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita XNB01Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 18 Gauge Brad NailerRunner-up
A 100-nail magazine, with the trigger mode on an explicit two-position selector switch.
Best for: Long runs of trim and moulding where reloading interrupts the rhythm and depth needs frequent adjustment.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Circular Saws: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita 5007MG 7-1/4 in. Magnesium Circular SawRunner-up
Magnesium construction and a 56 degree bevel range, giving up only a small amount of bevel depth to get there.
Best for: Framing and repetitive cutting where magnesium durability and a 56 degree bevel matter more than a brake.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Impact Wrenches: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita XWT08Z 18V LXT Brushless 3-Speed 1/2 in. Impact WrenchRunner-up
Less peak torque than the DeWalt, but a three-speed switch and a friction ring anvil make it the easier one to live with.
Best for: Anyone already on Makita 18V who wants one wrench that can do lug nuts and still be dialed back for smaller work.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Miter Saws: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita LS1019L 10 in. Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw with LaserRunner-up
The only saw here that publishes its capacity as a measurement you can check with a tape, on a rail design that sits against a wall.
Best for: Shops where the saw lives against a wall and where a checkable capacity figure is worth more than the last inch of width.
$$$$ · flagship
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The Best Oscillating Multi-Tools: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita TM3010CX1 Corded Oscillating Multi-Tool KitRunner-up
The same published angle and speed range as the cordless Makita, from a corded motor that never runs out mid-cut.
Best for: Bench and single-location work where sustained cutting matters more than reaching around a corner without a cord.
$$ · mid-range
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The Best Reciprocating Saws: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita XRJ04Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Recipro SawRunner-up
The longest stroke here at 1-1/4 inches, which uses more of the blade and clears the cut better than a faster short stroke does.
Best for: Thick timber, roots and anything where a long stroke and blade life matter more than raw speed.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Table Saws: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita 2705 10 in. Contractor Table SawRunner-up
The deepest cut in this comparison and a riving knife with three positions, including one for dado work.
Best for: Anyone cutting thick stock or doing non-through and dado work, where depth and riving knife adjustment beat raw rip width.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Wood Routers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita RT0701C Compact RouterRunner-up
The best of the compact routers here on speed range and weight, and one that labels its horsepower figure as a maximum.
Best for: Edge profiling, laminate trimming, hinge mortises and jig work, which is the large majority of what routers are used for.
$$ · mid-range
It depends 5 products
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The Best Benchtop Planers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita 2012NB 12 in. Portable Thickness Planer
A head clamp Makita says eliminates snipe, on a two-knife head whose cuts per inch Makita does not publish.
Best for: Anyone whose main frustration is snipe and who values a low-noise, movable machine over the highest cuts-per-inch figure.
$$$$ · flagship
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The Best Chainsaws for Homeowners: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Garden & Outdoor Living
Makita 36V (18V X2) LXT Brushless 16" Chain Saw (XCU04PT)
A refined, lighter 16-inch saw that's a great value if you already own Makita 18V LXT batteries, and a pricier proposition if you don't.
Best for: Existing Makita 18V LXT owners who value light weight and refinement over the longest bar.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Cordless String Trimmers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Garden & Outdoor Living
Makita 18V X2 (36V) LXT Brushless String Trimmer (XRU15PT)
A beautifully balanced trimmer that only makes financial sense if you already live in Makita LXT.
Best for: People already invested in Makita 18V LXT tools who want top-tier fit and finish.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Impact Drivers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita XDT20Z 18V LXT Brushless Quick-Shift Mode 4-Speed Impact Driver
A mid-pack headline torque, paired with assist modes that are the actual answer to stripped screws and walked bits.
Best for: Finish and cabinet work on soft or thin material, where controlling the start of the drive matters more than peak output.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Jigsaws: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Jig Saw
Full stroke length and a well-made shoe, held back by the lowest speed ceiling and one fewer orbital setting.
Best for: Existing Makita owners doing controlled work in sheet goods, where the lower speed ceiling rarely becomes the limit.
$$$ · premium
Skip it 1 product
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The Best Wood Routers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Tools & DIY
Makita XTR01Z 18V LXT Brushless Cordless Compact Router
Cordless convenience on a tool that usually lives at a bench, with the same quarter inch limit and a battery to buy.
Why we skip it: 1/4 in. collet only, so it carries the compact class limitation at a premium price.
$$$ · premium
Makita in our categories: Tools & DIY (24) · Garden & Outdoor Living (2)