10 Of The Best Makita Tools For Electricians

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Makita is a brand tool users everywhere will know, and almost certainly love. The Japanese powerhouse builds high-tech gear and potent-but-rudimentary hand equipment that turns heads and dials up incredible reliability. Its equipment is a favorite among professionals across the trades and DIY enthusiasts alike and it's often priced at a reasonable level and the technology that goes into making even the simplest of Makita tools often brings integral functionality into the mix to elevate the product.

Electricians are pros that can benefit tremendously from a few well-placed Makita purchases for their tool box. From the box itself to some of Makita's most impressive and (sometimes) niche power tools, the iconic teal of a Makita tool can fit right at home in the collection of a sparky. Naturally, some familiar favorites appear here, like Makita's LXT-badged hammer drill. A drill is a key resource for anyone and any project, but plenty of other cool and immensely useful tools from Makita also come together to make an electrician's day just a little easier. These are some of the best tools Makita has to offer for anyone working with wires and all the expanded, additional sub-projects that wiggle their way into an electrical project.

Makita makes some of the best drills on the market, and its 18V LXT Cordless Hammer Drill is a great example of why the brand is so prominent. The tool weighs just 3.4 pounds and functions with the help of Makita's four-pole motor to produce 480 inch-pounds of maximum torque. The motor offers a 50% increase in runtime as well as a boost to both its power and speed. Variable speeds across settings run up to 1,900 RPM and the hammer action can be ramped up to 28,500 beats per minute. The metal gear housing helps protect the tool while in use on even the most intense job sites.

Drilling and screwing might not seem like it's a particularly important task for electricians, but almost every tradesperson has to do it sometimes. Getting into a recess to access the target wiring might require you to take off covers that are screwed into place. As well, cutting away pieces of drywall to make necessary repairs is frequently part of an electrician's duties. In order to repair the drywall, screwing in backing boards to support new installation is a common practice. In reality, small repairs like this only scratch the surface of what an electrician deals with on a daily basis at work. A drill is an important tool in any professional user's arsenal, and this cordless hammer drill offers expansive versatility to tackle both simple and complex requirements.

Speaking of the drilling and screwing requirements that all electricians often face, another Makita tool can be even more useful in managing drywall repairs and similar screwing requirements. The 18V LXT Brushless Cordless Drywall Screwdriver Gun is a specialty tool that runs on Makita's standard 18 volt battery system. It delivers speeds up to 4,000 RPM for comprehensive coverage of drywall and even basic framing requirements in a pinch. The tool is underpinned by Makita's push drive technology that features a lock on mode to initiate the motor when a fastener is engaged.

The tool is unique in that it looks and functions a lot like a drill, but until you apply pressure to the fastener (which it will hold in place at the screwgun's tip), it won't apply driving power to the screw. This tool offers impeccable control when attaching new pieces of drywall. It's a renovator or builder's best friend in finishing a basement or completing a room, and it's equally at home in an electrician's toolbox when repairing segments of drywall after taking out a socket or cutting into the wall to explore what's going on within the innards of a home or office space. Controlled screw placement and driving force is essential when working around wiring (and particularly when those cables are carrying live current), so a nuanced drywall fastening tool is a great add to any electrician's arsenal.

Every electrician needs a way to carry their tools with them as they head off the next job. Plenty of projects will only require hand tools, but others demand a far greater spread of equipment. Makita and many others make a range of modular and portable tool storage systems. But there will be times where that set up is overkill.

When a job calls for limited scope, a smaller bag with increased mobility is typcially a better option. With that being said, the Makita 20-inch Contractor Tool Bag certainly isn't something that can only support needs surrounding the smallest jobs. Measuring 20 inches by 10 inches by 11 inches, the contractor's tool bag is capable of supporting your workplace needs in a variety of settings and kit demands. It's large enough too house your power tools when necessary and flexible enough to be used as a basic essentials bag when just a few pieces of equipment will do the job. By no means is this bag a basic tool carrying solution either, with three exterior pockets featured as well as high quality zippers for solid durability and easy operation.

