6 Makita Tools Under $75 Worth Adding To Your Collection

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Makita is a big player in the power tool game. They're popular with DIYers and pros alike, and you can find their tools at Home Depot and other hardware stores. The brand specializes in power tools, which they have in great abundance. By our count, there are approximately 600 tools across the brand's 12V, 18V, and 40V battery systems. That gives most consumers tons of choices, but you may already own many of the brand's highly rated power tools.

Maybe you're expanding your collection, or you're just curious as to what you can find if you're shopping for Makita tools on a budget. The selection is a bit slimmer than it would be if budget was no object, but you can find some pretty neat stuff on the cheaper end of the spectrum. The only problem is that you have to scroll through a few hundred accessories and replacement parts to do it, since those types of products comprise most of Makita's inventory, once you dip below $100.

Fortunately, we took the time to do just that and found a good list of useful tools that are worth space in your garage that cost under $75. You won't find any power tools in this range, even corded ones, unless they're on sale. There are still some good storage options, hand tools, lighting, and other types of tools in this price range that are worth adding to your collection.

Storage is a big part of managing your tools, and Makita has a whole system for it. The company calls its modular storage system MakTrak, and it's similar to the Milwaukee Packout and Ryobi Link systems. You can buy storage items and accessories, and connect them together to make one cohesive unit. This allows you to create a highly customizable and portable storage system, which is especially useful if you use it for work. MakTrak boxes also work well as standalone, if you want to go that route. 

You can get the decently sized Makita MakTrak Deep Compact Organizer for around $56 at Home Depot. This container has five removable bins to let you customize the space inside, and its bright blue colorway makes it difficult to lose track of. It boasts 522 cubic inches of total storage, various divider slots, and large latches to make it easier to carry around. It's large enough to hold power tools, and it has plenty of dividers for screws, nails, fasteners, washers, and whatever else you need to store. 

Makita also makes a low-profile organizer as well. It's a little more expensive but still comes in at under $75. It comes with 11 removable organizer bins, a ton of dividers, and is mostly meant for smaller parts and pieces. Both organizers have excellent reviews across the board, and you can add them to future MakTrak pieces if you decide to go all-in on Makita's storage system. 

Makita isn't quite as well known for its hand tools as it is for its power tools, but the brand does sell a few hand tools. An excellent example of that is the Makita Ratchet and Bit Set. It's basically a screwdriver bit set that comes with bits, sockets, hex bits, square bits, and a few other things. There are 47 total pieces, and the entire kit comes with a storage container that should fit in any closet or toolbox. It'll also fit bits from other brands as well. Just make sure to check for compatibility before you buy other kits.

The screwdriver is pretty standard fare for this kind of tool. It has a non-slip, rubberized handle with a lanyard hole. If you already have bits and just want the screwdriver, Makita also sells that for about $12. It comes with a Philips head bit but no carrying case. The tool is covered by Makita's one-year general product warranty, which isn't as long as some other hand tools.

Overall, this is a nice beginner hand tool, and even if you're not a beginner, it's not a bad idea to keep one of these around for simple tasks. The kit costs $36, which is competitive with similar multi-bit screwdriver and bit sets.

Like any good tool brand, Makita has a metric ton of lighting solutions, and most of them cost less than $75. For this list, we thought the Makita 18V LXT Compact LED Flashlight was the best choice. It's a compact light that fits right onto the company's 18V battery and provides light. It's actually smaller than the battery, which makes it a good choice for small spaces or lighting that doesn't get in the way. Makita also makes a 12V version that performs the same task and is good for the same situations. The 18V model costs $45 and the 12V costs $40. 

Both models are lightweight and last for approximately 29 hours on the less intensive modes and with a large battery. Both models also have a USB charger built-in that can charge things like phones. Makita has a few tools that do this, and those products all seem to get favorable reviews from owners. Both models are also lightweight and come with Makita's three-year warranty for power tools. They won't set the world on fire, but it's nice to have a light when you need one. 

Makita's other lights are pretty decent, too, like this 18V LED Lantern, which you can hang in your work area to spread light in a wide area. You can probably skip the 18V headlamp, though, as multiple owners have noticed that the cord is too short to be usable in every situation. 

Gloves aren't necessarily considered tools because they don't manipulate any materials directly, but they cover your hands, which is important because safety is always a top priority when using power tools. Makita sells three distinct types of work gloves. The first is a nitrile-coasted dipped work glove that comes in blue and gray. These are general purpose gloves that should work fine in most applications, and Makita even built in touchscreen support so you can use your phone or tablet while wearing them. The gray version is a little tougher, with higher ANSI cut rating, making them more resistant.

The second type of glove is the demolition glove, sold in medium and large sizes as well as a third option that swaps the ANSI impact rating with an ANSI abrasion rating. These are generally made for automotive, demolition, maintenance, construction work, or basically any activity where heavy objects might come into contact with hands. They feature padding on the back of the hand and fingers for more protection from those items.

Finally, the third type is the Makita leather-palm work gloves. These are made for general work and come with an ANSI abrasion rating. They're machine washable, making them usable in a host of potentially dirty jobs, like gardening or landscaping. These are also the most expensive gloves in Makita's collection, costing $38.

Of all the tools on this list, the Makita Quick Change Folding Utility Knife probably has the longest list of potential use cases. This tool is made for cutting things like cardboard boxes, opening stuff, cutting rope, and trimming all sorts of materials from carpet to wood and even linoleum. However, these knives also make their way intokitchens and hobby rooms. Makita's utility knife is perfectly serviceable for a lot of different functions. It's also not terribly expensive, at around $24.

The knife itself folds away when you're not using it, reducing the risk of cutting yourself. There's also a blade lock function that helps with this even more. The blade can be replaced, and Makita includes 10 blades with the purchase of the knife. It also has a belt clip like many of this type of knife do. All things considered, it's a pretty standard knife. Utility knife blades aren't universal, but they're close, so you'll be able to find third party replacements as long as you're careful when shopping. Like most of Makita's hand tools, you get a one-year warranty.

A good screwdriver is about as basic of a tool as it gets, and they're used for virtually any DIY or professional task. There are good electric screwdrivers on the market, but a set of regular screwdrivers can still go a long way. Makita sells such a set with the company's six-piece screwdriver set. It runs for around $46 on Amazon, but you can often find it for around $37 or even less if you shop around or wait for sellers to restock it.

In terms of screwdrivers, this set is pretty decent. The rubberized coating is anti-slip and oil resistant, which is about as much as you can ask out of a screwdriver grip. The tips are also magnetized. Speaking from experience and on behalf of the dozen or so screws behind my wall, is something worth investing in. The kit comes with four flathead screwdrivers in varying sizes and two Philips heads, which should cover most use cases.

Like Makita's other hand tools, the screwdriver kit falls under the company's one-year warranty. That's not the longest warranty for hand tools, but user reviews mostly agree that the set is of good quality, if that helps tame your concerns.

The hardest part of choosing tools for this list was finding them. The majority of Makita's well-known tools are its power tools, and all of them are over $100 when not on sale. So, we did what anyone would do. We look on several websites that sell Makita's products, set the price limit to $75, and scrolled through well over 100 accessories and replacement parts until we found six tools that we felt were worth your time. 

Every tool on the list has at least a four-star rating and 100 reviews, and we tossed in our own expertise where we could. We also made sure not to double up on ideas. For example, we selected the Makita Compact LED Flashlight for the list, so we avoided any additional lighting tool.

It's true that these tools are more useful as gadgets and spares than as first-use tools, but given the brand and usual pricing, there weren't a ton of tools under $75 to choose from, and we believe the ones listed below are among the best.