The Makita 18V LXT Crown Stapler is an important addition to the electrician's toolbox for a very specific reason. There is frequently a need when working with wires and cables to secure materials in place. Adding temporary staples to loose material around the area you're working in can be incredibly helpful. It can expose the objective you're chasing, and make the entire workflow safer and more efficient. You may also need to secure wires in place from time to time. There are a number of solutions that can help accomplish this, and one option can sometimes be the use of a crown stapler. Utilized as a temporary fix, this tool can help keep extra lengths of wire out of the way as you work on the task ahead of securing the cable permanently. Either as a primary means of fixing material or in temporary duty, a stapler offers extreme versatility and this is something that can go a long way to improving your overall efficiency on any job.

The Makita stapler features an easy to use depth control adjustment knob. It operates with standard Arrow T50 type flat crown staples and delivers these fasteners with a spring loaded mechanism that reduces weight while maintaining the power that you need to consistently drive staples into position. The tool also features a contact actuation that makes it ideal for repeated fastening, adding to the functionality of the stapler significantly.

Another tool essential for the wider tasks involved in electrical work, the Makita 18V LXT Cordless Cut-Out Tool is a must have. The tool features a slide switch with a lock on function to kick the blade into gear and keep it running as you move through your tasks. It offers 30,000 RPM maximum speeds to deliver tremendously fast cutting as well as vent slots to direct debris and air out and away from you as you handle the tool. The cutting solution features a 2¼-inch diameter and a slim body design while weighing in at 3.7 pounds with a Makita 18V battery attached.

A cut-out tool provides major versatility to an electrician working in household settings. Frequently, homeowners will want to move plugs around or add additional switches to support changing lifestyle needs. The cut out-tool allows you to create a plunge cut and carve out exactly what you need in order to run new wire into a section of the wall and install a new back box. With massive cutting speeds on board, the tool is efficient and creates little wastage and tear out when performing its duty. The result is an excellent cutting option that helps to streamline the process of running new wire and adding terminals that users can interact with.

Often rivaling the aforementioned cut-out solution, the Makita 18V LXT Sub-Compact Brushless Cordless StarlockMax Multi-Tool is another minimized power tool that delivers exact, plunging cuts and good line-following capabilities. Unlike the cut-out tool, a multitool features an oscillating blade, delivering greater versatility in its areas of coverage, though notably less accuracy when performing delicate slices. The simple reality of the blade means that you'll be cutting across a wider swath of material with some other precision options. However, this can be the best choice in some instances. If you have to cut away baseboards or channel out a line along the wall to install new wiring and services, the multitool is perhaps your best option.

The Makita subcompact multitool features compatibility with the brand's Starlock accessory system (for even more detail on this specific multitool build, see: What makes Makita's Starlock oscillating tool different), including StarlockMax and StarlockPlus accessories. It features a lock on button and a slide switch for convenient operation in either an always-on mode or with more direct control. The brushless motor features a variable speed dial with oscillation rates ranging between 10,000 and 20,000 oscillations per minute. It also integrates an anti-vibration technology that will be a welcome change for anyone familiar with the typical multitool. This variant delivers up to 85% reduction in the vibration created during operation. 

This Makita jig saw that breaks the mold in a meaningful way. The 18V LXT Brushless Cordless Barrel Grip Jig Saw features a non-standard grip layout that gives you better control over the tool when making precision cuts. A brushless variable speed motor offers speeds between 800 and 3,000 SPM across five speed settings to dial in the precise cutting parameters you require for each unique job. It also features three orbital settings in addition to a straight cut to expand its range beyond just a standard mobile cutting tool.

Most people will be familiar with what a jigsaw can do, but its utility in an electrician's toolbox is particularly valuable. Jigsaws offer a lightweight and easily maneuverable powered cutting solution that helps make off cuts for scrap backing material and much more. The ability to arc your cuts with this tool makes it far more useful when tackling light cutting duties than something more powerful like a circular saw. Mobility and precision combine to offer a supremely useful power tool that no electrician will want to head to a job without.

The final three entries on this list are all organizational accessories. Whether you're a DIY enthusiast working in the electrical arena or a professional heading out on call every single day, the need to organize your critical equipment remains a central piece of the puzzle. Fortunately, Makita makes a range of valuable storage and organizational accessories that can really up your game. The MakTrak Rolling Tool Chest is a rolling tool chest with modular, stackable functionality to support either singular toolbox duties or a growing collection of added storage needs. It offers a comfort grip handle and a large latch that can be easily opened and closed even while wearing bulky gloves on the job. It also features a hidden security tracker slot built into its carcass. This allows you to add an AirTag or another, similar tracking unit to the toolbox in a way that's not easily detected by potential thieves. This is also useful for those who may be forgetful, as well, allowing you to easily track down your gear if you can't remember where you left it.

The rolling tool chest offers a maximum onboard storage capacity of 250 pounds, and Makita notes that the unit's country of origin is the United States, adding another layer of value for those who seek out American-made products. The 9-inch wheels are large enough to support a smooth roll over uneven surfaces, and the dual hinged removable lid provides access from both sides of the chest for expanded organizational use.

Used in coordination with other components in Makita's modular tool storage range or carried on its own, the brand's MakPac Interlocking Tool Box features a hard plastic shell and an open top. The toolbox is 6 inches tall and measures 15½ inches by 11½ inches. The toolbox offers an open interior dimension broken into two side by side sections. As a result, the carrying solution offers tote-style organizational capacity that you can easily toss important tools into as you prepare for a day of work. Electricians will frequently seek to use tool boxes like this because they are both stackable alongside other modular components of the system and removable to offer quick adaptability carrying the gear you require for any given task.

Rounding out the features, at the bottom the tote toolbox includes interlocking compatibility with your other systems, and a sizeable, rounded handle at the top. This provides enough heft to allow you to carry it with one hand or both when needed, while knocking off any sharp edges that might otherwise have been present to limit your mobility in this regard.

The Makita Tool Organizer Wrap is a great option for electricians who work frequently on tasks that only require their hand tools. Even with the need for added power tools brought into the mix, keeping some of your essentials like pliers, insulated screwdrivers, and other essential assets stored in a tool organization solution like this can really amplify your approach. The wrap organizer holds up to 30 tools and accessories, and includes a front pocket for added storage support. Inside, there are three segmented rubber loop areas that run along the case. This gives you ample support when immobilizing both long and short tools.

The wrap is roughly 5½ inches long and about 3 inches tall (with a 0.7-inch depth). When closed up, buckles keep the tool organizer in a compact layout. This makes it a solid option for carrying in the trunk of your car, or featuring as a quick grab and go solution when heading off to assess the basics of a job. Electricians can gain a lot from a tool organizer like this, users run the gamut of professions, and home mechanics looking to boost their tool organization and DIY enthusiasts of all types can gain serious value from a storage option like this as well as those in professional trade areas.

Makita is one of the most well-known brands in the power tool market, in particular. It's frequently thought of as one of the three primary tool manufacturers in the professional arena (alongside DeWalt and Milwaukee), so it's only natural for an electrician seeking new tools to explore Makita's catalog. 

The tools highlighted here fall into two primary categories: Power tools that actively help perform the tasks associated with an electrician's work, and storage solutions designed with these professional's gear-carrying needs in mind. Electricians are professionals who frequently find their work bleeding over into different discreet categories (they might need to build a containment box around newly installed circuits or patch up a now-defunct plug hole, for instance). For this reason, electricians carry all the standard hand and power tools that you'll find in the hardware store, and then some. All of these picks are consistent finds in electrician's arsenals and form an essential kit for aspiring electricians, too.